History Main / MileHighClub

* ''Series/QueerAsFolk'' has an example which starts off lighthearted and ends very seriously: George and Emmett are going at it in the plane's bathroom when George [[spoiler:has a heart attack and dies]].

* In ''Film/SnakesOnAPlane'', the stoner couple do this -- and, of course, they die for their [[TheScourgeOfGod drug-abusing]], [[DeathBySex sex-having]] ways. It's also played for some lovely BlackComedy: the flight attendants arrive after the couple has been bitten by the snakes, but she hears screams and bodies thumping against the wall and assumes the couple is still having sex. Listening to the woman's screams, the elder female flight attendant muses this guy is ''good''. When the pair dies and the screams stop suddenly, she changes it to "Maybe not that good."

* Creator/EllenDeGeneres joked that she doesn't get people who do this, since "there's hardly enough room to [[ADateWithRosiePalms have sex by yourself]] in an airplane bathroom."

* Creator/DemetriMartin once boasted about joining the Mile High Club, then added "[[ADateWithRosiePalms Solo Aviators Division]]".

[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_High_Club The Other Wiki has an article on this]]. It is worth noting that [[DoNotTryThisAtHome the airline company will probably sue you, since it's of questionable legality.]] There are, however, dedicated companies for this sort of thing (however, despite the name of the Trope, [[NonIndicativeName there is no actual "club" of this name]]). Realistically, given the layout of most modern-day airplanes, unless it is very late at night and everyone is asleep and no attendants are looking, it's difficult for two individuals to enter the same washroom at the same time without being noticed, much less exiting when the odds of someone waiting to go in is very high.

* ''Film/NineteenFortyOne'': IceQueen Donna Stratton turns into a raging nymphomaniac whenever she gets into the air. Knowing this, HandsomeLech Captain Loomis Birkhead is willing to risk death (he flunked flying school) to get her up in an aircraft. Just as he's finally mastered the plane (and her), they're [[MomentKiller interrupted by the guns]] of a pilot in a P-40 Warhawk who thinks they're flying a Japanese aircraft.

* ''Film/RedEye'': When [[MeaningfulName Rippner]] locks himself and Lisa in the bathroom, the flight attendants assume that they're having sex. In fact, he's giving her a beatdown, and the sexual subtext makes the scene all the more disturbing. Though he walks out of there perfectly composed and smug, she's terrified and nearly in tears -- and it's only made creepier when you find out [[spoiler:that Lisa was raped by a KnifeNut like Jackson before the two even met]].

The "Mile High Club" is a term for people who have had sex at altitude, typically on an aircraft.

It's not quite clear why this is so tempting. Maybe it's the lower air pressure, the high speed, or the complimentary wine. More likely, though, it's the ForbiddenFruit aspect of MakingLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces; it's difficult, it's uncommon, and it shows you have sexual prowess (especially [[AllMenArePerverts if you're a guy]]). If you're obscenely rich and have a private plane, it's just one of the many thrills of being rich. If you're on a commercial aircraft, though, the only places you can really accomplish this are your seat (with no privacy at all) or the toilet, which tends to be very cramped, dirty, and far from the most romantic place to do the deed. For some people, though, it just adds to the thrill of it.

If you do it with a SexyStewardess, it doubles as SexAtWork. The ultimate high-altitude experience is the ZeroGSpot, which occurs outside the pull of Earth's gravity.

The trope is not strictly limited to aircraft, as long as you're an appreciable distance above the ground. So if you're in a hot-air balloon, or skydiving, or a superhero capable of {{flight}} without an aircraft, and you find a way to boff, you still join the "club".

"Mile High Club" is a common term in RealLife (Wiki/TheOtherWiki has [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_High_Club its own article]]), but it's a NonIndicativeName. First, there's no actual "club" of this name; second, the typical cruise altitude of a commercial aircraft is six or seven miles above sea level. And it's remarkably difficult to do this on a commercial aircraft without getting caught; even in optimal conditions, with the lights out and everyone asleep, all it takes is one person with a PottyEmergency to notice that two people are entering or leaving the toilet at the same time. And since it's of questionable legality, it's not a great idea to get caught. A few airlines have extensive first class seats that can turn into double beds and allow couples to sleep together, but there's still no privacy (even if there's a door, anyone standing in the aisle can just look over top of it), and those airlines usually make it explicit that you're not allowed to have sex in those seats. In other words, DontTryThisAtHome. Or get super rich and get your own plane (but make sure [[WhoIsDriving someone is flying it]] while you do the deed). Or find one of the companies that are dedicated to this kind of thing.

