How do I listen to music on a plane?!

[NetflixWithoutFriendsIsWrong]

Explain this to an old dinosaur will you?! At home I just flick on YouTube and type in whatever song I want to listen to! I only have the radio in the car.

I don't know anything about downloading or Spotify etc etc. It's a 9 hour flight, I don’t really want to rely on in-flight entertainment. Just want to kick back and close my eyes with a couple of MJ and Bowie albums at my own choice.

HOW? 🙈 I only have a basic smart phone and some ear pods that connect via blue tooth. I could just about set that up!

Bring back the Walkman. I don't belong here. I'm only 41!

download Spotify app
sign up for free month or two month trial of Spotify premium (remember to call it at end of trial or they’ll charge you!)
download tunes
listen to tunes on plane
take phone charge as it’ll drain your battery

With your set up it doesn’t sound like you will be able to. Can you borrow an old/ unused smart phone from a friend or family member to use?

This. Other streaming services are also available, and wired headphones are sometimes better if you have decent ones.

very 😂 at the idea of you being an old dinosaur though as I am the same age and have been using Spotify for 17 years

Does it use up data if I listen to songs once downloaded or is it all good as long as I download at home with WiFi? Sorry... 🦕

You get free music with Amazon Prime.

I’m a dinosaur too, I have Spotify but wasn’t sure how to listen on a plane. Thanks a million for this thread.

Once it's downloaded to your phone, you're all set. You can listen without WiFi or data.

I love you ❤️

Once it's downloaded it's stored on your phone, so you don't need to access the internet to listen to it. So no data needed.

I'd also recommend having a look at the podcasts! That's my go to for long flights. They are also downloadable.

However it depends how much storage you have on your phone

You can always test if it will be available whilst flying by putting your phone onto airplane mode and trying to listen to it before you go.

Spotify is also full of great podcasts if you have certain interests or hobbies.

Do you have YouTube premium? If so that includes YouTube music and you can download music via that. If not you can use one of the other music apps like Spotify as others have suggested.

You're not a dinosaur at 41. I'm older than you and moved into digital and data at 41 and can sort computer issues out better than dd. I've completed online training on cloud technology and ai with the main providers. If you're not interested that's fine but we're definitely not incapable of coping in a modern world. My dad's in his 70s and pretty decent at it too.

All very true. I'd definitely be making an effort to keep up with technology at only 41. That's young! And you'll be completely lost in 20 years, otherwise.

If you have Netflix you can also download shows and films to watch offline. I do this for long flights.

As well as Spotify (and you need the paid for version to download hence the advice above to sign up for a free trial) you can download the BBC Sounds app to your phone and then download shows and podcasts that your enjoy too hot phone to listen to without WiFi or data.

There are also services where you can buy a digital version of an album and steam it or download it such is great because streaming services like Spotify pay a pittance to artists. Band Camp is decent.

For this reason I’m grateful that my old iPod nano still works, it comes with me on all long journeys. If you have music on CDs/media player still it might be worth getting a cheap mp3 player/second hand iPod? You can get refurbed iPod shuffles from CEx for around the £20 mark. Save your phone battery!

I hope you’re not actually 41 and this afraid of tech.

To add to what everyone else has said, you can also download audiobooks on Spotify premium too.

I’d also recommend noise cancelling headphones - planes are very noisy (engine noise, not people) and we really appreciated ours for our last long flight.

Also if the headphones come with a connector cable, take it with you - on some planes you can connect by Bluetooth to the in flight system, others you need a cable and being able to watch that with noise cancelling is a bonus.

This - 41 isn’t even remotely old 🫣 my dad is 70 and uses Spotify and DH’s dad is 82 and understands it!

I strongly advise you consider noise-cancelling headphones. Fantastic.

I have some that Bluetooth to my phone (I listen to the music saved on my phone - I’m really very old compared to you) and also have a cable that I can plug into the plane. It has a normal old fashioned jack, and an adaptor with two prongs (?) for the planes that have that kind of connector. On a long flight there’s usually a large music selection including guided meditation/ambient stuff.

I wouldn’t use wireless ear buds on a plane, personally, because I would definitely drop them into the seat…