15 Airplane Horror Movies Like Flight Plan: Thrills and Chills in the Air

I’m a big fan of confined thrillers. Films that take place in an isolated set tend to have a clearly defined beginning, middle and end, and an airplane trip meets that criteria perfectly.

I recently watched Flight Plan and started to look around for other similar flicks to watch. While there are a ton of confined vehicle thrillers – trains, buses and automobiles – but I was specifically looking for airplane horror movies.

Now this is by no means an full list, but if you’re looking for movies like Flight Plan, this is what I recommend:

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Best airplane horror movies like Flight Plan

1. Horizon Line (2020)

Horizon Line is my current favorite airplane horror flick – though like most on this list it’s more of a thriller.

In this heart-pounding flick, Sara and Jackson are stuck trying to figure out where and how to land a small plane after their pilot has a heart attack. Sara has a tiny bit of flying experience, but they’re over the middle of the ocean, their GPS isn’t working and they can’t get ahold of air traffic control.

It’s a genuinely frightening film that will leave you on the edge of your seat. If you haven’t seen it, I’d highly recommend it. Best of all, it’s free if you have an Amazon Prime Video subscription.

2. Non-Stop (2014)

In Non-Stop, Liam Neeson action-thriller, he plays an Air Marshall that’s lost his passion for the job. But his regular New York to London route has taken a turn for the dramatic.

It’s now life-or-death when he receives a series of text messages that will force him to take matters into his own hands if he wants to see his family again. It’s a horror thriller that will keep your blood pumping.

If you’re looking for movies like Flight Plan or could simply use a Taken-like film, this is for you.

3. Final Destination (2000)

In the first installation of Final Destination, high school student Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) and his class are boarding a trip to Paris. But he gets a premonition of the plane’s impending fatal crash and insists they get off.

He and 7 others are forced to disembark and end up watching as the plane explodes, just as he predicted. But while safe from the crash, the group isn’t able to avoid death altogether. One by one, the survivors start dying in mysterious accidents, as if fate is catching up to them. Will any of them be able to cheat death?

Technically, only a few minutes of this flick takes place on a plane, but I’m adding it to my movies like Flight Plan list because it heavily surrounds a flight – and I think that counts.

4. Red Eye (2005)

In Red Eye, Lisa (Rachel McAdams) is waiting to board the plane to fly home for her grandmother’s funeral when she meets charming and handsome Jackson (Cillian Murphy).

She thinks it’s pure luck that they end up seated next to each other on the flight, but she’d be wrong. It turns out Lisa is in for the thrill of her life as an intricate but unexpected member of Jackson’s murder plot.

This film a high stakes thriller with low flying twists and turns. If you’re looking for limited “horror” aspects, and considerably more thriller – this is the movie for you.

5. Executive Decision (1996)

Executive Decision stars Halle Berry and Kurt Russell.

In this film, terrorists take over a 747 that’s headed from Athens to Washington, D.C.. According to the terrorists, they want their leader released, but it’s expected that there’s another meaning behind their plot.

Using a highly specialized plane, a group of military anti-terrorists, including intelligence expert David Grant (Russell), board the plane to try and take control back from the terrorists.

It’s a wild ride, if you’re looking for action thrillers you’ll enjoy this flick.

6. 7500 (2020)

This is NOT the only film with the same name, but it’s the only one I’ve seen.

This airline horror film, 7500, is an action thriller starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a plan is hijacked by terrorists. It’s up to him to talk the terrorists down, safely land the plane, and ensure the safety of the crew and passengers.

Will he be successful, or will the plane go down in a fiery crash? You’ll have to find out, and you can do that for FREE if you have an Amazon Prime Video subscription.

7. Altitude (2010)

In Altitude, Sara and her friends are on a trip in a small plane when a mysterious malfunction sends the plane climbing out of control. She’s only a rookie pilot, and her and her four teenage friends find themselves in a deadly showdown with some unexplained supernatural force.

If you’re looking for movies like Flight Plan and you haven’t seen this small Canadian flick, I’d recommend you give it a chance. You might even see some faces you recognize!

8. Quarantine 2: Terminal (2011)

If you’re not too freaked out by the pandemic and are interested in watching the beginning of the apocalypse, then Quarantine 2: Terminal is for you. Technically, this is a sequel to the 2008 film called Quarantine.

It’s a flight from Kansas to Los Angeles. The passengers become infected with a deadly virus and the plane has to make an emergency landing in an abandoned terminal.

