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Table of Contents

How airfares have changed

How hotels room rates have changed, how rental car prices have changed, how restaurant prices have changed, how the price of movies, theaters and concerts has changed, if you’re planning to travel in 2024….

Some good news for travelers: Airfares are a lot cheaper than they were this time last year.

Last month, airfares were down 7.1% versus the same month in 2023. And despite the overall cost of goods increasing 22.8% since the onset of the pandemic, airfares are only up a marginal 2.6%. That’s according to the latest set of Consumer Price Index data released in April 2024 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is based on March 2024 prices.

Car rentals price are also lower — down 8.8% versus March 2023. Hotel prices decreased too, down 2.4% since last year.

Falling travel prices is a bright spot for customers, considering that the price of pretty much everything else is going up. In fact, average consumer prices across all items rose 3.5% year-over-year through March.

According to NerdWallet's Travel Price Index, the overall cost of travel is down 2% from the same month in 2023 and up 15% compared with March 2019 (the last fully-normal March before lockdowns). In short, expect the same trip taken this year to cost slightly less than it did this time last year, but more than it would if you had taken the trip before the pandemic.

NerdWallet's Travel Price Index combines data from individual travel categories tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index data, such as airfares, lodging, meals and rental cars.

Overall prices for the past 12 months through March 2024 rose 3.5% before seasonal adjustment. Still, not every individual line item experiences inflation at the same rate — especially when it comes to travel prices. Some types of trips might actually be more or less expensive than in the past, depending on if your trip involves airfare versus driving, if you’re staying in a hotel and whether it involves a rental car.

To help you better understand how travel prices have changed, NerdWallet honed in on five categories:

Car rentals.

Food away from home.

Movies, theaters and concerts.

NerdWallet then compared those costs to their same prices a month ago and a year ago. And given how significantly COVID-19 altered the state of travel, the data also compares today’s prices to the same cost of those things pre-pandemic. For example, March 2024 is compared to March 2019 as the last corresponding pre-pandemic month.

Here’s what today’s travel prices look like:

When comparing March 2024 prices versus March 2023, U.S. airfares are down 7.1%. Even compared to pre-pandemic prices, airfares only rose by 2.6% in March 2024 versus March 2019. That's not a lot considering average prices as a whole are up by 22.8% since March 2019.

Prices for lodging away from home — including hotels and motels in U.S. cities — did increase 6.7% month-over-month. Though, they actually decreased over the past year, falling by 2.4% versus March 2023.

Unlike airfares that are lower than pre-pandemic prices, hotel and motel prices are significantly higher than what they were pre-pandemic — though still not as high as the 22.8% all-items average increase.

High rental car prices were one of the biggest stories of pandemic-era travel. Though prices have leveled off, they are still up an astounding 39.3% versus the same month in 2019. Still, the costs are better now than they were a year ago. Car rental prices are down 8.8% year-over-year.

Food prices consistently rise nearly every month, and this month was no exception. In March 2024, the cost of food away from home was up 4.2% versus the same month in 2023.

And prices are far higher than pre-pandemic, with March 2024 prices coming in at 29.3% higher than what they were in March 2019. That's higher than the inflation rate across all items, suggesting that restaurant prices have risen more than many other categories of goods.

Like restaurants, entertainment prices see fairly consistent increases — save for a small dip in 2020. Prices are now up 22.6% from what they were in March 2019. The year-over-year price increases are up 5%.

Especially if you’re building your next vacation budget based on an early-pandemic-era trip, expect to pay far more now for pretty much every expense. Yet even though prices constantly feel like they’re getting higher, you can still save on travel with a little planning.

Paying for travel with miles and points versus cash isn’t as daunting a task as it may seem. Frequent flyer miles and hotel points can be accrued not just for recurring travel, but through other outlets as well. Credit card rewards and welcome bonuses can be one of the most popular ways to accrue a big stash of points for a lot less effort than living your life out of a suitcase.

To avoid the costs of eating out, head to local grocery stores — which can be a fun activity on its own — or pack snacks from home. While in an airport, head to the lounge. Many credit cards have partnerships with airport lounge operators ( Priority Pass is a popular one) where you can typically expect complimentary snacks and drinks.

Methodology

NerdWallet conducted an analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index data released by the U.S. Department of Labor, which was most recently updated in April 2024 and measures prices of items like travel, groceries and cars. Prices usually change every month, but some prices change more than others.

Keep in mind, this data is based on March 2024 information, even though it is released in April 2024, so prices you actually see may have actually improved (or gotten even worse) than this data, because it lags one month behind.

And even within the realm of travel, some expenses might go up, while others might go down.

The NerdWallet Travel Price Index combines data from the Consumer Price Index, weighted by the estimated spending in each category, which is based on 2019 travel expenditure data from the BLS.

Here are the spending categories considered, and how heavily each was weighted:

Flights: 29%.

Car rental: 13%.

Lodging: 30%.

Entertainment: 7%.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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Will Airline Prices Finally Drop?

By Christine Chung

A record 4.7 billion passengers are expected to fly globally in 2024, up from the previous record of 4.5 billion in 2019, according to the International Air Transport Association . Analysts at American Express Global Business Travel say that average ticket prices across all regions are not expected to change significantly. But in the United States, domestic and international airfares are expected to move in opposite directions.

Hayley Berg, lead economist for the booking platform Hopper , anticipates that for the next six months, domestic airfare will cost less than in 2023 and prepandemic years. Travelers booking domestic flights in February can expect to pay an average fare of about $276 round-trip — an 8 percent decrease from the same month last year. Reasons for the falling prices include increased airplane capacity — the number of seats on a given route — and a drop in the cost of jet fuel.

“January will be the cheapest month of the year to book travel until the fall shoulder season in September and October,” Ms. Berg said. “Airfare will rise into late spring as the spring break and summer travel period heat up.”

International airfare departing from the United States is up 10 percent for 2024 compared with 2023, according to Kayak , a travel search engine. But airline capacity, Ms. Berg said, is rising and might eventually dampen that increase in prices.

Overall, the outlook for airfare this year is a return to normalcy, said the aviation analyst Robert W. Mann Jr.

