Fasten your seatbelt: The best airplane thrillers to stream today
Fasten your seatbelt: The best airplane thrillers to stream today
From hijackings to mind games at cruising altitude, these in-flight thrillers will have you gripping your armrest.
The new Mark Wahlberg thriller now in theaters, “Flight Risk” caught my attention and I’m planning on seeing it this week. Wahlberg (who I always have time for) plays a pilot navigating an intense flight with an air marshal and a fugitive on board. Set against the backdrop of the Alaskan wilderness, the film promises high-altitude suspense and a ton of “not all is as it seems” twists. It got me thinking about why thrillers on airplanes are so powerful. Maybe it’s because each one of us has had a moment on a flight during major turbulence where the thought has crossed our minds… “If this goes down, there’s not a lot of hope.”
In short, the stakes are just so high, and there are plenty of movies that capture that tension. So here are seven of my favorite airplane thriller movies you can stream right now.
Top 7 airplane thriller movies you can stream right now
No. 7: ‘Red Eye’ (2023) | Paramount+
Coming in at No. 7 on the list of top airplane thrillers is the pulse-pounding, aptly-named “Red Eye”. The film follows Lisa (Rachel McAdams), a hotel manager on a routine red-eye flight, who finds herself seated next to a charming yet creepy stranger (Cillian Murphy). As the trip unfolds, he reveals a chilling ultimatum: help him execute an assassination, or her father will die. What makes “Red Eye” stand out is how efficiently it builds tension - there’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and the psychological mind games are just as nerve-wracking as the moments of action. With Wes Craven behind the camera, the film perfectly blends thriller elements with horror-like suspense, making it a lean, gripping ride from takeoff to landing.
Red Eye
An overnight flight to Miami quickly becomes a battle for survival when Lisa realizes her seatmate plans to use her as part of a chilling assassination plot against the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security. If she refuses to cooperate, her own father will be killed. As the miles tick by, she’s in a race against time to find a way to warn the potential victims before it’s too late.
No. 6: ‘Non-Stop’ (2014) | Rent with Prime Video
Coming in at No. 6 is “Non-Stop,” a high-flying thriller that proves Liam Neeson was born for this kind of role. He plays an air marshal on a routine transatlantic flight when he starts getting anonymous texts demanding a ransom – and if it’s not paid, a passenger will die every 20 minutes. “Non-Stop” is such a fun ride because it keeps you guessing. The movie piles on the twists, paranoia, and red herrings, making you question who on the plane can actually be trusted. Neeson brings his signature intensity, and the tight setting amps up the suspense with every passing minute. It’s not the most realistic thriller, but who cares? It’s the kind of action-packed mystery that keeps the pressure high until the wheels hit the ground.
Non-Stop
Bill Marks is a Federal Air Marshall for whom every day is the same until this one. On this plane ride, he starts receiving text messages from someone claiming to be on the flight and threatening to kill passengers. In a race against the clock, he must identify and stop the killer to save everyone on board.
No. 5: ‘Flightplan’ (2005) | Rent with Prime Video
There’s something especially unsettling about a mystery that unfolds at 30,000 feet, and “Flightplan” takes full advantage of that. Jodie Foster stars as a mother traveling with her daughter on a routine flight - until the child vanishes midair. What makes it worse? No one on board remembers ever seeing her. The movie pulls you in with its eerie, almost dreamlike tension, making you question what’s real and who’s hiding the truth. Foster is incredible (as usual), balancing raw emotion with steely determination as she tries to outmaneuver the growing paranoia around her. With its clever twists and claustrophobic setting, “Flightplan” keeps you guessing until the very last moment.
Flightplan
Flying at 40,000 feet in a state-of-the art aircraft that she helped design, Kyle Pratt’s 6-year-old daughter Julia vanishes without a trace. Or did she? No one on the plane believes Julia was ever onboard. And now Kyle, desperate and alone, can only count on her own wits to unravel the mystery and save her daughter.
