Besides sea travel, traveling via plane is the most common way to go anywhere. However, you can find it dull sitting on your plane seat, especially on long-haul flights. Some people have also wondered how to listen to music on a plane.
Listening to your favorite songs and artists can be a great way to pass the time while on a flight. This guide will show you how to listen to music on airplane and what apps work on Airplane Mode.
Read on to learn more.
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How to Listen to Music on an Airplane
From premium music streaming services to offline music downloads, you can easily listen to your favorite songs and playlists while on a plane. While most modern airplanes will support Wi-Fi on board, budget airlines will most likely require all passengers to keep their phones in Airplane Mode.
The methods below will show you different ways to listen to music while on an airplane. Remember to review each method and see which one you think is the most effective:
Method #1: Inflight Entertainment
Before streaming music from the music apps on your phone, it’s ideal to check if your airline has music streaming on their inflight entertainment. This way, you’ll truly get your money’s worth and have a relaxing flight. Fortunately, most major airline companies will provide this service for free.
When preparing before a flight, you can check the airline’s website to learn more about their inflight entertainment package. If you’re on board, however, you can ask a flight attendant about how you can stream music on your device for free. Here are some free music streaming services offered by well-known airlines in the US:
- United Airlines: Free albums and playlists thru United Private Screening
- American Airlines: Free access to Apple Music
- Delta Airlines: Free playlists from Spotify
- JetBlue: Free access to SiriusXM
Method #2: Inflight Wi-Fi
Access to Wi-Fi on land is just as valuable as having it on a plane. It lets you view the latest news, stream music, and access your email and social media accounts. You can check your airline’s website for their Wi-Fi packages for each flight.
However, if your flight doesn’t include Wi-Fi access, you could pay for this service at a certain fee—usually $10 or lower. This way, you can either log in to your streaming subscription or download your desired songs online.
Method #3: Download Music Offline via Third-party Sites
One of the most common ways to download your desired music on your smartphone is by accessing MP3 download sites through your phone’s browser. Besides spending on Wi-Fi access, this method allows you to download songs on a plane at no cost.
To download your desired songs and albums via third-party MP3 download sites, proceed to these steps:
- Open your phone’s default browser and access your favorite song or album via YouTube.
- Copy the link at the address bar. On another tab, go to Y2Mate or MP3Skulls and paste the link on the field.
- Choose the MP3 file format and tap Download.
- Once downloaded, it will be saved in your phone’s Downloads folder.
Method #4: Stream Music via Spotify Premium
Spotify is a mainstream music streaming service that you can use to listen to your favorite songs, playlists, podcasts, and more, for free. However, to have access to exclusive features—including offline song downloads—you’ll need to subscribe to Spotify Premium, which costs $10/month.
Note: The subscription cost is only for regular accounts. Student premium accounts will only cost $5/month. Spotify also has a one-month free trial for new users. For more information about Spotify’s subscription packages, click this link.
To download music from Spotify, follow these steps:
- Download and install Spotify on your smartphone or laptop.
- Log in to your Spotify account and ensure you have an active Spotify Premium subscription to access offline music downloads.
- Go to Your Library and choose the song or playlist you want to download.
- Choose the Download button. Once the song or playlist has a green arrow, it will be saved on your device and can be played offline.
Method #5: Stream Music via Apple Music
Apple Music is famous for music streaming for iOS and Mac devices. Compared to Spotify, you’ll need a valid subscription to access various songs, playlists, and podcasts using the Apple Music app. You can also choose to download your desired content so it can be accessed offline.
Note: Apple Music will cost $10/month for individual users. Students can access Apple Music at a discounted rate of $6/month. To learn more about Apple Music’s subscription plans, click here.
To download your desired songs, albums, and playlists offline via the Apple Music app, follow the steps below:
- Open the Apple Music app on your iOS device and ensure you have a valid subscription.
- Find your desired song, album, or playlist. Then, tap and hold on to it and choose Add to Library.
- Once you’ve added all your desired content to your Apple Music Library, tap and hold the songs you want to download and choose Download. You can now stream these songs offline.
Method #6: Stream Music Using YouTube Music
YouTube Music is a music streaming service launched by Google. It allows you to access different songs, albums, and playlists. You can also stream them offline if you’re subscribed to YouTube Music Premium—it costs $10/month for individual accounts and $5/month for students.
Also, YouTube Music provides a free one-month trial for new users. For more information about YouTube Music’s subscription plans, click this link.
To download your desired songs, playlists, and albums via YouTube Music, proceed to these steps:
- Open the YouTube Music app on your smartphone and log in to your account.
- To download playlists and albums, select the Menu (three vertical dots) button on your desired album or playlist and select Download.
- To download your preferred songs, choose the Download option across the song title.
Method #7: Stream Music via SoundCloud Go
If you’re subscribed to SoundCloud Go or SoundCloud Go Plus, you can download your desired songs and playlists and stream them offline. To do this, follow the steps below:
- Launch the SoundCloud app on your smartphone and sign in to your account.
- Find your desired song or playlist and tap the Arrow icon on the top-right corner of the screen.
- To download all of the songs and playlists saved on your SoundCloud Library, go to Settings > Offline listening settings and enable the Save automatically option.
If you’re not a SoundCloud Go member yet, an individual subscription costs $5 monthly, and a Go Plus membership costs $10.
Method #8: Stream Music via Amazon Music Prime
Another popular option for music streaming offline is a subscription to Amazon Music Prime. It lets you access over 2 million songs, playlists, and albums from famous artists. You can also opt for an Unlimited subscription to access Amazon Music’s 90-million song library.
To download your desired song, album, or playlist on the Amazon Music app, do the following:
- Download and install the Amazon Music app on your smartphone. It’s available on the Google Play Store and the App Store. It’s also pre-installed on most Amazon Fire Tablet devices.
- Search for your desired song, album, or playlist and tap the More Options button.
- Choose Download. Once downloaded, it will now be available for offline streaming.
Final Thoughts
Traveling via plane can sometimes be a hassle, especially on a long-haul flight. However, you can always listen to music to pass the time and be entertained. If your airplane supports Wi-Fi, you can download your favorite music and stream it throughout the flight.
But, if your plane has no Wi-Fi—which is the case for most budget airlines—you’ll need to get your songs downloaded offline. Hopefully, this guide helps you know more about the different ways to listen to music while on a plane.