When I work with clients who fear flying, I usually ask one question:
“What’s your biggest fear about flying? What makes you avoid planes or panic during a flight?”
Most people say: “I don’t know.”
Others go deeper:
“I’m afraid of being out of control.”
“I’m afraid the plane will crash.”
“I’m afraid to die.”
“I’m afraid I’ll get sick on the plane.”
Here’s the irony: if you’re already afraid of flying, aren’t you already out of control? Aren’t you already trapped by your fear?
This is the mind’s trick. The subconscious doesn’t know the difference between real danger and imagined danger. So every time you picture turbulence, panic, or a crash, your body reacts as if it’s happening right now.
That means fear doesn’t just live on the airplane. It lives with you every day you imagine it.
Why So Many People Struggle With Flight Anxiety
Flying is statistically one of the safest ways to travel. Logically, you know this. But fear of flying is not a logical fear—it’s emotional.
Research shows that 25% to 40% of people experience flight anxiety, and for some it becomes a crippling phobia.
The confusion comes from the gap between logic and emotion:
The logical mind (5–10% of your thinking) knows air travel is safe.
The subconscious (90–95%) holds onto fear, past beliefs, and unresolved experiences.
That’s why you might watch other passengers calmly reading, working, or sleeping while you panic. This can trigger shame or embarrassment—but there’s nothing “wrong” with you.
Every phobia has a root cause.
Root Causes of Fear of Flying (Aviophobia)
The real causes of aviophobia rarely come from airplanes themselves. They usually come from what was happening in your life when your mind linked flying with danger.
1. Fear of Dying
Many clients who seek fear of flying therapy are really confronting a deeper fear of death—or more specifically, the fear of not living fully. If you feel disconnected from your purpose, the thought of mortality can surface strongly while flying.
2. Fear of Losing Control
Some people always need an “escape route.” They don’t like locked doors, prefer ground floors, and feel calmer knowing they can leave if needed. On a plane, that option disappears. The subconscious interprets this as being trapped, sparking anxiety.
3. Lack of Trust
If trusting others is hard for you, that mistrust can extend to pilots, airlines, or even life itself. A general lack of trust easily becomes fear of flying.
4. Media Influence
Plane crash news stories create vivid, lasting fear. The media thrives on fear—because fear grabs attention. If you’re sensitive to news, these images and headlines can cement the belief that flying equals danger.
5. Personal Life Events
Often, the root of flight anxiety lies in what was happening during a specific flight in your past.
For example: one of my clients lost his best friend as a teenager. He flew to the funeral, and while on the plane thought: “Life can end just like that.” His mind linked that belief to flying. Even decades later, his body reacted with panic every time he boarded a plane.
Symptoms of Flight Anxiety
How do you know if you’re dealing with aviophobia rather than just nerves? Common signs include:
Avoiding flights whenever possible.
Feeling intense anxiety weeks before a planned trip.
Hyper-focusing on noises, turbulence, or movements during flights.
Panic while boarding or taking off.
Obsessively reading news about crashes or aviation safety.
Embarrassment when others seem calm.
Sometimes, it snowballs. If you also fear judgment, panicking in front of others can make the anxiety worse.
The Control Paradox: A Mindset Shift for Flight Anxiety
Here’s a powerful reframe I teach clients:
The greatest control you can have is the ability to give it away and take it back.
Think about intimacy. In close relationships, we surrender control to experience trust and connection.
Flying works the same way. On the plane, you consciously “give” control to the pilot. When you land, you take it back.
Directing your sense of control this way is one of the strongest tools for overcoming flight anxiety.
The Key Question That Unlocks Fear of Flying
Ask yourself:
“What was happening in my life when I first became afraid of flying?”
Your subconscious never forgets. Even if you think “I don’t know,” deep down, you do. Usually, the fear was born during a stressful period—divorce, grief, uncertainty—not because of the flight itself.
Finding this root cause is the first step toward release.
How to Overcome Fear of Flying: 3 Approaches
If you’re wondering how to stop being afraid of flying, here are three common approaches:
1. Living With It
Some people avoid air travel completely. If this doesn’t affect your goals or lifestyle, it’s a valid choice.
2. Exposure Therapy
This involves taking flights repeatedly until you become desensitized. It sometimes helps, but the root cause remains. Often, the fear shifts into another form—weight gain, new anxieties, or other phobias.
3. Hypnotherapy for Fear of Flying
Hypnosis bypasses the logical mind and accesses the subconscious—the place where the fear began. With hypnotherapy for flight anxiety, you can revisit the original memory, reframe the belief, and release the fear entirely.
My Story: From Panic Attacks to Peace
I know this fear personally.
I once had panic attacks so severe on planes that a flight attendant threatened to remove me before takeoff. I couldn’t hide my terror.
Everything changed when I discovered hypnotherapy. On a flight to Los Angeles for training, I looked out the window and realized: I was calm.
Why? Because I was finally living my purpose. I wasn’t scared of dying anymore, because I wasn’t wasting my life.
For me, the fear of flying was never about airplanes. It was about fearing that life would end before I truly lived it.
Final Thoughts: You Can Overcome Flight Anxiety
Aviophobia isn’t irrational—it’s misunderstood. It’s your subconscious trying to protect you.
To begin your healing:
Ask what was happening when your fear of flying began.
Recognize it’s often about life circumstances, not planes.
Explore solutions like hypnotherapy for fear of flying to address the subconscious directly.
You don’t have to stay grounded by fear. With the right approach, you can release flight anxiety—and even learn to enjoy flying.