A subtrope of MakingLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces. See also ThreeWaySex for another arbitrary sexual milestone.

Maybe it's the lower air pressure. Maybe it's travelling at 500 mph. Maybe it's just a desire to do what few people have ever done. The complimentary wine probably plays a part. It's unclear, but sometimes people just like to have sex on aircraft. Usually in the toilet, which is not exactly the most romantic location on the planet (nor spacious on most airplanes), but is one of the few private places. Occasionally, however, the more bold will attempt it at their seats.

[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_High_Club The Other Wiki has an article on this]]. It is worth noting that [[DoNotTryThisAtHome the airline company will probably sue you, since it's of questionable legality.]] There are, however, dedicated companies for this sort of thing (however, despite the name of the Trope, [[NonIndicativeName there is no actual "club" of this name]]). Realistically, given the layout of most modern-day airplanes, unless it is very late at night and everyone is asleep and no attendants are looking, it's difficult for two individuals to enter the same washroom at the same time without being noticed, much less exiting when the odds of someone waiting to go in is very high.

For the stage beyond the Mile High Club, see ZeroGSpot. Compare ThreeWaySex in terms of sexual rubicons [[AllMenArePerverts all men]] are supposed to aspire to.

There is also the 'Meter High Club' sometimes called 'Mile Post Club' for people who have had sex on trains; with sleeper services this is a lot more practical and legal, but also common place in the days of 'closed compartment' trains. However, these days sleeper trains are more and more of a rarity and coach style seating is replacing compartments, making the lavatory once more the last place one can... [[Magazine/PrivateEye discuss Uganda]]...

May involve a SexyStewardess.

* Similar to the Creator/EllenDeGeneres example, Creator/DemetriMartin once boasted about joining the Mile High Club, then added "[[ADateWithRosiePalms Solo Aviators Division]]".

* In season eight of ''ComicBook/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', [[spoiler:Buffy and Angel]] fly around having lots of sex after getting super powers.

* Done without a plane by ComicBook/WonderWoman and ComicBook/{{Superman}}, in Creator/FrankMiller's ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain''. Superman does her so hard [[DestructoNookie he rams her into the ground causing massive planet-wide Earthquakes]], with the act of him climaxing actually [[DidTheEarthMoveForYouToo causing the 6 sextillion ton planet Earth TO MOVE]].

* In ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'', Kitty Pryde and Pete Wisdom first have sex for the first time in the Midnight Runner after blowing up the Dream Nails station.
* Jack has sex with three different stewardesses during a flight to Japan in ''[[ComicBook/{{Fables}} Fairest]]'' #8.

* ''Comicbook/RedOne'' has the titular Russian female superspy grab a random nerdy guy for some relief during a long flight to America.

* Two passengers joining the Mile High Club has unexpected consequences for a flight in the ''ComicBook/XXXenophile'' story "Hoisters".

* From ''WebVideo/AvatarTheAbridgedSeries'': In Episode 11, [[spoiler: Sokka is implied to have done this with Yue. [[ItMakesSenseInContext On Appa]]]].

* Discussed in many adult-themed MLPFIM fics. While using clouds is a common practice among pegasi, actually doing it in flight is usually ridiculed - since in fanon pegasi wings are susceptible to SomethingElseAlsoRises, it quickly becomes impossible to fly properly.
* In ''Fanfic/ThePrayerWarriors'', this is averted when [[Franchise/HarryPotter Draco and Ginny]] get on a plane, but mainly because they aren't married yet. (Draco's previous marriage to Ebony got [[RetCon retconned]]).
* In ''Fanfic/WeekendAtHisaos'', Hisao and Shizune, flying back from Lilly's wedding, have sex in the on-board lavatory. Hisao complains that it's too cramped to enjoy himself, and they get caught by the stewardess.

