Amusing yourself on long flights is always challenging. You don’t have much room, it’s stuffy, and the food isn’t exactly gourmet.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do if you’re the sort of person who loves to travel. These ideas keep your mind amused, allowing you to enjoy whatever situation you find yourself in, whether it’s a trip across Asia or a long haul to South America.

Journaling

One place to start is with journaling. Instead of just sitting there listening to music, you could write down your thoughts for the week and what you want to do.

Journaling is an excellent way to brainstorm new ideas. It helps you focus on a specific aspect of your life, whether it’s your most recent conversation with a therapist or a business project you have in the works.

If you have children with you, it’s important to give thought to what to pack in children’s cases for flight so that they can also be kept busy during the flight.

Meditation Apps

You could also use the time to indulge in some meditation apps. These prepare you for the journey ahead and guide you into a state of deep relaxation and tranquillity.

These apps are helpful for people travelling through airports. While they can be stressful, putting on some calming sounds and meditative instructions is often helpful.

You could combine these with mindfulness exercises. For example, you could focus on breathwork or body scanning techniques to feel better about yourself.

Enjoy Tea Time

You could also enjoy a spot of English tea. How marvellous.

Tea time (or coffee if you prefer) is ideal for people who can’t sleep on long-haul flights. A nice drink is often just what you need to feel calm and happy, even if the flight tracker says you still have nine hours to go before reaching your destination.

Most airlines will let you bring your own bags onboard. But if you’re travelling through somewhere like the UK, it may be worth simply asking the cabin crew for a cuppa.

Talk To a Fellow Traveler

Another option is to spend the time talking to someone else near you if that’s what they want. Firing up a conversation is often an excellent way to make the time pass more rapidly. You can discuss your adventures, culture, history, politics, music, or anything else you want.

Talking to fellow travellers is sometimes scary if you haven’t done it before. But you’d be amazed how easy it is to start a conversation, especially if they want to tell you something. Give it a go and see what happens.

Play a Game

Another option is to log into the WiFi and play a game, like Spider Solitaire. These can keep you occupied for many hours, allowing you to pass the time and deal with all the in-flight nonsense many people have to put up with.

Solo games are obviously the best. But if you don’t mind the latency problems involved in connecting to the internet from a moving aircraft, then multiplayer is also an option. Just expect to get fragged more often.

Learn a Language

Another option is to use all the time you spend flying to learn a language you need. After all, if you’re flying around all the time and going to foreign places, you might as well use the time productively.

Speaking a new language is a rewarding experience once you get to grips with it. Plus, it is something that can keep you occupied for the entire journey, even if you’re on a 14-hour leg from London to Sydney.

Bring Some Snacks With You

Eating snacks on a long-haul flight is essential if you want to keep your palate entertained. Gobbling down delicious treats is an excellent way to feel your best and ensure you have plenty of energy left over for your travels.

Gourmet snacks are the best. After all, you might as well treat yourself.

Watch Some Documentaries

If you want to learn something but don’t want to put in an enormous amount of effort during the flight, watching documentaries is a great approach. With these, you can study numerous topics and gain background information as you work your way through, allowing you to go deeper in your conversations and become more knowledgeable of the world around you.

Don’t be afraid to watch a whole series all the way through. Six or seven hours is usually enough to provide you with all the insights you need.

Plan Your Trip

Lastly, if you’re the sort of person who likes to do things last minute, then planning your trip could be an excellent way to pass the time on a long flight. Writing down your thoughts into an itinerary and making a to-do list can be helpful.

Main Image – Photo by Shane Kell: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sea-of-clouds-1363794/