Listening to music is a great way to pass the time and beat boredom during trips, whether you're traveling by land, sea, or air.
However, enjoying your tunes on a plane isn't as straightforward as it is with other forms of transportation. There are a few hurdles to overcome, such as the lack of internet access and the requirement to use airplane mode.
Despite these challenges, there are still ways to enjoy your music while flying. What are they? Let's find out.
If you're flying with a full-service airline like Singapore Airlines or Fly Emirates, you'll likely have access to music. These airlines equip their planes with in-flight entertainment systems for all passengers.
This entertainment usually includes a personal screen in front of each seat, offering a variety of options such as movies, TV shows, music, e-books, and games.
To listen to music, simply plug your headset into the screen. Most airlines provide headsets, but you're also usually allowed to use your own.
One downside is the limited selection of music. The range of songs available isn't as vast as what you'd find on streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music, which might make the options feel repetitive after a while.
Note that not all flights by full-service carriers come with in-flight entertainment. On shorter routes, such as from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur with Singapore Airlines, the planes might not have these facilities. So, always check with your airline about the availability of in-flight entertainment before your flight.
If the song selection from in-flight entertainment doesn't meet your needs, you can turn to online music streaming apps like Spotify or Apple Music. These platforms offer a vast and diverse collection of music that can cater to your tastes.
You might wonder how to access these apps without an internet connection in the air, especially since you must switch your phone to airplane mode, which disables cellular and Wi-Fi signals.
Fortunately, many airlines now offer Wi-Fi on their planes, either for free or for a fee. This allows you to connect to the internet while flying.
Here's a tip: you can use Wi-Fi on your smartphone even in airplane mode. First, enable airplane mode, then turn the Wi-Fi back on while still in airplane mode.
Additionally, airplane mode also allows the use of Bluetooth. This means you can listen to music not just through wired headsets but also with Bluetooth devices like AirPods or other true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds.
For more information on how to use Bluetooth headsets on a plane, please refer to the following article:
What if your flight doesn't offer in-flight entertainment or Wi-Fi? No worries, you can still enjoy music through offline music player apps on your smartphone.
You can download your favorite songs to your smartphone before your flight. Once downloaded, you can play them during your trip without needing an internet connection.
This approach might seem a bit outdated, but it's a reliable way to ensure you have your music handy. You can also use music streaming apps with offline capabilities.
For example, Spotify allows you to listen offline, but you need to have a Spotify Premium subscription. For full instructions on how to use Spotify in offline mode, please refer to the following article:
These are three methods you can use to listen to music while flying. Which one do you prefer?
