Fear of flying statistics: how common it is, and how safe flying really is

Key facts

• Yearly estimates of flying-related anxiety range from 2.5% to 40% of people; the low figures count clinical phobia, the high ones anyone who feels afraid. [1]
• In February 2026, 16% of US adults said they were very nervous when flying and 30% somewhat nervous. [2]
• In 2025 there were 1.32 accidents per million flights worldwide, and over 2021–2025 one fatal accident per 5.6 million flights. [3]
• The risk of dying on a flight was 1 in 13.7 million passenger boardings worldwide in 2018–2022, and about 1 in 80 million in the US, Europe and other top-tier countries. [4]
• Per mile traveled in the US (2000–2009), cars and light trucks had 7.28 deaths per billion passenger miles; commercial aviation had 0.07. [5]
• On US airlines from 2009 to 2018, turbulence caused 123 serious injuries and no deaths; 97 of the injured were flight attendants, and only 1 injured passenger was known to be wearing a seat belt. [6]

How many people are afraid of flying?

More than you might think, and the number depends on what you count. A 2016 review found yearly estimates from 2.5% to as high as 40%: studies looking for a clinical phobia find low numbers, studies asking who feels afraid find high ones. The same review cites work estimating that about a third of people feel some anxiety about flying [1].

Flying phobia is a specific phobia: a marked fear during, or in anticipation of, flying that is out of proportion to the real danger [1]. Across all specific phobias (flying, heights, spiders and others), 9.1% of US adults had one in the past year and 12.5% at some point in life [7].

In the 2026 poll, 38% of fearful flyers said their fear had changed their plans; 45% coped with distractions such as music or films, and 11% with alcohol [2]. Our fear of flying guide explains where the feeling comes from.

How safe is flying? The latest numbers

Two notes for reading headlines. A single accident moves yearly totals: IATA counted 394 on-board fatalities in 2025 against 244 in 2024, while the accident rate improved from 1.42 to 1.32 per million flights [3]. And IATA and ICAO count accidents differently, so compare each with its own past years. Over the long run, the risk of dying on an air journey keeps falling by about half every decade [4].

When in a flight do accidents happen?

Mostly near the ground, not at cruise. In Boeing's summary of the worldwide commercial jet fleet for 2016–2025, cruise made up about 57% of flight time on a typical 1.5-hour flight but 10% of fatal accidents, while landing was about 1% of flight time and 35% of fatal accidents [17]. So cruise, where you spend most of the flight, has by far the fewest fatal accidents for the time spent in it. For what each phase sounds and feels like, see what to expect on a flight.

Is flying safer than driving?

Yes, by a wide margin per mile. A peer-reviewed comparison of US travel from 2000 to 2009 found [5]:

That's roughly 100 times fewer deaths per mile than by car. The data is older and per-mile figures favor long trips, so the per-boarding figure above is a useful second lens [4].

Turbulence statistics

The most detailed public numbers come from the US National Transportation Safety Board's study of US airline (Part 121) accidents from 2009 to 2018 [6].

Most injuries happen to people who are standing or unbelted; 7 of the 26 injured passengers were using, waiting for, or walking to or from the lavatory. The NTSB concluded that wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of serious injury for everyone on board. Convective weather such as thunderstorms was present in 57.7% of these accidents, clear-air turbulence in 28.8% [6].

More recent FAA figures, as cited by SKYbrary, count 18 serious turbulence injuries in 2022 (13 crew), 20 in 2023 (17 crew) and 23 in 2024 (20 crew) [10]. Outside the US, the most reported recent case was Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 in May 2024, on which one passenger died [13]; Singapore's investigators found that rapid swings in g likely lifted occupants who were not belted in, causing the injuries [12].

The airplane is built for far more than turbulence normally delivers: US rules set an airliner's limit maneuvering load at no less than 2.5 g [15], while in light turbulence occupants may feel only a slight strain against their belts [6]. See is turbulence dangerous? and turbulence levels.

Is turbulence getting worse?

In some places, yes. A 2023 study found that severe clear-air turbulence at an average point over the North Atlantic rose from 17.7 hours a year in 1979 to 27.4 hours in 2020, an increase of 55%; moderate turbulence rose 37% and light turbulence 17% [11]. That measures the atmosphere, not accidents, and 27.4 hours is about 0.3% of the year. Keep your belt on when seated, and check a turbulence forecast before you fly.

What the numbers mean if you're nervous

Statistics help, but they don't always switch fear off. The 2016 review notes that many people still feel significant distress after many uneventful flights, and that habits meant to keep fear down, such as avoiding flights or relying on alcohol, can stop the brain from learning that the feared outcome doesn't happen [1].

