How to Listen to Music on Plane 2026: 13 Best Apps Guide
Traveling via plane is convenient and saves time. However, an extended tour can cause boredom, so listening to songs can be a good way to pass the time. But how do you listen to music on a plane?
- Step 1: Download and open the app on the phone. (I use Spotify mainly)
- Step 2: Log in to your Spotify Premium account.
- Step 3: Visit “the library” and choose the playlist to download.
- Step 4: Click the download button, which changes to green, and your playlist is downloaded.
Many famous streaming music platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, and YouTube Music, can help people play music on a plane. These platforms offer both premium and non-premium options, all working perfectly in the United States and many other countries. When flying, I curate an excellent playlist for myself.
How to Listen to Music on a Plane – Top 13 Apps
1. Spotify Music and Podcasts
Spotify is a Swedish music streaming platform. It’s the most famous music provider worldwide. Many songs, radio shows, and podcasts can be listened to on Spotify. Last year, over 381 million users (active) used Spotify.
Spotify Features
| Equalizer | 14. View Lyrics |
| Google Map and Spotify | 15. Local Files |
| Listening History | 16. Sort and Filter |
| Spotify Connect | 17. Play Queue |
| Search | 18. Concert |
| Your Library | 19. Follow Artist |
| Now Playing | 20. Autoplay |
| Share From Spotify | 21. Presale and Merch Email |
| Shuffle Play | 22. Crossfade Tracks |
| Listen Offline | 23. Spotify on Other Apps |
| Audio Quality | 24. Artist Fundraising Picks |
| Spotify Radio | 25. Private Listening |
| Podcast and Show |
Listen to Spotify on a Plane with Premium
Can you listen to Spotify on a plane? Yes, Spotify allows you to create a playlist for offline listening. You can also download songs, podcasts, and playlists on Spotify in advance and listen to them when traveling without Wi-Fi or mobile data.
How to Download Music from Spotify
- Step 1: Download and open the app on your phone.
- Step 2: Log in to your Spotify Premium account.
- Step 3: Visit “your library” and choose the playlist to download.
- Step 4: Click the download button; it turns green, and your playlist is downloaded.
Listen to Spotify on a Plane without Premium
Connecting to Wi-Fi on an airplane
Set your phone to offline mode before the airplane takes off. Many airlines (like JetBlue) offer passengers free or low-cost internet services. Travelers can connect to the plane’s Wi-Fi and stream music on Spotify for free.
Using a third-party converter
Music on Spotify cannot be listened to without a premium subscription or airplane Wi-Fi. In that case, you must have a music converter on your mobile. Music-converting apps like Sidify, ViWizard, etc., can convert your Spotify playlist to MP3 format and transfer the MP3 files to your phone so you can enjoy them without an internet connection.
2. Apple Music (iTunes)
Apple Inc. provides Apple Music, which allows users to stream videos and songs. It was launched in the USA in 2015. After purchasing the subscription, new subscribers can choose a free trial (3 or 6 months). Apple Music had over 72 million users globally.
Apple Music Features
| Automatic downloads | 8. Lyrics |
| Curated playlists | 10. Podcasts |
| Edit and preserve playlists | Jumping to an album or artist |
| Optimize storage by limiting downloads | 12. Use of mobile data to stream songs |
| Shuffle option | 13. Music shortcuts |
| Repeat buttons | 14. Radio and TV |
| Jumping an album or artist | 15. Sharing of listening history |
How to Download Music from Apple Music
- Step 1: Download and open the application on your iPhone.
- Step 2: Select the library option.
- Step 3: Select the album, playlist, or song you want to download.
- Step 4: Click the iCloud symbol and then click the download option.
3. Deezer Music & Podcast Player
Deezer is a service for streaming music online from France that has over 8 million subscribers (active) and 17 million users monthly. It has over 70 million tracks, 100 million playlists, and 30,000 radio channels.
Deezer Music Player Features
| Song catcher | 8. Music launcher |
| Notifications center | 9. Playing lyrics |
| Notification for latest releases | 10. Sharing lyrics |
| Change country recommendations | 11. Deezer channels |
| Excluding artists or songs from recommendation | 12. Podcasts |
| Deezer music | 13. Radio |
| Listening history | 14. Syncing of other devices |
How to Download Music from Deezer Music Player
- Step 1: Download and launch the Deezer music player on your mobile phone.
- Step 2: Visit “favorites” and select the song you want to download.
- Step 3: Click the “download slider” to download the songs.
Note: You cannot download a single track from the Deezer music player. To download a single song, add it to a playlist or your favorites (heart it).
4. Napster Music
Napster (previously Rhapsody) is a Seattle-based online music store. The application provides high-quality music and can be downloaded on almost all devices. It allows users to play and download music and to curate playlists. After purchasing the subscription, Napster offers a 30-day free trial.
