ABSTRACT Landslides are characterized by intricate formation mechanisms and multiple triggering factors, posing serious threats to human life and property. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has been extensively applied in landslide monitoring due to its all-weather operation, high precision, and wide spatial coverage. However, one-dimensional line-of-sight (LOS) deformation limits the ability to measure actual landslide displacement. Presently, many regions without the latest descending data, but they are in the overlapping position of two adjacent latest ascending track. Compared to using a single track, the method measuring three-dimensional deformation of landslides, combined with two ascending track InSAR datasets and pixel-level surface-parallel flow (PSPF) assumption, is presented. Based on the small baseline subset (SBAS) InSAR, the LOS deformation in two observations in the middle reaches of the Qingjiang River in China was measured. With pixel-level surface-parallel flow model, the three-dimensional deformation was obtained. It was further converted into the slope surface coordinate system, thus determining the direction of landslide movement. The findings effectively elucidate the primary displacement mode of landslides, with deformation rates ranging from −80 to 20 mm yr − 1 , which are significantly influenced by the slope angle and slope aspect. It is highly important to remotely identify the movement direction and analyse the failure mode of landslides.