Why do you get on a plane but in a car?

The Curious Case of Getting On: Planes, Cars, and the Psychology of Enclosure

We “get on” a plane. We also “get in” a car. Why the difference? Both are modes of transportation, yet our language subtly shifts when we talk about entering them. The reason isn’t about size, as one might initially assume, but about the perception of enclosure and the journey it implies.

Consider a submarine. No one would argue with “getting in” a submarine. The same goes for a small boat or even a train car. These are clearly defined, confined spaces. We enter them, we are enclosed within them, and the journey feels inherently internal. The vehicle becomes a temporary, mobile habitat.

Aircraft, despite their massive size, offer a surprisingly similar psychological experience. Once the door closes, we are sealed within a pressurized cabin, detached from the outside world. The sheer scale of the plane fades away, replaced by the immediate reality of our confined surroundings. This feeling of contained travel, of entering a distinct and separate environment, triggers the same linguistic instinct as entering a car or a submarine: we get on.

Cars, while smaller, share this sense of enclosure. We enter a distinct, personal space, separated from the external environment. The car becomes an extension of our personal bubble, and “getting in” reflects this transition into a private domain.

Contrast this with modes of transport like motorcycles or bicycles. We “get on” these, too. While not enclosed, they require us to mount them, to become part of their structure in a way that feels more active than simply entering. Here, “get on” signifies the physical act of straddling and assuming control.

So, while the sheer volume of a plane might seem at odds with the preposition “on,” the key isn’t the physical size, but the psychological experience. It’s about the perceived transition from the outside world into a contained, self-contained travel environment. It’s about entering a distinct space, a mobile bubble, separated from the outside world, regardless of whether that bubble is a compact car or a jumbo jet. This shared sense of enclosure is the invisible thread that connects our language and explains why we “get on” a plane just as we “get in” a car.

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