For some passengers, watching a movie is an essential part of their flight. Whether it's to calm their nerves, catch up on a recent blockbuster, or both, getting lost in the seatback entertainment is a key part of their in-flight experience. But have you ever wondered why the latest superhero movie is available, but the romantic comedy you wanted to see earlier in the year isn't? Or why the TV options rarely include an entire season or consecutive episodes and instead offer a random assortment?
So how do airlines choose in-flight entertainment?
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What airlines take into account
The answer to this question is both straightforward and more complex than you might think. Most airlines have high-level positions dedicated to securing and curating in-flight entertainment. For example, Delta Air Lines has a Managing Director of In-Flight Entertainment who must consider many behind-the-scenes factors.
The first and most important factor is the audience, which is similar to that of a typical movie theater. It represents a cross-section of the entire country. As a result, the in-flight entertainment needs to have a little bit of everything for everybody. This includes action movies and broad comedies for passengers who want something big and distracting, as well as indie films for travelers who can give a movie their full attention, even with occasional announcements from the pilot and cabin crew.
The team at JetBlue Airways employs a content-strategy specialist whose job is to analyze "trending, popular film and television content each month," according to an interview with Business Insider, and curate their selections accordingly. This often involves licensing agreements with specific movie studios or streaming services. However, these deals don't last forever, and the available in-flight movies and TV shows can change every few months – usually 6 months to a year for Delta and 4 to 10 months on JetBlue, according to the Business Insider report.
What the numbers show
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Airlines occasionally release data on what movies their passengers watch. According to a report from The Washington Post, the most popular titles on all airlines in 2023 were John Wick: Chapter 4 and Top Gun: Maverick. Following those 2 blockbusters were Ticket to Paradise, Barbie, A Man Called Otto, Fast X, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Avatar: The Way of Water, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Jurassic World Dominion, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Essentially, the movies that perform best on flights are the same ones that do well at the box office.
However, there can be some regional differences. For instance, Jurassic World Dominion seems to do particularly well on Hawaiian Airlines. This could be because a lot of the movie was filmed in Hawaii, and some travelers heading to the islands may enjoy hearing the John Williams theme song as they make their final descent.
What about TV?
The television viewing data for air travelers is similar to that of the general public. Aside from the popular show The Last of Us, which was one of the most buzzed-about and well-received programs last year, viewers tended to gravitate towards familiar comedies, such as Friends, Schitt's Creek, and the ever-popular The Office, which was the most-watched TV show on 4 different airlines. Just like on the couch at home, sometimes passengers in economy class simply want to relax and enjoy a comforting, familiar program.
However, there are 2 genres that you're unlikely to see being watched at cruising altitude: horror and disaster films, especially those involving plane crashes. This seems fairly self-explanatory. Flying can be stressful enough without having to worry about a seatmate screaming in reaction to a jump scare, and even lighter fare like Snakes on a Plane isn't really appropriate to watch on an actual plane.
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