How likely are you to get sick on a plane?

“Research has shown that there is very little risk of any communicable disease being transmitted on board an aircraft,” the agency says, citing the high-efficiency particulate air filters that planes use on recirculated cabin air.



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Dr. O'Rourke believes people are just as likely to catch germs from the air in an airplane as they are in any other enclosed space thanks to HEPA filters and air circulating, but people can still catch germs from hand-to-mouth contact, which may occur if you're snacking on the plane and don't have proper cutlery.

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Concurrent measurements of aircraft motion were made on all journeys, yielding approximately 30 h of aircraft motion data. Results: Overall, 0.5% of passengers reported vomiting, 8.4% reported nausea (range 0% to 34.8%) and 16.2% reported illness (range 0% to 47.8%) during flight.

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About a quarter of passengers get airsick, according to one study. The feeling is arguably more distressing than carsickness because, after all, an airplane passenger can't pull over and wait for the wave of nausea to pass. (Seasickness is still undeniably the worst of all, though.)

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Ways to prevent getting sick on a plane
  1. Wash your hands and use hand sanitizer with 60% or more alcohol. ...
  2. Clean the airplane seat with sanitizing wipes. ...
  3. Wear a mask, even when not required. ...
  4. Pick a window seat. ...
  5. Keep your things in overhead bins. ...
  6. Travel with your medicine. ...
  7. Travel with electrolytes.


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In fact, the Journal of Environmental Health Research says you're up to 100 times more likely to catch a cold on a plane than you are in your normal routine. Gross. Nothing puts a wrench in your holidays like coming down with a cold.

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Airborne Illnesses “You are at greater risk if the person is seated within two rows of you. But your risk is lower if the person is seated three or more rows away.” Upper respiratory infections, such as the common cold and the flu, are the most common illnesses that air travelers might be exposed to while in flight.

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Airsickness is a specific form of motion sickness which is induced by air travel and is considered a normal response in healthy individuals.

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Your eyes, inner ear, and brain are sensing conflicting movement, creating motion-sickness symptoms. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, illness, certain medications, alcohol, anxiety, and stress can all make a person more susceptible to airsickness.

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The reality is that there isn't much that can be done to counteract motion sickness when first learning to fly. Like almost every new sensation, the body will adapt over time and identify the feelings associated with flying small planes as normal.

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A study by MIT scholars estimates that from mid-2020 through early 2021, the probability of getting Covid-19 on an airplane surpassed 1 in 1,000 on a totally full flight lasting two hours at the height of the early pandemic, roughly December 2020 and January 2021.

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Infectious Diseases
An airline can deny boarding of any passenger who looks unwell, especially if they suspect the passenger might be infectious (infect other passengers).

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Eat Light. Contrary to popular belief, flying on an empty stomach doesn't help you combat air sickness. In fact, an empty stomach actually exacerbates symptoms. Eat a light meal such as crackers, fruit, and other light snacks.

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The simple answer is yes, pilots do, and are allowed to sleep during flight but there are strict rules controlling this practice. Pilots would only normally sleep on long haul flights, although sleep on short haul flights is permitted to avoid the effects of fatigue.

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The FAA encourages pilots to seek help if they have a mental health condition since most, if treated, do not disqualify a pilot from flying.

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In the middle, at the back Nonetheless, a TIME investigation that looked at 35 years of aircraft accident data found the middle rear seats of an aircraft had the lowest fatality rate: 28%, compared with 44% for the middle aisle seats.

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The Top 5 Safest Airlines to Fly on Right Now
  • Qatar Airways.
  • Qantas Airways.
  • Etihad Airways.
  • Air New Zealand.
  • Singapore Airlines.


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Ryanair has been recognized for its safety Ryanair has a safety rating of 7 out of 7 from AirlineRatings.com. Ryanair was named one of AirlineRatings.com's Top Ten Safest Low-Cost Airlines for 2022.

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