- 1. Top 10 Tips for Overcoming Fear of Flying that Really Work
- 2. Best Tips for Overcoming Fear of Flying
- 3. 1. Avoid Stress
- 4. 2. Talk About Your Fear
- 5. 3. Make the Flight as Comfortable as Possible
- 6. 4. The Right Food and Drink
- 7. 5. Stop and Replace Negative Thoughts
- 8. 6. Distract Yourself
- 9. 7. Practice Relaxation Techniques
- 10. 8. Calmness Through Herbal Remedies
- 11. 9. Seek Professional Help
- 12. 10. Lufthansa Aviation Training's Intensive Course on Fear of Flying
- 13. Goodbye Fear of Flying
Top 10 Tips for Overcoming Fear of Flying that Really Work
The freedom above the clouds seems limitless-but do all fears and worries vanish there? Opinions often differ on this line from Reinhard Mey. While some feel a rush of happiness when leaving the ground, others experience a queasy feeling in their stomachs. Here, you can read about how to best cope with fear of flying.
Although flying is one of the safest modes of transportation, statistics show that one in three of us boards the plane with shaky knees. Whether it's because we have to surrender control to the pilot, have watched too many Hollywood films, or have had frightening experiences due to severe turbulence-fear of flying can really ruin the start of a vacation. Read our tips on overcoming fear of flying and say goodbye to panic and sweating.
Fear of flying can range from general nervousness and excitement to full-blown panic attacks. One thing to note: if you experience severe symptoms or are unsure whether your racing heart, etc., is solely due to fear of flying, visit a doctor for a professional evaluation and advice.
Our tips will help you find more calm and relaxation during the flight. With the right preparation and a few tricks to calm your mind and body, the flight will go by in no time.
Best Tips for Overcoming Fear of Flying
- Avoid Stress
- Talk About Your Fear
- Make the Flight as Comfortable as Possible
- Eat and Drink Smart
- Stop Negative Thoughts
- Distract Yourself
- Practice Relaxation Techniques
- Consider Herbal Remedies
- Seek Professional Help
- Attend an Intensive Course on Fear of Flying
1. Avoid Stress
We probably all know this-when we're stressed, irritated, and tired, small inconveniences can feel like catastrophic events. Stress can also amplify your fear of flying. So try to avoid stress as much as possible on departure day.
- Pack your suitcase the day before: If you only need to quickly throw your toothbrush in your suitcase and can then relax on your way to the airport instead of frantically searching for T-shirts and swimsuits, that eliminates a major stress factor.
- Use online check-in: Many airlines now offer check-in not only at the counter but also online. You can usually complete the check-in the night before from the comfort of your couch. This saves you waiting time and stress at the airport.
- Arrive at the airport early: To avoid worrying about missing your flight due to longer lines at security, aim to be at the airport at least two hours before departure.
2. Talk About Your Fear
Share your fear of flying with your travel companion and allow them to support you-if they were indifferent to your problems and worries, they probably wouldn't be flying on vacation with you, would they? Even if all you tell them is that you need some quiet time: just talking about your fear can help and can remind you that your fear is exaggerated and that you're not alone in this.
3. Make the Flight as Comfortable as Possible
In a relaxed and comfortable environment, both your body and mind can relax better. With a few small measures, the flight can become much more pleasant:
- Choose your seat wisely: Seats over the wings or at the front of the plane tend to be calmer during turbulence. If you choose an aisle seat, you'll have more legroom, feel less confined, and can get up occasionally to stretch your legs.
- Wear comfortable clothing: It doesn't have to be sweatpants, but tight collars or constricting waistbands are definitely out of place on an airplane. Wear comfortable clothing in layers, so you can adjust if you get warm or cold.
- Make your seat comfortable: A neck pillow can do wonders for your relaxation. You can also fold a light jacket into a pillow and support your head with it.
4. The Right Food and Drink
Or more accurately: whether you can eat and drink anything at all, even when you're very anxious. To ensure that the queasy feeling in your stomach doesn't become too overwhelming, make sure to eat at least something light before your flight, such as nuts, vegetables, or fruit. Even a dry slice of toast is better than nothing.
You can read about what food you're allowed to bring on the plane in this article:
It's also important to stay hydrated. The best options are plain water and calming teas. Avoid caffeinated drinks at all costs, as these tend to make most people feel even more anxious. You should also avoid alcohol if possible. While it might be tempting, it doesn't really help. Instead, take an empty bottle in your carry-on that you can fill with drinking water at almost any airport in the world.
5. Stop and Replace Negative Thoughts
Now you're sitting in the airplane well prepared, but the fears may still arise. What now? Logically, you probably know that driving is much more dangerous than flying, yet the worries can't just be turned off. We have a few tricks for you to interrupt that negative thought spiral.
- Get informed: So that disaster scenarios from various movies aren't your only sources of information about the safety of flying, you can research online to find out how safe flying really is, that crucial aircraft components are always present in at least duplicate, and that an airplane can safely continue flying with only one engine, among other facts. Also, check out our interview with 'Cockpitbuddy' Suk-Jae Kim, who provides insights into a pilot's daily life and can alleviate some of your worries.
