Take Netflix to the Skies: How to Watch Netflix on a Plane

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Grace
March 27, 2025

Long flights can often feel endless. But with your favorite movies and shows, the hours can fly by. Netflix’s offline viewing feature is a fantastic way to pass the time, even when there is no internet connection. If you’re planning on a long flight trip, this guide will explore tips for watching Netflix on a plane, both with and without the app, to ensure you always have something to watch offline.

Contents

  1. Can You Watch Netflix on a Plane
  2. Watch Netflix on a Plane Offline with the App
  3. How to Use Smart Downloads on Netflix
  4. How to Save Netflix Downloads on an SD Card
  5. Enjoy Netflix on a Plane Without the App

Can You Watch Netflix on a Plane

Yes, you can watch Netflix on a plane. Some airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi, but it’s not always reliable or affordable. By downloading Netflix content beforehand, you can enjoy uninterrupted entertainment even when you’re thousands of feet in the air.

For the best Netflix offline experience during your flight:

  • Plan ahead: Select offline content to fit your flight duration.
  • Download early: Download content in advance to avoid last-minute stress.
  • Charge fully: Ensure your device has enough battery for the entire flight or use a power bank.
  • Enable airplane mode: Once onboard, turn on airplane mode to conserve battery and comply with airline regulations.

Important note: Due to licensing restrictions, some downloaded titles may be unavailable in certain countries. If you encounter this, try the following fixes:

  • Disconnect from the internet completely (turn off both mobile data and Wi-Fi) before playing.
  • Enable airplane mode during playback.
  • Alternatively, use the second method in this guide to guarantee your downloads play anywhere on any device.

Watch Netflix on a Plane Offline with the App

With the Netflix app, you can download content on your Android, iPhone, iPad, Amazon Fire tablet, or Chromebook (with Google Play Store) and enjoy it during your flight. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Netflix app on your device and select a title you want to download.
  2. To download a movie, tap the Download button under the movie title.
  3. For a Show:
    • Tap the Download button under the show title to download the current episode.
    • Use the Download Season button  to save the entire season offline.
    • Browse the episodes and tap the Download icon next to each episode.
  4. Once the download completes, you’ll see the Download button turned into a checked box .
  5. To find all your downloads, tap the Downloads icon at the top right of the Netflix app.

Important Notes:

  1. Download limits: Users on the Standard with Ads plan are limited to 15 total downloads per device per month. Subscribers to ad-free plans can have up to 100 active downloads per device at a time. Plan your downloads in advance to ensure you have enough quota for your trip.
  2. Netflix downloads expire: Downloaded TV shows and movies have expiration dates. you can watch them as much as you want before they expire. If you see “Expired” on a title, simply delete it and download it
Netflix Download

How to Use Smart Downloads on Netflix

Netflix subscribers with ad-free plans can enjoy the convenience of Smart Downloads. This intelligent feature automatically downloads shows and movies based on your viewing habits, ensuring you always have personalized offline content ready to watch.

How Smart Downloads Works:

Netflix Smart Downloads offers two handy features: “Download Next Episode” and “Downloads for You“. You can enable both features together or choose just one to fit exactly how you watch.

  1. Download Next Episode:
    • Automatically downloads the next episode in a series.
    • When you finish watching an episode, Netflix removes it and downloads the next one.
    • Ideal for binge-watching your favorite shows.
    • Downloads only occur over Wi-Fi to prevent mobile data usage.
  2. Downloads for You:
    • Automatically downloads recommended content based on your viewing history.
    • Perfect solution when you’re unsure what to watch offline.
    • You can allocate the storage space used for this feature.
    • Automatically removes watched content to free up storage.

How to Enable Smart Downloads:

  1. Open the Netflix app and go to My Profile at the bottom right.
  2. Tap the Menu icon (three lines) and select App Settings.
  3. Select Smart Downloads.
  4. Switch on either or both features: “Download Next Episode” and ”Downloads for You.” 
  5. For “Downloads for You,” use the + and – buttons to set the maximum storage space you want to allocate.
Netflix-Smart-Downloads

How to Save Netflix Downloads on an SD Card

If your device supports expandable storage, you can save downloaded Netflix content directly to an SD card. This frees up space on your device, particularly useful when preparing for long flights and needing to store multiple movies or TV shows.

Set the SD Card as Default Download Location:

  1. Open the Netflix app and go to App Settings: Tap My Profile > Menu (three lines)> App Settings.
  2. Under Downloads, select Download Location.
  3. Choose “SD Card” as the storage location.
download netflix to sd card

Enjoy Netflix on a Plane Without the App

To watch Netflix offline on an airplane on any device, consider using a reliable tool like Pazu Netflix Video Downloader. It is designed to download Netflix videos into MP4 and MKV on both Mac and Windows. This means you can transfer the downloaded files to any device and play them with any compatible media player without the need for the Netflix app.

Pazu Netflix Video Downloader allows you to download Netflix movies and shows in high quality, up to 1080p, and maintain the original subtitles and audio tracks. Furthermore, it removes all Netflix download limitations, including expiration dates and download quota. You can download as many Netflix videos as you want, regardless of your plan, and enjoy them on your phone, tablet, or laptop during your flight.

Netflix video downloader

Download Netflix titles to MP4 and MKV with HD quality.

  • Download movies & TV shows from Netflix.
  • Download videos in 1080P.
  • Preserve audio tracks and subtitles.
  • Fast downloading speed.

Here is how you can download Netflix titles with Pazu Netflix Video Downloader:

Step 1. Launch Pazu Netflix Video Downloader

Download, install, and launch Pazu Netflix Video Downloader on your Mac or Windows. Log in to your Netflix account.

If you have purchased a registration, click the key icon and enter the code to unlock the full version of the downloader. Otherwise, proceed with the free trial version.

Netflix video downloader

Step 2. Choose video format/quality

Click the Gear icon on the top right to choose the video formats and other settings such as Video format, codec, audio language, subtitle languages, and more.

download settings

Step 3. Download Netflix movies/shows

Use the search bar to find the Netflix show or movie you want to download from Netflix.

If you are downloading a movie, click the Download icon to start the downloading process.

find a netflix title

For a show, clicking the Download icon will add all episodes to the download list by default. Uncheck those episodes you don’t want to download if there are any. You can also click the three lines and gear icon to choose audio/subtitle languages for each episode.

Select Episodes

Step 4. Find the download Netflix videos

After downloading, click the History tab at the top center and then the Folder icon to find downloaded videos.

You can now watch them directly on your Mac or Windows laptop during your flight. Alternatively, transfer the videos to your smartphone, tablet, or any other device that supports MP4 or MKV format.

Find Netflix Downloads