Americans like to be busy.
And occupied.
And entertained.
From binge watching shows while they are stuck at home during a snowstorm to catching up on their favorite shows while they are on a flight, Americans like to know that they are never wasting a moment. For this reason, inflight entertainment systems (IFE) are increasingly popular. In fact, IFE monitors are a common site on planes that travel all around the country and all around the world.

There was a time when aircraft display systems were only a part of the cockpit and the seats of those sitting in first class. Today, however, there are an increasing amount of airlines that are including IFE monitors and other kinds of viewing options in every seat on a flight.

How Often Do You Watch Movies When You Fly?

Even if you are not a fan of the movies that are offered on your flight across the country, it is likely that you might want to watch the show instead of trying to keep up with the non stop conversation your seat neighbor is trying to have. Even if you are lucky enough to have an entire row to yourself, watching a comedy may help you pass the time or relief your nerves while you are flying.

Consider some of these facts and figures about the flying habits of travelers and the many ways that airlines are trying to enhance both long and short flights:

• 78% of domestic trips taken are for leisure purposes, so these travelers have plenty of time to watch movies.
• $644.9 billion was the total amount of direct spending on leisure travel by domestic and international travelers in the year 2014.
• 25% of respondents indicated that they would choose one airline over another if it offered Wifi, according to TripAdvisor’s 2013 Air Travel Survey.
• 41% of airline passengers watch movies while they travel.
• More than 8 million people fly on average every day.
• Surpassing the 3 billion mark for the first time ever, in the year 2013 the total passenger number reached 3.1 billion.

If you are someone who like to be busy, likes to be occupied, or likes to be entertained, you have likely taken advantage of IFE monitors when you have been traveling on a flight across the country. Especially if you are traveling across the world.