Napster Features
| Adding a song with just a swipe | 9. Sync on multiple devices |
| Personalization with “GIPHY” | 10. Musi match |
| Quick access | 11. Daily trending music |
| Napster mix | 12. Favourites |
| New releases | 13. Chromecast |
| Personalized radio | 14. Kids mode |
| Offline Listening | 15. Auto mode |
| Easy access |
How to Download Music from Napster
- Step 1: Download and open Napster on your mobile phone.
- Step 2: Log in to your Napster account.
- Step 3: Click the playlist, Artist, or album you want to download.
- Step 4: Click the three-dot icon next to songs.
- Step 5: From the drop-down menu, select the download option.
5. SoundCloud: Play Music & Songs
Soundcloud is a Berlin-based online music distribution platform that offers various options. The application allows users to upload, share, and promote music. Users also get a digital signal processor that helps them listen to music.
Soundcloud Features
| Audience Analytics | 11. On-Demand Webcasting |
| Audience Engagement | 12. Performance Analysis |
| Chat/Messaging | 13. Publishing / Sharing |
| Collaboration Tools | 14. Real-Time Analytics |
| Dashboard | 15. Scheduling |
| Engagement Tracking | 16. Session Recording |
| Hosting | 17. Social Media Integration |
| Mobile Access | 18. Statistics |
| Moderation | 19. Video Monetization Tools |
| Multi-Channel Distribution |
How to Download Music from Soundcloud
- Step 1: Download and open the Soundcloud application on your mobile phone.
- Step 2: Log in to the Soundcloud account.
- Step 3: Click on the song you want to download.
- Step 4: Select the song and open its page.
- Step 5: Click on the download button under the song’s waveform to download it.
6. Amazon Music: Songs & Podcasts
Amazon launched Amazon Music in 2007. The application provides over 75 million songs and 10 million podcasts. There were over 57 million active Amazon Music users. If you have an Amazon Prime membership, then use it for free. It’s available on all Amazon Echo devices.
Amazon Prime Music Features
Amazon Prime had great features, such as downloading music, creating albums, 2000 themes, drag-and-drop playlists, and X-ray lyrics.
How to Download Music from Amazon Prime Music
- Step 1: Download and open the application on your phone.
- Step 2: Go to the “My music” option.
- Step 3: Click the album or song you want to download.
7. YouTube Music (Previously Google Play Music)
YouTube Music is a Google subsidiary made by YouTube. The application is available in over 100 countries. It provides users with music, videos, live music, remixes, singles, etc.
With a premium membership, you can download and listen to music in the background and offline mode. Now, Google replaced Google Play Music with YouTube Music.
YouTube Music Features
| Add-free music | 7. Pre-save feature |
| Background play | 8. Cloud libraries |
| Audio only mode | 9. Live music |
| Download music | 10. Recommendations |
| Offline Listening | 11. Library, Explore, and Home tabs |
| Import music from Google Play Music | 12. Like or dislike music |
How to Download Music from YouTube Music
- Step 1: Open the application on your mobile phone.
- Step 2: Select the song that you want to download.
- Step 3: Click on the three-dot icon.
- Step 4: Tap on the download option from the menu.
8. Gaana Hindi Song Music App
Gaana is the largest music streaming service in India. It launched the application in 2010. MP3 songs can be listened to or downloaded online. Currently, Gaana has over 200 million users (monthly).
Gaana Features
| Discover Music | 6. Lyrics |
| Gaana hotshots | 7. Voice search |
| Live radio | 8. Music discoverability |
| Podcasts | 9. Artists |
| Smart feed | 10. Music videos |
How to Download Music from Gaana
- Step 1: Go to Gaana.com or download and open the Gaana app on your mobile.
- Step 2: Select the album, song, or playlist to be downloaded.
- Step 3: Click on the three dots in the top right-hand corner.
- Step 4: From the drop-down list, click on download.
9. JioSaavn – Music & Podcasts
In 2018, Saavn and Jio Music merged to form JioSaavn. This Indian app is an online platform that lets you stream music. It houses over 60 million songs. Users can download English, Bhojpuri, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, and other regional music from JioSaavn.
JioSaavn Features
| Music Library | 8. No advertisements |
| Exclusive audio shows | 9. Sync up to 5 devices |
| Personalized playlists | 10. Follow your favorite artists |
| Unlimited downloads | 11. Radio |
| 320 kbps audio | 12. My music |
How to Download Music from JioSaavn
- Step 1: Download and open the application on your phone.
- Step 2: Log in to the JioSaavn account.
- Step 3: Choose the playlist to be downloaded.
