Flights were once a mundane necessity to get from A to B, with limited entertainment options and bland food. Now, this is a distant memory, as airlines continue to pack their planes full of whizzy tech to satisfy their passengers. But it’s not just on-board that’s seen a shift, advancements in digital technology has made the whole journey from booking flights to landing in your destination easier and better than ever before. Here are our favourite tech items that will making flying a pleasure this year.

Smart Suitcases

Fed up of dragging your heavy case through the airport? Fear no more! One of the cleverest inventions to hit the high street in recent years is the smart suitcase. Travelmate have designed the ultimate case featuring artificial intelligence and robotic technology. Not only can it wheel itself through the airport, it can charge smart devices via a USB port, measure the weight of your luggage via a built-in scale and track your case with a GPS chip so you know exactly where it is every step of the way. Genius.

Wi-Fi up High

We are more connected now than ever before. The average American spends 24 hours a week online, so what more could we want in-flight than Wi-Fi? Many commercial airlines have started to introduce this on flights for free, including Emirates, JetBlue Airways and Air China. These are usually at slow speeds, so you are unlikely to be able to stream high quality videos or watch services like Netflix seamlessly. However, many private jet charters such as VistaJet offer high-speed Wi-Fi across their fleet allowing passengers to watch movies and TV throughout their flight.

Exercise Everywhere

Are you a regular flyer and find it hard to fit in your workout? Well, you can now get Bluetooth enabled exercise equipment such as mini step or pedal machines that are designed to fit under desks or in small spaces, which is perfect for flights. There are also compact resistance band sets that you can purchase at affordable prices that are small enough to fit in your hand luggage. They are great for glute, leg and hip activation as well as warming up muscles in the arms. Check out these Mini Power Loop set of 5 that come with a handy travel bag, ideal for transportation. So you can keep fit on the go!

Noise-Cancelling Headphones

We all like to sit back, relax and enjoy the in-flight entertainment. Gone are the days of purchasing cheap disposable headphones on the aircraft thanks to the advancement of noise-cancelling technology. Now, more and more people are investing in headphones such as the Bose QuietComfort 35 II that give you great quality sound, comfort and noise cancellation. That way, you can completely switch off and lose yourself in your music or movie.