6 Ways To Ease Your Fear Of Flying

Flying certainly seems scary right now. The recent Germanwings crash has passengers on edge, and why not? It's frightening to board a plane when instances like this happen.

And if you feel this way, you're not alone. Roughly 25 million Americans have a fear of flying, making it the second biggest fear after public speaking. According to two 2013 reports, a traveler could take a flight every single day for 123,000 years without incident (a more modest number, as reported by MSN, claims a flight a day for 14,000 years). Either way, that's enough to make even the biggest scaredy-cat feel a bit better.

But we're here to ease your worries about flying, which is, in reality, a very safe every day occurrence. Here are 6 things to keep in mind while you're flying (or on the ground) which will make you feel a whole lot better about getting on your next flight.

1. The odds are ever in your favor: 11 million to 1 that you'll die in a plane crash.

2. Understand the root of your fear (if it's specific), whether it's heights, claustrophobia or turbulence, and work to overcome it.

3. Head to the airport or turn to your airline. Airports such as Phoenix Sky Harbor International, San Francisco International and Milwaukee's General Mitchell offer everything from monthly classes to scattered workshops to help travelers combat their fear of flying. Likewise, Virgin Atlantic launched an app in 2010 to help customers. Similarly, San Jose's Norman Y. Mineta International Airport hastherapy dogs you can hang with pre-flight, Miami International and LAX also have similar programs.

4. We like to liken a plane going through turbulence to a boat going over waves. Same idea really. For a much more technical assessment, head here.

5. Get to know Thought Field Therapy and how it can help calm you mid-flight.

6. Download apps to calm your mind while flying, including Valk and Turbcast.