- Say Stop: If you find yourself stuck in negative, unhelpful thoughts, think or say: 'Stop!' Use this interruption to redirect your thoughts to something else.
- Replace negative thoughts with positive ones: You could choose a comforting phrase, such as 'The pilots are professionals and will get us safely to our destination,' to repeat in your head when negative thoughts refuse to quiet down. Or you could start imagining your vacation destination, picturing the sand between your toes and the palm trees above your head, helping you to find some calm in your own vacation paradise.
6. Distract Yourself
If you watch an episode of your favorite series or engage in another enjoyable activity, you think less about your fear of flying, and time also seems to pass much more quickly. Some options for distraction include:
- Read a book: Let a captivating book transport you to another world. An audiobook works just as well.
- Browse a magazine: If you're so tense that you can't focus on a long story like a novel, pick up a magazine on your favorite topic at the airport-whether celebrity news, photography, or technology, you'll surely find something with light, digestible articles and images to distract you.
- Listen to music: Your favorite tunes will not only distract you but also dampen annoying or disturbing noises. If you have noise-cancelling headphones, you can block out the environment particularly well. Music also allows you to influence your emotions: create a relaxation playlist or enjoy a nostalgic trip with an old favorite album.
- Watch a movie or series: Download a movie or a few episodes of your favorite series to watch offline during the flight.
- Use in-flight entertainment: Check in advance to see what in-flight entertainment options your airline provides. There may be many cool distractions available, or you may need to rely on your own entertainment.
- Engage in conversation: Talk to your travel companion about everything and anything to distract yourself. If you're traveling alone, see if your seatmate is in the mood to chat.
7. Practice Relaxation Techniques
If you can hardly bear the tension and feel tightly wound, a proper sitting posture can already provide some relief. Sit up straight and place your feet flat on the floor. Breathe deeply into your belly until your heart rate calms down. You can imagine that there's a balloon in your stomach that you are inflating. If you only breathe into your chest, it's less relaxing and creates more unrest in body and mind. You can close your eyes and slowly count your breaths. Breathing exercises work wonders, even if they may not sound very groundbreaking in the moment.
Alternatively, you can shrug your shoulders up to your ears and hold your breath in that position for ten seconds while remaining still. When you exhale, let your shoulders drop back down. After a few repetitions, this method should be relaxing for inner restlessness.
If you suffer from severe fear of flying, you can also learn special techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation. This involves consciously tensing and relaxing certain muscle groups, leading to quick relaxation without anyone noticing.
8. Calmness Through Herbal Remedies
If your inner unrest is so strong that even the best tricks don't help you relax, you might consider turning to herbal remedies for calming. Herbal products made from valerian, lemon balm, rescue remedy, passionflower, or St. John's wort can be found in almost any drugstore. We've had good experiences with those. Often, just having a herbal remedy on hand for emergencies can be calming in itself.
9. Seek Professional Help
If fear of flying severely affects you and you don't feel capable of coping with these tips alone, consult your general practitioner. They can provide you with personalized advice, possibly prescribe a calming medication, or refer you to a therapist or psychiatrist-rest assured, you'll be in good hands with the professionals. Together, you can tackle your fear of flying at its root, enabling you to soon enjoy your flights without anxiety.
10. Lufthansa Aviation Training's Intensive Course on Fear of Flying
Lastly, here's a special recommendation: Lufthansa Aviation Training offers professional help for overcoming fear of flying. They provide various seminars that approach your fear with understanding and empathy. True professionals take the time to face your fears together and contribute to helping you achieve a worry-free flying experience in the future. The seminars are conducted in groups, allowing you to share experiences with others who understand and share your fears.
Our recommendations:
- The Intensive Seminar: This is a one-day seminar held at various locations across the U.S. (the next two seminars will take place in New York and San Francisco) where up to 125 participants can attend. First, you'll discuss the theoretical foundations of fears with experienced psychologists before learning about aircraft technology from a pilot. This foundational knowledge often helps to mitigate fears. Afterward, there's a charter flight with professional support in groups of five.
- The Weekend Seminar: Weekend seminars by Lufthansa Aviation Training take place in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, or Miami, last two days, and are much smaller, with a maximum of 12 participants. Here too, the theoretical foundations of fears and aircraft technology are the focus. You'll also receive practical exercises from experts. At the end of the seminar, you'll take a commercial flight (round trip) accompanied by the course leaders.
Goodbye Fear of Flying
We hope our tips have helped ease your mind and give you courage. And once you arrive at your vacation destination, the upcoming beach days or the anticipation of many adventures will quickly make you forget your fear of flying.
If you need more reassurance, listen to the podcast episode by pilot Suk-Jae Kim, aka 'Cockpitbuddy', who covers the topic in an informative and helpful way from a pilot's perspective, explaining many uncertainties about turbulence and more.
Do you also suffer from fear of flying and have other tips for how to relax? Or is your fear so great that you can't even step onto an airplane anymore? We'd love for you to share your experiences in the comments.