Planes, panic, and perspective: Why flying is safer than you think

Okay, let’s just say it—flying can be a lot. And with the recent spate of air crashes and near misses, even the most thrill-seeking travellers might find themselves feeling a little uneasy.

But deep breath—before you start googling “alternative ways to travel that don’t involve plummeting to my doom,” let’s take a step back. Believe it or not, flying is still extremely  safe. Like, safer-than-your-drive-to-the-airport safe. Statistically, you’re more likely to get into a car accident on the way to your flight than actually have something go wrong mid-air. But of course, that’s not exactly reassuring if you’re already feeling anxious.

So, in this blog, we’re going to unpack this whole fear-of-flying thing. We’ll talk about why flying makes so many of us freak out, break down why news headlines make it feel worse than it actually is, and—most importantly—share some real ways to calm your nerves before takeoff.

Why is flying so freaking scary? (A support group of 33,000 Reddit users would like to know)

Alright, let’s get into it: the fear of flying. If you’ve ever gone down an internet rabbit hole at 2 AM looking for reassurance (raises hand), you’ve probably come across that Reddit group with thousands of anxious travelers who feel the exact same way. So, first things first—it’s totally normal to feel this way. You are not the only one gripping your seat like it’s a life raft the second the plane hits a bump.

For some people, it’s the lack of control—being stuck in a metal tube in the sky with no say in what happens next. For others, it’s the engine noises, the turbulence, or just the general idea of being 35,000 feet above the ground (excuse me, WHY is that necessary?).

And then there’s the news. Every single time there’s a plane crash—or even the slightest incident—it’s everywhere. Even though flying is statistically safer than driving, when was the last time you saw a breaking news alert about a fender bender on I-95? Exactly. But when something happens in the air, it dominates headlines—making rare events seem far more common than they actually are.

But here’s the deal: flying feels scary because our brains don’t like uncertainty. When you’re on a plane, you can’t just pull over and get out if you’re uncomfortable. You’re stuck there, and that lack of control is what sends our anxiety into overdrive.

The good news? Just because your brain is screaming “THIS IS A BAD IDEA” doesn’t mean it’s right. The reality of air travel safety is way more reassuring than your anxiety would have you believe. And no, every flight is not a scene from Final Destination. Let’s dig into what’s actually happening when you’re in the air—and why it’s a lot safer than it seems.

Air travel safety: Your anxiety might be overreacting (Just a little)

Alright, remember how we said flying is statistically safer than driving? Well, let’s really hammer that in—because, let’s be honest, anxiety doesn’t care about logic until you shove some truly absurd numbers in its face.

Take the U.S. for example. Air travel isn’t just kind of safe—it’s remarkably safe. Since 2002, the injury and death rates for air travel have been basically zero per 100 million passenger miles. Meanwhile, aviation accidents? Dropping for decades.

Still feeling twitchy? Let’s talk numbers from 2022:

• 47 passenger injuries across 709 billion miles of air travel. You could literally fly around the planet 600,000 times before even one person gets injured.
• Car passengers? Injured at a rate of 42 per 100 million miles traveled.
• Air travel? Just 007 per 100 million miles.
• Motorcycles? An injury rate of 3 per 100 million miles. That’s six times worse than any other form of transportation.

 Put simply, your risk of something going wrong mid-flight is really miniscule.  

Planes vs. Cars: Why are we not freaking out about driving?!

Alright, let’s spell this out. If you fly from Buffalo to NYC, your chances of dying, getting injured, or even spilling your in-flight soda are practically nonexistent.

Now, make that same trip by car? That’s an 8 to 12-hour journey. And in those 8 to 12 hours, your odds of something bad happening? Way, way higher.

Then there’s the weather. Snow? Ice? Torrential rain? A rogue pothole that’s out for blood? Congratulations, you’ve just added another layer of risk.

Meanwhile, a plane? It just zooms over all that nonsense in a couple of hours while you sip your overpriced airport coffee.

Still don’t buy it? A Vox article broke it down in the most brutal way:

• In a recent 10-year period, 365,000 Americans died in car accidents.
• In that same period, TWO Americans died on commercial flights.

Two.

That’s not luck. Today’s airplanes are engineered for survival. Unlike cars, flying a plane requires years of intense training. And behind every flight? There’s an army of safety engineers, air traffic controllers, and federal regulators making sure everything runs like clockwork.

So statistically speaking, you’ve already done something way riskier today—probably without even thinking about it.

The only truly terrifying part of your trip? What happens when you land. And no, we’re not talking about the car ride home. We’re talking about those ridiculous late-night Uber/ Grab surge prices.

Why flight incidents happen & what’s done about it

Remember the Singapore Airlines turbulence incident in 2024? Yeah, that one. On May 21, a Boeing 777-300ER hit some seriously nasty turbulence over Myanmar, resulting in one passenger death and 144 injuries. Absolutely terrifying. But here’s the thing: it wasn’t even a crash. And yet, the response was immediate.

Singapore Airlines didn’t just shrug it off. They changed their entire turbulence protocol—no more meal service when the seatbelt sign is on, no more hot drinks during turbulence. Boom, safety measures upgraded.

This is how aviation works. Every single incident, big or small, leads to new safety measures—and that’s why flying has only gotten safer over time.

For a plane to crash, so many things have to go wrong

The level of failure required for a modern aircraft to actually crash is staggering. It’s not just one thing going wrong—it’s multiple things, all at the same time, in the worst possible way.

And when it does happen? The response is massive.

Take Korean Air Lines Flight 007—it was shot down by the Soviets in 1983 after accidentally straying into their airspace due to a navigation error. The result? The U.S. made GPS available for civilian use. This single change made air travel infinitely safer by ensuring planes wouldn’t drift off course like that again.