“Revenge travel” and the volatility in airfare that has characterized the last few years are “basically in the rearview mirror,” he said. And ebbing demand for leisure travel might mean more excess capacity, further driving prices down.

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

Is Travel Finally Back? New Report Reveals Record Tourism Rebound

See how travel is making a continued comeback since taking a dip during the pandemic.

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The pandemic and subsequent recovery battered the global travel industry. At first, cratering demand led to mass layoffs among cruise lines , airlines , hotel groups and other enterprises dependent on travel. Once health risks receded , there was a sudden increase in demand, catching many travel businesses off guard. Supply chain kinks, soaring energy costs, rampant delays and understaffing led to months of traveler misery that has only recently eased up. 

Despite the rocky road, travelers apparently will not be deterred from their trips, according to newly released data charting the surprising strength of the travel industry at the start of summer. 

Travel exceeds pre-pandemic high

Travel industry news site Skift recently released their June 2023 Travel Health Index report, which reveals global travel ful ly rebounded and further exceeded pre-pandemic strength compared to just a few months ago.

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The Travel Health Index measures the travel industry’s performance using 84 travel indicators with data from 22 partners. As of June 2023, the global index sat at 104 , an increase of 4% over the 100 peak pre-pandemic rating from April 2019. It also marks a 1% increase from the May 2023 index rating of 103.

At its lowest point during the early days of the pandemic, the Travel Health Index dipped to 20 in April 2020, a sign travel performance had sunk to 20% of April 2019 levels. Three years later, travel has fully rebounded and continually set new records across all global regions.

Referencing the strength of the U.S. travel market, Skift research analyst Saniya Zanpure tells Kiplinger they do not see travel performance slowing down in the U.S. "Since airlines, vacation rentals, and hotels in the U.S. outperformed 2019 performance levels, the travel index for the country in June 2023 is 8 percentage points above June 2019," she said.

Global travel gains aren't equal

The biggest winner of the global travel recovery is Latin America, the region that's proved the most resilient through the pandemic. By early 2022, Mexico’s impressive travel rebound accelerated, and the larger region began to exceed pre-pandemic performance. Latin America's travel index performance for June clocks in at a globe-leading 110. All other regions (and 17 out of 22 countries tracked in the report) had  recovered or exceeded their pre-pandemic travel levels, albeit with less impressive marks.

The biggest outliers among the developed tourist destinations are Russia (67.9) and Hong Kong (69.7), whose continually lagging performance is dragging down the global index – and their respective regions. Russia's deteriorated tourism picture is likely a product of the ongoing war in Ukraine , resulting in extensive "do not travel" advisories and departing businesses . Meanwhile, factors including exceedingly harsh pandemic restrictions and democratic backsliding can be counted toward Hong Kong's travel woes.

The global car rental industry also diverged from other travel sector industries , receding to 108 in June from a record April mark of 112. Only North America increased car rental performance month over month. Still, despite the measurable dip since April, global car rental performance remains 8 percentage points above pre-pandemic levels.

How travelers can save in a pricey recovery

Travel is hotter than ever, as millions fully exit their pandemic hesitance to embrace tourism and business travel. NerdWallet's Travel Price Index reports that the overall cost of travel has grown 14% since the June 2019 pre-pandemic travel season. 

We've pulled together a number of helpful travel resources at Kiplinger, including our rankings of the cheapest countries to visit and the best travel websites .

Use the following tips from Kiplinger contributor Becca van Sambeck to save money while planning a vacation despite budget-busting price increases: 

• Plan your trip early, no later than 28 days before departure
• Consider flexibility on location to maximize savings
• Consider camping and cabins instead of hotels
• Travel with a group to lower the average cost of lodging
• Use those credit card points and airline miles

Related Content

• The 10 Cheapest Countries to Visit
• How to Budget for a Vacation When Prices Keep Rising
• Should You Use Credit Card Portals to Book Travel?

Ben Demers manages digital content and engagement at Kiplinger, informing readers through a range of personal finance articles, e-newsletters, social media, syndicated content, and videos. He is passionate about helping people lead their best lives through sound financial behavior, particularly saving money at home and avoiding scams and identity theft. Ben graduated with an M.P.S. from Georgetown University and a B.A. from Vassar College. He joined Kiplinger in May 2017.

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How a US government shutdown could mess up your travel plans. Or not

Sep 30, 2023 • 4 min read

As federally administered sites, national parks will be affected by the looming government shutdown. Travelers beware © Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Planes will take off. TSA and customs personnel will be on the job – but with their pay suspended, they might be cranky. And if the shutdown drags on, so will you. 

If the United States Congress fails to pass a short-term extension to the federal budget by Saturday, September 30, the government will shut down beginning at 12:01am on Sunday, October 1.

The travel industry is expecting fallout: the sector could lose up to $140 million a day, according to the US Travel Association , and domestic and international travelers may face delays or cancellations to their trips.

Here are some of the ways a USA government shutdown may affect your upcoming travel plans.

The impact of the government shutdown on flights in the USA

The four million US government workers who would not be able to collect paychecks during a government shutdown include more than 14,000 air traffic controllers, more than 60,000 US Customs and Border Protection workers and more than 60,000 Transportation Security Administration employees, including security officers, canine handlers, air marshals and explosives experts. 

Most all these federal employees are considered essential government workers and would be required to show up for duty. This means that security, immigration and customs lanes at airports around the country will be operating, and planes will continue to land and take off.

Still, travelers should be prepared for slowdowns at checkpoints and delays in the air if the shutdown is not resolved quickly. 

The TSA is already understaffed and currently screening more than 2.5 million passengers per day – more than pre-pandemic leves. Wait times at security checkpoints could start to increase if employees forced to work without paychecks start calling in sick, as they did when the 2019 partial government shutdown dragged on for weeks. 

Flight delays and cancellations could begin complicating plans if air-traffic controllers begin calling in sick, as they likewise did during the 2019 partial government shutdown, which stretched to 35 days.

A government shutdown now would also mean future delays as “we would immediately have to stop training new air traffic controllers and furlough another 1000 controllers who are already in the training pipeline,” Pete Buttigieg, the US transportation secretary, said in a news conference on September 27.  

