6 Apps to Help Vanquish Fear of Flying

[Iberia Airlines]

 

Apps! In the 2020s it seems like our lives practically run on them, and whatever the issue or problem, as the saying goes, “there’s an app for that”. Fear of flying is no exception, and here are a half dozen which counter aerophobia, approaching it from different angles. So download this!

 

Safety Statistics - Am I Going Down?

Many fearful flyers obsess about the likelihood of crashing, so this app designed for iPad but also usable on iPhone works that angle specifically. It allows you to enter the details of your actual flight, and drawing from real historical and statistical data, the app will demonstrate the extreme improbability – often on the order of a million to one – of anything going amiss on your flight. A great mind-easer, indeed.

 

An Expert Holds Your Hand - Flight Buddy: Calm Down & Fly

Designed by pilots and mental-health experts, this iPhone app aims to act like a knowledgable friend which in addition to offering a self-assessment test and a video course on the mechanics of aircraft and flying, can address any doubts you might have – including “what-if” questions – about about the mechanics of aircraft and flying, such as flight stages, turbulence, and more.

 

Instant Audio Relief - Fearless Flight

Available for iPhone, Android, and Windows, this app has features including common symptoms of aerophobia with a guided listening module that will start alleviating them right away. There’s also a “ground school” that will educate you about the mechanics of flying; quizzes to test your knowledge and increase your confidence; and a “test flight” to help you practice the techniques you learn.

 

Relax Your Mind - Headspace: Meditation & Sleep

Meditation is an excellent way to counteract fear of flying, and this app – also for iPhone and Android – isn’t explicitly for flyers but can help them by providing hundreds of guided meditations focussed on alleviating stress and anxiety and promoting peaceful sleep. Designed with imput from experts including the company’s co-founder, a former monk, Headspace is divided into three-minute sessions which will also serve you very well in promoting mindfulness in your everyday life.

 

For Creative Types - Fluid Simulation

Also not unique to flyers, but for those who are generally anxious or bored, this app presents a panoply of gorgeous, swirling, images mimicking liquids and gasses that can help relieve that – and distract you from your fears – by letting you manipulate them with your finger. There are versions for iPhone, Android, and Windows. Simple but elegant!

 

Music Soothes All - Spotify

Studies have shown time and again that music is a consummate reliever of stress and anxiety, allowing you to manage your emotions and take the edge off the less pleasant ones, promoting the release of the relaxing hormone oxytocin produced naturally by our bodies. And the world’s most popular streaming music app offers a multitude of relaxing playlists to suit every taste and temperament (check out our own suggested playlists especially apt for soothing aerophobia).

 

 

In short, flying doesn’t have to be a nerve-wracking, white-knuckle experience, and taking full advantage of this aspect of 21st-century technology, you’ll see how easy it is when you book your next flight with us. Because after all, "there’s an app for that"!