Flight crews train for this—Constantly

Still worried? Let’s talk about the people keeping you safe.

• Pilots: These aren’t just people with a fancy license. They train constantly. Every year, they go through rigorous re-certifications to make sure their emergency responses are practically muscle memory.
• Flight Attendants: They’re not just there to hand out drinks and tell you to put your seatbelt on. They’re trained for in-flight emergencies, medical crises, and cockpit communication—so when something happens, they already know what to do.
• Ground Crews: Before every flight, maintenance teams check everything—fuel levels, landing gear, engines, hydraulics. Then, one of the pilots personally does a walk-around to make sure it all looks good.

And let’s not forget air traffic control

 Every plane is in constant contact with Air Traffic Control (ATC)—the folks making sure planes don’t get too close to each other and guiding pilots to safe landings even in the worst conditions.

Why do you think flight crews are so strict?

The reason flight attendants are so insistent about securing your items, keeping the aisle clear, and putting your shoes on? It’s not for fun. It’s because these small precautions drastically reduce injury risks when things get bumpy.

So yeah, while flying can feel scary, the reality is this: every single person involved in your flight—before, during, and after—is working tirelessly to make sure you land safely. And that’s exactly why you should feel more reassured, not less.

Practical strategies to manage fear (aka: How to survive this without crying in the lavatory)

Look, we totally get it. You’re about to be sealed in a giant metal tube, 35,000 feet in the air, with nothing but physics keeping you from plummeting to your doom. Fun! But here’s the thing: You’re not alone. Every single person on that plane—including the pilot, the crew, and the guy next to you hogging the armrest —wants to land safely just as much as you do. If this whole flying thing weren’t safe, do you really think they’d be clocking in for another shift?

Of course, knowing that doesn’t magically stop your brain from screaming, “THIS IS NOT NORMAL!!!” So, let’s go over some things that might actually help.

Step 1: Trick your brain with cold, hard facts (a.k.a. Educate yourself, even though you don’t want to)

Here’s a fun little secret: Fear thrives on ignorance. The less you understand about how planes work, the easier it is to imagine catastrophic scenarios that are not actually happening.

For example, turbulence? Not the plane “falling out of the sky” but rather just air being air. Think of it like potholes on a road—annoying, but not dangerous. Pilots deal with this all the time, and guess what? They don’t even flinch. They probably experience more stress choosing their crew meal.

If you really want to nerd out, read The Flying Book: Everything You’ve Ever Wondered About Flying On Airplanes by David Blatner. It explains why the plane makes all those terrifying noises, why turbulence isn’t a big deal, and why flying is statistically one of the safest things you can do—safer than crossing the street, driving, or even choking on your own saliva (yes, that’s a real cause of death).

Speaking of noises, that loud clunk you hear mid-flight? Not the engine falling off—it’s probably the landing gear shifting or the air conditioning adjusting. The beeps and dings? Likely just the crew talking to each other, or someone up front begging for more coffee.

Once you start recognizing these sounds and movements for what they actually are, they stop feeling like warnings of impending doom.

Step 2: Distract, distract, distract (Because overthinking is the enemy)

You know what’s worse than flying? Sitting there and thinking about flying the entire time. Your goal is to keep your brain so busy that it forgets to be terrified.

• Binge-watch everything – Load up your phone with movies, shows, and podcasts. Bonus points for picking something completely ridiculous (a rom-com, a true crime doc, whatever keeps your mind occupied).
• Headphones are your new best friend – Noise-canceling headphones? Worth every penny. Block out the engine hum and the crying baby in row 12.
• Eat your way through the flight – Bring snacks. Lots of them. Chewing helps with anxiety, and if nothing else, food is a fantastic distraction.
• Keep your hands busy – Read, cross-stitch, scroll mindlessly through social media—whatever keeps you from gripping the armrest like it owes you money.

And hey, if you have some superstitious ritual that makes you feel better (lucky socks? Whispering “please don’t crash” under your breath 47 times?), go for it. No judgment.

Step 3: Do whatever it takes to feel comfortable (Seriously, no one cares)

Listen, flying is not a bravery contest. You don’t get a trophy for toughing it out without help. If anxiety meds work for you? Use them. Need to clutch a stress ball like your life depends on it? Fine. Prefer to close your eyes and pretend you’re literally anywhere else? Go for it.

Your anxiety isn’t trying to ruin your life—it’s just your brain’s weird way of saying, “I don’t like this!” But just because it’s loud doesn’t mean it’s right.

Step 4: Exposure therapy (aka: The more you fly, the less you freak out)

The best way to get over your fear of flying? Fly more(Cue groaning). Eventually, your body stops treating every flight like an emergency.

Start small—short flights, easy routes, flights with people you trust. Over time, your brain will get bored of being scared (because fear is exhausting, let’s be real).

Step 5: Ask for help (Yes, even if you feel embarrassed about it)

Flight attendants deal with nervous flyers all the time. You won’t be the first person to tell them you’re anxious, and you definitely won’t be the last. Let them know—sometimes just having a friendly face check on you mid-flight can make a world of difference.

And if your fear is really interfering with your life? Consider therapy or a fear-of-flying course. Some airlines even offer experience flights where a pilot walks you through everything happening in real-time. These can be life-changing if your fear is overwhelming and prevents you from taking flights.

Final thought: You can do this. Really.

 Millions of people jump on planes every single day, and they don’t die. The fact that you’re reading this means you want to get past this fear, and that’s already a huge step.

Be kind to yourself, take it one flight at a time, and remember—you’ve got this.

You’re freaking out about flights, we’re freaking out about your wallet

Okay, so while you’re busy stressing over turbulence and seatbelt signs, we’re over here panicking about what happens when you land—specifically, how much your trip is about to cost you.

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