5 Fun Things to Do on the Plane to Pass the Time

A one-hour flight needs just 1 activity, while a five-hour flight calls for about 5, one per hour, so pick from the coloring book, origami, junk journal and the rest by how long you will be up there.

Everything from a pack of origami paper to a deck of conversation cards, which needs a second person, fits on a tray table.

Hold back your best activity, whether that is a fresh coloring page or a new junk journal spread, for the last hour or two of a long flight, because that is when plans tend to fail.

1. Adult Coloring Book

Coloring works on a plane because it asks for nothing but your hands and a few quiet minutes. A finished page like this one, a woman, a cat and plants, rewards patience more than skill.

Bring a small set of markers or pencils rather than a full case, since tray-table space is tight.

Choose a book with a firm back so you can color without a desk. Pencils are the safer pick for working through turbulence, since a jolt leaves a smudge you can erase instead of a streak of ink.

Adult coloring books are more popular than ever. They help reduce stress and anxiety, making them a perfect thing to do on a long plane ride.

— USA Today 10Best

2. Do Origami

A square of origami paper takes up almost no room in a bag, and a simple bird like this one folds up in a few minutes on a tray table.

Origami asks for one sheet, so it takes almost no room in a seat pocket, which matters on a full flight.

Start with a simple bird, not a model that runs to a long list of folds. Fold on the tray table, where a firm surface gives you sharper creases.

Pack several sheets, because the first attempt rarely comes out clean. Leave your finished birds on the seatback for the next passenger if you like.

3. Creative Things to Do on a Flight

A travel journal gives the flight itself something to write about, so the hours in the air become part of the trip record.

Pages can hold sketches of the window view, timestamps, and the route written out, like "Sydney to Cairns," as a running log of the trip.

One maker mentioned having a whole row to herself, which helps. In a tight seat, a pen and a small notebook are enough.

Note the time beside each sketch so the page reads like a record. A pen that doesn’t smudge is the better choice, since you will close the book often.

4. Junk Journaling

Junk journaling is collage with a diary’s freedom: stickers, envelopes, cutouts and handwritten lines layered on a single page. Because you can build a spread from scraps, it suits a flight where space is tight and time is long.

Put a small bag of ephemera together ahead of the trip, such as stickers, ticket stubs and a glue stick.

Write one short line on each page, like an affirmation, so the layout has a center. Skip loose glitter; it travels badly.

5. Conversation Prompt Cards

A deck of conversation cards gives you a ready question, like "What do you do when you’re not working?", and the flight gives you the time to answer it. It is the one idea here that needs a second person.

Use it with a travel companion, and take turns drawing. Keep the deck small enough for a pocket.

Seatmates you don’t know may prefer a quiet flight, so ask first. For a solo flight, answer the cards in a notebook instead.

Plan Ahead for Activities

Match your plan to the clock. On a one-hour flight, a single item is plenty, and a backpack full of supplies just becomes weight under the seat.

For a five-hour flight, I pack about 5 activities, which works out to one for each hour in the air. A podcast during boarding, a movie at cruising altitude, and a trip-planning session before landing covers the arc of the flight.

Variety matters more than a perfect schedule. Keep a backup within arm’s reach, because the moment a book or puzzle goes flat, you want to swap it out without digging through a bag.

Long hauls are where plans fail, usually in the last hour or two, when restlessness hits hardest. Save something fresh for that stretch instead of spending your best option first.

Snack Suggestions

Small items you can pace, one bite between activities, stretch a flight better than a big sandwich you finish in 5 minutes.

Anything you have to peel, crack, sort or build into something doubles as entertainment, and that holds for a 4-year-old or a 40-year-old.

Cereal necklaces, mini Pringles (the canister gives you something to fiddle with), and small cookies like Teddy Grahams or animal crackers all fit.

For yourself, a few treats you wouldn’t normally buy make the hours feel like a break. I pull mine out between activities and eat slowly.

Go easy on the sugar, though. Too much and you may land feeling sluggish, so a few bites at a time is plenty.

Managing Anxiety

Seat choice can help before you even board. Aim for the center of the plane, where turbulence tends to be a bit gentler, and take an aisle seat if watching the view out the window feeds your worry.

Keep your audio options easy to reach: a podcast, an audiobook, white noise, calming sounds or a guided relaxation recording. A familiar funny show also works well as a distraction.

Mindfulness is worth practicing.

Notice what is around you, such as the hum of the engines or the feel of the armrest, rather than following anxious thoughts. A few slow, deep breaths help too, and a short nap if you can manage one.

Acknowledge the anxiety instead of fighting it. Anxiety may stay in the seat next to you for the whole flight, and that’s fine; each time it pulls at you, bring your focus back to the task in your hands.

Don’t act on what the worry tells you to do.

Frequently Asked Questions