For millions of people, Netflix has become the main way to watch shows and movies, even while traveling. But on a plane, internet access is often limited or unreliable, so streaming can be difficult. Because of this, watching Netflix during a flight relies on offline downloads instead of an active connection.
For most travelers, this works best on smartphones and tablets. The Netflix app on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices lets you download movies and shows. Before boarding, connect to home or hotel WiFi, open the app, and download what you want to watch. Then you can open it again during the flight in airplane mode. In real use, this is the most stable option and does not depend on the airline.
Laptops are more limited. Watching Netflix in a browser still requires internet, and offline options are not available on most laptops. Because of this, some users use tools like ViWizard Netflix Video Downloader to save videos as MP4 files. These can be stored on a laptop and played offline without the Netflix app or WiFi.
A state-of-the-art Netflix downloader gives you the ability to download and convert a wide variety of movies, TV shows, anime, documentaries, awarding-wining original, and more from Netflix to MP4 and MKV with Dolby Atmos 5.1 surround sound and multilingual subtitles for watching anywhere.
In simple terms, watching Netflix on a plane comes down to preparation. This post will introduce the two main methods, so let's get started.
Part 1. How to Download Netflix on a Phone or Tablet Before Your Flight
On phones and tablets, Netflix has a built-in download system inside the app, but not everything is available for download. To check what you can download, open the menu in the top left of the Netflix app and choose "Available for Download". This section shows all titles that support offline viewing.
For movies and single-episode content, look for a down-arrow button labeled "Download" after opening the title or tapping the thumbnail. For TV shows, each available episode has its own download icon. Connect to home or hotel WiFi, choose "Standard" (720p) or "Higher" (1080p) in the Downloads settings if available, then tap download. The content is saved to your device over WiFi and can be watched in airplane mode without internet.
Download Netflix videos for offline viewing
01In the App Store (iPhone or iPad) or Google Play Store (Android), search for Netflix, then install the app and open it.
02Sign in with your Netflix account email and password, since downloads only work when you are logged in.
03On the Netflix home screen, tap the Search icon, then look for movies or shows that show a Download icon (↓), because not all titles are available for download.
04Open a title, then tap the Download button (↓) next to a movie or episode. If it is a series, tap Download Season to save all episodes at once.
05Tap Downloads at the bottom of the app to check progress. Make sure everything finishes downloading while you are still on Wi-Fi.
Part 2. How to Download Netflix on a Laptop Before Your Flight (Recommended)
On laptops, Netflix does not offer the same offline download feature in browsers or most desktop setups. This means users cannot save content for offline viewing like on mobile devices.
Because of this, some users use tools like ViWizard Netflix Video Downloader. It is a desktop app that saves Netflix videos as MP4 files on Windows or Mac laptops. You log in through its built-in web player, access your library, then choose movies, shows, anime, or documentaries and click Add. You can select MP4 or MKV in 720p or 1080p. After downloading, files are stored locally and can be played without the Netflix app or internet.
Key Features of ViWizard Netflix Video Downloader
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- Download Netflix movies, TV shows and more locally
- Convert Netflix movies and TV shows to MP4 or MKV
- Save multilingual language and subtitles in two types
- Remove ads from Netflix and keep original video quality
Use ViWizard Netflix Video Downloader to download Netflix shows or movies
01Open ViWizard Netflix Video Downloader on your computer from the desktop or Applications folder.
02When it opens, the built-in Netflix Web Player will load. Click inside it and sign in with your Netflix account email and password.
03After signing in, browse Netflix inside ViWizard, including movies, TV shows, documentaries, and Netflix Originals.
04In the top-right corner, click the menu icon (☰) and choose Preferences.
05In the Download section, set your preferred options like MP4 or MKV format and other basic settings.
06Click OK to save and return to the Web Player.
07Use the search bar to find a title by name or keyword. You can also paste a Netflix link. For TV shows, choose episodes or full seasons. Click Add to List if needed.
08Click Download to start.
09When finished, open the Converted tab to see your downloads.
10Click the Folder icon next to a title to locate the file on your computer.
Transfer downloads to your devices
For smartphone or tablet (Android or iOS)
01Connect your phone or tablet to your computer using a USB cable, then unlock your device and tap Allow / Trust if prompted.
02Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and go to the folder where ViWizard saved your videos.
03Select the video files and copy them using right-click > Copy or Ctrl+C / Command+C.
04Open your device storage and find the Movies or Videos folder.
05Paste the files into the folder, then wait for the transfer to finish.
06Safely disconnect your device using Eject / Safely Remove Hardware.
07Open a media player app and go to the Movies or Videos section to play your videos.
For Chromebook
01Open the folder on your computer where ViWizard saved the videos.
02Copy the video files.
03Open the Files app on your Chromebook and go to Downloads or My files.
04Paste the files into the folder and wait for the transfer to finish.
05Open a media player app on your Chromebook.
06Select and play your videos.
Part 3. How to Watch Netflix Offline on a Plane Using Airplane Mode
Airplane mode makes offline viewing work during flights. When turned on, it disables WiFi and mobile data, so nothing can stream or update in the background. Downloaded Netflix content still works normally.
Turn on airplane mode, open the Netflix app, and it will load saved videos from your device. There is no buffering or internet loading, so playback stays smooth throughout the flight.
Watch downloaded Netflix content without internet
01Open Settings on your phone or tablet and turn on Airplane Mode before the plane takes off.
02Tap the Netflix app to open it. Stay signed in so your downloaded titles stay available.
03Tap Downloads at the bottom menu to see all saved movies and shows.
04Tap any downloaded title, then press Play. It will start right away without internet.
05If something does not play, it may have expired. You will need to reconnect to Wi-Fi later to refresh or re-download it.
Part 4. How to Stream Netflix on a Plane with Inflight WiFi (Not Recommended)
Major airlines offer inflight WiFi, including Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, American, and JetBlue. However, performance varies by flight.
The connection is shared by passengers, which can slow speeds and reduce video quality on Netflix. It may also cost extra and still feel unstable. Because of this, inflight streaming is less reliable than offline downloads. On longer flights, stable playback matters more, so downloading remains the better option.
Use airplane Wi-Fi to stream Netflix
01Open Settings → Wi-Fi and connect to the airline's network. Follow the login page if it appears.
02Open the Netflix app or go to netflix.com, then sign in with your account.
03Find a show or movie and tap Play to start streaming. Quality may drop if the connection is weak.
04If it buffers or stops, go to Downloads in the Netflix app and switch to offline viewing instead.
05Continue streaming only if the Wi-Fi is stable. In most cases, downloads work better than inflight streaming.
Part 5. Conclusion
Watching Netflix on a plane is easiest when planning ahead.
For most travelers, the most reliable option is still the official Netflix download feature inside the app. However, this feature is available only on smartphones and tablets, since Netflix does not support offline downloads on desktop devices.
If you prefer more flexibility, ViWizard Netflix Video Downloader can help manage and store Netflix content on Windows and Mac computers or laptops, and allows you to transfer it to different devices like smartphones, tablets, and Chromebooks for offline viewing without internet.
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Dave Henry, a multimedia technologist at ViWizard, focuses on delivering the best solutions for digital media challenges, including audio and video conversion, media optimization, and troubleshooting.
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