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Forget ‘flying is statistically safe.’ Therapists have better advice for travel anxiety right now

Travel usually has a baseline level of baked in. But between ongoing labor shortages, shifting security protocols, and lingering questions about what, exactly, to expect at the airport, your travel anxiety might be at an all-time high these days.

To add insult to injury, the usual advice on how to deal with all that anxiety is probably falling flat. Knowing that flying is statistically safe, for example, doesn’t always cancel out the feeling you get when you see another tragic crash in the news or find yourself googling, “Is ICE still in airports?” And at a time of seemingly perpetual budget cuts and government shutdowns, there are still plenty of uncertainties around what changes to expect in the future, too.

So what does it look like to get where you need to go—without feeling like you’re gaslighting yourself about your concerns? Below, asked therapists how to tackle flight anxiety, from preparing for the chaos to staying cool on your journey.

First, know what you're actually dealing with

Travel anxiety is a broad term for the stress that can come with traveling—anything from mild nerves about the journey to intense worry about what could go wrong. It’s not an official diagnosis, but it can overlap with conditions like , , , or specific .

Think of travel anxiety as existing on a spectrum. Most people can expect to feel at least a little anxious when traveling, even during the best of times. “Our brain is designed to find safety in predictability and structure,” says , a licensed professional counselor at Thriveworks. Traveling, by nature, lacks that comforting stability. “It means a break in your regular routine, going to new places, and a lot of factors you can’t control, like heavy traffic and long lines—all things that add additional stress and trigger a fear response,” he points out.

On the more extreme end of the spectrum would be a fear of flying, or , which fits under the diagnosis of . To be diagnosed with a specific phobia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the fear of flying would need to be persistent (at least six months or more), excessive, and cause clinically significant distress and avoidance.

Traveling can also exacerbate other anxiety conditions. If you have generalized anxiety disorder, for example, you might be more likely to catastrophize, jumping quickly from “wait times are longer than usual” to “I’m going to miss my flight and my whole trip is going to be ruined.” Similarly, feeling stuck in a packed security line or cramped plane cabin could trigger symptoms of panic disorder. And crowded airports, shared surfaces, and long flights might ramp up .

“Travel has the potential to activate pretty much every bad part of anxiety,” says , a licensed mental health counselor at Thriveworks. Mentally, that might mean looping thoughts keeping you up at night or analysis paralysis about whether to cancel. It might even shape your behavior, driving you to refresh your airline app a million times or make a contingency plan for every worst-case scenario. And then there’s the physical side: a tightness in your chest, stress-induced stomach issues in the security line, or that jittery, on-edge feeling in the days leading up to your trip.

Why travel anxiety feels different right now

Kritsas says she noticed an uptick in travel anxiety in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. And while there have been lulls and spikes tied to certain events, it’s remained a steady concern in the years since. So why is it feeling extra heavy lately?

Even though there hasn’t actually been a notable spike in over the past couple of years, doomscrolling on social media can lead to an availability bias that makes these tragedies seem more common. “We usually only hear when something scary is happening, not when things are going fine,” Stephens says. But it’s hard not to mentally connect these devastating events to recent headlines about . There’s also the presence of ICE agents at airports, which may or may not continue now that TSA officers have started receiving pay again.

All that uncertainty is a big driver of anxiety right now, Stephens says. Trip-planning stress isn’t about crowded terminals and bad weather. It suddenly involves fielding a whole slew of questions like: Do I really need to get to the airport five hours before my flight? Could budget cuts make flying more dangerous? What about the literal war?

And for some travelers, like immigrants or other targeted groups, the recent travel uncertainties come with very real practical concerns, too.

So if traveling feels more nightmarish than usual, it’s not all in your head. But it’s also easy to spiral and make things feel even worse than they are. “Facts and fear get fused together,” says Stephens. “Once that happens, people start to react not just to the situation, but everything that their mind adds on top of it.”

How to manage travel anxiety right now

Dealing with travel anxiety symptoms really depends on what you’re anxious about and how those concerns show up for you. But generally, experts agree it’s worth preparing for the anxiety, doing what you can to mitigate it, and planning a few coping mechanisms for if and when the going gets tough.

