A dozen hours is a long time to stay awake, and having yourself strapped to an economy seat without any place to go makes it even more unbearable. Whether you are traveling on an Air Canada flight to Asia from Toronto Pearson Airport or on a WestJet flight to Europe from Vancouver. Because of jet lag, pre-flight coffee, or fear of flying, many people start off their long-haul flights knowing that they won’t be sleeping. The trick isn’t finding one activity to fill the whole time. It’s breaking it into pieces.
Things to Do on a 12-Hour Flight When You Can’t Sleep
Some passengers use the pre-flight window to save reference material for offline reading rather than entertainment. The same way someone researching a specific offer might bookmark info about V Vegas before a trip rather than looking it up mid-flight over unreliable Wi-Fi.
That same idea works just as well at 35,000 feet. Here’s a mix worth having ready before you board:
- Enjoy an offline game. This can be a game on your phone that you have downloaded, a deck of cards, or even a chess set.
- Take a real physical book along. No charging, no screen glare, and nothing to lose if the battery dies mid-flight. Not every plane has power outlets, so bringing a charged power bank is a more reliable backup than counting on finding one.
- Download some podcast episodes in advance. Instead of relying on in-flight Wi-Fi, which can be unreliable or pricey, download some podcasts beforehand.
- Create playlists for the journey. This will make your journey more fun. It’s especially exciting when you reach your destination and want to play something special.
- Empty your email inbox. Draft answers to those pesky emails that have been piling up, and be ready to send them off as soon as you touch down.
- Bring a light offline puzzle book. Sudoku, word finds, and logic puzzles are tiny. They don’t need batteries or cell service.
- Write in your journal. A long flight is perfect for reflection. With no distractions, you can truly focus on your thoughts.
- Outline your vacation plans. Plan your daily schedule, make a list of restaurants, and arrange transport from the airport when you arrive, particularly useful if you’re connecting through a hub like Toronto Pearson or Montréal-Trudeau rather than flying direct.
- Type out a note instead of a full journal entry. Sometimes a few scattered thoughts are easier to get down as short notes-app entries than as one continuous paragraph, and it’s an easy way to pass ten minutes.
- Check the flight map, if your seat has a screen for it. Not every aircraft comes with a seatback display, but where one’s available, watching the cities and landmarks pass below gives the flight a small, visible sense of progress.
- Download an audiobook on your phone. This is a great choice when your eyes are tired of screens, but your brain still wants something to do.
- Complete a lesson from an offline language app. Many language-learning apps let you download lessons in advance for times like this.
- Stand up and stretch or walk the aisle if possible. Sitting for hours gets dull, and airlines and health groups recommend walking on flights over four hours since prolonged inactivity can affect circulation. Keeping your legs active matters more than any single stretch at the end.
- Listen to some relaxing music or even a meditation audio track. Even if you won’t be sleeping, at least you will have a chance to give your body some rest while slowing down your mind.
- Have a proper snack, not just something to nibble on. Choosing something you actually enjoy gives the flight a small thing to look forward to, rather than just eating out of boredom.
Not every one of these will fit every flight or every airline’s setup, and that’s fine. The point isn’t to work through the whole list; it’s to have enough variety that you’re never stuck staring at the seatback in front of you with nothing left to try.
How to Make 12 Hours Feel Shorter
The biggest mistake on long flights is sticking to one task the whole time. Boredom sets in even during a great movie marathon after a few hours. Breaking the flight into blocks of different activities keeps things fresh. The table below shows one way to split a 12-hour flight:
| Time Block | Activity | Why It Works |
| Takeoff | Settle in, briefing | Devices often restricted until cruising altitude |
| Hour 1–2 | Meal + film | Pair first meal service with something engaging |
| Hour 2–3 | Reading | Rests eyes from screens |
| Hour 3–5 | Podcast/audiobook | Audio lets eyes rest while staying occupied |
| Hour 5–6 | Stretch/walk | Counters mid-flight stiffness |
| Hour 6–7 | Puzzle/game/journal | Re-engages focus after passive stretch |
| Hour 7–9 | Second film/game | A second entertainment block for the later hours |
| Hour 9–10 | Rest, eyes closed | Recovers some ground without sleep |
| Hour 10–11 | Second meal | ~90 min before landing |
| Hour 11–12 | Light activity | Time to wrap up entertainment before descent |
| Descent | Cabin prep | Screens and trays stowed for landing |
None of these blocks need exact timing, and meal service depends on the airline anyway. Structure matters more than precision, and swapping activities around based on how you feel is fine.
How to Stay Comfortable on a 12-Hour Flight
Comfort matters just as much as enjoyment when you’re not sleeping. Stay hydrated, since dry cabin air causes exhaustion and headaches, and stand up every two hours for proper circulation, in line with healthy travelling tips for flights over four hours. Lower your screen brightness when flying at night, since it affects fatigue on arrival. Changing positions avoids muscle tension no matter how entertaining the flight is, and resting with eyes closed, even without sleep, still does you good.
