Study timer: study until the plane lands
Study Airlines is a free study timer shaped like a flight. You pick a length, board, and study until the plane lands, while the captain and crew tell you where you are along the way. It runs in your browser and needs no account or sign-up.
Start now
- 25 minQuick round
- 47 minNew York–Boston
- 60 minOne hour
- 65 minLondon–Edinburgh
- 90 minDeep work
- 97 minChicago–Atlanta
Tap a length and the cockpit opens with that time selected. You can still change departure and destination there.
How the study timer works
- Choose a length: a fixed 25, 45, 60 or 90 minutes, or the real flight time between two airports.
- Type your subject if you like. It stays on your device.
- Book the flight, pick a seat and board. The clock starts at takeoff.
- Study until landing. The captain checks in at a quarter of the way, at three quarters and when the descent begins, so you never have to look at the clock.
- On landing, your flight is stamped “landed” on the public departures board, anonymous by callsign.
Which length for which task?
| Length | Good for | Break in flight |
|---|---|---|
| 25 minutes | Flashcards, vocabulary, one small task; days when starting is the hard part | None; take 5 minutes after landing |
| 45 minutes | Reviewing one topic, working through a reading | 1 × 3-minute onboard service |
| 60 minutes | A problem set, tidying up lecture notes | 1 × 3 minutes |
| 90 minutes | A new chapter, a longer writing block | 1 × 5 minutes |
| 150 minutes and up | A timed practice exam, a big review | 2 × 5 minutes |
The onboard service happens inside the flight time and does not extend it; the crew announces it two minutes ahead. For a longer exam day, New York–Miami takes 155 minutes with two breaks. How to pick a length before takeoff is covered in How long to study: short hop or long haul?
An airplane study timer: what is different
- Starting is a ritual. Booking, picking a seat and boarding turn “I should start” into a clear moment.
- You hear where you are. Flight phases and announcements replace staring at a countdown.
- Breaks stay honest. Paused time does not count, and aborted flights never reach the board.
- A little company. Every landed flight appears on the departures board, anonymously, next to everyone else who is studying right now.
Focus timer, Pomodoro or study flight?
If you like the classic 25/5 rhythm, a 25-minute flight is one full Pomodoro round. When a break after 25 minutes would interrupt you just as you get going, a 60- or 90-minute flight keeps you in one block with a planned pause. The full comparison is in Study flight vs. Pomodoro. Prefer studying alongside others? See Study with me.
Frequently asked questions
Is the study timer free?
Yes. Study Airlines is free, needs no account or sign-up, and runs in your browser.
Can I set my own study time?
Yes. Pick a fixed 25, 45, 60 or 90 minutes, or choose two of 350 airports and the real flight time between them becomes your study time. A return flight doubles it.
What if I need a break?
Pause (turbulence) stops the clock. The break does not count as study time and the landing moves back by exactly that long. If you abort a flight, it leaves the departures board and does not count.
Is it a focus timer or a Pomodoro timer?
Both, depending on how you use it. A 25-minute flight is one classic Pomodoro round; 45 to 90 minutes suit longer focus blocks with a planned break in the middle.
Is there an app?
Yes, a free app for iPhone and iPad on the App Store, where your flight keeps running on the Lock Screen. On Android, use the web version in your browser and add it to your home screen like an app.