The encouraging part is that fear of flying can be treated. Exposure to real or simulated flights is the primary technique [1]. In an earlier randomized trial, cited in a 2021 study, 92% of people treated with virtual-reality exposure and 91% treated with standard exposure had flown within a year [14]. If fear of flying affects your life, the NHS advises seeing a doctor, and talking therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help [16]. For practical steps, see our tips for nervous flyers.

How Sorapuff helps

Numbers are easier to trust when you can see them for your own flight. Sorapuff gives you a route turbulence forecast before you go, a likelihood rather than a promise, and in the air an offline bump meter that shows each bump in g next to what the airplane is built for. The calm button, breathing with gentle haptics and the flight tracker help in the moment. It's free to download; Pro is $14.99 once. Always follow your crew.

FAQ

What percentage of people are afraid of flying?

Estimates range from 2.5% to 40%, depending on whether a study counts a clinical phobia or any fear at all [1]. In a February 2026 US poll, 46% of adults said they were somewhat or very nervous when flying, including 16% who were very nervous [2]. So if flying makes you anxious, you're in large company.

What are the odds of dying in a plane crash?

Very low. An MIT study estimated the worldwide risk at 1 death per 13.7 million passenger boardings in 2018–2022, and about 1 in 80 million in the US, Europe and other top-tier countries [4]. IATA counted one fatal accident per 5.6 million flights over 2021–2025 [3]. The risk has fallen by about half every decade [4].

How many people die from turbulence each year?

Almost none. The NTSB found 111 turbulence accidents on US airlines from 2009 to 2018 with no deaths, and 3 deaths in 234 turbulence accidents from 1980 through 2008; the last was in 1997 [6][18]. Serious injuries do happen, mostly to flight attendants and to people who are standing or unbelted, which is why keeping your seat belt on whenever you're seated matters [6].

Is flying safer than driving?

Yes. A peer-reviewed US comparison for 2000–2009 found 7.28 deaths per billion passenger miles for cars and light trucks and 0.07 for commercial aviation, roughly 100 times fewer per mile [5]. Per-mile numbers favor long trips, but per-boarding figures tell the same story: 1 death per 13.7 million boardings worldwide in 2018–2022 [4].

Can fear of flying be treated?

Yes. Exposure to real or simulated flights is the main treatment technique [1], and in an earlier randomized trial cited in a 2021 study, 91% to 92% of treated people had flown within a year [14]. Talking therapies such as CBT can help too [16]. If fear of flying limits your work, family or holidays, a doctor or a therapist who treats phobias is a good first step. This page is information, not medical advice.

Sources

1. Processes Contributing to the Maintenance of Flying Phobia: A Narrative Review, Frontiers in Psychology (2016), via PubMed Central
2. Fear of flying: 2026 survey (YouGov for The Points Guy, February 17–19, 2026), The Points Guy
3. IATA Releases 2025 Safety Report (March 9, 2026), IATA
4. Study: Flying keeps getting safer (on Airline Safety: Still Getting Better?, Journal of Air Transport Management, 2024), MIT News
5. Comparing the Fatality Risks in United States Transportation Across Modes and Over Time, supplemental data appendix, Research in Transportation Economics 43(1), 2013, Northwestern University
6. Preventing Turbulence-Related Injuries in Air Carrier Operations Conducted Under Title 14 CFR Part 121, Safety Research Report SS-21-01 (2021), NTSB
7. Specific Phobia statistics, National Institute of Mental Health
8. Americans' confidence in air travel safety dips slightly after Washington plane crash: AP-NORC poll (February 2025), Associated Press via WSLS
9. ICAO analysis reveals major priorities for air transport (July 23, 2026), ICAO
10. Turbulence Injuries, SKYbrary
11. Hazardous clear-air turbulence up 55% from 1979, study shows (June 8, 2023), AGU
12. Transport Safety Investigation Bureau preliminary investigation findings of incident involving SQ321 (May 29, 2024), Ministry of Transport, Singapore
13. Singapore Airlines releases a statement on SQ321 (May 2024), International Airport Review
14. The Efficacy of a Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Treatment for Fear of Flying: A Retrospective Study, Frontiers in Psychology (2021), via PubMed Central
15. 14 CFR § 25.337, Limit maneuvering load factors, Legal Information Institute
16. Phobias: treatment, NHS
17. Statistical Summary of Commercial Jet Airplane Accidents, Worldwide Operations 1959–2025 (April 2026), Boeing
18. Improving Pilot Weather Report Submission and Dissemination to Benefit Safety in the National Airspace System, Special Investigation Report SIR-17/02 (2017), NTSB