Archive · 11 Sep 2026
Mark Wahlberg’s Last-Minute Travel Change Avoided 9/11 Flight
Mark Wahlberg was supposed to take a flight on September 11, 2001.
That plane was later hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center.
At the last minute, Wahlberg and his friend changed their plans.
They went to a film festival in Toronto instead of flying to Los Angeles.
Because of that change, he was not on the plane.
Years later, Wahlberg spoke about what he thought he would have done during the hijacking.
His comments upset many people, including victims’ families.
The story is remembered as an example of someone narrowly escaping the attacks.
Mark Wahlberg was reportedly scheduled to fly on American Airlines Flight 11 on September 11, 2001.
Flight 11 was the first plane to crash into New York’s World Trade Center.
Wahlberg and a friend changed their travel plans at the last minute and went to the Toronto film festival instead.
The change meant Wahlberg did not travel to Los Angeles on the hijacked flight.
Years later, comments Wahlberg made about how he would have responded on the plane drew criticism from victims’ families.
- Who
- Actor Mark Wahlberg and his friend were involved in the last-minute travel change.
- What
- Wahlberg avoided traveling on American Airlines Flight 11, which was hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center.
- When
- September 11, 2001; the controversial comments were made years later.
- Where
- The planned flight was headed from the United States to Los Angeles, while Wahlberg instead attended a film festival in Toronto; Flight 11 crashed in New York.
- Why
- Wahlberg and his friend changed their travel plans at the last minute.
Critics’ View
Wahlberg’s Hypothetical Account
Comments about the hijacking
Critics’ View
Victims’ families and other critics objected to Wahlberg’s suggestion that he could have fought the hijackers and prevented the plane from going down.
Wahlberg’s Hypothetical Account
Wahlberg described a hypothetical situation in which he would have fought back and reassured his children that they would land safely.
- Actor
- Mark Wahlberg
- Planned flight
- American Airlines Flight 11
- Date of attacks
- September 11, 2001
- Flight’s destination
- Los Angeles
- Alternative plan
- Attend the Toronto film festival
- Crash location
- The World Trade Center in New York
- Later controversy
- Wahlberg faced criticism over comments about how he would have responded during the hijacking.