1. Name what you’re anxious about.

Stephens and Kritsas both emphasize starting with validation: Travel is less predictable right now, and it makes sense that you’re anxious. Not only can putting those feelings into words take some of the edge off, but it also gives your brain something concrete to work with instead of a vague sense of dread. That’s essential for addressing both your concerns and the anxiety surrounding them.

So take a quick mental inventory: Are you rattled by headlines about air traffic control shortages and wondering how they impact flight safety? Uneasy about the possibility of delays or cancellations? Unsure about what you might encounter at the airport in terms of security or ICE presence?

Pay attention to whether you veer into predictions and absolutes like “My trip is ruined” or “Everything is going to go wrong.”

“We want to acknowledge the facts without surrendering to the spiral,” Stephens says.

2. Separate what you can and can’t control.

Once you’ve named what’s actually driving your anxiety, look for small, practical opportunities to lessen the stress, even just a little. Or, as Kritsas says: “Control the controllables.” One helpful way to do this is to take a sheet of paper and draw a circle in the middle, then write things that are within your control inside the circle, and everything you can’t control outside of the circle.

For instance, you can’t control how long security will take, but you can map out your route to the airport and decide how early you want to leave based on the information available. You can’t predict whether ICE agents will be present, but if that’s a concern, you can look up your rights, keep your documents organized and easy to access, and loop in a friend who knows your travel plans. You don’t know whether you’ll hit turbulence, but you can download your comfort shows and make sure your devices are charged. You can’t control whether you’ll get sick on the flight, but you can pack a mask, hand sanitizer, and water.

“These are all steps we can take to feel safer and keep us in the present moment, versus letting the anxiety fester,” Kritsas explains. And if you run through your list of anxieties and there’s no clear action to take, that’s useful information, too. It usually means the next step is tending to the anxiety itself.

3. Make contingency plans within reason.

Our brains love to feel prepared. And while it’s not useful to strategize for every worst-case scenario, crafting a backup plan can be a productive use of our anxiety. “Just don’t have 300 plans for 300 different variables,” Stephens says. “The reality is, 299 of those outcomes aren’t going to happen, and that will be a lot of time and energy wasted on rehearsing for catastrophe.”

So how do you narrow it down? Stephens recommends focusing on probability over possibility: “Ask yourself, ‘What is most likely? And if something does go sideways, how will I handle it?’” For example, delays and cancellations do happen, so it might help to familiarize yourself with your airline’s policy. That way, you’ll know whether they’ll put you up in a hotel or if you’ll have to coordinate it yourself.

Or consider focusing on a mental game plan instead, especially if you’re anxious about a lot at once. That can be as simple as, “If I start spiraling, I’m going to concentrate on my breathing and ask myself what I can control,” Stephens says.

4. Practice a few grounding techniques ahead of time.

Grounding tools are great for calming both chaotic thoughts and physical symptoms. But a piece people often miss is the importance of familiarizing yourself with them before you need them. “People often wait until they feel overwhelmed to start engaging with coping tools,” Stephens says. “But that’s kind of like trying to learn how to swim by dropping someone in the middle of the ocean.”

There are lots of techniques to choose from, and ideally, you’ll build up a menu of ones that work for you over time. But here are a few classics to have in your back pocket in case of, say, a long security line or a bumpy landing:

• Reactive imagery: If you find yourself ruminating on worst-case scenarios or jumping ten steps ahead, Stephens recommends picturing a stop sign in your mind—or whatever signals to you, “Nope! We’re not going down this road right now.” Then reorient yourself to the present moment. What are you doing? What’s within your control?
• Breathing exercises: This doesn’t have to be anything fancy. An easy one to remember is just exhaling longer than you inhale (like inhaling for four seconds and exhaling for six seconds). “That signals to the brain that you’re in a physically safe space,” Stephens says.
• Somatic check-in: Anxiety shows up in the body in a lot of ways, so do a quick scan to see if there’s any physical tension you can release. Is your jaw clenched? Shoulders bunched up? “When we interrupt that, it’s another demonstration to our brains that we’re OK in this moment,” Stephens says.
• Sensory distractions: Kritsas always listens to music and chews on sour gummy candy to drown out the sounds of takeoff and landing. You might prefer a fidget spinner, a soft blanket, or an engrossing video. “Whatever works to get your mind off the anxiety a bit,” she says.

