In brief
- Aviophobia is a common clinical term for fear of flying
- It’s caused by a complex interaction of environmental, psychological, and genetic factors
- Up to 40% of people may suffer some fear of flying
- There are techniques and treatments that can help people with aviophobia gain more confidence
Understanding aviophobia (fear of flying)
Aviophobia – also known as fear of flying – is a recognised anxiety disorder that affects a significant proportion of the population. Research has found that up to 40% of people have some fear of flying. This can range from nervousness at takeoff to an inability to board a plane.
This article explores the clinical definitions, causes, symptoms, prevalence, and impacts of aviophobia – and offers insight into how you can manage it.
How is aviophobia classified by medical professionals?
In clinical terms, aviophobia is classified as a specific phobia. It’s part of a broader category of anxiety disorders.
Fear of flying involves an intense, persistent, and often irrational fear of air travel. You may have had it for a long time, or it may develop suddenly.
In the UK, the NHS recognises phobias like aviophobia under specific phobias, described as overwhelming and debilitating fears of objects, situations, feelings, animals, or activities.
While not all people with aviophobia require a formal diagnosis, those who do may experience symptoms severe enough to disrupt their lives. That may mean an inability to get on a flight, panic attacks, or other negative symptoms.
In the USA, the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) lists aviophobia under Specific Phobia, Situational Type.
To meet diagnostic criteria outlined in the manual, the fear of flying must cause marked distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning, and the fear must persist for six months or more.
Alternative terms you might hear, or use yourself, include:
- Fear of flying
- Flight anxiety
- Aerophobia (often used interchangeably with avioppbia)
Aviophobia is not merely a fear of crashing, although this can be a fear for many flyers. Aviophobia is often linked to deeper psychological mechanisms such as a lack of control, fear of enclosed spaces, or associations with past trauma.
What causes aviophobia?
Aviophobia rarely stems from one simple cause. In reality, it’s often caused by a complex interaction between environmental and psychological.
Here’s a brief overview of common reasons why you may have, or develop, a fear of flying:
- Trauma or negative experiences: A past experience involving turbulence, an emergency landing, or even distressing media coverage of plane crashes can trigger aviophobia.
- Claustrophobia: Fear of enclosed spaces can translate into discomfort or panic in aircraft cabins. Claustrophobia is a common cause of panic attacks and anxiety, says the NHS.
- Lack of control: Many people fear flying because they are not in control of the situation.
- Generalised anxiety or other phobias: Aviophobia can be part of broader anxiety issues or co-exist with other phobias (e.g., acrophobia, the fear of heights).
- Social influences: The tragic events of September 11, for example, have impacted an entire generation of flyers. Observing parents, friends, or media portrayals of flying as dangerous can create (or reinforce) a fear of flying from a young age.
- Biological sensitivity: Some individuals may be neurologically more sensitive to things like engine noise or cabin pressure changes which can heighten their perception of danger.
For most people, fear of flying probably isn’t rational, but it is real – which is why it can be so distressing and difficult to tackle. Even though we know, in our heads, that flying is safe, we can still be afraid.
Signs and symptoms of aviophobia
Everyone experiences fear of flying in different ways; however, there are some common symptoms.
The symptoms of aviophobia can range from mild discomfort to full-blown panic attacks. They may occur before a flight (anticipatory anxiety), during boarding, or in-flight.
Whatever the cause, some of the most common signs of aviophobia include:
Psychological symptoms of aviophobia:
- Dread or panic at the thought of flying (often triggering the fight or flight response)
- Preoccupation with crashing or turbulence
- Avoidance behaviour (refusing to fly or even go near airports)
- Intrusive catastrophic thoughts
Physical symptoms of aviophobia:
- Sweating, trembling, and dry mouth
- Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
- Rapid heart rate
- Gastrointestinal discomfort or nausea (stomach aches and pains)
- Muscle tension or trembling
Behavioural symptoms of aviophobia:
- Cancellation of holidays or work travel
- Overuse of alcohol or sedatives before flights
- Need for reassurance or excessive research on flight safety
Symptoms can fluctuate, making aviophobia hard to self-diagnose or treat without professional support.
What’s the impact of aviophobia?