No. 4: ‘Air Force One’ (1997) | Rent with Prime Video
Coming in at No. 4 is one of the most iconic action-thrillers set in the sky: ”Air Force One.” Harrison Ford plays the U.S. president who finds himself in the fight of his life when terrorists hijack his plane mid-flight. But instead of negotiating or waiting to be rescued, he takes matters into his own hands - because, well, he’s Harrison Ford. What makes “Air Force One” so great isn’t just the high-stakes action, but how it balances political thriller elements with full-throttle blockbuster spectacle. Ford is at his gruff, determined best, and Gary Oldman delivers a chilling villain performance. With intense set pieces, memorable one-liners (including the legendary “Get off my plane!”), and a script that never lets up, it’s the kind of old-school action movie that still hits just as hard today.
Air Force One
When Russian neo-nationalists hijack Air Force One, the world’s most secure and extraordinary aircraft, the President is faced with a nearly impossible decision to give in to terrorist demands or sacrifice not only the country’s dignity, but the lives of his wife and daughter.
No. 3: ‘Executive Decision’ (1996) | Rent with Prime Video
Coming in at No. 3 is the criminally underrated ”Executive Decision.” This mid-’90s thriller follows a covert mission to stop a hijacked plane from becoming a flying bomb, but what really sets it apart is how it flips expectations right from the start. Kurt Russell plays a government analyst - way more comfortable behind a desk than in the middle of an airborne crisis - who suddenly finds himself leading the charge when things go sideways. The film delivers tense, high-stakes action, and the midair boarding sequence is still one of the coolest tactical set pieces in a plane thriller. And without spoiling anything, let’s just say Steven Seagal’s role takes a shocking turn early on, making it clear that “Executive Decision” plays by its own rules. If you love old-school thrillers with practical effects, sharp pacing, and plenty of suspense, this one is well worth revisiting.
Executive Decision
Terrorists hijack a 747 inbound to Washington D.C., demanding the release of their imprisoned leader. Intelligence expert David Grant suspects another reason and he is soon the reluctant member of a special assault team that is assigned to intercept the plane and hijackers.
No. 2: ‘United 93’ (2006) | Rent with Prime Video
Coming in at No. 2 is ”United 93,” a harrowing and deeply respectful account of one of the most heroic acts in modern history. Directed by Paul Greengrass, the film chronicles the events of United Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001 - the only hijacked plane that didn’t reach its intended target thanks to the bravery of its passengers and crew. What makes “United 93” so powerful is its commitment to realism - there are no Hollywood-style embellishments, just a raw and immersive recreation of a moment in time when ordinary people made an extraordinary decision. The film is deeply emotional without being exploitative, and its intense, documentary-like style puts you right in the heart of the chaos. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s a necessary one - a reminder of the courage and sacrifice of those who refused to let terror win.
United 93
A real-time account of the events on United Flight 93, one of the planes hijacked on 9/11 that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers foiled the terrorist plot.
No. 1: ‘Con Air’ (1997) | Hulu
There are action movies, and then there’s ”Con Air.” This 1997 adrenaline-fueled thrill ride takes the classic hijacking formula and cranks it up to ridiculous, glorious levels. Nicolas Cage stars as Cameron Poe, a wrongly convicted ex-Army Ranger trying to get home to his family - only to find himself stuck on a prison transport plane full of the most dangerous criminals imaginable. Con Air isn’t awesome just because of the over-the-top action (though it delivers plenty of that) - it’s the way it fully embraces its absurdity. From John Malkovich’s deliciously evil villain to Steve Buscemi’s unsettling but oddly hilarious serial killer, the film is packed with unforgettable characters. And let’s not forget Cage’s flowing hair, slow-motion walkaways, and that iconic bunny in the box. It’s the kind of movie that knows exactly what it is - a loud, explosive, endlessly quotable action spectacle - and that’s what makes it so much fun.
Con Air
Newly-paroled former US Army ranger Cameron Poe is headed back to his wife, but must fly home aboard a prison transport flight dubbed “Jailbird” taking the “worst of the worst” prisoners, a group described as “pure predators”, to a new super-prison. Poe faces impossible odds when the transport plane is skyjacked mid-flight by the most vicious criminals in the country led by the mastermind — genius serial killer Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom, and backed by black militant Diamond Dog and psychopath Billy Bedlam.