Imagine when you finally get on the airplane and settle into your seat, you grabe your phone to listen to your favorite playlist on Spotify, but you can’t open the Spotify app because it says you’re offline.
To help you prevent this situation and make you prepared, here is the three options you have.
You can listen to Spotify on a plane if you are connected to Wi-Fi or you have a Spotify Premium plan so you can sync your favorite songs and podcasts and play them on airplane mode.
If you have a free plane you can only use the app if you are connected to the WiFi connection.
Keep reading to know more about listening to Spotify on a plane, and some alternative in-flight music entertainment options to use instead of Spotify.
Let’s kick things off.
TL;DR
- Use a Spotify premium account and download your favorite playlist (works on both offline and online mode)
- Use the Spotify free plan (needs internet connection).
- Use external apps too download music or books prior your flight.
Can I Listen To Spotify On a Plane?
Does Spotify Premium Work On a Plane?
Because all electronic devices need to be switched to the airplane mode during flights.
As I mentioned above you can stream Spotify using WiFi , ( even though In-flight Wi-Fi can often be slow and weak) but if you have a Spotify premium membership you can download music prior your flight and play it on a plane without need to internet concretion.
If you have a Spotify premium account we will walk you through a step by step way to download music and podcast to enjoy during your flight.
The basic Spotify account will not work on airplane mode, because it requires you to have mobile data in your phone or connected to WiFi, also it is also limited in terms of what you can expect even if you have WiFi, additionally you will need to deal with a lot of annoying ads and promotions.
Related: Can I take Headphones on a plane?
Play Spotify By Connecting To Plane WiFi?
Nowadays most major airlines have WiFi on board the airplane, free of charge or with a subscription fee.
If you are on a plane with WiFi then you won’t need to bother yourself with downloading tracks or podcasts on Spotify.
You can know whether your airplane has WiFi or not prior your flight, because the airline has to specify if they include WiFi in their services or not .
But unless you are flying on a budget airline like Frontier or Allegiant airlines, most major airlines do have WiFi on board their airplanes.
| Spotify Premium plan | You don’t need mobile data or WiFi, but you will need to download songs and podcast before you go offline |
| Spotify Free Account | You will need mobile data or WiFi |
How To Listen To Spotify On a plane On Airplane Mode?
There are several ways to download songs, albums, audiobooks and podcasts if you have a premium membership and here is one of them.
The process is almost the same on all devices.
Step 1: Launch your Spotify App
Step 2: Create a new Playlist
To create a new playlist locate your favorite song and click in the THREE DOTS as in the screenshot below.
Click add to PLAYLIST
Now CREATE a new playlist
Step 3 : Name the Playlist
And give your playlist a nice name
Step 4: Add Songs or Audiobooks
Once you’ve created the playlist ( you can notice that there is only one song ) , you can add as many songs as you like ( Just click on add songs ), once you are done adding songs, click on the DOWNLOAD icon ( arrow pointing down).
Step 5: Download The Playlist
The download button will turn into green once the playlist download is completed, AND VOILA you can now play all these songs in the offline mode without need of WiFi or cellular data.
What To Do When Your Spotify Won’t Play Music Offline?
If you have a Premium Spotify subscription , but you can’t download music or podcast you can uninstall the app and re-download it again.
If it doesn’t work it is maybe because of a technical issue so you can search other solutions in the Spotify community or just ask so you can vet other suggestions.
Otherwise there are many alternatives to try if Spotify does not want to play offline for you during a flight.
Use other music players like apple music or other music apps.
There are also several free music apps on Apple Store and Google Play, that allow you to download songs and listen to them offline.
Bring your own music device: You can also bring your own device, such as a computer, an iPad or Phone, and load it up with your favorite songs before the flight.
Use in-flight entertainment: Many airlines offer in-flight entertainment options, including music channels and preloaded playlists. Check with your airline to see what options are available.
Use Youtube downloads: Not all YouTube videos can be downloaded, but still you can find some albums and songs that you can download and listen to during a flight, you can easily click the download button under any video and you can play it whenever you are offline or onboard the airplane.
Final Thoughts
For safety reasons Spotify music, podcasts or audiobooks can not be played on the airplane using cellular data.
However, there are other ways to listen to Spotify on a plane to make the most of your journey, such as downloading songs or playlists before your trip ( which requires having a premium Spotify account ).
You can also use offline music players, YouTube downloads, taking your own music device or using airlines in-flight entertainment.
By preparing ahead of time and following the tips above, you can ensure that you have access to your favorite tunes during your flight and make your flights more enjoyable.
We hope this helps.
Enjoy your flight.
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