Jennifer Aniston eyes Maldives as dream getaway

Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston has revealed that the Maldives tops her travel bucket list — a destination she’s eager to explore as she works through a lifelong fear of flying.

In a recent interview with Travel + Leisure, the Emmy-winning actress said she dreams of visiting “white sandy beaches and clear, crystal blue water,” specifically naming the Maldives alongside Japan as two places she still hopes to visit. “I’ve never been to the Maldives,” she shared, expressing a deep desire to finally experience its tropical beauty.

However, Aniston’s travel aspirations have long been challenged by what she calls an “extreme fear of flying.” The 56-year-old Friends alum opened up about her decades-long battle with aviation anxiety, which once saw her follow pre-flight rituals like tapping the outside of the aircraft with her right palm and stepping onto the plane with her right foot.

But Aniston is determined to change that. “I have been doing some hypnosis lately, and one of the requirements is to remove all of those superstitions,” she told the outlet. “I have not been doing the right hand, right foot — and now it’s shockingly good!”

The actress also recommended meditative practices once onboard, including “plugging into a good meditation” to ease into the journey.

Despite her challenges, Aniston has enjoyed travel for both work and leisure. She fondly recalled Kauai, Hawaii — where she filmed Just Go With It — as her favourite filming location, with Lake Como coming in as a close second. Yet, the Maldives remains unexplored territory for her, and one she hopes to check off soon.

This isn’t the first time the actress has publicly addressed her fear of flying. In a 2019 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, she recounted a flight that had to return mid-air after suspected debris from the aircraft’s wheel was discovered on the runway — an experience that only deepened her aviation anxieties.

Still, Aniston is making progress. As she continues to face her fears with a mix of hypnosis and mindfulness, fans of the actress — and Maldivian tourism stakeholders — can remain hopeful that the sun-drenched shores of the Maldives will soon welcome yet another high-profile visitor.

And when that day comes, Aniston just might find what she’s been searching for all along: peace in paradise.