How to stay entertained on a flight without a laptop or tablet

With the most recent electronic ban out for many flights traveling from the middle east to the United States, tablets, laptops or any electronics bigger than a cell phone are banned. Some of these airlines include Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Kuwait Airways, Royal Jordanian, Saudi Arabian Airlines,  EgyptAir, Turkish Airlines and Royal Air Maroc. Most concerns, other than the safety of their belongings, are how to stay entertained for a long haul flight without these items. Back in the 90’s we go as we travel back to some my favorite past times on a long haul flight prior to many electronics.

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Stay entertained on flight with these tips

Read a book

Probably the most obvious, but books are always entertaining and easy to pick up at the airport as a last minute thing.

Cards

My favorite card game is UNO and it’s a great way for families or friends to bond or even to meet and chat with your new neighbor if you are traveling solo. These are one of my long flight travel essentials. 

Sleep

I have slept a lot of the time especially when I am bored and honestly, it made the time go by so much faster than staying busy on tablet/laptop.

Journaling

Some of the best things is bringing a notepad, sometimes I like to jot down things I want to see and do after all this is the perfect time to organize it all. I love to also journal about my travels and come up with new ideas for helpful tips and/or blog posts.

Beauty Regime

Yes, I am that girl that everyone stares at because I am wearing a face mask on my face to protect my skin from dehydration and wrinkles. But it’s also a great way to take up some time, such as putting on your makeup before you land.

Walk around

When it comes to long-haul flights, I need to walk around to get my circulation going and prevent my legs and feet from swelling. Sometimes I will stretch my legs to help with flexibility and relieving any tight muscles.

Chat with your neighbor

Sometimes when traveling your neighbor may be a local and you can get some amazing travel tips or hidden locations that will be good to add to your vacation or visit.

Coloring Books/Crosswords/Sudoku

The newest trend being Adult Coloring books are great for these long-haul travels! It’s also great for those who are kinetic learners that doodle in class. But crossword puzzles and sudoku are always a classic!

Pick up Knitting or Crocheting

This is the perfect time to either learn or take the time to knit or crochet that hat/scarf/socks you haven’t had time to do before. Learn how to start it beforehand through youtube videos, books, etc. and before you know it you will have your item completed in no time! I have a tendency to choose wooden knitting needles as a safety precaution, however, I haven’t had any issues take these in my carry on items.

Load your phone up with movies and music 

Now, most of these airlines allow cell phones aboard the plane which is great when some phones are just as big as tablets. I like to download some of my favorite shows or movies from Netflix or Amazon Prime to load as offline. Back in the day though, my jam was playing on my Gameboy, always had to bring extra sets of batteries but it was a huge lifesaver.

Well there you have it! Here are the few things I like to do to stay entertained on flight without the use of laptops or tablets. What are some of your favorite things to do on long-haul flights?