The Frontier Airlines flight from Washington DC to Denver was diverted to Cheyenne, Wyoming, due to inclement weather in Colorado.
Facing the prospect of an hours-long delay, Captain Gerhard Bradner decided to call Domino's.
The pizza shop's manager, Andrew Ritchie, said he was about to send employees home when the 10pm order for 35 pizzas came through.
"I put my hand over the phone and I said: 'Guys, you're coming back'," Mr Ritchie told the AP news agency.
The flight's 160 stranded passengers could hardly believe their eyes when less than an hour later attendants began handing out slices.
Logan Torres, who posted photos on Facebook of her fellow passengers gladly accepting the pizzas, praised the pilot's "act of kindness".
As the story began to go viral, Miss Torres wrote: "It's not about buying pizza its (sic) about going out of your way to take care of the people that have been put in your charge.
"THAT is a stand up person worthy of recognition and I am so excited and happy that this captain will be getting noticed for his graciousness.
"We need MORE 'Pizza captains' of the world and the world would be a better place!"
When interviewed by KUSA-TV, Capt Bradner declined to say how much he paid for the pizzas.
He told the Denver news station: "If the need arises you need to take care of your family; you need to take care of your passengers.
"They are my responsibility the moment they step on the aircraft until they get off the aircraft."