Greatest Moments in Inflight Entertainment

Watch a fun show on your phone

Advances in the consumer electronics industry have resulted in thinner and lighter screens as smartphones and display technology evolve. This revolutionized in-flight entertainment solutions and gave birth to the concept of personalizing screens for each passenger. Over the past decade, airline OEMs and inflight entertainment solutions have begun migrating their inflight entertainment systems to Android as Android has become mainstream in tech life. According to Virgin America, “Android makes it easier to maintain and update the system.” With an Android-based inflight entertainment solution, passengers can play games, watch movies, listen to music and order food from the comfort of their seats.

Southwest’s entertainment selection is completely free and does not require WiFi access. You can pre-download the Southwest app or open your Internet browser to access the airline’s Inflight Entertainment Portal. Most Southwest Airlines flights require you to bring your own headphones, many of which don’t have seatback screens, so you’ll need your own device to view them in-flight. Recent films include “Would You Be My Neighbor”, “Crazy Rich Asians” and “The Wife”.

Audio entertainment includes music as well as news, information and comedy. Most music channels are pre-recorded and have their own DJs providing talks, song introductions and artist interviews. Additionally, there is sometimes an aircraft radio communication channel that allows passengers to eavesdrop on pilots’ conversations with other aircraft and ground stations during the flight.

Watch a funny show

You know that feel-good comedy that doesn’t have to be escapism because it never makes you forget the turmoil of the real world, but is still heartwarming? This is the type of comedy that Abbott Elementary offers, making it one of the best sitcoms of its kind.

You better believe the Ted Lasso is one of the most stylish watches on this list. Each wholesome, hilarious, touching episode is filled with joy (and easter eggs), just to be paired with Roy Kent’s perfect expletives. Created by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt and Joe Kelly, this two-season series follows the story of the eponymous Ted Russo (Sudeikis), The American football coach-turned-club owner will take charge of Premier League side Richmond AFC. Rebecca Weldon as Hannah Waddingham. The only problem is, Lasso and his 2IC coach Beard (Hunter) know very little about this kind of football. But this is where the show has only just begun, and where it leads is well worth the long flight. – SC.

The chair isn’t without its flaws, but there’s plenty to gain in this clever drama from creators Amanda Peet and Annie Julia Wyman. The Chair is set on the campus of the fictional Pembroke University and follows the head of the English teachers, Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim (Sandra Oh) deals with a scandal involving her co-worker and lover (Jay Duplass). A staccato pacing and some confusing news surrounding abandonment culture make this an imperfect but worthwhile binge, with six episodes in just three hours. * – Alison Foreman, former senior entertainment reporter

Watch a good movie or tv show in flight

There are many ways to pass the time in the air, but for most people, watching a movie with a glass of wine is the preferred form of flying. But when it comes to entertainment, not all airlines have the same playbook. A new survey by CableTV.com ranks the top 10 U.S. airlines for “entertainment value” based on movie and TV show selection, accessibility, price and personal device usage. They then weight the offer by any additional costs (if any), while also looking at which airlines offer inflight WiFi.

Depending on the aircraft, American Airlines passengers can watch a variety of movies, TV shows and live TV on seatback screens, overhead monitors, on the passenger’s personal device or on an airline-provided tablet. Larger planes are more likely to feature seat-back screens, putting entertainment options at passengers’ fingertips.

If you want to watch movies from your inflight entertainment system using your smartphone or tablet, it’s a good idea to download the airline’s watch app before you fly in southwest airlines. The plane may not have seatback screens, or the airline may require you to install the app to view it from devices other than your computer.