This Is The Best Airline For Nervous Fliers In 2025, According To A New Global Ranking

There are many reasons why flying can make people feel nervous, and turbulence is one of the most common. In fact, some travelers spend just as much time researching the best time to book a flight for anxious fliers who hate turbulence as they do picking out the perfect vacation rental. To find the best airlines for nervous travelers, Bounce.com collected data on seat sizes from SeatGuru, safety ratings from Airline Ratings, and airline reviews from Skytrax. Among the 10 top global airlines mentioned in the survey, one carrier stood out above the rest. Singapore Airlines came out on top as the best for those who feel nervous in the air.

Airlines can't control turbulence or screaming babies — the top two stressors while flying, according to the survey — but they can manage other aspects of the flying experience, such as passenger comfort and crowd control. Singapore Airlines scored an impressive 8.94 out of 10 on the stress-free scale, beating Korean Air, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines, which followed behind. Although they don't offer support programs for nervous fliers, like Virgin Atlantic and British Airways, the award-winning Singaporean carrier excels in customer service and passenger experience. The airline's most defining characteristic that beat every airline was the width of the economy class seat at 18.5 inches — giving you an extra bit of room for those dreaded long flights.

While most people assume that bumpy weather, a fear of crashing, or safety concerns are the main causes of anxiety for air travelers, Bounce.com's survey also revealed many other factors that contribute to making passengers uneasy. The top reason why travelers reported feeling uncomfortable while flying? Screaming children. Even in first class, where comforts abound, there's no guarantee you'll avoid the sounds of an upset baby. Out of 2,000 survey participants, 51.6% said this was their top reason for feeling tense on a flight. Close behind, 46.7% pointed to loud or disruptive passengers as a major source of discomfort. Continuing with the theme of an unruly cabin environment, 33.9% worried about overcrowded aisles, while 19.7% of respondents noted that they were bothered by other people's excessive alcohol consumption during a flight. Luckily, there are some airlines that take these factors into account when curating a pleasant in-flight experience.

Unfriendly cabin crew was also listed as a cause for passengers to feel uneasy about their upcoming flight, but this isn't something to worry about when flying with Singapore Airlines, as the carrier won SkyTrax's World's Best Airline Cabin Crew in 2024. Furthermore, the airline's in-flight entertainment, KrisWorld, has plenty to keep you occupied if any of the discomforting factors present themselves during your flight. From hit TV shows and blockbuster movies to live TV and meditation playlists from Spotify, you won't run out of things to distract you mid-air.

You're probably wishing every airline were like Singapore Airlines, but unfortunately, that's not the case. To improve your flying experience, take charge of what you can control by avoiding flights on the worst days of the year for your sanity, or check out our genius hacks that make flying economy a lot more comfortable.