Can You Listen to Radio on a Plane?

Published 26 September 2026

Live radio at 35,000 feet is possible — but it depends on the aircraft's Wi-Fi, which plan you buy, and what you prepare before you board. Here is what works, what doesn't, and the backup plan for when the connection gives up.

Your phone's own FM and mobile data won't help

In flight mode your phone has no mobile data, and phone signals don't work reliably at cruising altitude anyway. Some phones once had FM receivers, but few do now — and there is no FM signal to speak of in the air. On a plane, live radio means in-flight Wi-Fi.

In-flight Wi-Fi: what to expect

• Plans differ. Many airlines sell a cheap messaging plan that allows chat apps but blocks streaming, and a more expensive browsing or streaming plan. Radio needs one that allows streaming audio.
• Speed varies by system. Older air-to-ground and satellite systems are slow and shared by the whole cabin; airlines that have moved to newer satellite services, such as Starlink, often manage music and even video easily.
• Coverage gaps. Over oceans and remote areas the connection can drop for minutes at a time.

Getting the best out of a slow connection

• Pick a low-bitrate stream. A 64kbps AAC station sounds perfectly good through headphones and needs a fraction of the bandwidth of a 320kbps stream. The station page on 72FM shows each stream's bitrate, and radio audio quality explains the trade-off.
• Use a browser. 72FM runs in any browser with nothing to install, so you don't need to download an app over plane Wi-Fi.
• Expect a longer delay on a slow link — why internet radio is delayed explains why.
• Think about data. An hour of 128kbps radio uses around 60MB — internet radio data usage has the details.

The backup plan: download before you fly

Live radio can't be downloaded, but plenty of radio can: most broadcasters publish their shows as podcasts. Download a few episodes over your home Wi-Fi, and you'll have something to listen to even when the plane's connection drops. Radio vs podcasts covers what each is good for.

Listening from the other end

Travelling to another country? Some stations restrict their streams to listeners at home — radio stations not available in your country explains why, and which stations are worth trying.

The short version

Buy a Wi-Fi plan that allows streaming, choose a low-bitrate station, and download a few podcasts before you fly in case the connection drops.