Travel and Your Ears: Preventing Pain and Pressure on Flights
Ear pain and pressure when you fly? An ENT shares simple, effective steps to prevent airplane ear before and during your next flight. That sharp, plugged-up feeling during takeoff or landing isn't just uncomfortable for some travelers it's genuinely painful, and it can turn an otherwise easy trip into something to dread.
The good news is that airplane ear is almost always preventable, once you understand why it happens in the first place. A few simple habits before and during a flight make a bigger difference than most people realize, and knowing them ahead of time beats scrambling mid-flight with a plugged, aching ear.
This guide covers why flying causes ear pain, who's most at risk, prevention steps for before and during your flight, quick in-flight fixes, and when ear pain from flying is worth seeing a doctor about.
Why Flying Hurts Your Ears
Ear pain on flights, often called airplane ear or ear barotrauma, happens because of a small but critical structure: the eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the throat and equalizes pressure on either side of the eardrum.
How Cabin Pressure Changes Affect Your Ears
As a plane climbs or descends, cabin air pressure changes faster than the eustachian tube can naturally equalize, especially during descent. That mismatch pulls or pushes on the eardrum, creating the pressure, pain, or muffled hearing many travelers experience.
Why Descent Is Usually Worse Than Takeoff
During descent, the eustachian tube has to actively open to let air back into the middle ear, which is a harder mechanical task than releasing pressure during ascent. This is why ear pain on flights tends to peak in the last 20–30 minutes before landing.
Who's Most at Risk for Airplane Ear
Airplane ear can affect anyone, but certain factors make it significantly more likely.
Colds, Allergies, and Sinus Congestion
Congestion from a cold, sinus infection, or active allergies narrows or blocks the eustachian tube, making pressure equalization much harder and airplane ear far more likely and more painful. See seasonal allergy management if allergies are a recurring travel issue.
Children and Airplane Ear
Children have narrower, more horizontal eustachian tubes, making them especially prone to ear pain on flights which is part of why in-flight crying during descent is so common.
Structural or Chronic Ear Conditions
A history of frequent ear infections, prior ear surgery, or chronic eustachian tube dysfunction can increase the risk of significant pain or complications during flights.
Prevention Before and During Flights
Most airplane ear is preventable with a few simple habits, especially if congestion is a factor.
Managing Congestion Before You Fly
Taking a decongestant or using a nasal spray about 30–60 minutes before takeoff and again before descent can help keep the eustachian tube clearer during the pressure changes that matter most.
Timing and Hydration Tips for Flying
Staying hydrated helps keep nasal and eustachian tube tissue from becoming overly dry and swollen, which can otherwise make equalization harder over a long flight.
Choosing Seats and Sleep Timing Around Descent
Staying awake during descent, rather than sleeping through it, allows you to actively equalize pressure as it changes something that's much harder to do automatically while asleep.
Quick In-Flight Fixes for Ear Pressure
When pressure or pain sets in mid-flight, a few techniques can equalize things quickly.
The Valsalva Maneuver
Pinching your nose shut and gently blowing, as if trying to blow your nose while it's closed, pushes air up the eustachian tube and can relieve pressure almost immediately though it should be done gently to avoid ear discomfort.
Swallowing, Yawning, and Chewing
Swallowing, yawning, or chewing gum activates the same muscles that open the eustachian tube naturally, making these some of the simplest and safest in-flight techniques, especially for continuous relief during descent.
Specialized Earplugs for Flying
Pressure-regulating earplugs designed for flights slow the rate of pressure change reaching the eardrum, giving the eustachian tube more time to equalize naturally.
When to See a Doctor About Ear Pain on Flights
Most airplane ear resolves on its own within hours of landing, but some patterns are worth a proper evaluation.
Signs That Need Medical Attention
Ear pain that persists more than a few days after flying
Significant hearing loss or muffled hearing that doesn't improve
Fluid drainage from the ear
Dizziness or vertigo following a flight
Frequent, severe airplane ear on repeated flights
What an ENT Can Do About Recurring Airplane Ear
For travelers who experience significant ear pain on nearly every flight, an ENT can evaluate for eustachian tube dysfunction or other underlying causes, and recommend more targeted prevention strategies or treatment. You can book an ENT evaluation if flying reliably causes you significant ear pain.
For broader background on ear barotrauma, the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery is an authoritative resource worth reviewing.
FAQs About Ear Pain on Flights
1. Why do my ears hurt when I fly? Airplane ear happens when cabin pressure changes faster than your eustachian tube can equalize, putting pressure on the eardrum this is especially common during descent.
2. How can I prevent ear pain on a flight? Managing congestion before flying, staying hydrated, and staying awake during descent to actively swallow or yawn are the most effective prevention steps.
3. What's the fastest way to relieve ear pressure on a plane? The Valsalva maneuver gently blowing while pinching your nose shut — along with swallowing, yawning, or chewing gum, can relieve pressure quickly during a flight.
4. Are children more prone to airplane ear? Yes. Children's eustachian tubes are narrower and more horizontal, making pressure equalization harder and ear pain during flights more common.
5. Do earplugs help with ear pain on flights? Specialized pressure-regulating earplugs can help by slowing the rate of pressure change reaching the eardrum, giving the ear more time to adjust naturally.
6. Should I fly with a cold or sinus congestion? It's best avoided if possible, since congestion significantly increases the risk of painful airplane ear. If you must fly, using a decongestant or nasal spray before takeoff and descent can help.
7. When should I see a doctor about ear pain after flying? If pain persists more than a few days, hearing doesn't return to normal, or you experience dizziness or fluid drainage, it's time for a medical evaluation.
8. Can airplane ear cause permanent damage? It's rare, but severe or repeated barotrauma can occasionally cause lasting effects, which is why persistent symptoms after a flight shouldn't be ignored.
Conclusion
Ear pain and pressure on flights is uncomfortable, but it's also one of the most preventable travel ailments once you understand what's actually happening: your eustachian tube racing to keep up with cabin pressure changes it can't always match fast enough. Managing congestion beforehand, staying hydrated, and using simple in-flight techniques like swallowing or the Valsalva maneuver handle most cases. If ear pain from flying is severe, recurring, or doesn't resolve within a few days, an ENT evaluation can identify what's driving it and offer a longer-term fix.
Dr. Raj Bhayani is a board-certified ENT physician serving patients in Brooklyn and Rego Park, with a clinical focus on ear health and eustachian tube dysfunction. This article is provided for educational purposes and does not replace an individual medical evaluation.