Whether I’m driving across the country or squeezing in a podcast before landing, I love finding shows that make the journey fly by. From immersive audio dramas and laugh-out-loud interviews to fashion conversations and unforgettable investigative journalism, these are the podcasts I’ve been recommending to friends all year. If you’re looking for the best podcasts for road trips, flights, or your next long commute, here are five that are absolutely worth adding to your queue.
American Afterlife Podcast
American Afterlife is a six-episode fiction podcast and cinematic audio drama that I helped produce, and it’s one of my favorite podcast recommendations for road trips and flights. The series debuted at #1 on Apple’s Fiction chart and stars Scarlett Estevez as Cielo (you may recognize her as Trixie from Lucifer). Set in the aftermath of a devastating Pacific Northwest earthquake, the story follows Cielo as she searches for her missing mother while navigating a dangerous world controlled by a doomsday militia.
Listen to American Afterlife Podcast here.
Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend Podcast
Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is hosted by Conan, Sona Movsesian and Matt Gourley.It’s a weekly podcast interviewing celebrity guests and it’s just so funny. If you were a fan of his nightly show, this is a more care-free extension of it.
Listen to Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend here.
SOLAR
SOLAR is another audio drama, similar to American Afterlife, has immersive sound design with celebrity actors starring Helen Hunt. It’s set in a space station and deals with scientists and astronauts trying to stay alive following a disaster on board, while not really knowing who to trust.
Listen to SOLAR here.
The Run-Through with Vogue
The Run-Through with Vogue is a Vogue podcast hosted Chioma Nnadi, head of British Vogue, and Chloe Malle, head of editorial content for Vogue US, and each episodes goes behind a different theme that if you’re into fashion or the Devil Wears Prada, are probably curious about.
Listen to The Run-Through here.
Missing & Murdered: Finding Cleo
Missing & Murdered: Finding Cleo is one of the best “true crime” style podcasts I’ve ever listened to. It’s hosted by Cree journalist Connie Walker and investigates the heartbreaking story of Cleo Semaganis Nicotine, an Indigenous girl taken from her family in Saskatchewan during the Sixties Scoop, as her siblings spend decades searching for answers.
Listen to Finding Cleo Here.
Every trip has its own soundtrack, but for me, it’s usually a great podcast. These are a few of the shows I’ve genuinely loved listening to while traveling, and I hope one of them becomes your next obsession too. If you have a favorite podcast I should add to my list, leave it in the comments, I’m always looking for something new to listen to on my next road trip or flight.
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