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2025 has seen a series of high-profile aviation accidents and incidents, beginning with a mid-air collision near Washington, D.C. – the first major American commercial aviation crash in 15 years. Shortly after, a Delta flight crashed and flipped during landing in Toronto. A flight from JFK to New Delhi was also diverted due to a security threat, and most recently, a Southwest Airlines plane aborted its landing at Chicago Midway to avoid a collision with a private jet.
Given these incidents, it’s no surprise that American public confidence in air travel is wavering. CivicScience data show that 30% of respondents now view travel by plane as ‘not at all safe,’ up from 21% last year. This means that Americans now rank airline travel as the least safe method of travel, whereas bus travel was viewed as the least safe option last year.
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Coinciding with this sentiment is an increasing reluctance to fly right now, with 69% of U.S. adults reporting they’re at least ‘somewhat’ reluctant to fly due to safety concerns – an 11 percentage point increase from 2024 (58%). Some airline passengers are feeling more reluctant than others. For instance, travelers planning to fly United in the next six months are most concerned about flying, with over 70% expressing they’re at least ‘somewhat’ reluctant to fly right now. However, Delta flyers are most likely to say they’re ‘very’ reluctant to fly right now, outpacing other airlines by at least four percentage points.
Use this Data: The press, brands, and marketers can use this chart to understand how the recent flying incidents are impacting Americans and which airlines stand to be most impacted.
Additionally, this year’s aviation disasters have become highly politicized, with political affiliation appearing to influence Americans’ concerns about flying. Additional data show that Democrats are nine percentage points more likely than Republicans to report feeling reluctant to travel by plane right now.
The biggest political divide, however, emerges in what respondents believe to be the biggest drivers in this year’s aviation disasters. Republicans are 12pp more likely than Democrats to blame a shortage of skilled aviation professionals, while Democrats are 35pp more likely to blame recent cuts to the Federal Aviation Administration.
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The recent string of aviation incidents has significantly affected public perception of flying, with nearly 7 in 10 Americans reporting reluctance to travel by plane. This growing hesitation could have lasting implications for the aviation industry – with impacts varying by airline – influencing consumer behavior, airline reputations, and potential changes to safety protocols in the months ahead.
