Flying with Ease: 15 Ways to Deal with Airport Anxiety

Do you feel the sheer dread of existence just by hearing about airports? Do you think the ‘genuine’ fear of airports eventually leads to feeling like you will throw up? Don’t worry; you are not alone. 

Airport anxiety is a common condition, and many people suffer from it. The crowd, the stress-inducing procedures, and almost everything around at an airport can trigger anxiety and make your trip unpleasant. But do you have to stop travelling for it? Absolutely not!

To help you overcome airport anxiety and have an easy trip, there are certain things you can do. In this blog, we’ve listed 15 ways to deal with airport anxiety. 

What are the airport anxiety symptoms?

Before we explore how to deal with airport anxiety, let us first understand a few of its anxiety symptoms. Airport anxiety is a condition characterised by a range of emotional and physical symptoms that people may experience when navigating through airports. So following are the symptoms that you should look out for:

1. Increase in heart rate
2. Dry mouth
3. Restlessness and the need to visit the washroom frequently
4. Irritability
5. Negative thoughts
6. Sweating
7. Shaky hands or legs
8. Decreased attention

15 Tips on How to Deal with Airport Anxiety

So you have to travel somewhere, and the date is getting closer and closer, making you more anxious by the day. A significant number of people feel the same way. According to Stratos Jet Charters, between 33 to 40% of all people experience some form of anxiety when it comes to flying. But worry not! You can follow certain airport anxiety tips to avoid the feeling of anxiety in airports. Let’s explore them! 

1. Mentally prepare yourself 

When it comes to how to deal with airport anxiety, the first step in dealing with anxiety is to ensure you are mentally prepared to face it. Sit with yourself and affirm that you will have a pleasant and easy journey. At this stage, you can also research your flight to know better and plan your moves accordingly. Make a checklist of things you must do before leaving for the airport. Research the check-in process and get to know the security procedures so you aren’t surprised by anything when the time comes. This will help you feel like you are in control and eventually ease your stress. 

2. Book an early flight

Very often, the primary source of airport anxiety for travellers is the overwhelming crowd at airports. If you are struggling with a similar situation, booking an early morning flight may be your answer. Airports are usually quieter in the early morning, and things only start to get into motion by 8-9 am. Thus, an early morning flight can help you skip the crowds. 

However, ensure your fight isn’t too early or too late at night. In this situation, you would have to reach the airport the night before not to miss the flight. The lack of sleep and long waiting hours can add to anxiety. Consider additional services like airport pickup to streamline your travel experience and reduce the stress associated with late-night or early-morning flights.

3. Make use of web check-in

Standing in check-in queues, waiting for your turn, can be worrisome. So, one of the other airport anxiety tips you must follow is to opt for web check-ins! It may sound complicated if you are uncomfortable with technology, but it is a simple process. Online check-ins are done on airline websites. The boarding pass can be printed out to show at the airport or accessed through an airline app. Online check-ins take away a lot of your stress since you have one less thing to worry about on the day of your flight.

4. Pack some snacks for yourself

Snacking is a good way of managing stress and dealing with airport anxiety. Your favourite snacks can soothe your senses since they have desirable textures and flavours to act as sensory pleasers. So, pack some snacks in your airport bag for when you need to soothe your stomach. Pack them so that they are easily accessible to you so you can reach out to them anytime you want. 

Also, consider lightening your load by exploring luggage shipping services. This way, you can avoid the hassle of carrying heavy bags through the airport, making your journey more convenient and stress-free.

5. Reach the airport early

Being in a rush during check-in and security checks can worsen airport anxiety. Thus, reaching the airport at least 2-3 hours early is wise to avoid anxiety at airports. Reaching early also helps eliminate the most significant source of anxiety - the fear of missing your flight. And since you have a lot of time when you reach early, you can take your time to figure your way out. This can help you eliminate the dramatic, panic-stricken chase to airport security (especially if you have a fear of airport security).

6. Pre-book your food

The next best solution on how to deal with airport anxiety is to pre-book your food, especially if you have an early morning flight. Since you may need more time to have breakfast while leaving, pre-booking your airport meal can relieve stress. Being hungry during your flight or while waiting for your flight can make your anxiety worse. So you must arrange for your food from the airport eateries beforehand and don’t go hungry through it all. This can help you skip the mental struggle of deciding what to eat and the queues and crowds at the eateries.

