Survive Long Flights to Thailand Without WiFi: Download Free Media

Last Updated on October 19, 2025 by admin

Long flights can be daunting, especially to Thailand. Without WiFi, preparation is crucial. Offline entertainment can keep you engaged and help pass the time during the flight. Don’t limit yourself to what the airlines provide.

1. Amazon Kindle Unlimited (free trial)

Sign up for a free trial (typically 30 days), cancel immediately so you’re not billed, and download Kindle Unlimited books to your phone or tablet. You don’t need a Kindle device: the free Kindle Reader app will do. Nearly all of Lonely Planet’s guidebooks are available on Kindle Unlimited including Lonely Planet Thailand, Thailand’s Islands & Beaches, Experience Thailand, Pocket Bangkok, etc. Screenshot to your heart’s content. While you’re at it, consider downloading Lonely Planet guidebooks to surrounding countries or anywhere else you fancy learning more about. Various audiobooks are also available. Even if you’ve already had a free trial, the cost is only around USD $12/month; less than the cost of a single guidebook.

2. YouTube Premium (free trial)

Sign up for a YouTube Premium free trial, cancel immediately, then download any number of things from travel vlogs to movies to full albums. Reportedly, multiple free trials are possible if you use a previously unused payment method.

3. The Internet Archive (archive.org)

The Internet Archive has a gigantic repository of downloadable public domain movies, concerts, documentaries, and eBooks. It takes patience to find the good stuff and you’ll want to tick the “movies” box to limit your results when searching; but patience can be rewarding. I enjoy obscure and quirky documentaries so this is perfect for me.

4. Amazon  Prime Video (free trial)

Not every streaming service allows downloads (caching for offline viewing). And even for those who do, they may not offer free trials (e.g. Netflix). But Amazon Prime Video has a free trial and allows downloading. Same technique: sign up for the free trial, then cancel immediately so you’re not billed when it’s over. Even if you’re not eligible for a tree trial, Amazon sometime makes you offers when you’re ordering items, say, before your next trip. I was ordering items for my trip to Thailand and Amazon offered me a 7 day trial of Prime for USD $1.99. I took it of course because it allowed me to receive my items quicker and was in time enough to download movies to my iPad to enjoy on my 30 hour ordeal getting there. But I immediately went into my Prime subscription and cancelled it so I’m not billed again. I suggest you do the same. Many people probably forget to cancel.

5. Project Gutenberg (free eBooks)

Having mostly “classics,” Project Gutenberg offers upwards of 75,000 eBooks you can download to pass time on long haul flights.

6.  Podcasts (learn Thai)

Listening to podcasts are another great way to pass the time. Apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify (free tier), and Stitcher, allow you to download your favorites. You can even learn basic Thai from podcasts like ThaiPod101, Learn Thai Podcast, and BananaThai. ThaiPod101 even offers free PDF workbooks. Check out our guide to basic Thai phrases, learn how to bargain in Thai for the best deals at Pattaya’s famous night markets and check out the best Thai translation apps.

7.  Kanopy and Hoopla

If you live in the United States and have a library card, you can sign up for Kanopy or Hoopla and download movies, eBooks, and audiobooks. This is one way libraries have remained relevant in a digital world.

8.  Download Web Pages for Offline Reading

Browsers like Chrome and Safari are able to cache website pages for offline reading. I’m such a nerd that I enjoy downloading large Wikipedia pages on Thai culture. You can also check your app store for “newsreader” apps that provide offline access to news articles that interest you. This probably merits its own article and I hope to write one in the future. If I do, I’ll link it here.

Conclusion

Surviving long flights to Thailand without WiFi might be challenging, but with some prior planning you can make the trip more enjoyable. Prepare well, pack wisely, and keep yourself entertained to ensure a pleasant experience on your journey to the land of smiles. Know any good, legal, free media download resources we haven’t mentioned? Drop it in a comment! Read our guide to finding the cheapest flights to Thailand and also learn how to handle early or late arrivals to Pattaya.

If you’re traveling from as far away as America, consider breaking up your flight with a stopover in Tokyo, Seoul. Taipei, or Doha.