Not so long ago, smart and entertaining gadgets for air travel were few and far between. Sure, it was possible to get a CD player on the plane, but otherwise it was poor. There weren’t that many nifty gadgets to make the flight more comfortable either.

Fortunately, progress has been made. Innovation and technology have provided us with many sources of entertainment. We can also use various smart gadgets to manage both short and long flights in a good way. Read on to see our list of 10 smart and entertaining gadgets for air travel.

iPad holder

iPad holder

Many aircraft have small screens built into the seat backs. You can use them to watch movies and listen to music. However, you can’t choose freely, which you can on your iPad (or other tablet)! If you like to travel with your iPad as a companion, you should definitely consider buying an iPad holder.

With an iPad holder, you can attach your tablet to the back of the chair in front of you in a variety of ways. Exactly how you attach it depends on how the back of the chair looks. The holder also has a plastic or rubber frame that increases safety in case you accidentally drop your tablet.

Footrest in the form of a hammock

When you sit still for many hours, blood circulation decreases and you may feel your feet and legs go numb. Your legs may also start to itch and sting. You may also feel swelling. It’s not nice!

You have two ways to get rid of the problem. One is that you stand, walk and exercise around the cabin. However, this is almost impossible. The other way is to use a smart footrest. With a support that lifts your legs, your blood circulation improves. You could say it works like a hammock. This gadget may not be that entertaining in itself, but it’s smart and it can really make air travel more comfortable!

Reading tablet

Reading tablet

Looking out the airplane window is fun for a little while (a few minutes?). Then the views stop attracting attention. So what are you going to do to get some entertainment on your trip? One option is to use a tablet. Among smart and entertaining gadgets for air travel, a tablet is optimal.

With a tablet, you can read book after book and dream away to other worlds. The format is convenient and the battery life of tablets is often quite long as they do not have a colour screen. Skulle du spilla något på en läsplatta är det bara att torka bort eftersom den normalt är vattentålig.

You can get discounts on tablets at Currys using our Currys promotional codes.

Gaming console

Nintendo Switch

It’s no fun sitting on an airplane hour after hour. If the captain also tells you that there is a risk of delay, your mood drops even further. However, there is a fairly simple and clever way to arrange entertainment so that the hours just fly by.

With a games console, you have every opportunity to be entertained and the journey can feel much shorter. Among handheld game consoles today, the Nintendo Switch is number one. This console, with its hundreds (thousands?) of games, can kill any boring flight. Of course, iPads and other tablets can also be used as gaming consoles in flight.

Sleep mask with bluetooth and headphones

With a sleeping mask, you block out all the light and rest more easily. It’s an ingenious invention that also takes up minimal space. Nowadays, sleep masks are also available with Bluetooth connectivity and built-in headphones. It’s smart and the entertainment possibilities are of course enormous.

How does a sleeping mask like this work? Well, you connect your mobile or tablet to the mask via bluetooth. You then turn on the music and put the mask over your eyes and ears. Now you are completely cut off from your surroundings and can enjoy your music. Why not put on something relaxing and dream away for a while? When it comes to smart and entertaining gadgets for air travel, this is a favourite!

Social games in pocket format

Monopoly Deal

You may think it’s impossible to play board games on a flight. If you’re thinking it’s hard to play with someone sitting at the window on the other side, you’re right. However, you can definitely play with your neighbour in the chair row and with the person sitting closest to you in the next row.

There are long lines of board games redesigned to be played on the go. Quizzes, dominoes, Guess Who variations, card games, board games with magnetic pieces, yatzy, four in a row and various forms of Monopoly are just a few examples. Sure, you might have to pass the board or box between turns, but that’s probably no big deal.

Guide book for your destination

Maybe you’ve read up on just about everything about your destination. You know where all the metro lines go and can name the top ten sights like a running water. You’ve memorised all the common phrases and can order the destination’s specialities at the restaurant. However, this does not have to be the case. You may still have some reading to do.

A guidebook is definitely a smart and entertaining gadget for your flight. You can find out what there is to do, what sights are recommended, how much a beer costs and whether or not to tip. You can also read interesting facts about history and culture.

Waterstones has a large collection of guidebooks. If you need a travel guide book, take the opportunity to use our Waterstones voucher codes.

Powerbank – portable charger

Powerbank

If you’re travelling alone, you might have a couple of electronic gadgets with you. If you’re travelling with a partner and kids, you might have a total of 15 gadgets together! To make your flight as smooth as possible, it’s a good idea to take a power bank with you.

The power of a powerbank is measured in mAh and the most common models have 10 000 mAh or 20 000 mAh. To give you an idea of how much it is, it takes between 3000-4000 mAh to charge a newer phone.

A good powerbank is available from Robert Dyas. With our coupons from Robert Dyas you can get a nice discount.

Portable shelf for the window

It’s undeniably a bit cramped in the airplane seat and there’s not much you can do about it (except switch to business class!). However, there is a lot of unused space at the window and there is now a really clever gadget that attaches as a shelf to the window.

With this foldable shelf, you’ll suddenly have room for your drink, your phone and a book. Among smart gadgets for flying, this portable shelf is something special.

Noise cancelling headphones

Noise cancelling headphones

When you’re on a plane, you’re on the same square meter as many others, and the nearest screaming baby is not many meters away. In short, you’re exposed to sound all the time, and you may not want to be.

A smart gadget that can give you peace of mind is noise-cancelling headphones. These filter out ambient noise so that only the sound from your phone or tablet reaches your ears. It’s really smart and through it you can enjoy better entertainment!

If you don’t have noise-cancelling headphones, these are available from WHSmith, for example. We have several WHSmith discount codes and discounts that you can take advantage of.