7. Opt for the lounge

Airport lounges can be a great relaxing space before your flight. For some of us, the crowd at the airport can get too overwhelming or chaotic. Lounges can be the perfect escape from it until it’s time for the flight. Many people believe that airport lounges are expensive and only for elite crowds. But in reality, they are  accessible to anyone.

Booking a lounge is easy and can be done before reaching the airport; you can do it online. Airport lounges also offer food, drinks, comfortable seating, and showers to enjoy while waiting for your flight. 

You can use it as a relaxation space before the flight, where you can meditate or read a book for some time. You can also call a loved one and talk to them while waiting in the lounge. Utilising the lounge facility can help you deal with your airport anxiety better. 

8. Stay calm

Sometimes, with increased stress levels and triggers, people with anxiety issues may start panicking. With so many stimuli, the panic can quickly become a full-fledged attack. Such situations can be tricky to deal with and very stressful for the person going through them. To skip the panic, try to stay as calm as possible. You can take help from well-being apps or online mental health resources to distract yourself. These apps have activities and exercises that you can use to calm yourself. Some even come with a tracker that you can use to track your moods and phases. Music can also help you through the panic, making you feel isolated from the crowd around you and calmer than before.  

9. Keep stomach settlers

Airport anxiety may give you an upset stomach at some point. Many people complain about feeling nauseous or getting their IBS triggered by this anxiety. This can be a very uncomfortable and unsettling feeling when you are travelling. So, keeping your stomach settlers ready while waiting for your flight is another one of the airport anxiety tips you must follow.

However, if you don’t like popping pills, you can also help soothe your stomach with a can of fizzy cola or mints. These things can terminate nausea and stop you from throwing up because of your anxiety.

10. Do Deep Breathing

Doing deep breathing exercises can immensely help you deal with your anxiety. You can do alternate-nostril breathing (blocking off one nostril at a time as you breathe), belly breathing (breathing deep into the stomach & fully engaging the diaphragm), and 4-7-8 breathing (breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, & exhaling for 8 seconds).  

11. Wear Comfortable Clothes

Airport anxiety can lead to fidgeting and sweating, so make sure to wear comfy clothes. Also, keep in mind that security check-in requires you to take off your boots, belts, and hats as you go through the metal detectors, so choose your clothing accordingly.  

12. Avoid Caffeine

Before FlightThe next airport anxiety tip to follow on how to deal with airport anxiety is avoiding caffeine before your travel. While caffeine does not directly give you anxiety, it can worsen anxiety symptoms. High caffeine intake reduces serotonin (feel-good chemical) levels, increasing anxiety and nervousness.

13. Do Mental Health Exercises

If you have a fear of airports, you must practice a few exercises for mental health to relax and calm down. Mental health exercises can help you reduce anxiety, handle stress, and improve self-esteem. To reduce anxiety, you can do deep breathing, try visualisation, practice meditation, and indulge in progressive muscle relaxation.

14. Talk to Someone

It’s always a good idea to talk to someone when you feel anxious. If you’re travelling with a companion, you can share your feelings with them. If you’re travelling alone, you can always call your friends or family members. Talking to someone helps release the built-up tension, lighten the load, and give you a different perspective on the situation. So, next time when you feel anxiety, let it out!

15. Watch Something

One of the other airport anxiety tips you must follow is to watch a movie or show. As per Pamela Rutledge, a psychologist, rewatching your favourite TV show or movie can help you control your emotions. It also distracts you from your anxiety, making you feel at ease.

Airport anxiety is as real as it can be, and knowing that is the first step to dealing with it. And then comes coping with your anxiety and turning the narrative around for yourself. Your coping mechanisms can be different from others, and that’s completely fine. Some people resort to meditation, yoga, well-being services or consumption. Just find out what works for you and stick to it to overcome your travel anxiety. We hope the blog helps you do so and the above-mentioned measures help you find your perfect anti-airport anxiety strategy eventually!  

Happy Journey!