How to Overcome Fear of Flying: 11 Proven Tips from a Frequent Traveler

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I think it’s safe to say, as a travel blogger, I travel a bit more than the average person. But I still don’t have as much experience as some of my peers who have been doing this thing for decades now.

Being that I’m still early in my travel journey, I can closely recall the first time I’ve ever been on a plane. In fact, I completed a good chunk of the process alone, which added a whole other layer of anxiety to break through.

I’m fortunate enough to not have a paralyzing fear of flying, but I’m very well aware this isn’t the case for everyone.

And of course, I’ve had first-time flight jitters before.

So in this guide, I’m going to share what I did to reduce those negative thoughts and unsettling feelings. Implementing these strategies from the beginning has had a massive impact on all of my travel experiences.

If you’re flying for the first time or have been flying for a while but your nervous system feels like you’re preparing for war, this post is for you. Keep reading for 11 of my best tips on how to overcome fear of flying.

Ready, friend? Let’s go!

THIS POST IS ALL ABOUT HOW TO OVERCOME FEAR OF FLYING.

WHAT IS AVIOPHOBIA?

According to the Air Charter Service, aviophobia — sometimes referred to as aerophobia — is the fear of flying.

This fear is characterized by several other phobias, including:

• Claustrophobia: the fear of being in tight, enclosed spaces
• Enochlophobia: a severe fear of crowds
• Agoraphobia: the fear of any unfamiliar environment or places where individuals feel like they have no control
• Acrophobia: an excessive, debilitating fear of heights

Most of the time, when someone says they are afraid of flying, that fear isn’t necessarily coming from being high in the air. It’s more so about being afraid of suddenly NOT being in the air.

Does that make sense?

Many anxious travelers are also weary of turbulence. This usually happens because they don’t understand what it is, and immediately assume that means something bad is going to happen.

But in reality, turbulence is a very normal thing during flights.

IS IT COMMON TO HAVE A FEAR OF FLYING?

Yes, it’s totally common to fear flying — especially if you’re a less experienced traveler.

According to The Hill, up to 40% (about one in two) Americans are afraid of flying. So you’re definitely not alone! But keep in mind that only one in five of people’s fears are so severe that they can’t fly.

I’M SCARED OF TURBULENCE. WHAT IS IT, WHY DOES IT HAPPEN & IS IT NORMAL?

Turbulence is something that disrupts many anxious travelers. They’re generally afraid because they don’t know exactly what it is. They also have no idea when to expect it, so it always startles them when it happens.

But I’m here to tell you that turbulence is something you rarely have to worry about.

Put simply, turbulence happens when the airplane briefly experiences a sudden, violent shift in airflow.

It typically feels like the plane is jerking up and down for a few seconds. Sometimes it lasts a bit longer depending on the weather conditions, but don’t let that frighten you.

Why? Because pilots themselves don’t worry about it!

It’s a convenience issue more than anything else. It’s completely normal, and happens on practically every flight, no matter how smooth or rough the weather is.

It could be a nice sunny day with a few clouds, and you’ll still have a few bumps along the way. It just happens!

I think it’s important and helpful to know that there are different levels of turbulence. They aren’t all created equally, so here’s a quick breakdown of what to expect:

• Light Turbulence: slight erratic changes in altitude and/or attitude.
• Moderate Turbulence: change in altitude and/or attitude, but the aircraft remains in positive control at all time.
• Severe Turbulence: large, abrupt changes in altitude and/or attitude. Aircraft may be momentarily out of control.
• Extreme Turbulence: rare event in which the aircraft is violently tossed about and practically impossible to control. May cause structural damage.

HOW TO OVERCOME FEAR OF FLYING

EDUCATE YOURSELF

I always preach the importance of educating yourself. Being educated can greatly reduce any fear you might have about flying. If there’s only one thing you take from this guide, please let it be this.

When it comes to flying, there’s several things to educate yourself about.

Turbulence is probably the number-one thing of interest — understandably so. It feels like, for a moment, you’re suddenly dropping a few feet from the air.

And that can feel really scary, especially since you sometimes don’t know when to expect it.

Something else to know about is the safety of flying.

I’m sure you’ve already heard this about a million times, and I’m sorry to restate it, but it’s true. Flying is safer than any other mode of transportation.

Seriously — you have a higher chance of passing away in a train accident than in a plane accident.

If you’re anxious about flying, I highly suggest reading up on some statistics about the safety of flying.

