8 Airlines With The Best In-Flight Entertainment Options (And One With The Worst)

If you're a frequent flyer, you've probably long stopped caring about amenity kits full of throwaway toiletries or seatback menus promising fine dining. You're now most likely judging airlines based on how well their seatback screens work and exactly what they provide. In-flight entertainment (IFE) matters more than most people care to admit. When the flight is ten hours long and the guy next to you is asleep against your shoulder, a working screen, solid headphones, and a half-decent movie lineup are vital. And you don't want to be forced to sit through five irritating ads before anything plays, either.

Thankfully, there are plenty of airlines that believe passengers should have something to do at 35,000 feet beyond counting the hours, and some carriers have seriously stepped up their IFE game. They might still lack a few high-tech features, but nowadays, on some flights, you can watch live sports while cruising at altitude, control the system with your phone, or even resume a movie right where you left off on your last flight. Many airlines are also offering decent Wi-Fi, while Bluetooth support means you can ditch the crummy complimentary headphones and connect your mighty ANC earbuds.

However, not every airline got the memo. While most of the world is moving toward larger touchscreens, Bluetooth support, better-curated content, and faster Wi-Fi in the sky, some airlines still think giving you nothing to watch is a viable model. So, if you're wondering which airlines have the best seatback screens or the most binge-worthy options on your next long-haul flight — and which one you'll need to pack a novel for — read on. Here are eight airlines getting it mostly right and one that's committed to getting it very, very wrong.

Delta's in-flight setup is called Delta Studio, and it's what every long-haul flight should offer by default: a decent mix of new and classic movies, TV shows you actually want to watch, and enough music and podcasts to make the hours fly by. There's even live TV on certain routes. The selection is deep; think blockbusters, kids' flicks, Spotify-curated playlists, and even MasterClass sessions if you're in the mood to learn something while munching on pretzels at altitude. NerdWallet even named Delta the best airline for onboard entertainment in 2025.

You can avoid aimlessly swiping through options at 35,000 feet by checking the Delta website before you fly to see what's on the IFE. The full lineup is always up to date, so you can plan ahead. Alternatively, SkyMiles members can use the Fly Delta app to connect their profile to the seatback screen through Delta Sync. This enables content recommendations based on past viewing history. The onboard Wi-Fi is also good and has been free to all passengers since 2023. However, international access is still in the rollout phase, so don't count on it if you're traveling abroad.

The airline has also announced a series of upgrades, including ad-free YouTube Premium and YouTube Music access for SkyMiles members, along with new content from iHeartMedia and MediaLink. Seatback screens are expected to get a boost with 4K HDR QLED displays and Bluetooth support, while AI-powered recommendations and a smart assistant remain in development to further personalize the experience.

In 2024, Qatar Airways won the APEX award for best IFE system in the Middle East, and if you're familiar with the airlines there, you know the competition is tough. That same year, it also scooped the Skytrax bronze medal for the world's best entertainment system, just behind Emirates and Cathay Pacific. To round things out, the airline also walked away with the APEX awards for best food and beverage and best seat comfort in 2024. So, if you're the type who looks forward to their in-flight entertainment, you'll enjoy it comfortably while being well fed in the process when flying with Qatar Airways.

The airline's proprietary IFE is known as Oryx One, and it offers thousands of options across movies, TV, music, and games, with content in over 40 languages. It also provides onboard Wi-Fi for a small fee. And while Qatar Airways claims "speeds of up to 500 megabits per second," one seasoned traveler named Dan mentioned on his blog that the speeds were fine for emails and browsing, though not too reliable for streaming. He managed four solid hours of work while flying, but also noted that with such a good IFE onboard, he might skip the work next time.

Emirates' Information, Communication, and Entertainment (ICE) system is regularly ranked among the best in the world and is one of the few IFEs to justify all its hype. Skytrax awarded it the prestigious World's Best Inflight Entertainment gong in 2024, and when you've got 6,500 channels to pick from with content spanning dozens of languages, a slick interface, and even the chance to build a playlist before takeoff, it's easy to see why. There's also live news and sports featured on five channels, while the audio offerings include music, podcasts, and audiobooks in 40 languages.

