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How to listen to music on a plane without Wi-Fi: 12 tips for offline listening.
Long flights can be more enjoyable when you know how to listen to music on board without Wi-Fi . Simply download offline music from Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music, or take advantage of the airline's free entertainment system, and you'll have your favorite playlist to accompany you throughout your trip. These little tips help you relax, save money, and enjoy music anytime, even when airplane mode is on.
Long flights can be much less boring if you can listen to your favorite music. But discovering there's no Wi-Fi or mobile data on your plane is a real mood killer. Don't worry! This article will guide you on how to listen to music on a plane easily and simply, even when your phone is in airplane mode. From downloading music offline and using popular music apps to utilizing the in-flight entertainment system – everything is practical, easy to understand, and suitable for everyone. With a little preparation, your flight will be much smoother.
Things you need to know about listening to music on an airplane.
Check if the airline offers free music streaming.
Many airlines now offer built-in in-flight entertainment, allowing passengers to listen to music without an internet connection. Before flying, you should:
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Visit the airline's official website or app to see if they have an "in-flight entertainment" feature.
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Check if the music streaming service is free or requires installing a separate app.
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Prepare suitable headphones (some aircraft do not support Bluetooth headphones).
This method is ideal if you don't want to install additional apps or download music to your device.
Download your favorite music to your phone to listen offline.
If you frequently listen to music on Spotify but worry about not being able to use it when airplane mode is on, the solution is to download the music to your device beforehand. A common method used by many people is:
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Use a music converter tool like Sidify Music Converter to save the song to your phone.
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Choose a popular format like MP3 for easy playback on any device.
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Check your music files before your flight to make sure you can listen to them offline.
This method gives you complete control, without relying on Wi-Fi or the in-flight entertainment system.
Use a paid plan to unlock offline music streaming.
Online music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music all allow offline music downloads if you subscribe to a Premium plan. For optimal use, you should:
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Register for a paid package before your flight.
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Download your favorite playlists or albums while connected to Wi-Fi.
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Turn on airplane mode and check if the music playback is working again.
This is the safest, legal, and most reliable way to listen to music on an airplane, especially on long flights.
Tip 1: Inflight entertainment
Many major airlines now offer free in-flight music services , allowing passengers to enjoy entertainment without needing internet or mobile data. This is a very convenient option if you haven't had time to download music offline before your flight.
How to check and use music streaming services on an airplane.
To avoid feeling disoriented when boarding the plane, you should follow these steps:
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Visit the airline's official website before your trip to see if they offer in-flight entertainment.
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Check the list of available content: music, movies, podcasts, playlists, or albums.
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Once on board, read the instruction sheet in your seat or ask the flight attendant how to connect your phone, tablet, or laptop to the entertainment system.
Typically, you just need to turn on airplane mode and connect to the airplane's internal Wi-Fi (not the internet) to listen to music for free.
Some popular airlines offer free music streaming services.
Here are some examples of major airlines that are offering in-flight music services to passengers:
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American Airlines: Listen to music for free via Apple Music
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United Airlines: Free playlists and albums on United Private Screening.
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Delta Air Lines: Selected playlists compiled by Spotify
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JetBlue: Free access to SiriusXM music library.
Important notes when listening to music using Inflight Entertainment.
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It's advisable to bring wired headphones as some aircraft don't support Bluetooth.
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The device's battery needs to last for the entire flight, especially on long flights.
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The music content depends on each label and is not personalized like your own playlist.
If you want to listen to music on a plane quickly and easily, without any prior preparation , then the in-flight entertainment system is a very worthwhile solution.