Aviophobia can be a persistent phobia with damaging short-term and long-term consequences. We’re talking more than missed holidays. In fact, fear of flying doesn’t just affect individuals; it can affect whole families, airlines, and the economy, too.
People may avoid holidays, career opportunities, or family events that require flying.
Cancelling a flight can reinforce the negative patterns of thought, leading to more flight avoidance, anxiety, and panic.
Partners or families may have to compromise travel plans or offer emotional support, which can breed resentment or frustration.
People and professionals in roles requiring travel may miss out on progression opportunities, which can impact income and job satisfaction.
How common is aviophobia?
Aviophobia is more widespread than many realise. One study (cited above) suggests that 40% of us experience fear of flying. Another study in the US reported that 25% of people experience some level of anxiety about flying, with up to 6.5% meeting the clinical threshold for a phobia.
However, the data is complicated by self-reporting and under-diagnosis. Many fearful flyers won’t admit the problem and will simply fly through the fear.
It’s also important to understand that fear of flying exists on a spectrum. Some of us will experience mild nerves during takeoff or turbulence, while others can suffer debilitating anxiety that prevents us from ever setting foot on a plane.
Interestingly, aviophobia doesn’t always correlate with flying frequency. Some frequent flyers still experience anxiety, managing it with routines, medication, or professional support.
There are also gender and age differences. Women are more likely to report aviophobia than men (as well as many other anxiety disorders). Younger people (those aged 25–50) are more likely to seek treatment or self-identify as fearful.
What the studies and statistics show is that fear of flying is more prevalent than you think.
10 surprising statistics about fear of flying
Here are some figures to put the scale and seriousness of aviophobia into perspective:
- 1 in 4 people experience anxiety when flying. This is according to multiple surveys in the UK and USA.
- 6.5% of people meet the clinical criteria for aviophobia. This is based on data from the National Institute of Mental Health (US) and other mental health surveys.
- Only 20% of aviophobic individuals seek professional treatment. Many people suffer fear of flying in silence, despite the availability of therapies like CBT and online support tools.
- Up to 40% of passengers experience ‘mild’ flying anxiety. Anxiety peaks particularly around takeoff and turbulence, even if not a clinical diagnosis. This stat suggests that almost half of airline passengers would prefer to be somewhere else.
- Women are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to report a fear of flying than men. While women are more likely to admit to experiencing aviophobia, men are probably just as likely to experience it.
- Aviophobia is more common than arachnophobia. In a UK survey, more people reported fear of flying than fear of spiders, heights, or public speaking.
- Fear of flying causes 25 million Americans to avoid air travel annually.
- People with specific phobias (like aviophobia) are more likely to suffer from generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).
- Aviophobia contributes to millions of $/£ in lost tourism revenue annually.
The avoidance of long-haul destinations or air travel-dependent trips can impact airline profits and the overall economy. - Aviophobia can be reduced in over 80% of people with proper treatment, say psychologists. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Virtual Reality Exposure, and hypnotherapy have all shown positive outcomes.
Aviophobia is more than just a fear
Aviophobia can be a serious condition that affects our lives, restricts opportunities, and can cause profound distress. People too often fly through fear and then forget their problems until it’s time to book another plane journey. (Sound familiar?)
If you or someone you know struggles with flying, know that help is available. You may not be able to eliminate aviophobia completely, but you can manage it. And that first step starts with understanding.
Download our free Calm Flight Toolkit and visit the Help Desk for information and advice to help you fly with more confidence.
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FAQs
Aviophobia is a recognised mental health disorder. In the USA’s DSM-5 it’s classified as a Specific Phobia, Situational Type. In the UK the NHS describes it simply as a Specific Phobia. A phobia creates a genuine and persistent anxiety that can create anything from discomfort up to full-blown panic attacks. The NHS says that phobias (like aviophobia) don’t always need to be diagnosed by a medical professional.
The fear is usually complex but is commonly caused by a loss of control, claustrophobia, or negative conditioning (this can be caused by a past traumatic event like severe turbulence or even media coverage linking flying to disaster). In some cases, aviophobia might be a combination of all these things.
Aviophobia is a very common fear or phobia. As we’ve evidenced in the blog, estimates suggest up to 25% of people experience some anxiety about flying, with approximately 6.5% meeting the criteria for a clinical phobia.