In Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality News
April 8, 2025 – Meta has shared an update on its pilot program with Lufthansa to bring Quest 3 headsets to passengers at scale through a fully integrated service.
Last year, the company introduced Travel Mode, a new, experimental feature on Meta Quest that allowed headsets to be used to enjoy some in-flight entertainment in mixed reality.
Since then, nearly 4,000 travelers on select international routes have been enjoying the service, according to Meta, which stated that feedback has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
Through the pilot program, passengers traveling in Lufthansa’s Allegris Business Class Suite have been offered Quest 3 headsets during their flight, allowing them to watch movies on a virtual screen, explore new destinations through virtual sightseeing, play interactive games, perform meditation exercises, or enjoy passive, lean-back experiences using the device.
“We are thrilled with the success of this initiative and the positive feedback from our passengers,” said Bjoern Becker, Program Lead Future Intercont Experience, Lufthansa Group. “Immersive technology is undoubtedly an element of future in-flight entertainment.”
Additionally, as part of the activation, Lufthansa teamed up with CUPRA (Volkswagen Group) to introduce the first in-flight virtual test-drive experience. According to CUPRA, the immersive experience on selected Lufthansa Allegris flights (Business Class from Munich to New York, Cape Town, and destinations in India) allowed passengers to engage with the CUPRA Tavascan, the automotive brand’s latest electric vehicle model. The company noted that the four-month pilot program concluded in February this year.
From the comfort of their plane seats, passengers were able to configure and customize their CUPRA car and immerse themselves in a virtual reality (VR) experience that transported them to a virtual CUPRA Garage, where they could learn more about CUPRA and its models.
“At CUPRA, we always aim to provoke emotions and create new experiences for our customers, continuously challenging the status quo. Our collaboration with Meta and Lufthansa to test CUPRA’s immersive experience on selected flights allows us to reach a new target audience in a unique environment,” said Patrick Sievers, CUPRA Global Head of Marketing. “These emotionally engaging experiences redefine how our customers configure their cars and discover the world of CUPRA.”
Meta added that the new on-board service has since received industry recognition, with Lufthansa, Meta, and developer MSM.Digital receiving the 2025 APEX Award for Best Inflight Entertainment—an industry award that recognizes innovative and effective in-flight entertainment solutions.
“This activation marks a pivotal moment in the development of our Travel Mode and immersive services,” said Sarah Malkin, Director of Entertainment Content at Meta’s Reality Labs. “We’re now focused on expanding this offering to more airlines and optimizing our product suite.”
Meta did not give specific dates for when its in-flight mixed reality offering would roll out to additional airlines, but did note that it will continue to expand the service to more airlines and routes “in the near future.”
Image credit: Meta
About the author
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.