The implementation of technology systems designed to make air travel safer and more efficient, such as NOTAM, NextGen and others, could also be delayed, notes aviation expert and travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt . “While a short shutdown may not have much impact, I believe a prolonged shutdown may really disrupt this,” he said. 

What can you do? Keep an eye on your flight status. Arrive at the airport extra early to allow for checkpoint delays. Use the free checkpoint-reservation lane if your airport offers it. And be kind to the TSA officers and other airport workers who may be stressed and working without pay.

The impact of the government shutdown on US passport and visa issuance

Passport-processing wait times are already at an all-time high of 10 to 13 weeks, “and while operations will continue, certain agencies based in government buildings may cease to operate,” says Katy Nastro, a travel expert with Going.com, “But here too, the build of frustration due to no pay can lead to similar effects of longer processing times.”

What can you do? “There isn’t much to be done to hurry the process,” says Nastro. “You can apply for expedited processing retroactively on passports or seek an emergency passport. But even then, people are experiencing elongated processing times.”

The impact of the government shutdown on national parks

As they did during previous government shutdowns, national parks and forests, national monuments and museums, and other federally managed recreational spaces may close entirely or operate with limited staff and services. And those with camping reservations in national parks may find themselves out of luck.

What can you do? If your travel itinerary is built around visits to federally run museums, monuments or parks, check (and recheck) their websites for updates on programs, closures and changes to hours. Research alternative museums and attractions before leaving home in case you arrive to find a federally run attraction shuttered. And if you don’t want to take chances on having your national-park camping reservation canceled, consider switching your booking to a state park or a private campground instead.

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Is travel demand down due to the omicron variant?

The omicron variant came at an inopportune time for travel: the beginning of the busy winter holiday season.

We know that the variant may be more contagious than others and contains several spike protein mutations that may make it less responsive to COVID-19 vaccines . There are also signs it may be more virulent than other variants. All of these factors played a part in why it was deemed a "variant of concern" — the most severe category — by the World Health Organization.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

Fearing a return to March 2020, countries worldwide imposed travel bans and restrictions on much of southern Africa, where the variant was first detected. The U.S., which has already detected the variant in more than a dozen states, banned non-citizen travelers from a handful of African countries and put in a sweeping and confusing new COVID-19 testing policy .

However, there are some positive signs. The U.S.'s top infectious disease expert said omicron appeared to be less severe than last summer's delta variant, and Pfizer said three doses of its vaccine proved to "neutralize" the variant.

But the seeds of fear and unease may already be in place. Are people postponing their travel plans, even during the holiday season, because of the new variant? Here's what the experts (and data) say.

Check any major airline or hotel's social media feed (or mentions), and you'd think the holiday travel season was getting off without a hitch.

Alaska Airlines offered a buy one, get one free promotion earlier this week, while several major airlines are currently in fare wars with flights to sunny Florida for $100 or less. On the hotel front, several chains are forging ahead with plans to extend elite status to loyal members into 2023 due to the pandemic. Additionally, Hyatt just announced a new Bonus Journeys promotion , which is extremely popular with World of Hyatt loyalists, that will offer 2,022 bonus points for every two qualifying nights.

So, with all of these promotions and excitement around them, is travel demand actually down, or are pundits, travel bloggers and travel experts overreacting?

Here's what we know so far. A request for Cirium data showed that airlines aren't experiencing significant schedule changes due to the variant. Airlines are reluctant to share whether travel demand is down, as the Department of Justice could consider it is signaling, which is a possible violation of antitrust laws. Meanwhile, U.S. hotel occupancy for the week ending Dec. 4 was actually up nearly 2% from the previous week (which was 53.0%), the research firm STR found.

With what's expected to be a busy holiday travel season just weeks away, it doesn't look like omicron will have a significant impact on holiday travel ... at least, not yet. A survey from the travel deals site Scott's Cheap Flights found that travelers are concerned about omicron but not enough to prompt them to cancel their trips.

According to Misty Belles, the vice president of global public relations at Virtuoso (a luxury travel network), travelers have had no "typical" behavior during the pandemic.

"Everyone has a different threshold for risk, and evidence of that surfaces whenever a new COVID variant emerges, whether it's delta or omicron," Belles told The Points Guy via email. "Those who are more cautious are more likely to postpone their travels. People who are determined to travel are less deterred by the news and are generally more accepting that this is the new reality."

Belles said she's noticed that most bookings being canceled or put on hold have been to destinations that have closed their borders in light of the omicron variant. Holiday travel already booked remains largely untouched. However, she also noted that "close-in bookings," or departures that are within the next week, are more likely to be affected. What that points to is a preference by travelers to shore up their travel plans (and wait to see if their destination is even open for visitors) instead of take spur-of-the-moment vacations.

Tori Emerson Barnes, an executive vice president at the U.S. Travel Association, said that 45% of Americans have tentative holiday travel plans, which is up from 28% in 2020.

"Early indications are that the omicron variant is not having a huge impact on holiday travel plans," Emerson Barnes said in a statement to TPG, "but the public is very much in a cautionary mood."

But even as U.S. airlines press forward with their holiday deals and scheduling, there is some indication that they're concerned about the threat of the omicron variant.

Scott Kirby, United Airlines ' chief executive officer, told the Financial Times that he theorized that "we'll have less flying to Europe than we would have in January" because of the new variant. The U.S.-to-Europe travel corridor, which just rolled out after the U.S. reopened for travel in November, is a boon for airlines ... one airlines can't afford to lose.

Kirby also said, this time in an interview with CNBC , that his airline always knew there would be new COVID-19 variants and that "recovery would never be a straight line."

"We look confident about the long term. Nothing changes about where we'll be 12 months from now," he said.

What did we see after delta?

Joe Leader, the chief executive officer of the Airline Passenger Experience Association, said he's noticed airline demand has been resilient in the U.S., but that doesn't tell the whole story.

"The global impact has been much more uneven," Leader told TPG through email. He also noted that travel bans may actually be doing more harm than good.

"Countries that have imposed draconian new rules ahead of scientific findings on omicron are seeing air travel demand plummet," Leader said, adding that countries with massive travel demands, like the United Kingdom, have seen forward bookings drop "around 40%."

