Friday, August 14, 2026

Top 5 movies to watch on an airplane

August 14, 2026

What makes the perfect airplane movie?

Hi, friend! Welcome back to Worth the Watch! I'm back from two weeks in Sweden, and let me tell you, if you ever visit, do not mention your love for the movie Midsommar… the Swedes don’t feel similarly. During my stay, I didn’t watch a single movie or show. In fact, I didn’t even turn on the TV, which is rare for a nerd like me. But, I did watch four movies during the grueling 9-hour flights: Disclosure Day, Power Ballad, Juror #2, and Dial M for Murder. The first two were peak escapist entertainment that made the flight fly by, while the last two were anxiety-inducing picks that would’ve been better enjoyed from my couch.

They got me thinking: what makes the perfect airplane movie? Why are we drawn to certain types of movies while cruising at 30,000 feet? Today I’m breaking down the characteristics a perfect airplane movie must have, what to avoid watching at all costs, and my top 5 picks for your next flight. Let’s get into it!

Escapism, escapism, escapism!

The most important attribute of any airplane movie is escapism. It must make me forget that I’m in the sky! Airplanes make me (and many others) anxious. It doesn’t matter how many times I hear, “Actually, an airplane is safer than driving in a car,” blah blah blah. I don’t care what the data says, airplanes stress me out! For that reason, an ideal airplane movie offers comfort, whatever that looks like for you. For Meredith, that apparently means tearing up while watching the feel-good documentary The Biggest Little Farm. For Genevieve, it means watching the live-action The Little Mermaid and immediately crying when she saves the dog as the ship is going down. And if you’re Ali (Business Intelligence Analyst @ Pix), that means watching Poor Things…? Interesting choice, but to each their own!

The Little Mermaid (2023)

The streaming guide is right behind this.

Pix Plus subscribers get John's full weekly cheat sheet — what's worth your time, what you can skip, and which streaming services are actually earning their price.

Unlock Worth the Watch →