If you’ve ever played Pokémon GO, you’ll be familiar with the unique phenomenon of kids, teens, and even adults alike, all wandering around in front of landmarks, or inside buildings, staring at their phones.
Adherents of the game have actually incurred injuries, tripping, stumbling, spraining ankles, etc. – hopefully by now, if you still play, you’ve learned how to play safely.
Overall, the game is a great way to get fresh air and sunlight, get some exercise in, spend time with friends and family, and possibly even meet some new friends along the way. But does Pokémon GO work on airplanes? Yes and no.
Can I Play Pokémon GO In Flight With WiFi?
How about while traveling? You can probably play the game using the plane’s inflight WiFi, if available, albeit with very limited functionality.
You can perform functions like burying gems and sending or receiving gifts. Note that Pokémon GO can lock you out from playing if you’re moving too fast, or if you’re unable to use GPS (your mobile phone might just be stuck in a cycle searching for WiFi networks). If you are lucky enough to be able to use a GPS signal, you might activate the game’s cheating detection system that is put in place to detect players who are using GPS-deception tricks to fake their actual location.
Do this too many times and you run the risk of being temporarily banned from the game. While flying, no doubt you’re traveling too fast to be able to catch anything effectively or hatch eggs anyway, right? You won’t be able to burn incense either if you’re moving too fast.
Does Pokémon GO Work on Airplanes?
Sort of. Though you risk being temporarily banned from playing Pokémon GO because by trying to play while traveling, you will appear to be “GPS spoofing” to the game, and its anti-cheat detection can ban you from playing temporarily.
Even if you can play the game using the plane’s inflight WiFi, you won’t be able to do much at all, like hatch eggs, light incense, or pickup items. You’ll likely only be able to bury gems and send or receive gifts.
Related: The Best Pokemon Go Locations in the World!
How Do I Play Pokémon GO Without Data?
Maybe you’ve wondered about how you can play Pokémon GO without data. Consider a couple of possibilities: by downloading Google maps and traveling only in the area you’ve downloaded (then you don’t need live mapping).
Another way you can play Pokémon GO offline by “spoofing” your actual location by using others’ internet connections to get into the game without messing with your own data or free access to the internet. Note that “spoofing” or trying to trick the Pokémon GO game into thinking you’re somewhere that you’re not can end up getting you temporarily banned from being able to play.
How Can I Go to “Pokéstops” for Pokémon GO If I Don’t Have Data?
You might search for spaces with free WiFi to check and see if there are any Pokéstops in the vicinity. You might check to see if one of your friends or other players could enable the hotspot function on their mobile phone, whereby you could connect to the internet through their data.
If it would end up costing them more for data usage, you might not want to go that route.
Does Weather Affect Pokémon GO Gameplay?
Pokémon GO does indeed track the local weather in the area you’re using it. If severe weather hazards are on their way, the game will give you a warning, suggesting you stay inside. The main game display also changes, to reflect rain and other weather as applicable.
What Would Happen If I Left Pokémon GO Open and Went on an Airplane?
You will likely just burn through your battery power as your device will just repeatedly search for a network connection. You won’t be able to hatch an egg while in flight, as Pokémon GO stops tracking after about 10 mph.
One of the purposes of the game is to encourage outdoor walking and exercise, so you’ll get the best benefit out of the game if you stick to walking instead of driving or by playing while in flight.
Besides, you can get temporarily banned from gameplay as moving too quickly sometimes appears to the game as GPS spoofing (GPS trickery intended to make the game think you’re somewhere that you’re not).
What Is the Airplane Trick in Pokémon GO?
When attempting to complete a “Making Throws in a Row” task, put your device into airplane mode, then either close out of the app and then log back in, or turn airplane mode off for a moment, then back on.
So if you miss a throw, you can redo the throw before turning the game back on or airplane mode back off. The game can be “tricked” into thinking you made those throws consecutively.
Are Airports Good for Pokémon GO?
Pokémon characters in the Pokémon GO game used to not spawn in airports. That is, not until around the end of 2016, when Pokémon spawning became commonplace in airports.
Airports are now considered normal Pokémon GO gameplay areas.
How Do I Play Pokémon GO Without Moving?
Here are some steps you can follow to play Pokémon GO without actually moving/walking. Note that, like trying to play while traveling in an airplane, you can possibly get temporarily banned from gameplay. Here’s how you can play Pokémon GO without moving.
- For starters, make sure your device is in “Developer Mode,” which you can adjust in your Settings.
- Install the Fake GPS GO GPS/location spoofer app from the Google Play Store.
- When you open Fake GPS GO, look to activate the option “Enable Mock Locations.”
- Once you’ve found it, select the “Select Mock Location App” option.
- Then select the “Fake GPS Free” option.
- Press the back button and then open the Fake GPS Free app.
- Enter or select the location where you would like to be as you play.
- Tap the “Play” button, and play from your “fake” location.
Related: 5 Tips For Traveling With Stuffed Animals
So, Does Pokémon GO Work on Airplanes?
It does, but the downsides of playing Pokémon GO while in flight appear to outweigh the benefits. You can connect to the inflight WiFi, but the game will track you as moving too quickly (which gives the appearance of “GPS spoofing”) and can get you temporarily banned from gameplay.
At any rate, it won’t track your GPS accurately. You won’t be able to hatch eggs or burn incense, either. Most players talk about the downsides of trying to play while in flight, and it usually involves being banned from gameplay for a while.