The survivors have to find a way out before the military arrives and kills them all. It’s not the most original film, but it’s well-made and suspenseful. Plus, it stars Mercedes Mason, who is always a pleasure to watch. If you’re looking for a good pandemic film, Quarantine 2: Terminal is definitely worth a watch.

9. Airport (1970)

Airport is often thought of as one of the first big disaster films, definitely the first one that took place in an airport. It follows the story of an airport that’s beset by a winter storm and the various passengers and staff who are stuck there.

The airport manager tries to keep the airport open despite the conditions. Meanwhile, there’s a suicide bomber that’s trying to blow up a Boeing 707. If you’re interested in film history and watching the start of a film genre, this should be added to your list.

10. Snakes On A Plane (2006)

I hesitate to call Snakes on a Plane a horror film, even though it’s technically a thriller-horror-action style watch – primarily because there are so many jokes surrounding it. That said, it is one of the most famous plane movies of all time, and it’s not hard to see why.

The plot is simple but effective – a bunch of snakes get loose on a plane and start attacking the passengers. It’s up to Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Neville Flynn, to save the day. The movie itself is pretty ridiculous, but that’s part of its charm – if charm is the word you want to use.

11. Panic Button (2011)

In Panic Button, four random people are awarded an all-expenses paid vacation which includes a glamorous flight on a private plane. They’re headed from London to New York City, but shortly after take off they realize they’ve been thrust in the middle of a deadly game.

This is a small British independent film that’s worth the watch if you’re a big fan of the horror flicks that caution against the dangers of social media. It was filmed on a small budget, and even if it’s not the best film out there it’s worth the spooky watch!

12. 407 Dark Flight (2012)

If I’m being honest, most of the scariest flicks out there are non-English films. Take 407 Dark Flight for example, in this Thai film a flight attendant realizes in the middle of her flight that a vengeful spirit has taken control of the plane. It’s goal? Kill everyone on board.

This film is a great example of how an airplane can be used as the perfect setting for a horror movie because it forces the characters into close quarters with little to no escape. If you can do scary and subtitles all in one film, this is the one you should watch.

13. Flight 666 (2018)

I don’t know about you, but if I ever get a ticket that’s for Flight 666, I’m 100% out. However, this group of passengers decides to get on but this routine flight turns into the plane ride from hell.

Ghostly spirits on the plane start attacking the passengers and the crew and it’s up to the remaining survivors to figure out how to make the plane land safely.

If you like supernatural horrors and want to board a spooky mid-air horror story – this is the flick for you. This is another flick you can watch for FREE if you have an Amazon Prime Video subscription.

14. Row 19 (2018)

This is another non-English film, this time from South Korea. It’s about a woman who takes a business trip with her boss on a small private plane.

When the pilot dies suddenly, she and her boss are forced to land the plane in an unfamiliar area. They’re then stalked by an unknown assailant through the woods.

This is a great thriller if you’re looking for something that’s not too gory but will still have you on the edge of your seat.

15. Turbulence (1997)

Turbulence is another slightly-dated film that takes place on an airplane. Murderer Ryan Weaver (Ray Liotta) manages to break free and cause chaos. It’s up to flight attendant Teri Halloran (Lauren Holly) to save the day and land the plane safely.

This is another one of those movies that’s more thriller than horror, but it’s still a great watch if you’re looking for something set on a plane.

What is Flight Plan?

If you’re looking for doom and gloom but need to avoid the gore and other gross stuff, then Flight Plan is for you. It’s more thriller than horror, but I would put it in the phycological horror pot because of the mind-bending reality. Was there a little girl or not?

In Flight Plan, Jodie Foster plays Kyle Pratt, a mother who boards a plane with her young daughter and falls asleep. When she wakes up, her daughter is missing and no one on board remembers her ever being there. It’s up to her to find the missing girl before the plane lands in New York City.

The movie is full of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat, but it’s also a great study in paranoia and how our minds can play tricks on us. If you’re looking for a good airplane horror movie but don’t want to be scared out of your wits, then check out Flight Plan. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it.

Final Thoughts: Airplane Horror Movies Like Flight Plan

There are plenty of airplane horror movies light flight plan out there for you to enjoy – though I do recommend that you don’t watch them before you get on an airplane.

Horizon Line is probably my favorite. It’s an indie-style film with actors you probably don’t recognize, however it’s a good plot line that’s high-energy because there’s limited time. But for those that like Liam Neeson-style movies, I recommend Non-Stop which is basically like Taken but in a plane.

All-in-all, there are a ton of films you can add to your Friday night horror movie night!

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