* ''Film/NineteenFortyOne''. IceQueen Donna Stratton turns into a raging nymphomaniac whenever she gets into the air. Knowing this, HandsomeLech Captain Loomis Birkhead is willing to risk death (he flunked flying school) to get her up in an aircraft. Just as he's finally mastered the plane (and her) they're [[MomentKiller interrupted by the guns]] of a pilot in a P-40 Warhawk who thinks they're flying a Japanese aircraft.
* ''Film/AirplaneIITheSequel''. A woman seduces a man by saying she doesn't want to die a virgin. Later, she tries the same trick again with another man, and a number of men are shown lined up waiting to have sex with her. At one point, she does the same thing with a ''donkey''.
* In ''Film/BeyondTheLights'', after Kaz reveals to Noni that he doesn't like flying and has never flown on a plane, she blindfolds and puts headphones on him. She then brings him on her private jet and starts to have sex with him when he removes the blindfold and the headphones and rightfully begins to freak out.
* In ''Film/{{Bridesmaids}}'', Megan attempts to seduce a man (whom she thinks is an undercover air marshal) into doing this. He declines. [[spoiler:Presumably because it turns out he really ''is'' an air marshal.]]
* In ''Film/{{Emmanuelle}}'', the titular character joins the club during her flight to Thailand because it's a long flight and she's too restless to sleep. In fact, she does it twice in the space of five minutes: once in the traditional way - in the lavatory - and once actually in her seat (which turns on an onlooker, leading to the lavatory rendezvous).

* Oddly enough, this is one club that Film/JamesBond ''hasn't'' managed to join despite jetsetting all over the world on Her Majesty's Secret Service. Spaceship, yes. Train, multiple times... but not a plane, though he seems to be coming (no pun intended) pretty close in the opening sequence of ''Film/{{Moonraker}}''. Unfortunately the SexyStewardess tries to [[FemmeFatale kill him instead]]. Bond makes up for it at the end of the movie by having [[ZeroGSpot zero-G sex in the space shuttle]].
* In the obscure mid-1980's softcore movie ''Love Circles Around The World'', a pilot has sex with a stewardess in the cockpit in the middle of a flight. The couple joggles various instruments, causing the plane to bounce around alarmingly, and the stewardess hits the intercom switch with her high heel at a crucial moment, causing the sounds of the proceedings to be broadcast into the passenger cabin.
* ''Film/MySuperExGirlfriend'': G-Girl has sex with Matt while flying him around the city, and he says the trope by name, calling it another version of the same thing (as they fly due to her superpower, rather than a plane).
* The film ''Film/NothingInCommon'' starts with Creator/TomHanks' character engaged in this with a flight attendant.
* ''Film/ThePumaman'' and his SatelliteLoveInterest.
-->'''[[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 Crow:]]''' (to the tune of the BGM) Now, get going, to boff in the air!
* ''Film/RedEye''. While [[MeaningfulName Rippner]] locks himself and Lisa in the bathroom and gives her a smackdown, the flight attendants assume that they're having sex. In fact, the sexual subtext makes the scene all the more disturbing. Though he walks out of there perfectly composed and smug, she's terrified and nearly in tears--and it's only made more creepy when you find out [[spoiler:that Lisa was raped by a KnifeNut like Jackson before the two even met]].
* Creator/JacquelineBisset picks up a guy and gets it on with him in a plane lavatory (while the plane is coming in for a landing) in her 1981 movie ''Film/{{Rich and Famous|1981}}''.
* James convinces a stewardess into doing this in ''Film/{{Rush|2013}}'', but in this case it's less about fanservice and more about showing James's increasing restlessness and frustration with life, given it happens in the middle of (at the time) a bad racing season for him and right after his very public divorce in which his wife left him for Creator/RichardBurton.