Kirby told CNBC that the omicron variant "is certainly going to have a near-term impact on bookings. ... There will be a short-term dip in revenue, but the dip will be smaller than it was for delta."

There's some precedent to show that we may see this again with the new omicron variant, as some data suggests that travel waned slightly due to the delta variant. The Wall Street Journal reported that online travel agencies like Priceline and Kayak experienced fewer bookings last summer due to the delta variant. Additionally, several airlines sounded the alarm on the delta variant , including Southwest Airlines, which noted that it "experienced a deceleration in close-in bookings" in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission back in August.

Last summer, on behalf of TPG, YouGov surveyed nearly 2,400 adults and found that many people — particularly those who were fully vaccinated — said they felt less comfortable with specific activities in light of the delta variant's spread. Among those who traveled at least occasionally, half of those fully vaccinated people said they felt "less comfortable" taking domestic flights, and 53% said they felt less comfortable flying internationally.

Travelers quickly pumped the breaks on their plans due to delta; however, this isn't something we've yet seen with omicron.

Bottom line

Ultimately, it's far too early to tell how omicron will impact both travelers and traveler sentiment as it did with delta.

Some initial data shows the omicron variant isn't as severe as delta, though it's roughly twice as infectious as earlier COVID-19 variants. More people are also fully vaccinated against COVID-19 now than they were last summer, with more than 55% of the world's population being fully vaccinated .

These factors, along with one of the busiest travel seasons on the calendar fast approaching, may not be as much of a threat to the travel industry as the delta variant was.

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The latest travel data.

MONTHLY INSIGHTS March 04, 2024

U.S. Travel has temporarily paused our monthly data newsletter, however, the latest travel data is still available via the U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard . This dashboard is updated each month (member login required).

The U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard , developed in collaboration with Tourism Economics, is supported by more than 20 data sources. The dashboard is the most comprehensive and centralized source for high-frequency intelligence on the U.S. travel industry, tracking industry performance, travel volumes and predictive indicators of recovery including air and lodging forecasts, DMO website traffic, convention and group trends, travel spending and losses, traveler sentiment, among others to measure the health of the industry.

Key Highlights January 2024:

• Travel appetite started the year on a softer note, but overall growth continued. Air passenger growth remained positive, up 6% versus the prior year but lower than the double-digit growth seen through 2023. Foreign visits remained strong, up 24% YoY.
• Hotel room demand continued a trend of slight contraction falling 1% versus the prior year, while short-term rental demand grew 1%, a lower rate than 2023.
• A particular bright spot was that group room demand within the top 25 markets displayed solid growth of 9% relative to the prior year.
• The outlook for the economy remains fairly optimistic due to the strength of the labor market, looser financial conditions and healthy household and nonfinancial corporate balance sheets. This has filtered through to slightly higher consumer sentiment in February.
• Sentiment is also growing for upcoming leisure travel in 2024. The share of travelers reporting having travel plans within the next six months increased to 93% in January from 92% in December, according to Longwoods International’s monthly survey.
• Travel price inflation (TPI) fell slightly in January as a result of falling transportation prices. Sticky services inflation should see relief from decelerating wage growth. However, upside risks stem from rising healthcare costs, supply chain disruptions and slowing labor supply. Source: U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics

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Places the U.S. Government Warns Not to Travel Right Now

You may want to reconsider traveling to these countries right now.

Do Not Travel to These Countries

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Crime, civil unrest and terrorism are common risk factors for countries that end up on the State Department's "Do Not Travel" advisory list.

In 2024, tourism across the globe is “well on track” to return to pre-pandemic levels, according to projections by UN Tourism.

Global conflicts and natural disasters , ranging from a series of coups across Africa to catastrophic earthquakes in the Middle East affected international travel patterns throughout 2023. Still, international tourist arrivals reached 87% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023, according to estimates by UN Tourism .

In January 2024 alone, about 4.6 million U.S. citizens left the country for international destinations, 17% higher than the same month in 2019, according to the International Trade Administration . But some destinations warrant more caution than others.

On Oct. 19, 2023, following the outbreak of war between Israel and Gaza and flaring tensions in the region, the U.S. State Department issued a worldwide caution advisory due to “increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.” Prior to this update, the most recent worldwide caution advisory was issued in 2022 after a U.S. strike killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden’s successor as leader of Al Qaeda, causing “a higher potential for anti-American violence.” The worldwide caution advisory remains in effect.

The U.S. State Department also issues individual travel advisory levels for more than 200 countries globally, continually updating them based on a variety of risk indicators such as health, terrorism and civil unrest. Travel advisory levels range from Level 1, which means exercise normal precautions, to Level 4, which means do not travel there.

About 10% of countries – 19 total – have a Level 4: “Do Not Travel” advisory as of Mar. 4. In Level 4 countries, the U.S. government may have “very limited ability” to step in should travelers’ safety or security be at risk, according to the State Department. Crime, civil unrest, kidnapping and terrorism are common risk factors associated with Level 4 countries.

So far in 2024, the State Department made changes to the existing Level 4 advisories for Myanmar, Iran and Gaza, and moved Niger and Lebanon off of the Level 4 list.

Places With a Level 4 Travel Advisory

These are the primary areas the U.S. government says not to travel to right now, in alphabetical order:

Jump to Place: Afghanistan Belarus Burkina Faso Central African Republic Myanmar (formerly Burma) Gaza Haiti Iran Iraq Libya Mali Mexico North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) Russia Somalia South Sudan Sudan Syria Ukraine Venezuela Yemen

Afghanistan: The Central Asian country is wrestling with “terrorism, risk of wrongful detention, kidnapping and crime,” according to the State Department. U.S. citizens are specifically at risk for wrongful detention and kidnapping. In 2022, the government reinstituted public floggings and executions, and women’s rights are disappearing under Taliban control. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul halted operations in August 2021. Since the Taliban took control , many forms of international aid have been halted . Meanwhile, in 2023, some of the year’s deadliest earthquakes killed more than 2,400 in Afghanistan while the country continues to face a years-long extreme drought.

Belarus: Belarus, which shares a western border with Russia and a southern border with Ukraine, has been flagged for “Belarusian authorities’ continued facilitation of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the buildup of Russian military forces in Belarus, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, the potential of civil unrest, the risk of detention, and the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Belarus.” The U.S. Embassy in Minsk halted operations in February 2022.

