Of course, flying remains an incredibly safe way to travel. Commercial plane crashes are nowadays very rare, with approximately 45,000 flights typically completed each day in the US, all without fatality. That's a number that continues to rise, post Covid.

U.S. domestic aviation is currently in the safest era in its entire history. Statistically, flying on a commercial airliner in the United States is the safest mode of transportation ever devised. There has not been a major fatal crash of a mainline U.S. passenger carrier since 2009—an incredible record considering that tens of thousands of flights take off and land safely every single day. This safety is the result of a "NextGen" air traffic control system, rigorous pilot training requirements (including the "1,500-hour rule"), and advanced "Proactive Safety" programs where airlines and the FAA share data to fix potential issues before they become accidents. While you may hear about minor incidents, such as turbulence or mechanical diversions, these are actually evidence of the system's "safety-first" culture where pilots are encouraged to land if even a minor sensor malfunctions. In 2026, with the integration of new AI-driven maintenance sensors that predict part failures before they happen, the risk of a domestic flight incident remains astronomically low. You are significantly more likely to be injured during the car ride to the airport than on the flight itself.