* The stoner couple in ''Film/SnakesOnAPlane'', who of course die for their [[TheScourgeOfGod drug-abusing]], [[DeathBySex sex-having]] ways. Also played for some lovely BlackComedy: the flight attendants arrive after the couple has been bitten by the snakes, and having screams and bodies thumping against the wall, assume the couple is still having sex. Listening to the woman's screams, the elder female flight attendant muses this guy is ''good''. When the screams stop suddenly (the couple has now died), she changes it to "Maybe not that good."
* Frequent-flyers Ryan and Alex compare Mile High Club notes in ''Film/UpInTheAir''.

* ''Literature/TheMartian''. When it's discovered that two astronauts on an expedition to Mars have started a sexual relationship, another astronaut congratulates them on having joined the [[ZeroGSpot "Million Mile High Club"]].
* ''The Mile High Club'', a short story by Rich Hall, in which Wayman Barksdale, after being lured into an aeroplane bathroom for a tryst with a stewardess, finds out that there really is a Mile High Club when they start pressuring him to pay a membership fee.
* In ''[[DirkPittAdventures Night Probe]]'' a major character and his mistress boff while in a small private plane. During this, the mistress wonders if the fact that the plane is circling around on auto-pilot with nobody at the controls means that they're in violation of some aviation reg.

* ''Literature/SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish'''s Arthur and Fenchurch, [[LookMaNoPlane sans plane]].

* This might result in ''death'', as shown in ''[[Series/OneThousandWaysToDie 1000 Ways To Die]]''. The couple are having sex in the airplane lavatory until heavy turbulence tosses them in the confined space, cracking their skulls and killing them both.

* ''Series/{{Banacek}}'' and his GirlOfTheWeek in "A Million the Hard Way". Even referenced by name.
* In the ''Series/BroadCity'' episode "Jews on a Plane," turbulence is caused by the pilots giving each other blowjobs.
* ''Series/BrothersAndSisters''' Robert and Kitty [=McAllister=]. They had a private aircraft and the entire cabin for it.
* In one episode of ''Series/{{Cheers}}'' Carla claimed she did this with Nick on their honeymoon; unfortunately, the plane experienced some rather heavy turbulence when they did, and it scared her to death, giving her a rather bad fear of flying from then on.

* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'': The victim in "Turbulence," with an airline stewardess.
* ''Series/DeadMansGun'': In "Black Widow", Tanya and Sandford have sex in a hot air balloon on their 'honeymoon'.
* Referred to in an episode of ''Series/{{Frasier}}'': When Niles was young he went to Paris, and a woman on the plane asked if he'd like to join the Mile-High Club. He didn't want to admit he was unfamiliar with the term, so he said he didn't fly often enough for that to be worthwhile.
* Discussed in an episode of ''The Friday Night Project'' sketch show. In an audience Q&A, a flight attendant asks special guests Music/GirlsAloud if they've ever done it. They denied it, finding the idea strange, questioning why anyone would have sex inside a small bathroom on a plane.
* ''Series/{{Friends}}''. Monica and Chandler plan to meet in the bathroom on their flight back to New York from London, but Joey thwarts them by striking up a conversation with Chandler.
** As part of an EscalatingWar between them Ross tries to embarrass Rachel by loudly pretending to reject her attempt to seduce him while they're flying to Las Vegas. A little while later another passenger tries to proposition her on the way to the bathroom but Rachel tells him to keep walking.
--->'''Ross:''' Hey lady! I don't care how much you want it! Okay?! I am not gonna to have sex with you in the bathroom!
* The MTV show ''Series/FurTV'' had the HandsomeLech (well, a sock puppet, but all the ladies treat him as such) propose this to whomever happens to have a hundred million dollars. "A plane filled with woman catering to your every need, 30,000 feet above any legal restrictions. I call it 'The Flying Fuck'."
* In the course of Luke and Laura's adventure packed return to ''Series/GeneralHospital'', the two stole a private jet to make their way to Port Charles. Aroused by all the excitement, Luke promptly turned on the automatic pilot and seduced Laura in the back of the plane.
* Danny Blue from ''Series/{{Hustle}}'' with ''two airline stewardesses''. In "Gold Mine" he makes a remark about a soap dispenser almost putting out a stewardess's eye.
* ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'': Frank, apparently unaware of this trope. wants to become the first ever member of the "Air Sex Society."
* ''Series/JustShootMe'': Jack Gallo. Member since 1963.
* A ''Series/{{Leverage}}'' episode entitled ''The Mile High Job'' averts this. No sex on a plane, although there were plenty of other shenanigans.
* On ''Series/MadMen'', Pete Campbell and his girlfriend Bonnie do this at the beginning of Season 7's "The Strategy," on the flight from California to New York.
* ''Series/MarriedWithChildren''. In "The Mystery of Skull Island", while skydiving, Bud's date Kara has sex with Biff the skydiving instructor after Bud's pushed out of the plane.
* {{Discussed|Trope}} in an episode of ''Series/{{NCIS}}''. A murder is committed on an airplane and [[HandsomeLech Tony]] is showing the corpse to [[CreepyMortician Ducky]] via webcam while jokingly asking if this qualifies them for the club. Ducky then speculates on whether or not Tony's already a member.
* Discussed in an episode of ''Series/OrphanBlack''. When Donnie and Alison have phone sex (Donnie needed to give a sperm sample while infiltrating the Bright Born clinic), they play out a fantasy of Donnie joining the MileHighClub with an [[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench Italian]] SexyStewardess. Their dialogue indicates that this is not the first time they've done this fantasy.

