you'll want to disable any apps and browser extensions that regularly access the web so your connection speed doesn't suffer due to bandwidth constraints. For example, Dropbox is an easy one to forget and it will slow down your connection quite a bit if you forget to pause syncing. You'll also want to disable automatic updates, increase your browser's cache size, and avoid opening too many tabs at once (and, instead, open just the one you need right at that moment). Basically, anything that might tax your bandwidth behind the scenes is something you're going to want to disable. Building on your big cache, if there are any sites you want to access while you're on the plane, visit them before you fly so you can start caching locally. This will help decrease web page load times a little bit. You may also want to use desktop versions of your favorite sites. For example, a Twitter client won't need to download as much data as the Twitter web site will require. The same goes for desktop email clients over webmail, although you may want to tell your mail client to only check mail manually so it doesn't keep straining your connection. Optimize Your Battery Your connection speed isn't the only thing that can fail you at 30,000 feet. If you're on a long (or long-ish) flight, your laptop's battery is prone to die at some point. Unless you're flying an airline like Virgin America that will provide you with a