5 great offline apps to keep you entertained during your next flight

Yes, virtually every airline these days offers Wi-Fi, but the often high price and prohibitively slow speed can make surfing the internet impractical — and if you’re heading overseas, impossible.

Unless you’re flying JetBlue, with its free, ultra-fast “Fly-Fi,” good luck watching Youtube or streaming the latest episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey American Horror Story. But, fear not. There are some great offline apps out there that will keep you entertained no matter how long your flight is. Below are a few of our favorites.

1. Pocket (free; iOS & Android). This free app allows you to bookmark those articles you never actually have time to read because you’re too busy watching cat videos, and lets you read them offline later. Pocket also lets you save videos, but make sure you set your preferences to download only when you have a Wi-Fi connection. Bonus: Pocket makes content recommendations based on your download history.

2. Kindle (free; iOS & Android). This one may seem obvious, but it’s still one of my personal favorites: instead of buying an actual Kindle, I’ve been using the app for years. It allows users to purchase books in Amazon’s Kindle store for a discounted price and download them to enjoy without internet. There’s even a free and low-priced titles section.

3. Pocket Casts ($5.99; iOS & Android). Love podcasts? This app makes it simple to subscribe to shows (both audio and video), set up automatic downloads, sync across platforms and discover new podcasts through recommendations and trends. For those new to podcasts or just wanting some recommendations, here is a list of great podcasts to keep business travelers entertained on flights.

4. Spotify (free; iOS & Android). Spotify allows you to designate a not-at-all random 3,333 of your saved songs available for offline use — plenty of tunes for even the longest of overseas flights. To use this feature you’ll need a Premium account (free for 30 days then $9.99 per month), which is totally worth it.

5. Duolingo (free; iOS & Android). Instead of wasting your time in the air, spend those hours becoming fluent (or at least learn a few basic phrases) in the language of your desination. Duolingo gamifies language learning by allowing you to set daily challenges. It’s also void of in-app purchases and locked content, making it truly free. Plus, there’s no better way to get back at the guy hogging your armrest than making him listen to you fumble through your Mandarin lesson.

Jessica Festa is the founder on the solo and offbeat travel blog, Jessie on a Journey, and the online responsible tourism and culture magazine, Epicure & Culture. She’s constantly searching for local experiences beyond the guidebook. You can follow her travels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.