These can be extremely reassuring and calm your nerves before not only your first flight, but for every ongoing experience. I specifically recommend looking at safety facts, as airplane statistics can counterintuitively feel less reassuring and actually heighten your fears.

Along with this data, there are also countless books dedicated to anxious travelers. I suggest reading one of these if you have a serious fear of flying and want a more in-depth understanding and solution for that fear.

“Soar: The Breakthrough Treatment for Fear of Flying” is an excellent choice, and you can click here to purchase a paperback copy on Amazon for around $13.

There’s also an audiobook version on Audible and you can read the book for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

One more thing worth educating yourself about is those weird noises planes often make.

If you’ve flown before, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Airplanes make these odd, peculiar sounds. You really wouldn’t know what they mean unless you learn about them.

The Smithsonian Magazine has an excellent article clearly describing and explaining these sounds, along with audio files to identify them.

There are also numerous YouTube videos like this one from Curious Pilot and this one from Ask a Pilot that do the same thing.

PREPARE YOURSELF

Along with educating yourself, you need to prepare yourself. I believe that this is equally important, so please don’t skip this.

Prepare yourself for the entire experience, from start to finish.

I think flight anxiety is somewhat induced before you even get on the plane. It sometimes starts as soon as you get to the airport because you have to tackle the process of checking in for your flight, dropping off your luggage, and navigating through TSA.

So prepare yourself for this by reading up on exactly what to expect when navigating the airport. I have a step-by-step guide that teaches you everything you need to know, so check that out if you want.

And then, of course, you’ll want to prepare for the flight itself. Using the knowledge you gained from research, you should prepare for takeoff, cruising and landing.

I find that being prepared for anything — not just flying alone — really helps to calm my nerves because I have solutions for any problems that might arise. It’s also nice knowing exactly what to expect during the process.

If you’re particularly weary about turbulence, you can use a turbulence forecast website like Turbuli or mobile app like Turbulence Forecast. I must warn these aren’t super accurate, but they can give you a general idea of how bumpy or smooth your flight might be.

KEEP PRACTICING

Just like with any other fear, one of the best, most practical and logical ways to get over the fear of flying is to simply keep practicing!

I know it’s scary, but I promise things will almost certainly get better if you keep exposing yourself to your fears. With each flight, you’ll ideally feel less anxious.

This doesn’t necessarily mean your flight anxiety will completely go away, but it can definitely help to reduce it as time passes.

SEEK COMMUNAL SUPPORT

Seek communal support. Like I mentioned earlier, the fear of flying is definitely not uncommon.

There are thousands (if not, millions) of people who are afraid of being 30,000+ feet in the air. The good thing about this is that there are several communities to seek support from.

The biggest and most popular is the r/fearofflying subreddit on Reddit.

Created in July of 2009, over 50K people follow the subreddit, with nearly 79K weekly visitors and 3K weekly contributors.

It’s officially described as a safe, supportive space for those who struggle with a fear of flying. Here, you can ask questions, share your concerns, and get reassurance from a community that includes verified aviation professionals.

There are other communities on YouTube and TikTok that you can find support from as well. These might be slightly more difficult to find, but I promise they exist, and are very much worth joining and participating in.

KEEP YOUR DESTINATION IN MIND

Keep your destination in mind. At the end of the day, you’re on this plane to actually get somewhere, right?

Sometimes keeping your eyes on the prize — in this case, your destination — can reduce any fears you might be experiencing. So the next time you’re on the plane and are feeling anxious, try to keep your destination in mind.

INFORM A FLIGHT ATTENDANT ABOUT YOUR SITUATION

Inform a flight attendant about your situation.

I’ve seen people recommend this to anxious travelers, and I think it’s a brilliant idea. Remember: flight attendants aren’t only there to keep you safe.

They’re also more than happy to comfort you if you’re feeling anxious which, in turn, keeps you and everyone else as safe as possible.

You can let them know while you’re boarding or once you reach cruising altitude.

STOP CONVINCING YOURSELF THAT TROUBLE IS IMMINENT

Stop convincing yourself that trouble is imminent.

When I was doing research for this post, I read several threads on Reddit to find more ideas in addition to my own advice from personal experience. And I found something REALLY interesting.

In the r/fearofflying subreddit, Altruistic_Skill_286 suggests that you stop believing bad omens. These are things that are considered signs something bad is going to happen.

If I had to be honest, I still have a relatively bad habit of doing this. If something like a prolonged delay happens, my mind will rush to the idea that something terrible will happen during my flight.

But that Reddit user taught me that’s complete nonsense, and it’s just my anxiety trying to manifest something negative.