Tip 2: Airplane Wi-Fi helps you stream music online.
If you want to listen to online music on a plane just like you would on the ground, in-flight Wi-Fi is the right option. Many airlines now provide Wi-Fi so passengers can access the internet throughout their flight.
How to use Wi-Fi on an airplane to listen to music.
To avoid feeling awkward when boarding the plane, you should prepare by following these steps:
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Visit the airline's official website before your trip to check if Wi-Fi is available on the plane.
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Check the available Wi-Fi options: free or paid per flight.
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If you're willing to pay a small extra, buy a Wi-Fi package to access streaming music services like Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music.
Once connected to Wi-Fi, you can listen to music online as usual without needing to download it beforehand.
Are Wi-Fi services on airplanes expensive?
The price of Wi-Fi on airplanes is now quite affordable:
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JetBlue: Providing free Wi-Fi for all passengers.
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Delta, United, Alaska, Southwest: Offer paid Wi-Fi packages, usually under $10 per flight.
This price is reasonable if you only need to listen to music, text, or do some light web browsing during your flight.
Things to keep in mind when listening to music using Wi-Fi on an airplane.
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Wi-Fi speeds may be unstable, especially when the plane is crowded.
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Streaming music will drain your battery faster than streaming music offline.
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It's a good idea to have a backup plan (downloading music offline) in case the Wi-Fi is slow or unavailable.
Wi-Fi on airplanes is a flexible solution for those who want to listen to online music while flying , but for maximum control, you should still combine it with pre-downloaded offline music.

Tip 3: Use the Documents app to download music for offline listening on your iPhone.
The Documents app on iPhone lets you download music to listen to offline , which is very useful when airplane mode is enabled. This method is suitable if you want to proactively save music files and not rely on Wi-Fi on the plane.
How to download music offline using Documents (step-by-step guide)
You can follow these steps:
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Install the Documents by Readdle app from the App Store.
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Open the built-in browser within the app.
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Enter the address of a website that supports downloading MP3 files.
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Find the song you want to download.
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When the song is displayed, tap the download arrow icon at the bottom of the screen.
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Save the music file to the Downloads folder in the application.
Once completed, the music was saved directly to the iPhone and could be listened to offline.
How to listen to downloaded music while on an airplane
When you board the plane and turn on airplane mode, you just need to:
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Open the Documents app.
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Access the Downloads folder.
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Select the music file and play it as usual.
This method works reliably even without Wi-Fi or in-flight entertainment systems.
Some websites offer free MP3 music downloads.
Many users often search for music through websites such as:
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MP3 Money
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MYMP3Skull
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Y2Mate
These sites help convert and download music quickly, but you need to be careful before using them.
Important note before using this method
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Some websites display ads, pop-ups, or automatically redirect pages.
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You should only download music from sources you trust to avoid security risks.
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You should check for copyright issues and use it only for personal purposes; do not share it with others.
If you need to listen to music on a plane without Wi-Fi , Documents is a flexible solution. However, for safety and long-term sustainability, you should consider combining it with legitimate offline music streaming services.

Tip 4: Use Spotify Premium to listen to music offline on airplanes.
Spotify Premium is one of the most stable and legal ways to listen to music on airplanes , suitable for Vietnamese users who frequently listen to Spotify and don't want to rely on Wi-Fi.
How to download Spotify music to listen offline (step-by-step)
With just a few minutes of preparation before your flight, you can comfortably listen to music while using airplane mode:
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Subscribe to Spotify Premium (approximately $10/month)
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Open Spotify on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
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Create 1–2 playlists of your favorite songs.
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Click the download arrow icon next to the playlist.
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When the arrow turns green, the music has been downloaded and is ready to listen offline.
The entire playlist will be saved on your device, eliminating the need for an internet connection while flying.
How to download music offline from Spotify on your computer
If you use Spotify on a laptop or PC, the process is also very simple:
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Open the playlist you want to download.
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Turn on the Download button (blue) next to the playlist.
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When each song has a green arrow icon, it means the download is complete and you can listen offline.
This method is suitable if you usually listen to music on your laptop while flying.
Spotify Premium packages help save money.
Spotify offers a variety of flexible plans to suit different needs:
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Students: approximately $5/month
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Duo Package: 2 people sharing a house, approximately $6.50 per person per month.
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Family Package: Up to 6 people, approximately $16/month (less than $3/person)
This is an economical option if you're sharing it with family or friends.
Try it for free before you decide.
Spotify is currently offering a one-month free trial for new users with all Premium plans. You can:
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Register before your flight.
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Download music offline to use throughout your journey.
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Cancel if you no longer need the service after your flight.
With its high stability, simple operation, and lack of copyright concerns, Spotify Premium is a very reliable solution if you want to listen to music on an airplane without Wi-Fi .

