Many travelers (and reluctant travelers) would be surprised to learn how many celebrities struggle with aerophobia. Also known as an extreme fear of flying.
When you think about the most famous names in the world, you often imagine them jet-setting to and fro. They’re going to concerts, award shows, movie premieres, and everything else on their superstar radars. But as the saying goes, “celebrities — they’re just like us.” And just like us common folk, some celebrities have notable fears and anxieties when it comes to air travel.
One of those celebs is EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) winner Whoopi Goldberg. The veteran actress witnessed a midair collision in San Diego in 1978. Since, she has been vocal about the experience’s impact on her life and her fear of flying. The incident was so personally traumatic that for years she took private tour bus rides around and across the country instead of hitting the skies.
During a 2011 Piers Morgan Tonight interview, the actress said that it was “still hard” to discuss the collision.
On The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2005, Goldberg also shared that in a separate incident, a man sitting next to her on a plane had died, and that she had to sit next to the body.
“I’ve never been a good flier,” Goldberg shared with DeGeneres. “A guy passed away next to me. This is not cute. And you don’t know exactly that they’re gone, because they just kind of slump. Then he slumped onto me, and I’m like, ‘Get off me!’ I called the stewardess, and she said, ‘Sir, sir!’ She kept patting him, and I said, ‘Just pick him up, just pull him off me!'”
After explaining that she asked the stewardess to move the man, Goldberg claimed the attendant responded, “Well, the plane is booked up, we have no place to put him!”
How Has Whoopi Goldberg Managed Her Fear Of Flying?
As she’s tried to better manage her phobia, the Sister Act star has taken part in Virgin Atlantic’s Fear of Flying program.
Virgin Atlantic partners with LoveFly to offer support for people with aerophobia. The carrier has several resources for people interested in addressing their fear of flying. They include a free ebook, Facebook group, webinars, 30-day program, and podcast.
The View host also reportedly shared in a July 2025 episode of the talk show that something she has now that she didn’t before helps soothe her flying woes.
“People keep saying, ‘So what’s happened? Now you seem to be able to fly?’ The truth of the matter is I hated, hated, hated, hated it, for so many reasons. And then someone gave me something that allowed me to fly, and so I take it, and I am okay, and I don’t cry!” Goldberg shared on The View, per Entertainment Tonight.
Tips For Tackling Aerophobia
Aerophobia is very real and can impact travelers’ everyday lives, causing them to struggle with (or completely avoid) air travel for work, special moments, or personal emergencies. Estimates on how many people live with aerophobia vary, with the highest claiming one in three adults have a fear of flying.
Many factors may cause or contribute to distress about flying. They may include a fear of heights, turbulence, claustrophobia, or worries about disasters in the air (terrorism, fire, violence, etc.). Symptoms that one might experience while they’re going through a bout of aerophobia include chills, trembling, nausea, stomach upset, and dizziness, among others.
The severity of aerophobia that someone experiences can differ. Those struggling can seek support, a personalized diagnosis, and advice from medical care professionals. According to the Cleveland Clinic, treatment and management may include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy.
