6 Best Airport Movies

By Vlad Zakh · June 22, 2026

Airports are strange little worlds where everyone is waiting for something. Up in the Air follows a downsizing consultant who basically lives in them, The Terminal strands a traveler there indefinitely after his country dissolves, and Die Hard 2 sends a New York cop after mercenaries who seize the airfield. Catch Me If You Can has a con artist posing as an airline pilot, while Airplane! and Airport cover the parody and the disaster ends of the spectrum.

Up in the Air (2009)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A corporate downsizer who lives entirely out of a suitcase is forced to confront how empty that life really is.

Directed by Jason Reitman · 1h 50m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Terminal (2004)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A traveller is stranded indefinitely in an airport terminal after his home country dissolves mid-flight.

Directed by Steven Spielberg · 2h 08m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 96% Metacritic 75

A brilliant young con artist forges cheques and impersonates professionals while an FBI agent doggedly pursues him.

Directed by Steven Spielberg · 2h 21m · Rated PG-13

Nominated for 2 Oscars16 wins & 46 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Peacock Premium, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Die Hard 2 (1990)

TMDB ★ 7.1

A New York cop battles rogue mercenaries who seize control of an airport to free an imprisoned drug lord.

Directed by Renny Harlin · 2h 04m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Hulu, YouTube TV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Airplane! (1980)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 97% Metacritic 78

A disaster-movie parody in which almost every gag lands, one after another.

Directed by Jerry Zucker & David Zucker · 1h 28m · Rated PG

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award3 wins & 7 nominations total

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Airport (1970)

IMDb ★ 6.6 RT 72% Metacritic 42

A blizzard, a bomber and a stowaway all converge on one chaotic night at a major airport.

Directed by George Seaton · 2h 17m · Rated G

Won 1 Oscar5 wins & 19 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Airport Movies

Up in the Air (2009)

The Terminal (2004)

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Die Hard 2 (1990)

Airplane! (1980)

Airport (1970)

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