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Which Treatments Work for Fear of Flying?

2 min read

The short answer

The best-proven help is a talking therapy called CBT combined with gradual exposure — facing the fear in small, planned steps. Fear-of-flying courses, virtual reality therapy and good online programmes use the same ingredients and work well for most people. Sedatives and alcohol are not a long-term answer.

The Good News

Fear of flying is one of the most treatable fears. Most people who complete a good treatment fly more comfortably afterwards — many for the first time in years.

CBT With Exposure

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy. It helps you spot anxious thoughts and test them against the facts. Combined with exposure — gradually facing flying-related situations — it's the most effective treatment for phobias.

It can work quickly. In a classic Swedish study, people with specific phobias had a single session lasting about two hours. Four years later, 90% were much improved or fully recovered.

Virtual Reality Therapy

Here, a therapist uses a VR headset to recreate a flight. In a controlled trial, it worked as well as practising on a real plane. Within six months, 93% of patients had flown. It's useful when real flights are hard to arrange.

Fear-of-Flying Courses

Many airlines and specialists run courses, and AviEase offers a personal course too. Good courses usually combine:

  • A pilot explaining how flying works.
  • Anxiety skills from a therapist.
  • Often, a supported flight at the end.

Online Programmes

Structured online programmes based on exposure can help too. In a Spanish trial, an online programme for fear of flying worked significantly better than a waiting list. The gains were still there a year later.

Self-help suits milder fears. For stronger fears, a therapist adds a lot.

Medication

Sedatives may take the edge off, but they don't teach your brain anything new. Research suggests they can even make the next flight harder. Read what the research says about alcohol and sedatives. If you're considering medication, talk to your doctor.

Other Approaches

Some people find hypnosis or relaxation recordings soothing. There's much less research behind them than behind CBT, but they may help you relax.

Where to Start

  • Learn how flying works in this Library — understanding takes away much of the fear.
  • Try gradual steps at home. Read practise before you fly.
  • If fear stops you flying, causes great distress or affects plans with the people close to you, ask your doctor about CBT. In England, you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies.

Sources

Keep reading

Practise Before You Fly

How to train your brain at home — videos, sounds, airport visits and virtual reality — using gradual steps that are proven to reduce fear.

Building Long-Term Flight Confidence

How fear of flying fades over time — and the proven steps that make flying feel easier, then normal.

Alcohol and Sedatives: What the Research Says

Why a drink or a sedative before flying often backfires, what one key study found, what works better — and what to know about other medicines.

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