Do you get flying anxiety? Do you have trouble relaxing on a plane? Are you looking for some tips for your flying anxiety? Tips that will stop your flying anxiety from taking over? Have a fear of flying? Then keep scrolling to find tips on dealing with flying anxiety that work for me (a very anxious flyer).
HUGE Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional nor did I take the time to do any scientific research on this. This is just a few tips that have helped with my flying anxiety. This is not a guarantee to help your anxiety. I would never do that. Again, this is just what has worked for me.
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Learn about airplanes and turbulence
Take the time to educate yourself on what causes turbulence and how planes are built to withstand it. This knowledge will add a level of comfort to your travels. Check out this article on what turbulence is. Here is another article on how planes deal with more severe turbulence.
Pinpoint what part of flying bothers you
Figure out what part of flying gives you anxiety. Is it turbulence? The size of the plane? The sounds? For me, it is all three. Smaller planes make me feel claustrophobic which sets off my anxiety. If I can hear the plane working, that also sets off my anxiety. Then there is turbulence; my nemesis. I really struggle with it. But by figuring out what bothers you the most, you are able to find solutions to help soothe and calm you. For example, if it is the sound of the plane then noise cancelling headphones will help.
Invest in a great pair of noise cancelling headphones.
My noise cancelling headphones changed the game. Being able to tune out the sound of the plane and other people, really soothes and calms my flying anxiety. It almost relaxes me. I really can’t recommend investing in noise cancelling headphones enough.
Here is a link to the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds that I use while flying. Make sure to invest in a 
Use a turbulence predictor
A surprising game changer for my flying anxiety. Turbli is a great resource for predicting turbulence on your flight. About 36 hours ahead of your flight it will predict what kind of turbulence you might have and when it will happen. It also gives great information on what causes turbulence and what different types of turbulence means. It takes the guessing game out of how bad the turbulence will be on your flight. It makes me feel so much more comfortable and less anxious knowing if and when turbulence will be rough. Highly, highly recommend using Turbli.
Get an iced coffee
What I mean is get some kind of snack or drink that brings you comfort. To me an iced coffee is vacation so having one in my hand when boarding a plan makes me relax. I know that coffee can exasperate anxiety but for me coffee is a comfort. Same with a glass of wine or cheeky cocktail. It means I am on vacation and it reminds me to focus on the destination not the flight.
Distract Yourself
Bring some kind of activity with you to distract yourself. I always have some kind loud and/or engaging movie/tv show downloaded for the plane. (Marvel always works for me.) The more engaging the better. This way I can try and get lost in the story instead of focusing on the plane. Plus it takes away from the noise of the plane!
Fly Early
Early morning flights are less bumpy due to the air being calmer. Plus it gets you on the plane while you are still groggy and gets you to your destination earlier in the day. I try to fly as early as possible.
Let me upgrade you
I am lucky enough to have relatives who work for a big name airline. So I have been upgraded to business/first a few times. Let me tell you it is a different world up there. The food is usually pretty good with great booze. You have so much room to spread out and get comfortable. In some suites, you don’t even see other people. This level of comfort makes flying anxiety just a bit easier to manage. I would never pay to sit up front because it is just too expensive but if you have ever the opportunity to, definitely take it!
Just Breathe
Sometimes you just need to remember to breathe. Breathe in and out. Remind yourself that you are on the safest form of travel transport. Breathe and think about where you are heading. Just breathe. You will be ok.
Therapy is always a good idea
If you find that your flying anxiety is stopping you from traveling or making air travel unbearable, maybe talk to a therapist. You don’t want anxiety or fear stopping you from living your life.
