If you’re a girlie looking for the best podcasts for a flight, you’ve come to the right place! I am an AVID podcast listener, and have been for the past decade, so these recs are tried and true. The shows I selected are perfect for millennial females, like me, but can obviously be enjoyed by anyone. 🙂
This post was inspired by something I wrote last year, which consistently gets the most number of views each day on my blog. Turns out people want podcast recs for travel days!
A Millennial Shares Her Best Podcasts For A Road Trip
You can definitely check that out for more recommendations (I think there are only 3 shows that overlap), but I wanted to follow up with the best podcasts for a flight. Road trips and flights are quite different travel situations that require different listening vibes.
On a road trip, you might be sharing the air waves with other people. Flights are much more solitary. Even if you’re with someone, you aren’t typically sharing headphones.
A road trip might be much longer than a flight, allowing you to sink into a series versus selecting single episodes.
On a road trip, I hope you aren’t consuming alcohol! But on a flight, tipsy is the name of the game.
With all that in mind, here are the best podcasts for a flight broken down into a few loose categories. Enjoy, cheers, and happy travels!
Fun Gossip!
These podcasts all make me feel like I’m sitting down with my girls talking shit (in the best way). I would recommend downloading an episode that speaks to you the most and listening to it over a glass of wine. There are some truly crazy stories to discover plus current cultural commentary ranging from fashion to influencer drama.
Everyone Has An Ex
Maybe you’re on this flight because you recently ended a relationship. You’re going through it, and you need to jet off somewhere fabulous ASAP. Or maybe you just need to hear some wild stories while you plane drink. In each episode of Everyone Has An Ex, you hear a different woman tell their own story of a past relationship that went badly wrong. It’s somehow not depressing I promise! (Although trigger warning for a range of bad behavior by mostly men.) If you think your own relationship dramas were crazy, you won’t believe what these people have been through. “Tales of misfortune” vibes that always end with empowered women speaking their truth.
Normal Gossip
I’d be surprised if you haven’t heard of this podcast already, but it’s popular for a reason. In each episode of Normal Gossip, the hosts share an anonymous morsel of gossip and take you on a highly entertaining ride. Some of these episodes are laugh out loud funny, which isn’t an easy feat! It feels like sitting around with a group of friends talking some low stakes shit.
After Work Drinks
This is one of my personal favorite podcasts, the only one I pay for to get extra weekly episodes (the highest praise!). It’s not a gossip podcast per se, but this is the section it fit into best because it is two friends chatting about pop culture. They’re both writers in the fashion world, and I look forward to hearing their conversations about current events and seeing how it informs their writing. It’s lighthearted and deep, and I love it so much! Plus it is called After Work Drinks, so you know it pairs well with a glass of wine.
Snark Bait Pod
Snark Bait Pod is a newer listen of mine, and I hesitated to listen to it at all. I was worried it would feel too mean spirited because they are essentially naming and shaming celebrities’ and influencers’ dirt. But in the end I needed to hear what they had to say about the girls behind one of my favorite podcasts (I’m not saying which one and it’s not on this list). They were actually very fair in their critiques. I’ve even gone on to listen to a handful more of their episodes. If you love influencer drama I think you will really enjoy this show. Grab a drink and get the tea!
BOOKS!
I constantly fantasize about joining a book club in real life, but the books they choose or the dates they meet up never seem to work out. So, I turn to podcasts to get my fix of book conversations. These shows are so fun and thought provoking. Best podcasts for a flight if you’re a book lover like me for sure!
Bad On Paper
I am absolutely obsessed with Bad On Paper Podcast and the hosts, Becca and Olivia (who are both published authors and whose books I immensely enjoyed). I started listening to this show sporadically, downloading book recommendation episodes or book club episodes if I had read the book they were discussing. But now it’s one of my favorite shows (tied for first with After Work Drinks??) that I listen to religiously. They’re also to thank for turning me onto some of the best books I’ve read lately (Isola, Broken Country, Audition, The Wedding People).
If you’re a book girlie, I 10/10 recommend this pod! I’m not sure I would start here (or maybe I would haha), but their “Obscure Erotica” episodes have me crying laughing and would be so entertaining on a flight with a glass of wine. Their monthly “Three Things” episodes would probably be the best entry point! But definitely check to see if they’ve done a book club episode on any books you’ve already read.