* ''Series/PoliticalAnimals'': Susan Berg has sex on the Hammond's private jet...''twice''. Once with another reporter, and again with [[spoiler: Doug Hammond, who's already engaged.]] When she confesses during a drunken conversation with [[spoiler:Doug]] that she's had sex on their plane before, he is relieved to find out that it was ''not'' with [[spoiler:his father]], which was his first assumption.

* An example which starts off lighthearted and ends very seriously in ''Series/QueerAsFolk''. George and Emmett are going at it in the plane's bathroom when George [[spoiler:has a heart attack and dies]].

* Joked about in ''Series/SpinCity'', where Mike and Caitlin simply talk in the airplane's bathroom. When they leave, the other passengers assume they have joined the mile high club, and the men proceed to give Mike high fives.
* ''Series/StargateAtlantis'': In "Brain Storm", Rodney and Jennifer attend a Physics conference being hosted by an old rival/friend who ferries them to and from the location via a private jet. On the way home, Rodney is grumbling about his friend getting the credit for saving the day despite using Rodney's solution so Jennifer suggests they take advantage of the fact they have the jet to themselves. She jokes that it's either that or spend the trip home listening to Rodney complaining; Rodney offers to give "being humble" a second try since it's clearly a vote winner with the ladies, and the episode fades to black on them kissing.

* ''Series/{{V 2009}}'': In "We Can't Win" (s01e08). Actually in space, [[AvertedTrope but]] [[ZeroGSpot with gravity]].

* Music/{{Nickelback}}'s song ''Rock Star''.
* ''International Lover'', the final track on Music/{{Prince}}'s ''1999'' album.

* An [[CosmeticAward achievement]] for beating the BonusLevel of ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty 4: VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' on the highest difficulty references the practice by being named this. The level actually consists of quickly assaulting the enemies inside an airplane and rescuing a hostage in a game with pretty much no other mentions of sexuality.
* ''VideoGame/JustCause2'' has a literal mile high club: an aircraft carrier supported by two blimps with dancing girls and evil bartenders.
* A weird example in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'' has Naomi and Otacon having sex, in a stationary helicopter, inside a flying plane. Er?

* ''Webcomic/GirlsWithSlingshots'' plays with this - Jamie and Erin have sex in the airport toilets, although another user points out that “it doesn’t count”.

** In a guest strip (August 2 2010, between #333 and #334, NSFW), Dillon claims to have joined it ... in the cockpit.
** Senna and Gary have sex on a private jet ''en route'' to Paris (Strip #780, August 20th 2013, NSFW funnily enough). Gary asks if they've joined the club; the answer would be "yes". Although they're eventually interrupted, penetration had occurred, and although the aircraft is on its landing approach by then, they must have been at least a mile high when they started.
* ''Webcomic/QusantumVibe'': while riding a SpaceElevator Bobinardi asks a female subordinate if she's considered joining the [[http://quantumvibe.com/strip?page=29 "thousand mile high club"]]
* In ''Webcomic/QueenOfWands,'' Kestrel, Felix and Shannon are getting on a plane, and Felix makes a joke about him and Shannon planning to join the Mile High Club. Kestrel notes that they live in Denver ("the Mile-High City"), so they're ''already'' in the club. In TheRant, the author notes that she heard this joke a lot back when she lived in Denver herself.

