Learn to deal with pre-travel anxiety with tips on packing, managing flying fears, and smooth travel preparations.

Traveling can (and should) be a great experience, but planning a vacation can leave even the most seasoned travelers with knots in their stomachs and butterflies in their chests.

Did you pack all you need?

Will you make it to the airport in time?

Will everything go as planned at home while you’re gone?

If in the weeks leading up to your trip you are aware of your fear rather than excitement, you aren’t the only one.

What is pre-travel anxiety?

Pre-travel anxiety refers to the nervousness, apprehension, and unease that individuals may experience before embarking on a journey. It can occur regardless of the mode of transportation—air, road, sea, or rail—and irrespective of the distance or destination. This anxiety often stems from concerns over packing, the fear of forgetting important items, worries about travel arrangements and accommodations, or apprehension about the unknown aspects of the destination.

Physiologically, pre-travel anxiety can manifest in various symptoms such as sleep disturbances, restlessness, irritability, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues.

Emotionally, it may present as excessive worry, fear, or even panic attacks in more severe cases. The anticipation of having to navigate unfamiliar places, meet new people, or deal with unpredictable situations can exacerbate these feelings.

People experience pre-travel anxiety differently, with some having mild, manageable symptoms, while others may find the anxiety overwhelming, potentially affecting their ability to enjoy the trip or, in extreme cases, leading them to avoid traveling altogether.

Tips on how to reduce anxiety when traveling

So, here are my recommendations to conquer your nerves and to deal with pre-travel anxiety.

Determine what is causing your trip pre-travel anxiety

You’ll be able to address the problem and find appropriate coping methods if you can determine exactly what’s causing your worry.

Make a note of all the things that are causing you stress. Is it an aversion to flying? Are you afraid of traveling alone in another country? Is this your first travel abroad, and you’re scared about getting lost or sick?

Look after yourself

Spending time with loved ones, eating healthy foods, getting plenty of sleep, drinking water, and engaging in activities you enjoy are all terrific ways to practice self-care.

Take the time for workouts — even a one-hour workout each day can help reduce depression symptoms. Take time to stretch your leg in the days before your vacation and get your heart rate up.

Mindfulness and meditation are also excellent methods for dealing with anxiety, so if you haven’t tried meditating before, now is a good time to start. Headspace is a fantastic app that you can download that is ideal for beginners.

Do some research on your destination

What are your plans for the time you’ll be gone? Where are you going to stay?

Read up on your trip and plan ahead of time to alleviate any destination jitters. Book your hotel ahead of time, at least for the first night, so you know exactly where you’re going when you arrive.

As a precaution, make a list of emergency phone contacts and investigate how to move around. Make a general plan of what you want to do and browse other blogs about that location for ideas. Not only will having a rough plan in place make you feel more confident, but it’s also a terrific way to get psyched about your vacation.

Inform flight attendants about your pre-travel anxiety

Remember that flying phobia is one of the most frequent phobias, thus airline personnel are used to dealing with it.

Let the flight attendants know you’re nervous, and if you’re traveling with friends or family, let them know as well.

Knowing that someone is there to help can sometimes help ease anxious feelings. It’s also a good idea to become acquainted with typical airplane noises. Rattling noises may appear to be scary, but they are completely normal (like rattling cabin luggage and shaking tray tables). By knowing what they are, you may use the facts to eliminate any potentially disastrous “what if” scenarios.

Get to the airport without hassle

Not having a strategy for getting to the airport is a definite way to worry out. The last thing you want is to be caught in traffic while waiting for an on-demand service that may or may not be available.

So, before you go, find a way to relax. When you pre-book an airport transport, you have the assurance that your driver will come at the agreed-upon hour and will take you directly to the airport for a prepaid cost.

Phew, one less item to stress about at the last minute.

Don’t leave packing until the last minute

Leaving anything to the last minute is a fantastic way to become stressed, so don’t let the duty of packing loom over you — simply do it. That way, if you need to add or remove anything, you’ll have the time instead of running around attempting to pack an hour before you leave for the airport.

If you’ve prepared and packed ahead of time, the dreadful sense of “Have I forgotten something?” will subside, and you’ll be less likely to have forgotten something. However, no matter how prepared you are, that forgotten feeling might be difficult to overcome.

Make a financial safety net for yourself

Having an emergency fund separate from your trip budget is vital not only for emergencies but also for making you feel safer. Set that money aside if knowing you can take a cab home instead of walking, having money to arrange a day trip so you can meet other travelers, or knowing there is money for a doctor in case you get sick helps to reduce any pre-travel anxiety. You may never need it, but knowing it’s there can help alleviate tension.

Acknowledge your anxiety

You can be completely prepared for your vacation and still feel worried – and that’s just fine!

Trying not to feel nervous might, unfortunately, make anxiety worse, so instead of fighting it, master it.

Learning how to lower it from an overwhelming tidal wave to a tolerable quiet hum is a major win in and of itself, and demonstrates that you will not let pre-travel worry stop you from traveling.

Good luck on your journey!