How I Handle Travel Anxiety (& How You Can Too!)

Wondering how to handle travel anxiety? I’m a travel blogger and frequent traveler, so most assume I don’t get travel anxiety, but they’re wrong.

I get a surprising amount of it.

Before each trip I sit around with my stomach in knots, hands sweating, wondering if I made the right choice when I booked. I dread going to the airport or getting in the car. I just sit there, uncomfortable.

This is despite the huge excitement I have when booking and planning the trip, despite the joy I have counting down to the trip, etc. It’s almost inevitable, within about 24 hours of travel, I’m hit with a now-familiar anxious feeling.

Yet, regardless of this, I still travel 10+ times per year and have been doing so for about a decade.

Sooo, how do I overcome travel anxiety? Well, I don’t, not really. If I could eliminate it, I would have by now. But I’ve learned from years of regular travel that the anxiety is temporary, it’s rarely justified, and there are ways to alleviate it.

Below I’ll go into how I combat travel anxiety, plus general tips that I believe can help anybody.

Dramatic sheer cliffs, rocky but covered in green grasses over turquoise blue water, woman standing and smiling in foreground. Cliffs of Moher, Ireland. — Ireland: my first trip to Europe and one that came with *a lot* of pre-travel anxiety.

Table of Contents

How I Handle Travel Anxiety: The Root

There are plenty of things to do that help ease anxiety, but the only way to control it is to get to the root.

The million-dollar question is: what is actually causing your travel anxiety? What about the trip is stressing you out? Ask that question, and really listen to your answer.

For me, the root issue is often the feeling of uncertainty or lack of control. Yep, I have control freak tendencies.

I love my routines and the predictability of home life. Going somewhere new means there will be unforeseen circumstances and lots of things out of my control. I will have no choice but to go with the flow.

This has helped me realize that travel itself doesn’t give me anxiety, but facing unfamiliar situations does. Doing new things, going to new places, meeting new people, it all scares me.

I face similar anxieties at home — going to a social or work event where I won’t know anybody, when I’m visiting a new area of town, etc. It’s the same anxiety, just on a different scale.

The root of your anxiety may be different, but the solution is probably the same.

There’s only so much you can do to deal with it, the key is to face it. Face it over and over again, only then can you understand and accept it.

After years of regular travel anxiety, I still don’t like it. But after repeated exposure I’ve learned, with absolute certainty, it’s temporary and there’s nothing truly scary behind it.

Travel has helped me to be more comfortable with the unknown, it’s shown me the huge payoffs that come when you push yourself out of your comfort zone.

The way I look at it, this all allows me to grow. Putting yourself in unknown situations, learning new things, going with the flow — these are important for growth in every aspect of life.

As I sit with anxiety leading up to a trip, I remind myself how temporary it is and how much I’ll enjoy travel once I get started. I remind myself the payoff is always worth it.

Woman swinging on wooden overwater swing surrounded by the bright blue Caribbean Sea with sailboats in background. Iguana Reef Inn, Caye Caulker, Belize — Belize: A trip which made me very nervous going into it, but is now one of my favorite destinations

How I Combat Travel Anxiety: The Smaller Stressors

Getting to the root of the problem is the best way to deal with feelings of anxiety, but there are also some travel stresses which, when compounded, make anxiety worse. Let’s take a look at some of those.

Unlike facing the root of the issue, as I discussed above, where the only solution is to sit in the discomfort knowing it will pass, some stressors can be managed and sometimes even eliminated.

A few things about travel that stress me out are: being unorganized, running late, the chaos of the airport, and returning home to a messy house.

These are very manageable though.

I show up at the airport with plenty of time. Running late is an absolute ‘no’ for me, it only amplifies the mayhem of a travel day.

I keep sh*t organized. My backpack is tidy, I know exactly where my ID and boarding pass are, my booking information is all in one spot, etc.

I keep myself hydrated and fed with plenty of healthy snacks. That way I don’t crash or turn into the ugly beast I become when ‘hangry’ hits. Additionally, alcohol is completely avoided on travel days.

I also tidy up the house before leaving, there’s nothing worse than coming home to a mess. Additionally, upon returning home, I completely unpack within 24 hours.

Again, the exact things that cause you stress may be different.

As you travel more, you’ll learn which stressors can be eliminated or limited. You’ll also develop an understanding behind your deep-rooted anxieties, and hopefully, you’ll learn to face those.

Additional Tips For Overcoming Travel Anxiety

Below are a few additional tips for handling anxiety while traveling:

Ease into travel – start with a quick trip, a vacation somewhere familiar, or join a group tour, etc.
Stay organized – know where all of your important items are and have them readily available if needed.
Have a detailed plan for your travel day – before the day arrives, know the exact time you need to leave for the airport, how much time is necessary to get ready, etc.
Have a detailed travel itinerary – the first few days of my trip are very well planned out, that way I limit uncertainties as I ease into the trip.
Eat healthy food and drink water.
Avoid alcohol – alcohol may temporarily allow you to relax but it is awful for anxiety, I avoid it the night before travel and the day of travel.
Try to relax – try healthy relaxation techniques, consider deep breathing exercises, meditation, or positive visualization. While mindfulness techniques don’t eliminate anxiety for me, they do temporarily grant some peace.
Know that anxiety often comes with irrational thoughts, and those thoughts are just that: irrational – don’t judge yourself or feel guilty for having negative thoughts, just let them pass.
Seek out help or support – those with anxiety disorders, or people who experience panic attacks and severe anxiety may need extra help. Professional help or support groups are perfectly okay.
Remember the ‘why’ behind your travel.

Woman on park bench with budding green and pink trees in background on sunny spring day. Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York. — New York City: A place that regularly pushes my boundaries, yet somehow feels like home.

Ariel view of endless skyscrapers in downtown New York City on sunny day. Edge NYC rooftop sky deck, New York City, New York. — New York City: A place that regularly pushes my boundaries, yet somehow feels like home.

I hope you’ve found this helpful in planning your trip, and remember, everything is going to be okay! Don’t let the fear of the unknown stop you from seeing this beautiful planet!