Flying has a way of making me hyperaware of germs. I don’t know if it’s the recycled air, the slightly sticky tray table or the person across the aisle who’s been coughing since boarding, but ever since the pandemic, I’ve been super tuned in to germs while flying. Air travel squeezes hundreds of us into a single metal tube, and we’re all sharing a lot more than overhead bin space.
So over the past few years, I’ve been pretty cautious on airplanes, diligently wiping down my armrest with the offered disinfectant wipe and wearing my mask to stave off airborne contaminants. But there’s one surface that I’ve never given a second thought to, even though I (of course!) instinctively touch it every time I fly. And according to microbiologists, it may be one of the germiest spots on the plane. “Anything that people touch a lot is prone to getting contaminated because we carry a lot of germs on our hands,” says Kelly Reynolds, a professor, environmental microbiologist and public health researcher at the University of Arizona.
Want some worse news? “Several contagious germs can linger on these surfaces for hours or even days—examples include viruses like influenza (flu), SARS (COVID-19) and norovirus, or bacteria like E. coli and MRSA,” says William J. Sullivan, a professor and specialist in infectious-disease biology at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
Ahead, Reynolds and Sullivan explain why this particular airplane surface is so gross and what you can do to protect yourself. Grab the disinfectant and keep reading!
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What part of a plane is surprisingly loaded with germs?
Brace yourselves: One of the most overlooked germ hot spots on an airplane is the seat belt! That includes both the fabric strap and the metal buckle that you touch every time you take off and land—or just get up to walk around the cabin. I don’t know about you, but the seat belt didn’t immediately come to my mind as a major germ hub. But experts agree it fits the profile perfectly.
Why is the seat belt so germy?
For one, nearly every passenger on every flight handles them. And two, they aren’t easy to disinfect between flights. That makes them subject to what microbiologists call high-touch contamination (and a magnet for all those gross germs Sullivan listed).
“Studies have repeatedly shown germs present on many high-contact surfaces on planes,” including various handles and knobs, seat-back pocket materials and touch screens, Sullivan says. “Tray tables, armrests and seat belts are commonly found to be the worst offenders.”
Reynolds adds that we are constantly touching things, from bathrooms to cellphones to other people: “Any time you touch something that is a hot spot and then rarely clean, you should have the expectation that’s going to harbor a lot of germs.”
A flight attendant’s viral TikTok video summed up the situation well:
“What you should be wiping that nobody wipes is that seat belt,” says the flight attendant. “The metal part, because everybody touches it. And also, you should be wiping the fabric part of the seat belt because everybody pulls on that.” Are you ready for the kicker? “The amount of throw up, baby vomit, bodily fluids, liquids that have spilled, random stuff that end up on those seat belts,” she continues. “Wipe them down, babe.”
Why is the seat belt so hard to clean?
The mix of materials in a seat belt presents a few complications. “Generally, germs can cling to most surfaces—fabric, plastic and metal—and survive for hours or even days,” Sullivan says. But the type of material may play a role in how frequently each part gets cleaned.
“Smooth, hard surfaces made of plastic, stainless steel or glass (including touch screens) are easy to sterilize with a disinfectant,” Sullivan says. “Cloth seats and fabrics are harder to clean, but some studies suggest that—unlike smooth surfaces—germs get trapped in the fibers and might not be as easily transmitted to another person.” Well, that’s something! “Then again, other studies show unwashed fabrics can retain certain types of bacteria for months,” he continues. (Great.)
And while the metal buckle of your seat belt could be swiped with a disinfectant and cleaned more easily than the strap, that isn’t necessarily happening. “I’ve seen very fast turnaround times between some flights, which makes it difficult to complete a thorough decontamination,” Sullivan says.
Bottom line: “It’s best to consider any surface as potentially contaminated with germs,” he says.
So what can you do?
Reynolds says using the disinfectant wipe you receive when boarding is one of the easiest ways to make sure you’re protected on a flight. “Use it. They do work,” she says. “These products have been tested. They’re certified and registered to create a disinfectant.” Carry some with you just in case your flight doesn’t provide them, and wipe down both the seat belt buckle and webbing, as well as other surfaces, like your tray table.
She and Sullivan both emphasize another important habit: Keep your hands away from your face. “Adults and children touch their face up to 50 times an hour,” Reynolds says. Sullivan adds: “When a person touches a contaminated surface, the germs can be transferred to their hands and then into their bodies if they touch their mouth, nose or eyes.”
And if you have a choice, pick your seat wisely: “Studies also show that window seats that are not near the restrooms are the least likely places on the plane where you’ll be exposed to germs,” Sullivan says. “This is because a window seat puts you in less contact with others. A seat near a high-trafficked area, such as the restroom, puts you in contact with a large number of people.”
What are the experts’ tips for reducing germs on a flight?
Establishing a must-do list every time you fly will develop good germ-reducing habits. “As a microbiologist, here’s a routine I recommend,” Sullivan says:
- Bring your own water to drink—staying hydrated helps you avoid getting sick.
- Stow your luggage, then use an alcohol-based wipe to clean armrests, the seat belt and the tray table.
- Avoid using the seat-back pocket.
- Sanitize your hands before eating or drinking. “Since it is not easy to wipe everything down, hand sanitizing before eating or touching your face is a good way to minimize getting sick,” Sullivan says.
- Wash your hands thoroughly after using the restroom. “Bathrooms are usually cleaned well between flights but not always during a flight, so be sure to wash your hands thoroughly and use a paper towel when opening the lock to leave the restroom,” Sullivan says.
- Use hand sanitizer after getting buckled back into your seat.
- Wash and/or sanitize your hands immediately after getting off the plane.
Sullivan also says that while cabin air is well-filtered and eliminates a lot of airborne germs, if someone nearby is sick, you are likely to breathe in their germs before the air gets cleaned. Wear an N95 mask if you carry one, but another simple trick is to turn on the air. “Turning on your overhead airflow can also reduce your chances of breathing in respiratory germs,” he says.
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Sources:
- William J. Sullivan, Showalter professor at Indiana University School of Medicine; interviewed, March 2026
- Kelly Reynolds, director of the Environment, Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center at the University of Arizona; interviewed, March 2026
- TikTok: “Essential Airplane Tips From a Flight Attendant”
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