If you're a frequent flier, you know how important it is to have something to help pass the time. In the past, those boarding long-haul flights made sure to have ample reading options. But now, newer planes are equipped with more than enough to entertain you, from films to ambient nature scenes to music. So if you're debating which carrier to book with next, you might want to consider the airlines with the best in-flight entertainment. Read on to find out which flights you'll never be bored on.
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1 | Air France
ShutterstockUp first on the list is Air France, which truly sets itself apart from other carriers, according to Kristin Lee, travel expert and owner of the travel blog Global Travel Escapades.
"As the official partner of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Air France stands out as one of the best airlines with exceptional in-flight entertainment," Lee tells Best Life.
Lee points to the long-haul cabins, which feature high-definition screens and over 1,500 hours of on-demand entertainment. This includes almost 350 films, many of which are French films and Cannes Film Festival award winners.
According to Air France's website, the airline's newest cabins also have anti-glare 4K quality screens that are Bluetooth capable, meaning you can use your own headphones while you're in the air.
"Even if you're flying economy, you can have a premium in-flight entertainment experience!" Lee says.
2 | Emirates
1000 Words / ShutterstockEmirates is well-known for its amenities, and in-flight entertainment is no exception. This year, the airline was named the global winner of Best Inflight Entertainment in AirlineRatings.com's 2024 Airline Excellence Awards.
Emirates offers 6,500 channels of content, making it the largest entertainment library available on any airline. This includes over 2,000 movies, hundreds of complete TV series, over 200 documentaries, a music library of over 3,500 albums and playlists, and five channels of live TV—including live sports and news channels.
Emirates also has you covered in the event you forget your AirPods at home. The airline provides headphones to passengers in all cabin classes, offering special headphones that are designed for kids' comfort.
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3 | Cathay Pacific
danielou_shots / ShutterstockCathay Pacific has also taken home awards for its entertainment. In 2023, it received the award for the World's Best Inflight Entertainment from the Skytrax World Airline Awards, and this yearm Cathay took home the 2024 Best in Entertainment Award for Greater China from the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX).
According to TikToker and travel expert Charlotte (@charlottefromchicago), the airline truly earned its place at the top of these lists.
"This week, I flew on their A350 from JFK to Hong Kong, which is almost exactly 16 hours long—AKA, a lot of time to use in-flight entertainment," Charlotte says in a March 28 TikTok. "I was impressed by the vast library of options and the different categories that they're divided up into. [There was] a whole section for women directors and also just for Christopher Nolan, [which] definitely caught my attention."
Cathay also offers live sports entertainment, and a wide selection of films, thanks to partnerships with Max and Disney+, Charlotte says. In addition, she points out that the airline offers a particularly unique form of entertainment.
"If you still aren't convinced, the A350 is equipped with cameras above and in front of the plane, providing endless hours of watching the world go by," Charlotte adds.
4 | Air Canada
Christian Heinz / ShutterstockAir Canada is another winner in the in-flight entertainment category.
The airline took home the 2024 APEX Best in Entertainment Award in North America thanks to its thousands of hours of movies, TV shows, and podcasts. Air Canada has partnerships with Apple TV+, Audible, Disney+, and Hayu—and with Apple Fitness+, you can also "take a mid-flight meditation break."
Like Cathay Pacific, passengers are treated to a bird's-eye view of their surroundings, with cameras on the tail and belly of the new Airbus A321 aircraft.
RELATED: The Most Comfortable Economy Seats on Long-Haul Flights.
5 | Turkish Airlines
Bening Kisworini / ShutterstockFor the second year in a row, Turkish Airlines was commended by APEX and took home the 2024 APEX Best in Entertainment Award for Europe.
According to the airline's website, passengers can use the Planet inflight entertainment system to screen current and classic movies, listen to music, watch special kids' programs, and access the internet.
In a piece for Business Insider in March, Jamie Davis Smith specifically points out the size of the airlines' entertainment screens.
"On a long flight, I enjoy nothing more than zoning out and watching movies. I was thrilled when I discovered that my flight had larger-than-average seat-back screens," Smith writes while describing her experience on a 16-hour Turkish Airlines flight from Morocco to the U.S.
While she spent most of her time watching movies and TV, she also tried out the games with her children, and took advantage of free headphones.
"Flight attendants even distributed real headphones, which was another nice touch," she says. "They were far from expert quality, but they were a nice upgrade from the flimsy earbuds most airlines distribute."
6 | Delta Air Lines
Picturesque Japan / ShutterstockYet another airline with competitive in-flight entertainment options is Delta. Samantha Oppenheimer, travel blogger and photographer of Find Love and Travel, commends the movie selection, as does Condé Nast Traveler senior editor Megan Spurrell. In a 2023 piece, Spurrell credited Delta's entertainment as the reason she's a "Delta loyalist."
"Does everyone else know how good Delta's in-flight entertainment system is these days? The movies on offer are, in my opinion, some of the very best you'll find 35,000 feet in the air," Spurrell writes.
She reached out to a Delta airline representative to ask about the selections, and was informed that there's actually a team "devoted to curating the content customers see on Delta's more than 150K seatback screens." They rely on Hollywood studios, streaming services, and production houses to find both new and "lesser-known movies."
"We believe customers should always have something new to discover when they fly on Delta, and that means sharing movies, series, and music options onboard they may not have found any other way," the Delta rep told Spurrell.
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7 | Singapore Airlines
Nate Hovee / ShutterstockEven in economy seating, Singapore Airlines offers an exceptional entertainment experience. According to TikToker Theresa A. (@reseaseo), a lifestyle blogger who often posts travel content, you can tilt the screen on the seatback to the angle you prefer, and you'll also be provided with headphones if you need them.
"[The airline offers] tons of movies—even newly released ones, and even those in different languages, plus different TV shows and even music," Theresa says in a June 2022 TikTok.
According to Singapore Airlines' website, the entertainment options have gotten even better in more recent years, since you can also access web-based gaming and an e-library with the latest issues of magazines and newspapers through the SingaporeAir mobile app.