Burkina Faso: Terrorism, crime and kidnapping are plaguing this West African nation. Terrorist attacks may target hotels, restaurants and schools with little to no warning, and the East and Sahel regions of the country are under a state of emergency. In late November 2023, hundreds died in clashes between state security forces and rebels near the country’s border with Mali. In June, more than 2 million people in Burkina Faso were displaced due to “violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.”

Central African Republic: While there have not been specific incidents of U.S. citizens targeted with violence or crime, violent crime and sudden closure of roads and borders is common. The advisory states that “Embassy Bangui’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens, crime, civil unrest, and kidnapping” is a factor in its assessment. Recent data from UNICEF suggests the country has the worst drinking water accessibility of all countries in 2022.

Myanmar (Formerly Burma): Armed conflict and civil unrest are the primary reasons to not travel to this Southeast Asian country, which experienced a military coup in early 2021. Limited health care resources, wrongful detentions and “areas with land mines and unexploded ordnance” are also listed as risk factors. After Ukraine and Israel, Myanmar had the highest conflict-related death toll in 2023.

Gaza : Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization as designated by the State Department, controls much of the Gaza Strip, which shares borders with both Israel and Egypt. On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas fighters broke across the border into Israel, killing hundreds of civilians and soldiers in a brazen attack that stunned Israelis. On Oct. 10, Israel hit the Gaza Strip with “the fiercest air strikes in its 75-year conflict” according to Reuters . The conflict has since escalated into war between Israel and Hamas, with regular Israeli airstrikes leading to extensive civilian casualties in Gaza. As of mid-December, nearly 85% of Gaza’s population were displaced from their homes, according to UN estimates . The region continues to face shortages of food , water, electricity and medical supplies , with conditions deemed “far beyond a humanitarian crisis.” The State Department warns of terrorism and armed conflict within Gaza’s borders.

Haiti: In July 2023, the Department of State ordered all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members to leave the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince in response to the increased risk of kidnapping and violent crime in the country , as well as armed conflict between gangs and police. The travel advisory states that cases of kidnapping “often involve ransom negotiations and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed during kidnappings.” The travel advisory also states that “U.S. citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible” given “the current security situation and infrastructure challenges.” A series of gang attacks in late September 2023 caused thousands to flee their homes, and many aid groups have been forced to cut or suspend operations amid escalating violence in recent months.

Iran: Terrorism, kidnapping and civil unrest are risk factors for all travelers to Iran, while U.S. citizens are specifically at risk for “arbitrary arrest.” U.S.-Iranian nationals such as students, journalists and business travelers have been arrested on charges of espionage and threatening national security. Executions in Iran rose sharply between 2021 and 2022, bringing the country’s total to nearly 580 people over the year, according to a report by Amnesty International released in May 2023.

Iraq: The State Department cites “terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict [and] civil unrest” as cause for the country’s Level 4 distinction. Iraq’s northern borders, and its border with Syria, are especially dangerous. Since the escalation of conflict in neighboring Israel in October, there has been an increase in attacks against Iraqi military bases, which host U.S. troops and other international forces. In October 2023, non-emergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members were ordered to leave the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.

Libya: Following the end of its dictatorship over a decade ago, Libya has been wrought with internal conflict between armed groups in the East and West. Armed conflict, civil unrest, crime, kidnapping and terrorism are all risk factors. U.S. citizens have been targets of kidnapping for ransom, with terrorists targeting hotels and airports frequented by Westerners. The U.S. Embassy in Tripoli halted operations in 2014. In mid-September 2023, floods, which some say were intensified by climate change , killed thousands in eastern Libya. Clashes between armed factions escalated across the country in the latter half of 2023, including in the capital city of Tripoli and in Benghazi.

Mali: After experiencing military coups in 2020 and 2021, crime, terrorism and kidnapping are all prevalent threats in this West African landlocked nation. In July 2022, non-emergency U.S. government employees and their families were ordered to leave the country due to higher risk of terrorist activity. A U.N. report in August 2023 said that military groups in the country, including both Mali security forces and possibly Russian Wagner mercenaries, were spreading terror through the use of violence against women and human rights abuses. Democratic elections were supposed to occur in February 2024, but Mali’s military junta postponed the plans indefinitely. In December, the U.N. officially ended a decade-long peacekeeping presence in the country, which had been among the agency’s deadliest missions, with hundreds of the mission personnel killed since 2013.

Mexico: Each state in Mexico is assessed separately for travel advisory levels. Six of the 32 states in Mexico are designated as Level 4: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas. Crime and kidnapping are listed as the primary risk factors throughout the country. Nearly 112,000 people were missing across the country as of October, a number the U.N. has called “alarming.”

North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea): U.S. passports are not valid for travel “to, in, or through” this country, home to one of the world's longest-running dynastic dictatorships. The travel advisory states that the Level 4 distinction is due to “the continuing serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of U.S. nationals.” In July 2023, a U.S. soldier fled across the border into North Korea, where he is believed to be in North Korean custody, the first American detained in the North in nearly five years. He was returned to U.S. custody in September 2023.

Russia: The travel advisory for Russia cites its invasion of Ukraine , harassment of U.S. citizens by Russian government officials and arbitrary law enforcement as a few of the reasons for the Level 4 designation. Chechnya and Mount Elbrus are specifically listed as Level 4 regions. Terrorism, civil unrest, health, kidnapping and wrongful detention are all noted as risks.

Russia Invades Ukraine: A Timeline

Somalia: A severe drought resulting from five failed rainy seasons in a row killed 43,000 people in 2022, and caused a famine amid conflict with Islamist insurgents . Violent crime is common throughout Somalia , pirates frequent its coast off the Horn of Africa, and medical facilities, where they exist, have limited capacity. Crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health and kidnapping are all risk factors. In January 2024, some passengers aboard a U.N.-contracted helicopter were taken hostage by al-Shabaab militants after the vehicle crashed in central Somalia.

South Sudan: Crime, kidnapping and armed conflict are the primary risk factors for South Sudan, which separated from Sudan in 2011, making it the world’s newest country . Weapons are readily available, and travelers have been victims of sexual assault and armed robbery.