5. Make sure you’re eating, sleeping, and hydrating well.

This might seem inconsequential when you’re spiraling about air traffic safety, but hear us out: Staying on top of your physical needs is another way to increase your capacity for dealing with the stressors to come, Stephens points out.

The logistics of traveling don’t exactly make this easy but, again, focus on what you can control: Don’t stay up late before an early flight with hopes that you’ll just sleep on the plane. Eat before you leave, even if it’s early. If you have a long travel day, plan when and where you’ll grab a real meal. Pack snacks that hold you over and set a reminder to fill your water bottle after security. Maybe skip the second cold brew that usually does a number on your nerves and your stomach.

And if you find your anxiety ramped up, do a check-in: When was the last time you ate or drank, anyway? Even if you can’t address the need right away, it helps to know your hunger and thirst are partly to blame for how you’re feeling, Stephens says.

6. Give yourself a pep talk before you go.

Just like it was necessary to acknowledge your travel anxiety, it’s equally important to accept it. “A lot of people mistake anxiety for a sign that something is wrong,” Stephens says. But expecting it to show up—and not panicking when it does—is another way to feel more in control during unpredictable times. “There’s power in saying, ‘Yes, I’m going to feel anxious today, but I’m going to handle it,’” he explains.

You can make this more concrete with a quick pep talk, journal entry, or even a slip of paper in your wallet. Try a statement like:

• It’s normal to feel anxious; I’ll get through it.
• I may feel stressed, but that doesn’t mean I’m in danger.
• I’ve prepared the best I can, and I’ll take things one step at a time.
• I don’t have to be completely calm to function.
• I’m capable of getting through this, even if it’s uncomfortable.

7. And, seriously, try to limit doomscrolling before your trip.

Your algorithm probably knows you have a trip coming up and is feeding you more travel content—including attention-grabbing videos of chaos that may or may not represent current conditions.

Of course, going fully offline leading up to your trip isn’t realistic when you need your phone for boarding passes, updates, and directions. Instead, Kritsas suggests setting a few guardrails: Check TSA updates at specific times instead of constantly refreshing. Turn on airline notifications so you get updates when you need them. Set time limits on social media (or block certain accounts or apps entirely), and maybe skip the in-flight Wi-Fi.

Is canceling your trip ever the right move?

It’s tempting to treat this like a character test: pushing through is strong, and canceling is letting the anxiety win. But that framing doesn’t help much. What matters more, Stephens says, is why you’re making the call.

On the one hand, there is unhelpful avoidance, which usually comes from a place of needing immediate relief. No trip, no anxiety, yay! It feels good at first, but over time, this can teach your brain “that the anxiety itself was a danger signal that has to be obeyed, which can become a self-defeating pattern,” Stephens explains.

On the other hand, there are times when canceling can be the healthier or more practical choice to make. Maybe there’s been a real change in itinerary that meaningfully altered your personal risk, or the cost or purpose of your trip. Or it makes you so anxious that you feel genuinely impaired—as in, too dysregulated for the trip to make sense. “It’s OK to say, ‘This isn’t the best thing for me right now,’” Stephens says.

Not sure where on the spectrum you are? Stephens suggests giving yourself a little time for your anxiety to calm down. “If canceling feels like the right call after your , that’s a good sign your decision is coming from discernment rather than avoidance,” he says.

When a professional might be able to help with your travel anxiety

If travel anxiety is starting to run the show, it may be worth getting support. “It crosses into something more concerning when it starts shaping your behavior, limiting your choices, or causing significant distress,” Stephens says. That can look like skipping trips, missing important life events, or excessive checking and reassurance-seeking behaviors. “The coping starts to feel compulsive.”

At that point, therapy can be a great way to manage your travel anxiety. The right approach will depend on how it shows up: a specific fear of flying might be addressed with , while general anxiety or panic may respond to cognitive behavioral therapy.

More broadly, therapy is a place to build skills you can use in any high-stress situation—which, lately, aren’t in short supply. Over time, that means a stronger sense of what you can control, what you can’t, and how to stay grounded either way.

A psychiatric provider can also help you determine if might be a fit.

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