How to watch
Airplane! Movie Watch Order in the correct order
How to watch the Airplane! movies in order
Last updated: September 12 2026
Written by: ChronoChris
The Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker spoof Airplane! redefined comedy with its rapid-fire gags, and it earned one sky-high sequel. Here's how to watch the Airplane! movies in order.
Airplane! landed in 1980 and became one of the most quotable comedies ever made, packing every frame with sight gags and deadpan one-liners. Its success spawned a single sequel that took the chaos into outer space, giving fans a two-film run of pure parody.
π Release Order
Release order is simple with two films released two years apart.
- Airplane! (1980)
- Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)
Both films follow Ted Striker in sequence, so story chronology matches release order.
π Story Chronology
The first film finds Ted overcoming his fear of flying to land a stricken airliner, while the sequel sends him aboard a troubled lunar shuttle β a direct continuation of the same character's misadventures.
- Airplane! (1980) β the doomed airliner
- Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) β the lunar shuttle disaster
Which Order Should You Choose?
Start with the 1980 original β it's the comedy classic and the funnier of the two by a wide margin. Airplane II: The Sequel is a fun follow-up if you can't get enough of the gags, though it's optional. For the definitive experience, release order is all you need.
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