Whether you’re looking for a romantic comedy or action films, this list of movies are perfect for a long-haul flight! Below we’ll share the best movies to watch on a plane plus which the best devices and streaming services to use!
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After all there is no better way to pass the time on your next flight than with a great movie!
The next time you’re planning a trip, check out these movies to watch on a plane. This list has all the movie inspiration you’ll need to make your next trip amazing.
Best Movies to Watch on a Plane
Whether you have a short domestic trip or a transatlantic flight, these are our favorite movies to watch! Whether you’re looking for a historical drama, animated film, suspenseful flick, or a romantic comedy with a happy ending — we have you covered!
1. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Rated R
Starring Steve Martin and John Candy
Your plane ride will be a cake walk compared to the one Neal Page (Steve Martin) goes through in this classic comedy! When Neal’s flight gets rerouted, he’s stuck bucking with annoying passenger Del Griffith (John Candy) who takes him on a wild goose chase.
2. Inception
Rated PG-13
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Keep yourself entertained during your flight with this Christopher Nolan sci-fi thriller in which a thief who steals secrets from people’s dreams is tasked with planting an idea in the mind of a CEO.
3. Hidden Figures
Rated PG
Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe
When you watch the untold true story of three women instrumental in launching astronaut John Glenn into space on your next flight, you’re sure to leave the plane inspired.
4. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Rated PG-13
Starring Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen, and Orlando Bloom
Heading out on a long international flight? Enjoy this hours-long trilogy about Frodo Baggins sets out on a quest to save humanity by protecting a simple golden ring.
5. Star Wars: A New Hope
Rated PG
Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher
Take your next flight into a galaxy far, far away with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo as they rescue Princess Leia from the evil Empire.
6. Airplane!
Rated PG
Starring Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, and Leslie Nielson
Have a laugh on your next flight with this Leslie Neilson comedy in which a man who is afraid of flying must man the plane after the pilots fall ill.
7. Legally Blonde
Rated PG-13
Starring Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, and Selma Blair
Keep your in-flight entertainment light and fun by watching Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, a sorority girl who makes her way to Harvard Law School.
8. Captain American The First Avenger
Rated PG-13
Starring Chris Evans
Bring some action to your next flight by watching mild mannered Steve Rogers transform into Captain America! It’s a classic in the Marvel cinematic universe!
9. Casino Royale
Rated PG-13
Starring Daniel Craig, Eva Green, and Mads Mikkelsen
It doesn’t matter where you’re going on your trip, when you bring James Bond along, it’s sure to be an adventure! Watch Bond travel from the jungles of Madagascar to the beaches of the Bahamas to track down a terrorist.
10. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Rated PG
Starring Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, and Shirley MacLaine
While you’re waiting to arrive at your destination, satisfy your wanderlust by watching mild mannered Walter Mitty gather up the courage to go out on an extraordinary adventure.
11. Onward
Rated PG
Starring Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Keep the kinds entertained on an adventure of their own with two brothers who go on an epic quest to complete a magic spell that will bring their late father back for the day.
12. Wonder Woman
Rated PG-13
Starring Gal Galdot and Chris Pine
Take flight with Wonder Woman to fight alongside man in an epic war while discovering her powers and her true potential.
13. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Rated PG-13
Starring Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, and Mia Sara
Have some fun on your next flight with Ferris Bueller as he concocts one plan after another to successfully skip school.
14. Mama Mia
Rated PG-13
Starring Starring Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and Colin Firth
Add some music to your next plane trip with Mama Mia – a classic movie musical starring Meryl Streep based on the music of ABBA.
15. Eat Pray Love
Rated PG-13
Starring Julia Roberts
Get inspired for your trip with the help of this Julia Roberts movie about a woman who travels around the world to discover the meaning of life.
16. The Terminal
Rated PG-13
Starring Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta Jones
You’ll be happy you made it on the plane while watching this movie about a man stuck at the JFK airport unable to enter or leave the United States.
17. Back to the Future
Rated PG
Starring Michael J. Fox
Travel to the past on your next plane ride when you watch Marty McFly take a trip to 1955 to help set the future right before he and his family disappears.
18. Roman Holiday
Rated G
Starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck
Add some vintage romance to your flight when you watch Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck fall in love during a trip through Rome.
19. Moana
Rated PG
Starring Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, and Rachel House
Your next plane trip will be much more adventurous when you watch Moana set sail on an adventure to save her people.
20. Forrest Gump
Rated PG-13
Starring Tom Hanks
From meeting presidents to playing college football, Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) is full of adventurous tales and heartfelt stories – the perfect movie to enjoy on a plane!
