The Most-Watched In-Flight Movies and TV Shows of 2019
Award winners, action flicks, and old sitcoms reign, according to data from United, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, and Southwest Airlines.
In a year where Disney cartoons and live-action remakes of cartoons, plus comic book adaptations of Disney-owned Marvel tales, dominated the box office, in-flight movie watchers often opted for something a little different. As it turns out, the most popular films for flyers in 2019 were A Star Is Born and Crazy Rich Asians, based on the most recent data provided to Fortune by United, Southwest, JetBlue, and Alaska Airlines.
A Star Is Born topped Southwest and JetBlue’s lists, and came in second on Alaska and United’s, proving people couldn’t get enough of the Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga musical drama (and didn’t worry about sobbing in front of their fellow passengers). Crazy Rich Asians got the No. 1, 2, and 3 spots for Alaska, Southwest, and United, respectively, likely serving as an escapist thrill for those flying in coach.
For United, the winner was Bohemian Rhapsody, with the multiple Oscar winner rounding out JetBlue’s top five. Each airline also had some surprises like A Bad Moms Christmas (Southwest), The Meg (Alaska), Alita: Battle Angel (JetBlue), and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (United). Disney’s remakes of Aladdin and The Lion King were popular on United and JetBlue, respectively, with Creed II and 12 Strong, the war in Afghanistan movie starring Chris Hemsworth, placing on multiple lists.
In television shows, The Big Bang Theory and Friends were the leaders, appearing in the top two spots on United and Alaska, and ranking in the top 10 for Southwest. (JetBlue did not provide a list of television shows.) Chopped led the way on that airline, which has a clear affiliation with Discovery and its other channels like Food Network and HGTV—Fixer Upper, Beat Bobby Flay, Deadliest Catch, and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives were also on the list. Interestingly, Southwest Explores Hawaii occupied the 10th spot.
United, meanwhile, had three HBO shows—Game of Thrones, Big Little Lies, and Chernobyl—on its list, with hits from other networks (The Office, The Simpsons, Modern Family) also placing. Alaska’s customers leaned more towards dramas, with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Man in the High Castle, Killing Eve, Riverdale, and Criminal Minds making the cut.
There are some caveats, of course. Not every airline has the same in-flight catalog and onscreen menu, so what’s popular will be skewed by what’s available and how it’s presented. And with the availability of downloadable content from streaming services, it’s not like the airline-provided entertainment was the only thing people could watch in the skies. In terms of commonalities, it looks as though movie viewers will go for a combination of well-reviewed new releases and lighter popcorn fare that might not have drawn them to the theaters. With television, it’s mostly about comforting half-hour reruns with a sprinkling of prestige television. In other words, it’s very similar to the familiar, perfect-for-a-night-in viewing mix many streaming subscribers prefer, with each airline offering up a few variables and exclusives. It’s just like at-home viewing, though in the air, you should never, ever take off your shoes to relax or start belting out “Shallow” for all to hear.
Check out the full lists below:
Southwest Airlines
Top 10 Movies of 2019:
A Star is Born
Crazy Rich Asians
Aquaman
A Bad Moms Christmas
Captain Marvel
Creed II
12 Strong
The Hustle
Hunter Killer
Second Act
Top 10 TV Series of 2019:
Chopped
The Office
Friends
Fixer Upper
Beat Bobby Flay
The Big Bang Theory
Deadliest Catch
The Kindness Diaries
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Southwest Explores Hawaii
Alaska Airlines
Top 10 Movies of 2019
Crazy Rich Asians
A Star is Born
Captain Marvel
The Upside
Aquaman
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Mary Poppins Returns
The Meg
Avengers: Infinity War
Creed II
Top 10 TV Series of 2019
The Big Bang Theory
Friends
Young Sheldon
Puppy Dog Pals
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Will & Grace
Killing Eve
Riverdale
Criminal Minds
Man in the High Castle
United Airlines
Top 10 Movies of 2019
Bohemian Rhapsody
A Star is Born
Crazy Rich Asians
Green Book
12 Strong
Aladdin (2019)
Vice
Instant Family
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
The Aftermath
Top 10 TV Series of 2019
Big Bang Theory
Friends
Game of Thrones
Modern Family
The Office
Big Little Lies
Chernobyl
Bob’s Burgers
How I Met Your Mother
The Simpsons
JetBlue
Top 5 Movies of 2019
A Star is Born
The Lion King (2019)
Aquaman
Alita: Battle Angel
Bohemian Rhapsody
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