Tip 5: Use Apple Music to listen to music offline on airplanes.
Apple Music is a familiar choice for iPhone, iPad, and MacBook users thanks to its built-in offline music streaming capabilities, which is very convenient when you need to listen to music on a plane without internet access.
How to download Apple Music to listen offline on iPhone, iPad
You just need to follow these steps in order:
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Open the Apple Music app on your phone or tablet.
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Press and hold the song, album, or playlist you want to listen to while flying.
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Select “Add to library” to save the music to your account.
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Once the content is in the library, press and hold to save it.
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Select "Download" to save the music directly to your device.
Once the download is complete, you can turn on airplane mode and listen to music normally, without needing Wi-Fi.
How to download Apple Music to listen offline on your MacBook or laptop.
If you usually bring your laptop when flying, Apple Music will still work perfectly fine:
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Open the Apple Music or iTunes app on your device.
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Find your favorite song or album
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Click the "+" sign to add to the library.
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In your library, tap the download icon next to the song or album.
Once the download is complete, the music is ready to listen to offline on the plane.
How to create an Apple Music playlist to listen to while flying.
Creating playlists allows you to listen to music seamlessly throughout your flight:
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Go to the "Library" section.
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Select "Playlist" and then click "New Playlist".
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Name the playlist
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Select "Add music" to add your favorite songs to the list.
Then, you just need to download the entire playlist to your device and you can listen offline.
Apple Music costs and deals you should know.
Apple Music currently offers the following popular plans:
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Individual: approximately $10/month
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University and college students: approximately $6/month
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New users: try it free for 1 month.
Note: The Apple Music Voice package does not support downloading music for offline listening, so it is not suitable if you need to listen to music on an airplane.

Tip 6: Use YouTube Music Premium to listen to music offline on airplanes.
YouTube Music Premium is a popular choice among many Vietnamese users due to its extensive music library and the simple method of downloading music for offline listening on airplanes , usable on multiple devices.
How to download YouTube Music to listen offline (easy step-by-step instructions)
You can download songs, playlists, or albums before your flight as follows:
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Open the YouTube Music app on your phone or tablet.
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With playlists or albums:
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Click on the three dots icon (⁝)
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Select “Download”
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With a single song:
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Press the "Download" button next to the song title.
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Once the download is complete, all the music will be saved in the app and can be listened to when airplane mode is enabled.
How to create playlists for seamless music listening while flying.
Creating playlists helps you avoid constantly selecting songs on the plane:
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While listening to a song, press the three-dot icon (⁝).
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Select “Add to playlist”
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Select "New Playlist"
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Name the songs and add your favorites.
Then, simply download the entire playlist to your device to listen offline.
Smart downloads feature
YouTube Music has a very convenient feature for people who often forget to download music before a flight:
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Click on your profile picture.
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Select “Download”
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Go to "Settings"
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Turn on “Smart Downloads”
When this feature is enabled, the app will automatically download songs that match your musical taste when Wi-Fi is available.
YouTube Music Premium costs and offers
YouTube Music Premium currently has the following popular price tiers:
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Personal account: approximately $10/month
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Students: approximately $5/month
-
New users: try it free for 1 month.
This service works well on phones, tablets, and laptops, making it suitable if you frequently switch devices while traveling.

