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The Most and Least Turbulent Flight Routes
Where from?
Where to?
Dates
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Passengers & Class
1 Adult, Economy/Coach
What causes turbulence?
Turbulence occurs when a plane travels through a patch of 'rough air'. Normally, planes travel on smooth flows of wind.
This rough patch of air can happen for several reasons and can occur anywhere from ground level up to above cruising altitude. Some of the most common causes include mountains, jet streams, thunderstorms, or any other ways the airflow can be pushed up or disrupted.
If you have a fear of flying, are a first-time flier, or just downright hate turbulence, keep reading to learn what to do during turbulence and how to keep your cool when your plane ride gets bumpy!
Is it Safe to Fly Through Turbulence?
Experiencing turbulence during a flight is common and generally safe. Pilots often anticipate turbulence and alert passengers to fasten their seatbelts. Sometimes pilots will even adjust flight patterns to avoid the really rocky winds.
Injuries during turbulence usually happen when passengers aren't wearing seatbelts or due to spilt hot drinks. To stay safe, keep your seatbelt fastened whenever you're seated and be cautious with any beverages!
Best Routes for Avoiding Turbulence
Although the occurrence of turbulences is often unpredictable and unavoidable, there are some routes that are statistically better for turbulence and those that favour less turbulence due to their geographical features.
Flights over the ocean
Because of the lack of large geographical features such as mountains or hills, or large human structures such as skyscrapers in cities, routes which cross large bodies of water are often less turbulent.
Flights over flat land
Similar to the reason why water bodies often lack turbulence, flying over flat land will often not cause turbulence because of the lack of air disturbance from tall structures.
Early morning or nighttime flights
Statistics say that early morning or night flights are less turbulent than day-time flights. This is because wind speeds are typically reduced during the night, and thunderstorms tend to alleviate overnight. These red-eye flights mean you can worry less and catch up on much-needed sleep due to a smoother flight and less worrying about turbulence.
Flights away from the equator
The equator marks the confluence point of the northern hemisphere winds with the southern hemisphere winds, meaning there is often turbulence from the meeting. In addition, the equator is very hot, meaning that thunderstorms are often more frequent and thus have more chance of turbulence.
Routes with the Most Turbulence
New York to London
One of the most popular routes which experience turbulence is flying from New York to London (and also London to New York). This is mainly due to the disruption from the jet stream, although most pilots will do their best to fly north or south around it, even if it means a longer flight time. Some airlines which fly this route include Air France, Delta, United, Austrian and Norwegian.
Seoul to Dallas
Flying over Japan in winter often causes turbulence, and this route flies right above Japan. This is because Japan experiences harsh winter windstorms, which causes severe turbulence. However, you can often check the weather forecasts before flying to see if there are any windstorms due. Airlines that fly this route include Korean Air, American and Delta.
Flying into certain airports near the equator
There are certain airports which are located close to the equator which means frequent thunderstorms, especially in certain seasons. These airports include Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), Cancun International Airport (CUN), Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), Miami International Airport (MIA), Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) and Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).
Flying into Reno, Nevada
Some airports are known for being turbulent when flying in or out of this airport, and Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is one of these. Typically this is short, as it occurs when going above the permanent patch of rough air on takeoff or when descending through it when landing. Airlines which fly into this airport include JetBlue, Delta, American Airlines and Volaris.
London to South Africa
A flight going from London to South Africa will often encounter multiple episodes of turbulence. From the high mountains of the Alps in Europe to crossing the Equator which means changing winds and thus turbulence. Airlines which fly from London to South Africa include Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Air and SWISS.
What Season Has the Most Turbulence?
Turbulence is often worse in summer and winter. Winter has strong winds and blizzards, and summer’s hot heat can create unstable air, thunderstorms, and tropical storms. ☀️❄️
This means flying around holidays, from December to February and June to August, tends to be rougher. So if possible, try flying between February and May or September and November for a smoother flight.
How to Cope with Turbulence
Wear your seat belt
Although this may seem obvious, many passengers still don't wear their seatbelt when the seatbelt signs go off, meaning people often fall asleep and have to be woken up if the plane encounters turbulence. Even wearing your seatbelt loosely can prevent you from moving around in your seat and prevent injury.
Pack distractions
Make sure you bring earphones to listen to audio or music as sometimes this can take your mind off whats going on around you. Things like reading or colouring are perfect to distract you and keep your stress levels and anxiety down.
Plan your flight around the aircraft
Did you know that some models of newer aircraft are better at preventing the effects of turbulence, with bigger planes often coping with rough patches of air much better? You can look up the model of the plane that you will be flying on during the booking process at Alternative Airlines - see how here. You can even use our Aircraft Filter to not show flights operated by specific aircraft models.
Mention your anxiety
If you suffer from a fear of flying and turbulence, it may be worth going to your doctor about it as they may have some anxiety management techniques for you to try out when flying. Similarly, it may be worth mentioning it to the flight attendants, so that they will be able to check on you if turbulence occurs.
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Flight Turbulence FAQs
What do pilots do during turbulence?
When a pilot encounters a rough patch of air, they may try to change the altitude they are flying at to avoid the patch of air and get smoother conditions. However, as turbulence is not a risk to plane safety, this is not necessary for the safety of the plane, but simply for the comfort of the passenger.
Is turbulence dangerous?
The number of passengers who have been injured by turbulence is minimal - under 60 people from over 3 billion annual passengers. These injuries are often minimal and far from life-threatening, such as spilling hot coffee or falling into a chair causing a little bruising. Additionally, out of these 60 people, over 2/3 of them were not wearing their seatbelt when it happened, meaning that most of the injuries are even more preventable. Planes are built to withstand turbulence, so there is an extremely low risk of a turbulence-indued plane crash.
Is turbulence scary?
Yes, turbulence can be scary, especially when you are not expecting it and suddenly you feel the plane lurch in the sky. However, it is important that if you are scared to remember facts on this page, such as how to cope and that it's completely normal when flying.
Is there a better seat to avoid turbulence?
According to experts, the best place to sit on a plane to avoid feeling the effects of turbulence is at the centre of the plane, closer to its centre of gravity. Likewise, the back of the plane tends to be rockiest, so best avoided for passengers nervous about flying with turbulence. Pilots will often also slow their speed to prevent damage, and also reroute the plane if necessary. If you want to select your seat so you can avoid the worst turbulence, learn how to here.
Is turbulence better at night?
Nighttime or morning flights are statistically better for turbulence, compared to those in the day. Although turbulence can't be completely avoided at night, winds are often weaker and thermal convection turbulence is less, making the chances of encountering turbulence reduced.
Is turbulence worse in small planes?
Although turbulence occurs in both large and small planes, it is typically worse in smaller planes because they weigh less, and so more likely to move in line with the air and thus feel turbulence more.
Is turbulence bad over the Atlantic?
Air and wind over the Atlantic is usually calm, providing some of the least turbulent routes. However, if flying in certain areas such as near the equator or north near the jetstream, you may encounter turbulence. However, this turbulence is usually predictable and so avoidable by the pilots.
Will I have turbulence on my flight?
Most flights encounter a bit of turbulence on any route and it is completely normal for this to happen.