Sudan: The U.S. evacuated its embassy in Khartoum in April 2023, and the country closed its airspace due to the ongoing conflict in the country, only permitting humanitarian aid and evacuation efforts. Fighting has escalated in the region between two warring generals seeking to gain control after a military coup in 2021 ousted the country’s prime minister. Civil unrest is the primary risk factor for Africa’s third largest country by area. Crime, terrorism, kidnapping and armed conflict are also noted. The International Criminal Court began investigating alleged war crimes and violence against African ethnic groups in the country in 2023. Millions have fled their homes due to conflict, and the U.N. has said its efforts to provide aid have been hindered by a lack of support, safety and resources. As recently as December 2023, the United Nations warned of catastrophic famine , with millions of children at-risk for malnutrition .

Syria: The advisory states that “No part of Syria is safe from violence,” with terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed conflict and risk of unjust detention all potential risk factors. U.S. citizens are often a target for kidnappings and detention. The U.S. Embassy in Damascus halted operations in 2012. Fighting in neighboring Israel has escalated since October, and the conflict has spilled over into Syria, where the U.S. has carried out air strikes following drone and rocket attacks against American troops in Syria and Iraq, triggered by the Israel-Hamas war.

Ukraine: Russian setbacks in their invasion of Ukraine buoyed hopes in Ukraine in 2023. However, Ukraine is a Level 4 country due to Russia’s invasion, with crime and civil unrest also noted as risk factors. The country’s forces shot down two Russian fighter jets on Christmas Eve 2023, in a move Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “sets the right mood for the entire year ahead.”

Venezuela: Human rights abuses and lack of health care plague this South American nation, which has been in a political crisis since 2014. In 2019, diplomatic personnel were withdrawn from the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. Threats in the country include crime, civil unrest, kidnapping, wrongful detention and poor health infrastructure.

Yemen: Six of the nine risk factors defined by the State Department – terrorism, civil unrest, health risks, kidnapping, armed conflict and landmines – are all present in Yemen. Despite private companies offering tourist visits to the Yemeni island of Socotra, the U.S. government argues those arranging such visits “are putting tourists in danger.” Civil war and cholera are also both present throughout the country. The U.S. Embassy in Sanaa halted operations in 2015. The country has experienced a relative lull in the civil war fighting, but as peace negotiations have gotten traction, flare ups in the fighting have jeopardized progress. Most recently, the U.S. and U.K. have carried out a series of airstrikes in the country, targeting Iran-backed Houthi sites.

Other Countries to Watch

Since Jan. 1, the State Department has updated travel advisories for 17 different countries as well as for the West Bank and Gaza, adding information about specific regions or risk factors, or simply renewing an existing advisory. Travel advisory levels can change based on several factors in a nation, such as increased civil unrest, policies that affect human rights or higher risks of unlawful detention.

The State Department has given about 25 countries an assessment of Level 3, meaning it recommends people “reconsider travel” to those destinations.

On Oct. 14, one week after the deadly Hamas attack on Israel, Israel and the West Bank were both moved from Level 2 to Level 3, while Gaza remains at Level 4. The region’s travel advisory was updated in November to reflect travel restrictions for certain government employees who have not already left the area, and it was updated again on Jan. 3.

Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in early October, the U.S. State Department raised Lebanon ’s travel advisory level from a Level 3 to a Level 4 level due to “the unpredictable security situation related to rocket, missile, and artillery exchanges” between Israel and Hezbollah or other militant groups. In December, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut returned to normal staffing and presence, and on Jan. 29, the country was moved back to Level 3. Crime, terrorism, armed conflict, civil unrest, kidnapping and unexploded landmines are listed as the country’s primary risk factors. However, the country’s borders with Syria and with Israel, as well as refugee settlements within Lebanon, are specifically noted as Level 4 regions.

China became a Level 3 country in late 2020, with an update in December 2022 citing “the surge in COVID-19 cases, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, and COVID-19-related restrictions” as the reason for the advisory. In June 2023, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) was moved from the Level 3 to the Level 2 list, but travelers are still advised to be cautious in the area due to “arbitrary enforcement of local laws.” Meanwhile, Macau remains at Level 3.

Following an attempted coup in August 2023, Niger was elevated to Level 4 in August and the Department of State ordered all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members to leave the U.S. Embassy in Niamey. In early January 2024, the overall risk level for the country was lowered back to Level 3. Despite the new classification, the State Department still asks non-emergency government personnel and eligible family members to depart the country.

In mid-December 2023 there was an explosion at Guinea’s main fuel depot which has since affected access to health care and basic goods and services. The country was subsequently designated a Level 3 nation after having previously been Level 2. Concerns about civil unrest, health, crime and fuel shortages impacting local infrastructure were listed as the primary risk factors contributing to the change.

Several Level 3 countries are among the worst countries for human trafficking, as designated by the State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report . Level 3 countries on this list include Papua New Guinea, Guinea Bissau, China and Chad. There are also nine Level 4 countries designated as among the worst for human trafficking: Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Syria, South Sudan and Venezuela.

Over 70 countries are currently at Level 2, meaning the State Department recommends travelers “exercise increased caution” when traveling to those destinations.

Botswana became the newest Level 2 country on Feb. 26 after having previously been Level 1, with crime noted as the primary risk factor.

France, which saw nationwide protests throughout 2023, has civil unrest and terrorism noted as risk factors for its Level 2 status, and Sweden’s Level 2 status is associated with risks of terrorism.

The Level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas was updated in January to reflect water safety concerns. The advisory warns that “activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours, are not consistently regulated” and notes that government personnel are “not permitted to use independently operated jet-ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Islands.” It also warns visitors to be mindful of sharks, weather and water conditions. The advisory also says that crime is a primary risk factor with gang-on-gang violence contributing to high homicide rates in some areas. Visitors are asked to “be vigilant” and to not physically resist robbery attempts.

Bangladesh 's Level 2 travel advisory was updated in October 2023 to add a note about the country’s general election , which took place Jan. 7, 2024. The advisory states “demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.” The U.S. has since claimed the country’s election was not free nor fair.