Wi-Fi is available on most aircraft if you need to catch up on emails, but it's not fast enough for much more than web browsing. The real star of the show is the screen. It's basically a cinema at altitude, especially in business class, where you can enjoy a massive 32-inch display. It comes with its own tablet and handheld controller and is total overkill, but in a good, you-get-what-you-pay-for sort of way. In economy, the screen size drops to 13.3 inches, still plenty to enjoy any of the 1,500 or so movies or full seasons of TV shows on offer. The displays are high resolution with intuitive touch controls and a smooth, lag-free setup that makes the whole experience feel more like a premium streaming service than an airline IFE system.

Cathay Pacific is regularly ranked among the best airlines for onboard entertainment. In fact, it won the SkyTrax World's Best Inflight Entertainment silver medal in 2024, while USA Today readers ranked the airline's IFE as the world's third best that same year. They also voted Cathay Pacific the fourth best overall airline, having been impressed with the in-flight food (third place) and business and first-class services (second place).

The IFE itself covers serious ground, with more than 3,000 hours of content spanning most of the world. Hollywood releases take the lead when it comes to movies, but Asian cinema is also well represented by this Hong Kong airline. There are also the Korean dramas that are so popular throughout Asia, as well as HBO Max and Disney+ Originals. There's a decent selection of music, games, and podcasts, and the airline's A350s play live sports, including games from the NFL and UEFA Champions League. If you pick a flight on one of the airline's newer A321neos, you might also get Bluetooth audio and 4K HDR visuals.

Cathay's top-tier Aria business suite adds another layer of entertainment innovation, with huge 24-inch 4K screens and multiple control methods, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi. Add the fact that you can now skip ads into the mix, and it's safe to say Cathay Pacific serves up a smooth and enjoyable entertainment experience on its flights.

Singapore Airlines was just pipped for bronze in the Skytrax list of best airline IFEs in 2024. KrisWorld is the proprietary system used on this airline's flights. Its layout is intuitive, with large tiles, clean menus, constant access to flight info across the top bar, and support for multiple languages. It's a two-screen setup, which includes a main touchscreen and a handheld controller. The latter is a remote that lets you browse content and view flight details without interrupting what's playing on the main screen.

It's stacked with more than 1,900 titles that cover the usual suspects: movies, complete seasons of binge-watchable TV shows, music, podcasts, and games. You can personalize content on myKrisWorld, which is available to those signed up for a KrisFlyer account, and the extras here are where things really step up. Live TV means you can catch the Premier League or tune into CNN and BBC News while 30,000 feet in the air. KrisFlyer members in any class can also play KrisWorld games on their personal devices by connecting to the KrisWorld Wi-Fi network for free. It's a smart, slick setup that doesn't rely on seatback screens; you just connect and launch from your browser.

You can also skip the seatback screen entirely and stream movies and shows on your phone or tablet with no app or login required. Non-KrisFlyer members also get limited access, but if you're flying Singapore Airlines, it definitely pays to set up a free account. It's as if KrisMas has come early for passengers KrisCrossing the globe (sorry).

United Airlines ranked sixth in the IFE Skytrax award and eighth in the USA Today readers' poll in 2024. It also shared third spot with Southwest Airlines in NerdWallet's onboard entertainment ranking and is generally well-known for serving up top-tier amusement options to its passengers. You get the usual mix of seatback screens loaded with movies, shows, games, weather updates, and flight maps, and many planes now support Bluetooth. This means you can connect your flashy ANC headphones without issue and ditch the splitter and worthless airline headset.

You can also stream directly to your phone, tablet, or laptop using the onboard portal. No app is required, and some routes offer live DIRECTV with over 100 channels, plus ViX for Spanish-language content. The interface even lets you pick content based on your mood. Just tell it what you're after, and you'll get a personalized list of stuff to watch. And, with a plethora of upgrades, United Airlines has now reached new heights of entertainment excellence.