- Step 4: Tap the three-dot icon next to the song.
- Step 5: Tap on the download option from the menu.
10. Pandora – Music & Podcasts
Pandora is a subscription-based streaming music platform. Sirius XM Holdings owns theUS-based application. Users download and play playlists, albums, songs, podcasts, and radio stations. Pandora provides personalized service that adapts to each user’s taste.
Pandora Features
| Personalization | 6. Creating own music stations |
| Discovery of songs | 7. Skipping and replaying songs |
| “For you” section | 8. Filter explicit content |
| Podcasts | 9. Thumbs up and thumbs down option |
| Radio |
How to Download Music from Pandora
- Step 1: Open the Pandora application on your mobile phone.
- Step 2: Choose the song to be downloaded.
- Step 3: Click the bar where the song’s name is displayed (at the bottom of the screen).
- Step 4: Click on the three-dot icon beside the song’s name.
- Step 5: From the menu, click on the download option.
Can I listen to Pandora on a plane?
Yes, Pandora Premium can store unlimited offline playlists. Pandora Plus gives you the option for the online mode to listen to music.
11. Jamendo In-Store Radio
Jamendo, a Luxembourg website, provides music from various independent artists. Users have over 300,000 free downloads in various formats. The website allows new artists to upload their work after taking a Creative Commons License.
Create a Jamendo profile on the website and get the option to personalize it. Jamendo allows sorting music according to preference. Select your musical taste and get song recommendations based on it. Jamendo allows connecting with friends. Go to their profile and click on “add friend.” Chat with friends using the private inbox.
How to Download Music From Jamendo?
- Step 1: Go to Jamendo’s homepage.
- Step 2: Sign in with your Facebook account or create a new username and password.
- Step 3: Search for the music you want to download in the search box.
- Step 4: Select the track you want to download and click the down arrow.
12. Swarm.fm
Swarm.fm uses Facebook’s open graph to find the music our friends listen to. We can play the same song on Spotify instantly. The Spotify app must be connected to Facebook to use this facility. Spotify’s vast catalog is also accessed via Swarm.fm.
The app provides recommendations for new music based on the user’s taste. It also allows us to search for songs by year. Users can choose which friends to follow or unfollow.
13. Tunigo Play for iOS
Spotify gained the rights to Tunigo. Having a Spotify account is not required to use Tunigo Play. It allows users to stream unending music. The Tunigo Play app has pre-built playlists (over 20) for every mood. All the playlists on Tunigo Play are based on a particular theme.
The app provides various information about playlists, such as total subscribers, update dates, and expiry dates. Users can swipe right or left while listening to a song to change the music.
How to Listen to Music Without WI-FI
Many music streaming apps let you listen to music without Wi-Fi. I have curated a list of 10 such apps. These apps provide offline listening only after paying for a subscription.
How to Listen to Music on a Plane with Premium
The music applications above let you create playlists for offline listening. Download songs, podcasts, playlists, etc., beforehand. Then listen to them when traveling on a plane without Wi-Fi or mobile data.
How to Listen to Music on a Plane Without Premium
- Many airlines (like JetBlue) offer passengers free or low-cost internet services. Travelers can connect to in-flight Wi-Fi and stream music on various platforms for free.
- It would be best to have a premium music streaming service to listen to songs without ads. In that case, you must have a music converter on your mobile. Music-converting apps like Sidify, ViWizard, etc., can convert your playlist to an MP3. Transfer the MP3 files to your phone so you can listen to them without an internet connection.
How to Download Music (From Spotify) Using Third-Party Applications
- Step 1: Open the music converter (like the Sidify Music Converter).
- Step 2: Open Spotify in the background if it doesn’t open automatically.
- Step 3: Add a playlist, song, or podcast from Spotify by clicking on the “+” button. Alternatively, you can paste the playlist link from Spotify into the clipboard.
- Step 4: Before downloading the song, choose the directory, format, and output quality.
- Step 5: Click the “convert” option to download the music.
- Step 6: Transfer the downloaded music to your phone to listen to on the plane.
Is it dangerous to listen to music on an airplane?
No, listening to music while flying on an airplane is not dangerous. Travelers download their favorite songs from various online music streaming platforms. They then listen to those songs while scrambling to eliminate boredom on the journey.
Can I use my phone on a plane to listen to music?
Yes, you can listen to music on a plane. While flying, put your phone in airplane mode. You can then use the phone to listen to previously downloaded music from platforms like Spotify.
How can I listen to music on a plane for free?
As mentioned above, all the apps, such as Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Gaana, offer offline music downloads. So download your favorite music to your phone and play it on a plane.
Conclusion
Many music apps are available on the official website or the Google Play Store. While traveling, let me know which apps you prefer to listen to music on a plane.
