Can you listen to iTunes Podcasts without a Wi-Fi connection?

I will be flying in a few weeks and I would love to listen to podcasts while on the plane. But I'm not sure they will play while my MacBook/or iPhone is on airplane mode.

Sure, as long as you download them ahead of time and have them stored on your phone. You don't need Wi-Fi or internet access to listen to them that way.

I use a separate mp3 player for podcasts because I fall asleep listening to them, and charge my phone overnight. I must have a couple hundred on there at any moment. Easy to download and transfer. And they do not clutter up my phone that way. If all you want is a few on a plane, them just download them while in Wi-Fi. DH does exactly what you do - downloads to phone.