As of 2025, the airline is in the process of rolling out new 4K screens across its fleet, while Starlink Wi-Fi is on its way, promising internet speeds fast enough to stream and scroll without lag. There's also a new Control Tower map that gives real-time views of planes on the ground. You can tap on aircraft shown on the screen to see details like their airline, flight number, and location on the airfield. It basically turns your screen into a mini air traffic controller's view, possibly for aviation geeks only, but it's another sign of United Airlines' legit forward thinking.

JetBlue Airways may be fairly far down the Skytrax IFE award list for 2024, and it may be a slightly disappointing seventh on the USA Today readers' poll, but NerdWallet absolutely loves this airline. It sits just behind Delta Air Lines in second place in its in-flight entertainment ranking, and it's the onboard Wi-Fi that has the personal finance website waxing lyrical. The fact that JetBlue was the first U.S. airline to offer Wi-Fi, and has provided it to passengers for over a decade, is quite astonishing. Even more so when you consider that many of the world's leading airlines have barely started with this yet. You can connect unlimited devices, and it's all free and gate-to-gate — and it always has been.

So, kudos to JetBlue for providing what all airlines should be providing. But what else does its IFE offer passengers? On newer aircraft, you get 100+ live TV channels via DIRECTV and Peacock, with on-demand movies and full seasons of shows available on a 10.1-inch HD touchscreen. You'll also find USB ports, and some planes even have AC outlets. JetBlue's latest update, "Blueprint by JetBlue," brings a personal touch to in-flight entertainment. The headline feature is Watch Party, which lets you sync with up to five other passengers to watch the same movie or show at the same time. It's ideal for traveling families and comes complete with pause, play, and rewind controls to keep everybody in sync. You can even resume a movie that you didn't finish on a previous flight!

Skytrax may have seen fit to award Air Canada a relatively low 14th place in its World's Best Inflight Entertainment 2024 award, but APEX named it Best Inflight Entertainment in North America for the second year in a row. In addition to a solid lineup of movies, shows, and music, you also get Apple Originals via Apple TV+, while Air Canada has expanded its content lineup with new partnerships, including Disney+ and Mattel for blockbusters and kids' programming, Audible for audiobooks, and Hayu for reality TV. 

The airline also says more content is on the way, with plans to keep growing both its on-demand and live entertainment offerings. Aeroplan members can access fast and free Wi-Fi, available on flights across North America and nearby vacation spots like the Caribbean. In addition, the newest A321s come with Bluetooth audio, external cameras, and even Apple Fitness+ to help you meditate and stretch.

Don't even mention in-flight entertainment when you're flying Frontier. It has none, plain and simple. No seatback screens, no streaming, no Wi-Fi (not even for purchase), and, most importantly, no charging points. So you'll need to bring your own entertainment and other essential gadgets to make a flight with Frontier easier. Just make sure your devices are charged to the max before takeoff. Either that or bring a book, you know, the old paperback type with the weird smell. Bring your own snacks, too, because if the boredom gets to the point where you need to eat to entertain yourself, even a glass of water costs three bucks, although you might get one for free if you specifically ask.

Frontier defends its complete and utter disregard for your entertainment in the name of weight savings, low fares, and sustainability, which is fair enough. But you do get what you pay for, so don't expect any sort of distraction, delight, or anything digital unless you've packed it yourself. There's not even a magazine or a safety card in the seatback for you to peruse at your leisure. But at the prices on offer, boredom is just part of the Frontier experience. Bring entertainment, or start practicing advanced staring techniques.

To find the airlines with the best in-flight entertainment options, we consulted respected aviation industry publications and awards. Skytrax is the most widely recognized globally and gives out various aviation industry awards annually, including Best Inflight Entertainment. However, we also included sources such as One Mile at a Time and NerdWallet, while reader polls from USA Today and DestinAsian gave us insight into what actual passengers thought. We only included airlines that were consistently mentioned, but we haven't ranked them. Our "worst IFE" section was based purely on the fact that Frontier Airlines offers nothing.