Can you play Pokémon Go on a plane? (Does Pokémon Go work on airplanes?)

As I settle into my seat 💺 aboard a transatlantic flight, my mind drifts 😏 to the captivating world of Pokémon GO, the augmented reality sensation that has enthralled millions around the globe.

With my phone in hand and the allure of virtual creatures beckoning, a curious thought arises ✨: Can I play Pokémon GO while cruising at 30,000 feet?

Well, the answer is yes if your airline offers Wi-Fi connectivity and the game servers are accessible and not due to signal interferences during the flight.

So, let’s unravel the mysteries surrounding the compatibility of Pokémon GO with the realm of air travel.

Via tenor

Does Pokémon go work on airplanes?

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via tenor

Pokémon GO requires an internet 📶 connection and relies heavily on GPS functionality to function properly.

While some airlines offer Wi-Fi 📡 services during flights‍✈, the speed and reliability of the connection may not be sufficient for playing Pokémon GO, especially because the game demands a stable and reasonably fast internet connection for gameplay.

So, while it might be technically possible to open Pokémon GO on an airplane ‍with Wi-Fi, the gameplay experience is likely to be limited or non-functional.

What would happen if I left Pokémon GO open and went on an airplane?

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Several things may happen when you leave Pokémon GO open while on an airplane‍. For example, at cruising altitudes, GPS signals 📉 might not be accessible or less accurate due to the limitations of GPS technology.

And this could cause your in-game avatar to drift or remain stationary, impacting your ability to interact with the game world effectively.

Also, Pokémon GO can be quite battery 🔋 -intensive, especially when the app is left open and actively using GPS and data connections.

So, leaving Pokémon GO open on your device during a flight may not yield a satisfactory gameplay experience due to technical limitations and potential issues with GPS and data connections.

Can you get banned for playing Pokémon Go on a plane?

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It’s unlikely that you would get banned from specifically Pokémon GO for playing the game 👾 on a plane. Niantic, the developer of Pokémon GO, has put security 👮 measures in place to detect unusual activity, such as sudden 😲 changes in location or patterns of play.

Playing the game on a plane could potentially trigger these security checks, but it’s unlikely that you would get banned solely for playing during a flight.

However, as you think of opening Pokémon GO while on an airplane, there are several factors to take into consideration.

For example, while many airlines allow the use of smartphones and electronic devices during flights, there are often restrictions during takeoff 🛫, landing, and other critical phases of the flight.

How does Pokémon GO separate real flight movement and GPS spoofing?

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Pokémon GO employs various methods to distinguish between legitimate GPS movement 🚶, such as traveling in a car 🚗 or walking, and GPS spoofing, which involves falsifying one’s location.

While Niantic, the developer of Pokémon GO, does not publicly disclose all the details of their anti-spoofing measures to prevent exploitation, there are several techniques they likely use.

See the table below.

Technique	How the technique is used
Behavioral Analysis	Niantic uses it to detect patterns in the player’s behavior
Altitude and Elevation Data	Sudden changes in altitude or improbable elevations can indicate spoofed GPS signals.
Consistency of Movement	Sudden jump from one location to another without natural progression raises suspicion of GPS spoofing.
Acceleration and Deceleration:	Abrupt changes in speed or direction, characteristic of teleporting, may trigger anti-cheating mechanisms.