* In the episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' where Lois becomes a flight attendant, Peter tries to convince her to join the Mile High Club. She refuses, but they get stuck in the cramped bathroom together, and as they struggle to get out...

** In "The Duh-Vinci Code", while underground in Rome, Italy, Fry invites Leela to the Mile-Deep Club.

-->'''Zoidberg''': The Balcony Club? I have an individual membership!

-->"To put you at ease, we have recreated the most common spawning locations of your species. You may choose either: [[AutoErotica the back seat of a Camaro]], an airplane bathroom, a friend's wedding, or the alley behind a porno theatre."

-->'''Billy Butcher:''' Thing is, it's a bit fucking cold way up there. And by the time they twigged that he didn't give a shit, that it was part of the fun for him...it was too late. As far as we know, they're still up there in orbit.

* In Episode 3 of ''WesternAnimation/TheBoysDiabolical'', the Great Wide Wonder is revealed a few years ago to have taken two women at a private party way up into the sky for a "flying fuck". This involved superpowers, but not a plane, so needless to say things went ''horribly wrong'' for the women involved.

* In Episode 3 of ''WesternAnimation/TheBoysDiabolical'', the Great Wide Wonder is revealed a few years ago to have taken two women at a private party way up into the sky for a "flying fuck" that went horribly wrong for the women.

* ''Film/PumaMan'' and his SatelliteLoveInterest.

* ''VideoGame/AlterEgo'' has this crop up late in life, sometimes, where your significant other has a pilot's license and private plane.

* In one cutaway on ''Series/{{Titus}}'', we see Ken and Juanita coming out of the airplane' men's and women's rooms, followed respectively by a flight attendant, and ''the pilot''.

* Similar to the Ellen DeGeneres example, Creator/DemetriMartin once boasted about joining the Mile High Club, then added "[[ADateWithRosiePalms Solo Aviators Division]]".

* Ray from ''Webcomic/{{Achewood}}'' [[http://achewood.com/index.php?date=04232003 briefly ran such a business]].

* ''Webcomic/OutThere'': Implied, subtly, [[http://outthere.keenspot.com/d/20070608.html here]].

* Implied at the end of ''Film/{{Eurotrip}}''.

* An [[CosmeticAward achievement]] for beating the BonusLevel of ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty 4: VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' on the highest difficulty references the practice by being named this. The level actually consists of quickly assaulting the enemies inside an airplane and rescuing a hostage in a game with pretty much no other mentions of sexuality, which makes the barely-connected name rather GettingCrapPastTheRadar.

* Creator/JacquelineBisset picks up a guy and gets it on with him in a plane lavatory (while the plane is coming in for a landing) in her 1981 movie ''Film/RichAndFamous''.
* James convinces a stewardess into doing this in ''[[Film/{{Rush 2013}} Rush]]'', but in this case it's less about fanservice and more about showing James's increasing restlessness and frustration with life, given it happens in the middle of (at the time) a bad racing season for him and right after his very public divorce in which his wife left him for Richard Burton.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* According to the [[http://milehighclub.com/founding-member official Mile High Club]], the first known occasion was in 1916 involving the inventor of the first autopilot, who evidently realised its PowerPerversionPotential.
* A couple once decided to do this, while on a small recreational plane. [[TooDumbToLive Since they were the only ones in the plane at the time]], this resulted in a {{Website/Darwin Award|s}} for both of them.
* Shortly after Singapore Airlines introduced the closed first class suites on their new Airbus A380s, they were soon telling people not to do this on their aircraft to respect the other passengers, since the first class suites are not soundproof. Etihad may well go the same way with their A380s.
* There have been charter aircraft companies who have gotten around the legal and practical issues by offering flights specifically for this purpose.
[[/folder]]