Tip 7: Use Amazon Music Prime or Unlimited to listen to music offline on airplanes.
Amazon Music is a Wi-Fi-free music streaming solution for Amazon Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited users, offering simple and stable offline music downloads.
How to download music from Amazon Music to listen offline (step-by-step)
You can prepare your music before your flight very quickly as follows:
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Open the Amazon Music app on your phone or tablet.
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Find the song, album, or playlist you want to listen to while flying.
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Click the “More Options” button next to that content.
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Select “Download” to save the music to your device.
Once the download is complete, all the music will be in the Amazon Music app and can be listened to even with airplane mode enabled.
How to listen to downloaded music while on an airplane
When there's no internet, all you need to do is:
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Open the Amazon Music app.
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Access the downloaded music folder.
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Stream music directly without Wi-Fi or mobile data.
This method works well on iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire tablets.
How to create an Amazon Music playlist to listen to throughout your flight.
Playlists allow you to listen to music continuously without much effort:
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Open the Amazon Music app.
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Select “My Music”
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Go to the "Playlists" tab.
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Click "Create New Playlist"
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Find and add your favorite songs, albums, or artists.
Once created, simply download the playlist to your device to listen offline.
What are the differences between Amazon Music Prime and Unlimited?
Amazon offers two main options:
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Amazon Music Prime: Free for Amazon Prime members, access to approximately 2 million songs.
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Amazon Music Unlimited: A larger music library, approximately 90 million songs, at around $9 per month.
Amazon Music Unlimited offers a free trial for new users, perfect for trying out before your flight.

Tip 8: Pandora Premium for offline music listening on airplanes.
Pandora is a popular music streaming service among many international users. If you have Pandora Premium , you can download music in advance and listen to it on the plane without Wi-Fi .
How to download Pandora music to listen offline (step-by-step)
With a Premium account, downloading music is quite simple:
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Open the Pandora app on your phone or tablet.
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Go to the "My Collection" section.
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Find the station or content you want to listen to while flying.
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Click the download arrow icon next to that content.
If the content has an arrow icon, it means it can be downloaded and listened to offline. Some stations will not support downloading; this is a general limitation of Pandora.
Differences between Pandora Plus and Pandora Premium
Before signing up, you should understand the differences between the two packages:
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Pandora Plus:
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Automatically enable offline listening for the 3 stations you listen to most often.
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There is Thumbprint Radio
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Manual loading of each station is not allowed.
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Pandora Premium:
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Actively select a station for offline downloads.
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More flexibility when preparing music for flights.
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If you need to control the content you listen to on an airplane, Pandora Premium would be a better fit.
Pandora pricing and current offers
Pandora offers a range of prices:
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Pandora Plus: approximately $5/month
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Pandora Premium: approximately $10/month
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Students: Premium is approximately $5/month.
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Military personnel: Premium approximately $8/month
-
Family Package: 6 Premium accounts for approximately $15/month
Additionally, Pandora offers a trial period:
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Plus: 1-month free trial
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Premium: 2-month free trial
You can take advantage of the trial period to listen to music on the plane without paying upfront.
Important notes when using Pandora offline
-
Offline listening mode only works on phones and tablets.
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Pandora does not support offline listening on laptops.
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You need to download music before turning on airplane mode.
Pandora Premium is a suitable choice if you're used to listening to radio-style playlists and want to listen to music on a plane automatically, without having to manually prepare too many playlists .

Tip 9: Use Soundcloud Go to listen to music offline on airplanes.
SoundCloud Go and Go Plus are suitable options if you often listen to indie music, remixes, or podcasts and want to listen to music on a plane without Wi-Fi by downloading content to your device beforehand.
How to download music from SoundCloud to listen offline (easy step-by-step instructions)
You can prepare music before your flight as follows:
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Open the SoundCloud app on your phone.
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Go to the playlist or the "Liked" section.
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Click the arrow icon in the upper right corner to download music offline.
If you want to download your entire SoundCloud library:
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Go to the offline listening settings.
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Turn on the "Save automatically" option.
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The app will automatically save all the playlists and songs you've liked.
This method is very convenient if you don't want to select each playlist individually before your flight.
How to create a SoundCloud playlist to listen to while flying
Creating playlists allows you to listen to music continuously throughout your flight:
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While a song is playing, press the three dots next to it.
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Select “Add to playlist”
-
Create a new playlist or add to an existing one.
Then, you simply download that playlist to your device to listen offline.
SoundCloud Go and Go Plus costs
SoundCloud currently offers two main packages:
-
SoundCloud Go: approximately $5/month
-
SoundCloud Go Plus: approximately $10/month
Trial offer:
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Go: Try it free for 7 days
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Go Plus: Try it free for 1 month.
You can take advantage of the trial package to listen to music on the plane without paying upfront.
Important notes when using SoundCloud offline
-
Offline listening only works on phones and tablets.
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Offline listening is not supported on laptops.
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You need to finish downloading the music before turning on airplane mode.
SoundCloud Go is suitable if you like unique, less repetitive content and want to download music offline to listen to on airplanes in a flexible way, without being too dependent on popular playlists.