In November 2023, several Level 2 travel advisories were updated with new cautionary information. The advisory for Ghana was updated to reflect threats against LGBTQI+ travelers specifically, noting “anti-LGBTQI+ rhetoric and violence have increased in recent years.” Meanwhile, the advisory for South Africa was updated in February to note that routes recommended by GPS may be unsafe with higher risk for crime.

Turkmenistan was moved off of the Level 2 list to become the newest addition to the Level 1 list on Jan. 22, meaning normal precautions are recommended but there are no risk factors causing travelers to practice increased caution.

The State Department asks travelers to pay attention to travel advisory levels and alerts , review country information pages for their destinations and read related country security reports before going abroad.

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Tags: Russia , Ukraine , Travel , Coronavirus , Travel Tips , Israel , Gaza , violence , Civil War , crime , kidnapping

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clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

Welcome to summer travel. It’s hell.

Is vacation supposed to be this miserable.

Steve Miller thought he was one of the lucky ones. Flights out of D.C. were being canceled left and right earlier this month, and even though his departure kept getting pushed, the 25-year-old’s trip to Nashville was still scheduled.

Then his luck ran out. Just 35 minutes after taking off, the American Airlines flight turned back to D.C. because a crew member was about to reach their maximum flying time, passengers were told.

Next available flight to Nashville: two nights later, which would make him miss the birthday festivities he was traveling to join. Miller abandoned what he described as “the Fyre Festival of air travel" and opted for a 10½-hour drive the next day in a one-way rental car he scrambled to find for about $400. Thanks to good mileage but no thanks to sky-high fuel prices, gas “only” cost another $100. Before that, he had to return to the airport at 6 a.m. to collect his luggage, take a $60 Uber to Baltimore and wait two hours for the car.

“Everything ended up being funny to me just because it was getting so ridiculous,” he said.

Summer travel is chaos. Here are 8 things to know.

“Ridiculous” is one way to describe summer vacation this year, as masses of travelers venture out only to discover labor shortages, high gas prices , airport chaos, flight cancellations , lost-baggage mysteries, pricey hotels and vacation rentals, expensive airfare, extreme weather events and a persistent pandemic.

Another way to put it: “This is an extraordinarily difficult season of travel,” said Marc Casto, president of leisure brands in the Americas for Flight Centre Travel Group, a travel agency. “It’s a confluence of multiple forces all hitting at the exact same time, which has resulted in a poor experience for everybody involved.”

Many Americans thought this would be the summer for travel — casting aside memories of two years stuck inside, they could finally have a return to normal. Some have dubbed it the year of “revenge travel,” making up for experiences missed in 2020 and 2021. And they are traveling en masse: More than 2.46 million people were screened Sunday by Transportation Security Administration officers, the highest volume since Feb. 11, 2020.

“It’s pretty clear that people have been cooped up for two years and they want to travel now,” said Jason Rabinowitz, a travel analyst. “When I look at airline availability right now, I have never seen it so tight before — pretty much every flight throughout the system is going out 100 percent full.”

It hasn’t been the summer the travel industry wanted either as it struggles to hire enough workers to deal with a flood of vacationers. Leisure and hospitality employment was still down in May by 7.9 percent, or 1.3 million, compared to February of 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics .

More than 2,800 U.S. flights were canceled over the long Memorial Day weekend. During the holiday weekend that included Juneteenth and Father’s Day, roughly 5,000 flights were scuttled , with many thousands more delayed. Airlines had been preemptively trimming schedules for the summer with the idea that it’s better to cancel a flight far in advance than at the last minute.

Flight cancellations stressing weary travelers as July 4 approaches

“I view the core issue as one of a mismatch between supply and demand,” said Laurie Garrow, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta and an expert in aviation and travel behavior. Airlines are still recovering after the pandemic decimated air travel and carriers encouraged workers, including pilots, to take buyouts or early retirement. “You can’t ramp up immediately to meet the surge in demand,” she said.

She said thunderstorms — more unpredictable than winter storms — have also played a role in the season’s air travel disruption.

Passengers are complaining. So are pilots . Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg isn’t thrilled with the airlines, the airlines are pointing fingers at the Federal Aviation and Administration, and record inflation means everyone is paying more for the displeasure — and that’s just in the sky.

Hotel, food, alcohol and recreation prices have shot up compared to last year and pre-pandemic times. Gas prices soared to a high earlier this month before falling slightly to a national average of $4.88 a gallon, according to AAA. That is nearly 58 percent higher than a year ago.

Chaos at European airports strands travelers. Here’s why.

Travelers shouldn’t expect a reprieve anytime soon. The upcoming Fourth of July weekend is expected to see record numbers of people travel by car, despite the cost of fuel, according to AAA . And the weekend is also on track to be the most expensive July Fourth in the past five years, according to travel booking app Hopper , which said average domestic airfare is up 45 percent compared to 2019.

For all the travel nightmares for domestic travelers, many of those crossing the pond to Europe have had it worse . Crippling shortages of security officers, check-in agents and baggage handlers are causing chaos across the continent, compounded by rail and air strikes.

On a recent trip to Europe, Rabinowitz said security lines at Hamburg airport were so long he had trouble finding where one ended and another began.

Welcome to @HamburgAirport where holy crap I do not know where the line for security begins and I’m going to miss my flight pic.twitter.com/W1tSlDri3Q — Jason Rabinowitz (@AirlineFlyer) June 20, 2022

Travelers should give themselves plenty of time to make a connection. But if a flight is too close for comfort, Rabinowitz said, passengers should ask to be rebooked; airlines will usually do it for no fee, he said.

Casto said travelers should avoid checking bags, pay for seat assignments and take the first flight of the day, even if that means getting to the airport at 4 a.m.

“Remove any delusions that travel is as it used to be before covid,” he said. “The experience has changed inexorably. ... It will be convoluted. It will be difficult. It will be challenging, and it is still worth it.”

The do’s and don’ts for an unpredictable summer of flying

Amy Sayles and her husband, David, who live in Atlanta, were traveling to Ireland in late May when their Delta flight from New York to Dublin was canceled. After waiting four hours in line, they were rebooked on an Aer Lingus flight the next day, but her husband’s bags never made the transfer.

