Is it normal to hate flying?

Aerophobia is a fear of flying. It's very common, affecting more than 25 million adults in the U.S. Psychotherapy can usually help people overcome their fear and fly without extreme anxiety or panic attacks.



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There's something about soaring 35,000 feet above the earth's surface in a 350,000-pound tube that can evoke fear in the best of us — especially if you're not familiar with flight mechanics or aerodynamics. Having a fear of flying is completely normal and more common than you might think.

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And someone who fears heights might become terrified thinking about flying many miles above the ground. The list of triggers is long: turbulence, take-off, landings, terrorism, crashes, social anxieties, or being too far from home.

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Fear of flying afflicts as much as 40 percent of the U.S. population. The nation's armrest-grippers may be heartened to know that “aviophobia” is perfectly normal, and easily treated. Only about 5 percent of Americans have aviophobia so severe that they cannot fly.

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These drugs are usually taken shortly before a flight. They include: Anti-anxiety medication, such as diazepam (Valium) or alprazolam (Xanax).

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9 tips to make your flight more enjoyable
  1. Rock out to a playlist that matches your destination. Music can make the trip go a lot faster. ...
  2. Get lost in a good book. ...
  3. Get into a new podcast. ...
  4. Good comfy neck support for napping. ...
  5. Watch a new movie. ...
  6. Indulge in some tasty snacks. ...
  7. Bring some distractions. ...
  8. Don't cross your legs.


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The best way to deal with panic attacks on your next flight is to come prepared with a plan. Taking steps early on and planning ahead of time will help you have a better experience on your next flight. With some work and preparation, you will be able to manage your panic attacks while flying.

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Flight cancellations, delays, lost baggage, smaller seats, higher prices, fuller flights, more connections, fewer destinations. For passengers, air travel gets more and more miserable by the year. Meanwhile, bankruptcies and mergers have meant competition is at an ebb.

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With professional help, it is possible to overcome the fear of flying and enjoy taking trips by plane. Your doctor can prescribe anti-anxiety medication to help reduce anxiety symptoms, making managing your fear easier. In addition, medication can also help treat anxiety disorders.

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There are around 12.8 commercial planes crashes per year in the US. And, 28.3 commercial plane crashes per year globally. As per the officials, there is a commercial plane crash every 16.7 million flights. It means for every 1,000,000 flights, 0.06 planes crash.

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Fear of heights or crashes, or not understanding how flight works, may also play a part, Farchione says. And flying is a uniquely terrifying activity for many people because they know that if fear or anxiety strikes during the trip, there's little they can do, he says.

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While Xanax may be useful for flying on an airplane, it will not help you with your anxiety. It may help in the moment but you will not tackle your fear of flying if you are asleep the whole flight. If you ran out of your medication or left it at home, the anxiety will still exist if you go on an airplane again.

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The average age of onset of fearful flying is 27 years. Fearful flyers often report that their anxiety developed after the birth of a child.

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Takeoff and landing are widely considered the most dangerous parts of a flight.

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