Tip 10: Use Deezer Premium to listen to music offline on airplanes.
Deezer Premium is a reliable option if you want to listen to music on a plane without Wi-Fi , especially for users who are used to listening to music on multiple devices.
How to download Deezer music to listen offline (clear step-by-step instructions)
You can prepare your music before your flight by following these steps:
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Open the Deezer app on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
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Select the "Favorites" category.
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Go to the "Music" tab.
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Press the "DOWNLOAD" button to download all your favorite music to your device.
Once completed, you can listen to music even with airplane mode enabled.
How to download music using mobile data (when Wi-Fi is unavailable)
In case you don't have Wi-Fi but still want to download music before your flight:
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Go to “Settings” in the Deezer app.
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Select “Audio” and “Download”
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Turn on the "Download via mobile data" option.
This method is convenient, but you should consider your data usage before using it.
Deezer Premium pricing and economy plans
Deezer currently offers the following popular price ranges:
-
Individual package: approximately $11/month
-
Student package: approximately $6/month
-
Family Package: maximum 6 people, average cost around $3 per person.
Additionally, Deezer offers a one-month free trial for all packages, perfect for trying out before your flight.
Notes on using Deezer for offline music playback.
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You need to finish downloading the music before turning on airplane mode.
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Offline listening works well on phones, tablets, and laptops.
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You should check your free storage space before downloading multiple playlists.
With its simple operation, flexible packages, and multi-device compatibility, Deezer Premium is a practical solution if you want to download music offline for stable and long-term listening on airplanes .

Tip 11: Use Tidal HiFi or HiFi Plus for offline music listening on airplanes.
Tidal is a music streaming service known for its high-quality sound. With the HiFi or HiFi Plus plan, you can download music offline to listen to on airplanes without Wi-Fi, making it especially suitable for those who listen to music with high-quality headphones.
How to download music from Tidal to listen offline (step-by-step)
Tidal allows you to download music directly to your phone and tablet:
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Open the Tidal app.
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Select the "My Collection" option.
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Go to “Playlists” or “Albums”
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Tap the three-dot icon next to a playlist or album.
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Select “Download” to save the music to your device.
Once the download is complete, all the content will be ready to listen to offline.
How to enable offline mode on Tidal
To ensure Tidal doesn't require internet while flying:
-
Go back to the "My Collection" section.
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Tap the “Settings” icon.
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Turn on “Offline Mode”
When this mode is enabled, the app will only play content that has been downloaded to your device.
How to find downloaded music on Tidal
When offline, you can quickly access your downloaded music by:
-
Go to “My Collection”
-
Select the "Downloaded" option.
All downloaded playlists and albums will be displayed here.
How to create a Tidal playlist to listen to while flying
If you want to listen to music continuously throughout your flight:
-
Tap the three-dot icon next to the song or album.
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Select “Add to Playlist”
-
Create a new playlist or add to an existing one.
Then, simply download the playlist to your device to listen offline.
Tidal HiFi and HiFi Plus pricing
Tidal currently offers the following packages:
-
Tidal HiFi: approximately $10/month
-
Tidal HiFi Plus: approximately $20/month
Additionally, Tidal offers deals on:
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Family
-
University and college students
-
Military
All packages include a one-month free trial , perfect for experiencing the service before your flight.