Celebrity Memoir Book Club
This book podcast is hosted by a best friend comedian duo, so you know you’re in for a good time. As much as I read, I don’t typically pick up celebrity memoirs. But I am nosy and want to know the secrets they reveal! Celebrity Memoir Book Club has you covered. One of my recent favorite episodes was the one on Tina Knowles. I had just gone to the Cowboy Carter tour, so I was very curious about Tina’s story (just not enough to spend 1-2 weeks reading her book myself). I tuned into their discussion instead and got to hear their witty takes and what stood out to them most from the book. I also love listening to episodes about memoirs I have read. They are tough critics, so it’s always interesting!
Wilder
I came across this podcast because I had read Glynnis MacNicol’s book, I’m Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself: One Woman’s Pursuit of Pleasure in Paris, and was chomping at the bit to consume anything else she had created. Turns out she had a podcast series! About Little House On The Prairie! (which I have never read or watched, but that didn’t stop me lol.) Wilder was such a fascinating listen, as Glynnis reckoned with her feelings about Laura Ingalls Wilder, trying to figure out in real time if she should keep gifting the books to new children in her orbit. I learned so much as she traveled across the US searching for answers about this controversial woman’s legacy. It’s a very American story and super timely because they are currently rebooting this show.
Entertainment!
In this section of best podcasts for a flight, I’ve got options for music, TV, and comedy. Let’s get right into it.
Every Single Album
This is my favorite music podcast. Nora and Nathan dissect pop music, and their conversations are so fascinating due to their vastly different backgrounds and the perspective each one brings to the table. I started listening a while back because they went through Taylor Swift’s discography and graded each album. Since then they’ve reviewed the work of so many pop stars. Most recently they did a whole series on Miley Cyrus that ended in an interview with Miley herself! It is the best podcast interview I’ve ever listened to. If you are a pop music girlie, you will be obsessed with Every Single Album!
Every Outfit
This is a Sex and The City commentary podcast. If you loved the original show, from the fashion to the relationship drama, or if you’re cringing while you watch the reboot, you will really enjoy getting more insight from Chelsea and Lauren. I love their discussions on Every Outfit— they’re always funny and just what I need after watching a bat shit crazy episode of And Just Like That. They also have a book, merch, and do live events.
Ride
Hosts (and self-proclaimed bimbos) Mary Beth Barone and Benito Skinner have recently become more famous after starring in Overcompensating on Amazon Prime. Loved it FWIW. They are also both comedians and have hosted this podcast together for years now. It is absolutely hilarious and silly and always manages to put a huge smile on my face. If you want something fun for your flight, or if you saw Overcompensating and want more of Mary Beth and Benito, this show will hit the spot. In each episode, they “Ride” for something they’re currently loving, and they catch you up on their lives, too.
True Crime!
This list of best podcast for a flight has been mostly easy and breezy, nothing too stressful. But I know my true crime girlies are out there and will want at least one rec. Here’s a true crime show I bet you haven’t heard of before.
Crime Analyst
I really don’t like listening to podcasts in this genre that sensationalize crimes or murders, like many of them do. Crime Analyst is different because it’s hosted by an actual expert who shares these cases in an attempt to educate, with a huge focus on keeping women safe.
Here are her incredible credentials: “Laura is a criminal behavioral analyst, advocate and campaigner who worked for a decade at New Scotland Yard. Laura’s previous roles include former Head of the Homicide Prevention Unit, Head of the Violent Crime Intelligence and Analysis Unit, Head of the Sexual Offences Section at New Scotland Yard as well as former Violence Adviser to the National Police Chief’s Council and the Home Office.”
Like damn talk about someone who knows her shit. I so appreciate her detailed discussions in each episode, the way she breaks down criminal behavior and fiercely advocates for women. Some of my favorite series were the ones on the Diddy trial (starts at episode 236), the murder of Gabby Petito (starts at episode 72), and the disappearance of Marion Barter (starts at episode 152).
Best Podcasts For A Flight: Conclusion
So there you have it! Eleven podcasts that I would consider to be in the “best podcasts for a flight” category and all my reasoning behind the selections. Let me know if you end up listening to any of them, or what else you think should be on this list!
