“Time to listen up”

Podcasts make great in-flight entertainment

The best podcasts to download before your flight

It’s official - podcasts are the new ‘must-have’. Whether you’re listening to the latest addictive true-crime story, or sports journalists arguing over the footie, podcasts are fun, free, and a genius solution to packing lightweight entertainment onto a plane. All you do is download them onto your phone, plug in the headphones and enjoy. While for kids, it’s a good way to occupy them without too much screen time. Most podcasts help you learn stuff, too - so you and the little ones will get instantly smarter, without feeling like you’re back in the classroom.

The podcast is having ‘a moment’ largely thanks to break out hit audio series Serial. Released at the end of 2014, the crime series asked troubling questions about whether the right man was behind bars. By early 2015, downloads of Serial had hit 68 million. And at the end of that year, Apple said total podcast subscriptions on iTunes had soared past one billion. We’re now living in a golden age of podcasts, where more audio series are being made than ever before. Best of all, there are podcasts being created for all sorts of audiences – from fathers, to film buffs, to foodies.

And now that TUI is running more flights to long-haul destinations, thanks to an expanded fleet of our state-of-the-art Dreamliner jets, there’s an extra excuse to load up on podcasts as you fly off on your next break. Perks on the Dreamliner include lighting that mimics dawn and dusk to help battle jet lag, and 60% less engine noise, which will no doubt help make your listening experience even more enjoyable.

Here’s our pick of the best podcasts you have to hear this year. So book your flight, download a few free episodes and tune in.

For the ladies - Stuff Mom Never Told You

Hilarious hosts Caroline Ervin and Cristen Conger fearlessly take on all things ‘woman’ – discussing everything from baby bumps and spray tans to female stereotypes in romantic comedies and the pros and cons of Hillary Clinton.

For the gents – The Art of Manliness

Helping ‘men become better men’, this podcast offers short lessons on how to be a prime specimen of the modern man. That includes topics as diverse as what Navy SEALs can teach you about raising kids, to how to focus in an age of endless distractions.

For the kids - aged teeny to teenager

There might not be as many podcasts aimed at children as there are for adults, but there are a fantastic few to occupy younger minds. For really teeny ones, you can download shows from CBeebies Radio, which tell stories starring the network’s favourite characters. And if you have older children who are going through the “Why?” phase, the brilliant Brains On! will solve all your problems. Each show is hosted by a kid with a burning question – such as “How do aeroplanes fly?” or “Why do humans have hair?” You’ll probably learn something yourself, too. Even too-cool teenagers can be swayed by podcasts, particularly if you download young adult favourite Welcome to Night Vale. Each episode follows the fictional happenings in a creepy desert town, as told by local weather, news and police announcements.

For true crime fans – the next Serial and Making a Murderer

Did you end Serial desperate to know more? (If you haven’t already listened to Serial, then get on with it. You could binge-listen the first season in one long-haul flight.) In Undisclosed, a team of lawyers sift through all the details in the Serial case to turn up new evidence. And season two takes on a whole new investigation altogether. If you were glued to Netflix true crime documentary series Making A Murderer, try Real Crime Profile, hosted by a former criminal profiler for the FBI and a criminal behaviour analyst formerly of New Scotland Yard. The pair analyse the key characters in high-profile cases, such as the Making A Murderer trial, and the OJ Simpson and Oscar Pistorius cases. For a whole new perspective on crime, the Criminal podcast focuses on the different people who get caught up in crimes.

For the sports addicts – Sunday Supplement

One for dedicated footie fans, this podcast sees top sports journalists debate all the latest in the beautiful game, from the fate of Theo Walcott to the talents of Daniel Sturridge. Cue lots of arguing.

For the arty fashionistas – 99% Invisible

Design is all around us, making the world work – and yet we hardly ever notice it. That’s the idea behind 99% Invisible, which reckons design is best when you barely even see it. Each 30 minute episode takes you on an eye-opening journey through product design, architecture and fashion. Such as, did you know there’s something called ‘hostile architecture’, where things are purposefully made unpleasant? Arm rests, for example, are often there to stop you from getting too comfy.

For the foodies – Monocle: The Menu

We’ve never been more obsessed with food than we are in our age of Insta-avocados, Kitchen Aids and contemporary food trucks. Enter this podcast, a guide to the modern world of food and drink, with chef interviews, predictions for the next on-trend ingredients and reports about local obsessions – say hello to Sweden’s sourdough hotel in episode 243. Appropriately enough for a foodie fest, each instalment is a bitesize half an hour.

For the mums – One Bad Mother

Spurning the ‘perfect mum’ myth advanced by twee ‘mummy blogs’, this podcast delights in sharing stories of #mummyfails. Presented by stand-up comic Biz Ellis and radio producer Theresa Thorn, the pair celebrates the thrills and embarrassments of motherhood, calling for “less judging and more laughing”. Right on.

For both parents – The Longest Shortest Time

Aimed at first-time parents wondering how on earth to cope with all the demands of their new bundle of joy, this podcast assures new mums and dads they’re not in it alone. From a Middle East correspondent trying to adjust to life at home with a baby, to a clown’s guide to tricking kids out of tantrums, it’s a varied and honest look at parental crises that will make you feel better about your own. Flying for the first time with your little one? Have a read of our guide to travelling with kids.

For the film buffs – The Director’s Cut

A must for those who love stories from behind the Hollywood scenes, this podcast features a director of a film currently in cinemas interviewing another high-profile director about their work. Think Tarantino interviewed by Christopher Nolan (Inception, The Dark Knight) and Spielberg interviewed by Scorsese. That’s some serious star power.

For the comedy fans – WTF

his podcast where comedian Marc Maron interviews other comedians in his garage has gained quite the reputation, following a number of explosive episodes - including comedy film director Kevin Smith discussing how hard it was to work with Bruce Willis, and a guest spot from US president Barack Obama. Other interviewees have included Ben Stiller and Keith Richards.

Feeling inspired?

We’ve got even more tips to have a top flight. Check out our list of 10 ways to make your flight more comfortable and our guide to flying long-haul with toddlers.

Author: Laura Chubb

Published: 02.09.2016.

Tags: latest

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