Meta Introduces New Travel Mode for Quest 2 and 3

Meta announced on Monday that it’s found a way to replicate one of Apple Vision Pro’s exciting features: VR (and AR) on an airplane.

The new Travel Mode will work on both Quest 2 and 3, and will let you watch movies, play games, or use apps in the headset while flying. Meta says the new mode will let you connect to in-flight Wi-Fi and complimentary video, too. If you have apps or games to use, you’ll need to make sure they don’t need Wi-Fi to run, or you’ll have to purchase non-free internet while traveling.

The mode is tuned to account for the motion of the plane you’re on and will eventually come to trains, as well. You’ll have to opt-in to the feature via the Experimental Features section of the Settings in the Quest headset, then you can toggle it on or off in your Quick Settings. Your headset may even recognize you’re on an airplane and let you toggle it on there and then, too. You may need to restart it, though, to change the mode.

Meta has also partnered with Lufthansa to offer custom mixed-reality content on provided Quest 3 headsets when traveling the airline’s Business Class Suite, sort of like how other airlines (like Alaska) would hand out little standalone video players, only way cooler.

“The Lufthansa Group has already been using extended reality in training and marketing for some time—and now, during this test case, we are first mover for this innovative entertainment offering. Through the cooperation with Meta, two innovative market leaders can open the next chapter of in-flight entertainment and offer guests completely new experiences,” said Björn Becker, Head of Future Intercontinental Experience Lufthansa Group, in a statement.