I’ll definitely note this for my future travels and avoid giving too much attention to these kinds of thoughts. Because they can be quite unsettling and destructive at times, which I’d rather not deal with when I’m on the plane.

HAVE REMEDIES READY

Have remedies ready. A big part of overcoming your fear of flying is managing it in the meantime. It may take weeks, months, or even years to get to a point where you feel comfortable on the plane.

So until you reach that point, I suggest having remedies ready. These are things that you can confide in and utilize when your anxiety gets uncontrollably intense.

Here are some of the best remedies for anxious travelers:

• Stress-relief toys
• Stress-relief activities like journaling, meditating & deep breathing exercises
• Reading a book or guide for anxious travelers
• Nausea relief inhaler
• Take some anxiety medication or supplements before or during your flight
• Distract yourself with a go-to comfort playlist, movie, or book

A smart tip is to use some of these BEFORE your flight.

For example, consider doing a daily meditation for a few weeks leading to your flight. This way, you’re sort of training your nervous system for what’s to come and it won’t feel as huge of shock emotionally or physically.

If you have claustrophobia, I suggest picking an aisle seat.

This way, you won’t feel crammed in the middle or window seat. You’ll have a bit more wiggle room, and even bypass the inconvenience of moving past your seat buddies to access the lavatory.

REDUCE ANXIETY BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT

Reduce anxiety before your flight.

Most of the tips I share in this guide are useful during your flight, but there are some things you can do before you board.

You’ll want to avoid anything that would usually make you feel more anxious. This can include things like caffeine, uncomfortable situations and interactions, drugs, alcohol, and more.

IDENTIFY YOUR FAVORITE SPOT ON THE PLANE

Identify your favorite spot on the plane.

I find that having sort of a “signature” area or seat on the plane can quietly calm your nerves. Why? Because having a structured pattern/routine will keep you somewhat calm.

I prefer the window seat, as being able to look outside the window makes me feel more grounded. Or at least SOME sense of grounded considering I’m pretty darn far from the ground.

I don’t have a preference for the area (front, middle, or back) of the plane. I usually just sit wherever my plane ticket coordinates, which is almost always in the middle or closer to the back of the plane.

For you, however, I recommend choosing a seat in the middle of the plane. I also recommend using my hack and picking a window seat for the same reason I do it.

The middle of the plane experiences the least amount of turbulence since it’s the most stable area of the aircraft. And like I said, being close to the window makes me feel more comfortable.

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FEARS

Acknowledge your fears.

Sometimes people ignore their fears because they’re too unbearable, but I’d highly advise against that — especially when you’re talking about flying.

You seriously don’t want to have this kind of fear while you’re stuck in a large metal tube at 30,000+ feet in the air. That just doesn’t sound ideal, does it?

RESOURCES TO MANAGE & OVERCOME FEAR OF FLYING

Below are some of my favorite resources for managing and overcoming fear of flying.

These are all credible, authoritative sources that can give industrial insight on this common fear amongst travelers:

• Current & retired pilots: Patrick Smith of Ask the Pilot, Juan Browne & Captain Steeeve
• Industry travel websites: Lonely Planet and Travel + Leisure
• Reddit: threads like r/fearofflying and r/aviation
• Therapists & other mental health professionals
• Current & retired flight attendants
• Current aviation students
• Aviation blogs

FINAL THOUGHTS: HOW TO OVERCOME FEAR OF FLYING

In this post, I gave you some strategies for overcoming your fear of flying.

I’m fortunate enough to not have this fear, but I’m very much aware that not everyone is in the same situation, and it was important that I shared my knowledge and advice so you can get out there and travel the world!

Now, friend, it’s your turn. I’m opening the floor for you to start a conversation in the comments. Here are some discussion topics:

• After reading this guide, do you feel more confident?
• What questions or concerns do you still have? I’ll try my best to guide you in the right direction!
• Are you someone who has overcome their fear of flying? How were you able to do it? How long did it take? What advice do you have for other travelers?

I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you feel more comfortable chatting with me directly, shoot me a DM on Instagram or email me at demarcus@thesolosolstice.com.

ABOUT DEMARCUS

DeMarcus is a Midwest-based travel content creator and the founder of the solo travel blog, The Solo Solstice. He began his solo travel journey in December 2025 and since has been creating practical, in-depth travel guides for a like-minded community of first-time solo adventurers.

Visit the About Page to learn more about DeMarcus, and visit the Ethical & Responsible Tourism Page to learn more about his efforts to promote responsible tourism.