6 podcasts about the joys and terrors of air travel

It is a nerve-racking time to be a frequent flier. Boeing, the United States-headquartered once-proud aircraft manufacturer, has faced a cascading quality crisis since 2018, which escalated in 2024 after a door panel blew off one of its planes mid-flight, prompting multiple investigations by the US Federal Aviation Administration and a criminal inquiry from the Justice Department.

Also, a New York Times investigation last summer found that understaffing and overscheduling led to an alarming number of unreported near misses on US runways.

Despite this, air travel statistically remains the safest form of mass transit in the US, and it is worth keeping the risks in perspective. Some of these podcasts do just that by exploring the true stories of air disasters (and why they are so rare), while others are love letters to life in the skies, hosted by proud aviation geeks who have travel tips, airport reviews and nostalgic industry history to share.

Black Box Down

Billed as “a true crime podcast in the air”, this series (str.sg/JUDQu) ended production last summer, but has a back catalogue of 150 episodes, each focusing on a different air disaster in meticulous detail.

Many of these calamities are well known, such as the still-mysterious crash of EgyptAir 990 and the miraculous story of US Airways 1549, which was landed safely on the Hudson River by Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger after a bird strike knocked out both of its engines.

But hosts Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais also cover plenty of less well-trodden ground, and have stories you will be astonished that you have never heard of, including mid-air collisions, hijackings and a detached propeller slicing through a plane’s hull mid-flight. While it would seem wise for anxious travellers to skip this show, Black Box Down is curiously reassuring because it highlights just how rare these kinds of accidents are and how many things have to go wrong for disaster to strike.

Starter episode: Crash of the Boeing 737 Max 8 (str.sg/a2v4)

The Next Trip

There is a satisfying sub-genre of podcasts that makes you feel as if you are eavesdropping on a conversation between friends at a bar, who also happen to be experts in their fields.

The Next Trip (str.sg/mxyV) is a prime example, hosted by self-professed aviation geeks (or “AvGeeks”) Doug and Drew (they do not share their last names), who have worked for major carriers as a pilot and an operations manager, respectively.

Their amiable weekly conversations cover the latest aviation news – recent subjects have included the aborted JetBlue and Spirit merger, the wave of multimillion-dollar refurbishments across US airports and of course Boeing’s snowballing woes. Both hosts are also regular air travellers, and they share packing tips, review specific aircraft and airlines and reflect on how travel has changed throughout these recent, turbulent years.

Starter episode: Aviation Bill (str.sg/fDQN)

Deep Dive: MH370

On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 took off from Kuala Lumpur and disappeared from air control radar 35 minutes later, vanishing somewhere over the Indian Ocean. Exhaustive searches turned up only scattered pieces of debris, which offered no answers about what happened to the flight.

In this meticulous investigative podcast (www.deepdivemh370.com), Jeff Wise, a journalist and aviation expert, breaks down every detail of the story alongside his co-host, Andy Tarnoff. Over more than 25 episodes, they leave no stone unturned as they explore different theories, digging into satellite data, clues from the search effort and the backstory of the flight’s pilot to piece together answers.

Starter episode: The First Vanishing (str.sg/JBUjv)

Layovers

Spun off in 2015 from a blog of the same name, Layovers (www.layovers.to) is one of the longest-running aviation podcasts out there. Hosts Paul Papadimitriou and Alex Hunter both spend a lot of time in the air (and in airport lounges), and share a fascination with the commercial aviation industry.

In each episode, they talk about their latest travels, offer insights about different airline and aircraft experiences and review airports across the world. Whether you are a fellow frequent flier or just want to live vicariously through their travels and rapport, it is a reliably fun listen.

Starter episode: The 747 is forever, a London NY bridge at JFK T8, Air France lounge joie de vivre, 777 guillotine, the airport game (str.sg/zxok)

Business Wars: Boeing Vs Airbus

Every season of this Wondery podcast consists of several mini-seasons, each exploring the dynamics between two competing brands. Over the course of seven episodes, Boeing Vs Airbus (str.sg/F5ie) charts how Boeing became leader of the pack, beginning in the 1950s after a series of disasters involving its biggest competitor, British manufacturer de Havilland.

As Boeing continued to rise, European rivals banded together to create a worthy adversary in the form of Airbus, laying the groundwork for the duopoly that has existed ever since. Now that Boeing’s recent string of incidents has laid bare a culture of corner-cutting and lax safety protocols, the dynamics of that rivalry have shifted significantly in Airbus’ favour, making this exhaustive history feel all the more vital.

Starter episode: Get Your Wings (str.sg/aZY2)

The Flight Deck

Produced by the Museum of Flight in Tukwila, Washington, and based in part around its collection, The Flight Deck (str.sg/HUmD) is an invaluable resource for anyone feeling nostalgic or curious about air travel’s past.

There are episodes exploring the gradual decimation of legroom on passenger flights, the chaotic origins of air traffic control and the story of the still-unidentified flight hijacker D.B. Cooper, plus wide-ranging interviews with pilots, astronauts, flight surgeons and more.

The podcast recently began producing shorter seasons with specific themes – its third season, which aired in 2023, spotlighted stories related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning issues in aviation history.

Starter episode: Rodeo in the Sky – Early Air Traffic Control (str.sg/zwCs) NYTIMES