21. To Catch a Thief
Rated PG
Starring Cary Grant
A famous cat burglar is forced to come out of retirement when a thief starts imitating his old style in this classic thriller that’s great for watching on a flight.
22. Catch Me if You Can
Rated PG-13
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks
Master of deception Frank Abagnale Jr. is always one step ahead of FBI agent Carl Hanratty, who’s been chasing him for years as he passes himself off as a pilot, lawyer, and doctor in this travel-friendly movie.
23. Princess Bride
Rated PG
Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, and Chris Sarandon
This classic combines comedy, romance and adventure when a prince goes to rescue a princess in distress!
24. Dark Knight
Rated PG-13
Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and Heath Ledger
This is a classic Batman action movie where Bruce Wayne’s alter ego takes on The Joker.
25. Shawshank Redemption
Rated R
Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman
This Academy Award winning feature film is a compelling drama about friendship in a maximum security prison.
Honorable Mentions
26. Notting Hill
Rated PG-13
27. Jurassic Park
Rated PG-13
28. Titanic
Rated PG-13
29. The Terminator
Rated R
30. Bucket List
Rated PG-13
31. Dumplin’
Rated PG-13
32. Love Actually
Rated R
33. Up
Rated PG
34. Shrek
Rated PG
35. Matilda
Rated PG
36. You’ve Got Mail
Rated PG
37.Toy Story
Rated G
38. Die Hard
Rated R
39. La La Land
Rated PG-13
Movies to Avoid on a Plane
When it comes to picking a movie to watch on a plane, not just any film will do!
On top of staying away from movies featuring travel disasters to help you keep your cool on your flight, you also want to make sure the movie you’re watching is suitable for most audiences – because who knows who will be sitting next to you while you’re watching!
That’s why this list features a variety of classic movies perfect for most age groups, giving you a chance to keep yourself entertained on your next flight no matter who catches a glimpse of your screen.
How to Watch Movies on a Plane?
Now that you have plenty of movie ideas to keep you entertained throughout your flight, you’re probably wondering how you’re going to watch them!
Try these different streaming methods to ensure your movie plays without a hitch.
1. Stream using the plane’s wi-fi.
Since each of these movies is available on a streaming platform, one of the first options for watching on a plane is to stream the movies through wi-fi.
But since wi-fi isn’t always reliable in the air, you might want to have a back-up plan in place.
2. Download the movie to your device.
If your device has the extra storage space, try downloading the movie to your phone or tablet to watch later.
Many streaming platforms, like Netflix and Amazon Prime, allow you to download a movie for watching when you’re offline.
Just make sure the entire movie is fully downloaded before you board your flight.
3. Download the movie to a USB device.
If your device doesn’t have the extra space, try downloading the movie onto an external storage device, like a USB drive.
Keep in mind that you’ll need a device with a USB port (like a laptop) in order to view your movie on the plane!
4. Get the DVD or Blu-Ray.
Skip the streaming platforms altogether and pack a disc in your carry-on. All you have to do is pop the DVD into your laptop’s disk drive to play your movie while you’re in flight.
The Best Device to Watch Movies on a Plane
When it comes to watching movies on a plane, picking the right device is essential.
There are two great options to consider for traveling, depending on how you plan to watch your movies.
Tablet
The most compact and easy to carry option is a tablet. And since most tablets feature a large screen and plenty of storage, you’ll be able to enjoy your movie using wi-fi or downloading it directly on the device without issue.
Laptop
If you’re worried that your tablet won’t have the storage space needed to hold a movie, consider bringing a compact laptop in your carry-on. Smaller laptops, like a Chromebook, are perfect for watching movies because you can easily insert a USB storage device holding multiple movies.
Smartphone
You can also use a smart phone, but we prefer a tablet or laptop because of the bigger screen.
Headphones
However you choose to watch your movie on a plane, you will want to make sure you can connect your headphones to hear it!
Many new smart phones don’t have a plug for wired headphones, but if you’re watching on the airplane’s TV you may need a wired set of headphones.
We usually care a bluetooth pair and a wired pair just in case since neither take up a lot of room.
Can you watch Netflix on a plane?
In order to watch Netflix on a plane we recommend downloading your favorite movies or tv shows when you have Wi-Fi before your flight.
Some planes will offer in-flight streaming or Wi-Fi, but it can be slow or not offered all together.
The best way to ensure you have entertainment for your long flight is to come prepared with a few shows or movies downloaded to your phone, tablet, or laptop computer.
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