During takeoff and landing, I will pull a Santonio Holmes while either reading a newspaper, reading lightweight Sci-Fi anthologies that I got from father-in-law, or working the USA Today puzzles page, which I stockpile for that express purpose.

Once the "you may use approved devices" ping is sounded, I fire up my portable DVD player. I have a huge collection of DVD's, comprised of movies, TV series, and classic sports (both pre-recorded and home made). If there is OnDemand seatback IFE, then I will watch that.

The portable DVD player is also used in my hotel room at my destination.

Oh man, this boostaroo thing looks terrible. Its like turning you iPod up loud enough to drown out the lawnmower. This thing has to damage your ears. Better to buy some noise canceling headphone than crank up the volume. You've only got one set of ears and once they're damaged, they're gone for good.

-Reading the newspaper / magazines
- trying to extend the flexibility of my body in a cramped Y+ window seat (LH 744 flyers would get what I mean)...
- IFE/AVOD
- talking to other pax

- dinner / breakfast / lunch

Seriously, it's kinda hard to explain - my HKG-FRA on the 744 was a 11hr ride - no red eye - you can't really do anything enjoyable during such a flight - time just flies by -

Channel 9 on UA for take off and landing.
After that I typically like to bring with me DVDs from various TV series' that I haven't seen and watch them on my laptop. I rarely have power in the plane (almost always fly economy plus on UA) so I have two pretty large batteries that give 4-4.5 hours each on my laptop though I've been thinking of picking up either a third battery or one of those larger boosters I've seen.

And if all that fails, I browse the skymall catalogue atleast twelve times, then work on memorizing the united flight paths and terminals from the back of their magazine and when i'm bored with that I just mindlessly stare at the back of the seat infront of me.

I usually catch up on magazines and then I work. The airplane is the most effective office I've ever had. Three uninterrupted hours ORD-SFO/LAX I can get more done than I do several days at my desk. Six hours ORD-LHR/FRA is like a week of stuff done by volume.

If the plane has a powerport I'll use my laptop to play Free Cell, look at old photos, write or watch Netflix movies.

If it doesn't, I'll read. I love The New York Times on long flights because I get into it, read every article and have three hours of entertainment. I also like books and crossword puzzles.

When there's IFE, I rarely use it. Sometimes for the music, however.

This has been a fun read. My choices are similar - they have been honed after a ramped-up year obtaining top status for the first time, with some MRs, and figuring out what makes the time pass best:

--L.A. Times crossword puzzles, stockpiled for flying, with an occasional NYT puzzle.

--DVD movies on my laptop - this is the best time filler for me; also watching Friends episodes too. Had to buy a Mac airplane power connector, after the battery would go out in a few hours - didn't realize!.....now I look for seats with a plug if not in FC, on Seatguru etc. Learning, learning all the time, on FT.

---eating light meal if served; drinking water

I don't seem to enjoy reading as much though I am an avid reader. Also, wish I could sleep but it only ends up in fitful short naps.

+1 on the map :D

Drink, read, watch movies, of course, but am I the only one that spends large parts of the flight just looking out the window?

No, you're not. I love to look out of the window too when flying over land. I like trying to figure out where we are at any given moment and love spotting landmarks. I wish more pilots gave updates on that, i.e. Mississippi River, Southern Appalachians, or whatever city. I also love meeting and talking with interesting seatmates.

Typically on TATL's I either watch IFE or sleep - depends on the amount of wine :)

You are not the only one, but this is pretty rare. Most FF tend to seat in the isle, and even those who prefer window seat, rarely looking there more than just a couple of minutes on taxi.

Before I had kids, flight time was always reading time for me.

Believe it or not, although my previous job often took me on VERY LONG trips (such as TLV-SEA), I have never been one to sleep much on planes, although I got better at it after I hit a certain level of exhaustion. LOL

A strange thing was that I had a very difficult time getting into a new book when traveling. I always had to read about 20 pages and get myself hooked on the book before leaving on the trip to make it possible for me to lose myself in the book in-flight and, therefore, pass the time quickly

I never get the free time to read to my heart's content unless I'm on an airplane. I usually bring 2-3 books on a trip and get through all of them by the end of my flying, and that gets me through till the next trip. Also, my laptop!

Sleep Sleep and Sleep :) ...

On intercontinentals I eat, sleep, watch some IFE, read, drink and sleep some more.

On domestics, which are mid-cons, I read.