For a lot of people, the stress starts around the time you hit “confirm” on the ticket.

Something about locking yourself into a pressurized metal tube with no control over anything—and a tray table digging into your ribs—just doesn’t scream relaxation.

Even if you’re not the full-blown white-knuckle-flier type, flight anxiety can still creep in and settle somewhere between your shoulder blades. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to rule your travel experience. With the right tools, you can get on that plane without feeling like you need to crawl out of your skin.

Calm Starts Before Boarding

The days leading up to your flight aren’t just for packing. They’re your chance to start laying the foundation for a less chaotic travel day. If you’re showing up to the airport already strung out from a whirlwind of errands and two hours of sleep, no amount of in-flight deep breathing is going to undo that. Prioritize sleep the night before, eat something real (chips from the gas station don’t count), and try to avoid back-to-back plans that make you sprint to your gate.

Prep matters. Download your playlists, podcasts, and movies ahead of time. Load up your Kindle or grab an old-fashioned magazine. Have a plan for what you’ll do on the plane that doesn’t involve mentally tracking every bump and noise. Having distractions on deck makes a big difference. So does dressing like you care about your comfort. Loose layers, warm socks, and a cozy wrap or hoodie can make even the cheapest seat feel slightly less punishing.

Natural Calm, No Foggy Head

If you’re leaning toward natural support instead of prescription meds, you’re not alone. More travelers are looking for ways to ease nerves without feeling out of it or loopy. And yes, that’s totally possible. Herbal options like lemon balm, chamomile, and passionflower are gentle but effective. They take the edge off without knocking you out cold. You can find them in teas, tinctures, or calming gummies. Just try them on a regular day first, so you know how your body reacts.

Then there’s the hemp side of the aisle. A lot of people know about CBD, but there’s a growing curiosity about how it compares to its lesser-known cousin, CBC. Understanding CBD vs CBC and which one might work better for you is less about competition and more about chemistry. CBD tends to be the go-to for general anxiety and body relaxation, while CBC may offer more subtle mood support. The beauty is, you don’t have to pick a side. Many people find that using both creates a more balanced sense of calm—less jittery, more grounded, and still clear-headed enough to navigate security or find your gate without feeling spacey. Just make sure you’re getting high-quality, lab-tested products from reputable brands. What you’re taking matters as much as how you’re taking it.

Breathe Like It Matters (Because It Does)

You’d be surprised how often anxiety and shallow breathing go hand in hand. When you’re tense, your breath gets stuck in your chest, making everything feel more intense than it actually is. Most of us don’t even notice we’re doing it. The trick is to break that cycle before it spirals. One of the easiest tools you can use is something called box breathing: inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, hold again for four. It’s simple, discreet, and effective—ideal for tight airplane seats.

Don’t be afraid to do it while waiting to board, sitting in your seat, or even walking to the gate. If you’ve ever felt that sudden wave of tension creep up your back or a tightness in your chest, this is how you stop it before it balloons. You can even pair it with gentle movement—rolling your shoulders, rotating your neck, stretching your legs while standing in line. Your nervous system takes cues from your body. Show it things are fine, and it starts to believe you.

Distraction Works—If You Actually Enjoy It

There’s a difference between tuning out and zoning out. If your idea of distraction is doom-scrolling or replaying terrifying plane crash documentaries in your head, you’re going to need a better strategy. Choose things that absorb you. Comfort TV with zero stakes. Podcasts where people bicker about things that don’t matter. Audiobooks narrated by someone soothing enough to make you forget where you are. And yes, bring snacks. Actual, enjoyable, favorite snacks. Something about eating something familiar and satisfying mid-flight makes your brain go, “Oh, okay. We’re not in danger. We’re just watching reruns and eating dark chocolate-covered almonds.”

Short flights can feel longer if you’re stuck watching the clock, so fill the time with things you actually want to do. And on short vacations, the travel time sometimes matters more than you think. Keeping your nervous system calm on the way there helps you show up feeling like yourself, not a shell of a person who barely survived turbulence over Chicago.

Your Brain Isn’t Always Right, and That’s Okay

It’s tempting to believe that if you just think hard enough, you’ll outsmart your fear. But anxiety isn’t usually interested in facts, it’s interested in patterns. If your brain has learned that flying feels scary, it’s going to send you signals—tight chest, nausea, racing thoughts—even when nothing’s wrong. That doesn’t mean something bad is happening. It means your nervous system is reacting to an old story it’s used to telling.

Instead of fighting it or trying to logic your way through it, shift your focus to grounding yourself in the present. Feel the texture of the seat rest, notice the cool air from the vent, listen to the subtle hum of the engines. Name five things you can see. Three things you can touch. One thing you can smell. You’re interrupting that auto-loop of fear by reconnecting with your senses. It’s not about denying the anxiety. It’s about refusing to feed it.

It also helps to reframe turbulence as normal. Pilots are trained for it. Planes are built for it. Annoying? Yes. Dangerous? Rarely. Your nervous system might still hate it, but you don’t have to interpret it as doom. It’s more like potholes in the sky than a sign that your number is up.

One Last Word Before You Fly

You don’t have to love flying. You just don’t have to dread it. There’s space between white-knuckling the armrest and being the person who falls asleep before takeoff. Most of us live somewhere in that middle. Give your body what it needs to feel safe, and your mind will start catching up. Travel is stressful enough—there’s no need to let anxiety take the wheel when you’ve got better ways to spend your energy.