Tip 12: Use JioSaavn Pro to listen to music offline on airplanes.
JioSaavn Pro allows unlimited song downloads for offline listening , ideal if you want to prepare music before your flight and don't rely on Wi-Fi or mobile data.
How to download JioSaavn music to listen offline (step-by-step instructions)
You can download songs, albums, or playlists in the following ways:
-
Open the JioSaavn app.
-
Find the song or album you want to listen to while flying.
-
Press and hold on the song or album until the menu appears.
-
Select “Download” to download the music to your device.
If you want to download the entire playlist :
-
Open playlist
-
Tap the arrow icon to the right of the playlist.
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The app will automatically download all the songs in the list.
In addition, you can also:
-
Click the three-dot icon next to the song.
-
Select “Download” from the menu that appears.
Once the download is complete, the music is ready to listen to when airplane mode is enabled.
How to create a JioSaavn playlist to listen to throughout your flight.
Creating playlists allows you to listen to music continuously without much effort while flying:
-
Press and hold on the song you want to add.
-
Select “Add to Playlist”
-
Create a new playlist or add to an existing one.
Then, simply download this playlist to your device to listen offline.
JioSaavn Pro cost and trial offer
JioSaavn Pro is currently priced quite affordably:
-
Monthly package: approximately $5/month
-
Annual package: approximately $40/year
-
The monthly package includes a 7-day free trial.
You can take advantage of the trial period to download and listen to music on the plane without Wi-Fi .

References
- https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/experience/
entertainment/inflight-entertainment.jsp - https://www.delta.com/us/en/onboard/
inflight-entertainment/current-tunes - https://www.jetblue.com/flying-with-us/
inflight-experience/tv-movies-and-more - https://travelinglight.com/can-you-listen-to-spotify-on-a-plane/
- https://www.afar.com/magazine/american-offers-free-wi-fi-on-select-flights
- https://raddle.com/documents/how-to-save-files
- https://support.spotify.com/us/article/listen-offline/
- https://www.spotify.com/us/premium/
- https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/
add-music-and-listen-offline-iph0cff2d191/ios - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204839
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207542
- https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/
add-music-and-listen-offline-iph0cff2d191/ios - https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/
6313535?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
- https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/
6313540?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop - https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/
display.html?nodeId=GMNHEFFY6TU8PV4U - https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/
display.html?nodeId=GDBZPRAB93SZK8YX - https://help.pandora.com/s/article/
Offline-Mode-and-Downloads?language=en_US - https://help.soundcloud.com/hc/en-us/articles/
360051798094-Offline-listening-with-SoundCloud-Go - https://help.soundcloud.com/hc/en-us/articles/
115003449787-Creating-and-adding-tracks-to-a-playlist - https://support.deezer.com/hc/en-gb/articles/
115003884605-Listen-To-Deezer-Offline - https://www.deezer.com/us/offers
- https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/
115005843285-Offline-Mode-with-the-iOS-App - https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/
201315081-Offline-Mode-on-Android - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_sDU6koQhg&t=0m10s
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-txgipx7Gt8&t=0m10s
- https://www.jiosaavn.com/pro/#pro-feature-comparison
Translated by Ashley Wright Nguyen .


3 comments
Có lần mình mang tai nghe Bluetooth lên máy bay, hăm hở bật nhạc thì phát hiện… máy bay không hỗ trợ. Thế là ngồi nhìn tai nghe như món đồ trang trí. Từ đó rút ra chân lý: tai nghe có dây mới là ‘người bạn đồng hành’ thật sự.
Mình từng hí hửng mua Wi-Fi trên máy bay để nghe Spotify, ai ngờ tốc độ chậm đến mức bài hát chưa kịp phát thì máy bay đã hạ cánh. Thế là mất tiền mà chỉ nghe được… tiếng bụng đói. Giờ thì trung thành với nhạc offline thôi.
Lần đầu đi máy bay mà quên tải nhạc offline, mình ngồi nghe tiếng động cơ suốt 3 tiếng. Cảm giác như đang tham gia buổi hòa nhạc ‘tiếng ù tai’ phiên bản đặc biệt. Từ đó rút kinh nghiệm, playlist offline là vật bất ly thân.