Sayles, 52, said they had a fantastic time in Ireland, but they racked up $1,000 in expenses buying new clothes, toiletries and luggage. On their fifth day in Ireland, they were excited to hear they had received a bag delivery — but it turned out to be David’s golf bag.

“Remove any delusions that travel is as it used to be before covid”

Her husband’s suitcase remains missing three weeks later, and Sayles estimates she has spent 14 hours talking with both airlines to try to track it down. (Delta and Aer Lingus spokespeople apologized for Sayles’s experience and said they remain in communication with her.)

“If anyone is going to travel this summer, I strongly recommend carrying your bags," Sayles said.

How to get refunds if your flight is canceled

Miller, whose Nashville flight was canceled, continued to Colorado and then Spain during his two-week vacation. His luggage didn’t make it to Spain and will be sent back to the United States, forcing him to buy a new vacation wardrobe on the trip.

“I assume they’ll fully reimburse, but I’ve been unsuccessful in reaching them with email or phone calls," he said in an email Tuesday.

As travel writers based outside London , Omo and Eulanda Shead Osagiede are experienced in getting through European airports, but this summer’s lines caught even them off guard.

On a recent trip to Spain, “we were at the airport three hours before and it was still not enough,” Omo Osagiede said. He was still in the security line 30 minutes before take off, and only made the flight thanks to a gate agent who found him in line.

“It was absolute chaos,” Eulanda Shead Osagiede said. “It definitely causes you to rethink, do I want to go through all this pain at the airport?”

Gas prices a much bigger factor than covid for summer travel, poll finds

For travelers looking to hit the road, prices at the pump have them thinking twice. A Washington Post-Schar School poll found that 61 percent of Americans say gas prices are a “major factor” in making their summer vacation plans.

“You kind of have to pick your poison”

Caitlin Johnson, 23, who works in finance in Dallas, said it now costs her roughly $85 to fill up her Honda Accord, making her reconsider traveling at all this summer.

“You kind of have to pick your poison — whether it’s choosing to pay for gas and drive all that way, or choosing to take a flight that’s way more expensive than it typically is,” she said. “At this point, travel is just becoming really difficult overall.”

Everything to know about the Yellowstone closure

Extreme weather events such as heat waves and flooding are only complicating summer travel plans further.

For a trip to Yellowstone National Park, Danielle De Pillis booked her family’s lodging inside the park a year in advance. So when the 47-year-old yoga therapist from Minneapolis heard that flooding would potentially threaten their trip, she was “momentarily in denial.”

She soon realized there was no way the family would have the trip they had long planned: Yellowstone faced what some officials called a 1-in-500-years flooding event that swept away roads, bridges and homes. It could take years and $1 billion for the park to recover.

De Pillis said her family was able to salvage their trip by going to northern Minnesota and the South Dakota badlands. They plan to return to Yellowstone, but with a more cautious outlook on travel.

“Climate change is really going to start impacting the way we plan — can we even plan a year in advance anymore?” De Pillis said. “I’ve never even considered buying trip insurance, but as a result, I’m now thinking that I should probably consider that because we just don’t know.”

More travel news

How we travel now: More people are taking booze-free trips — and airlines and hotels are taking note. Some couples are ditching the traditional honeymoon for a “buddymoon” with their pals. Interested? Here are the best tools for making a group trip work.

Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

Safety concerns: A door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet, leaving passengers traumatized — but without serious injuries. The ordeal led to widespread flight cancellations after the jet was grounded, and some travelers have taken steps to avoid the plane in the future. The incident has also sparked a fresh discussion about whether it’s safe to fly with a baby on your lap .

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Want to see the next total solar eclipse in 2026? An expert recommends booking travel now.

• 2026 will be Europe's first total solar eclipse in 27 years.
• Travelers worldwide will likely head to Spain, Iceland, and Greenland for the event.
• A hotel expert encouraged travelers to start planning and booking their trips now.

It'll be two decades before the next total solar eclipse hits the US .

Another option: hop on a plane to Europe and turn the 2026 total solar eclipse into a viewing vacation.

Eclipse cartographer Michael Zeiler at GreatAmericanEclipse.com told Space.com that up to 3.7 million people likely traveled for the solar eclipse on Monday.

HotelPlanner's chief communication officer, Philip Ballard, told Business Insider that the eclipse was a major revenue generator for many cities. For places like Austin, Texas, and Rochester, New York, it could have created $1 billion in revenue, Vox reported.

"I would say the total solar eclipse has become a global phenomenon," Ballard said.

Ballard added that the next solar eclipse , which will pass through Iceland, Greenland, and Spain on August 12, 2026, could result in similar tourism and revenue influxes.

And if travelers are considering a trip to Europe for the solar eclipse, Ballard recommends planning your trip now.

Determine your eclipse viewing destination

According to Space.com , 2026 will be Europe's first total solar eclipse in 27 years. Its path will go through Greenland, parts of western Iceland, and northern Spain.

Choosing where to watch the eclipse will be a tough and important decision for travelers.

Iceland and Greenland have some positives. These regions will experience longer totality times, so viewers can watch the eclipse longer. Plus, the sun will be higher in the sky, so finding a spot to watch the eclipse will be less challenging, Space.com reported.

The downside is that these regions are more likely to be cloudy, according to the outlet.

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While parts of Spain are likely to offer clearer skies, the eclipse's timing will be shorter and closer to the horizon, which means travelers will need to plan and track down a viewing location with unobstructed views of the western horizon, Space.com reported.

Regardless of the destination, according to the outlet, one bonus is that the strongest meteor shower in the Northern Hemisphere will happen the following night, so travelers can pack two events into one trip.

Book flights and hotels far in advance

Ballard encouraged people to book their hotels in their destination of choice as far in advance as possible.

"You should start looking now and booking hotels now because those cities in the path are already going to be at peak season," Ballard said.

Ballard said it's similar to when a Super Bowl city is determined or a Taylor Swift tour date is announced — you immediately see spikes in bookings. He predicts hotel occupancy rates will hit near-record highs, and room prices may double around the solar eclipse date.

Ballard's general rule of thumb is to book international travel at least three months in advance, but since this is such an anticipated event, booking earlier is smart. His advice is to start discussing plans with friends and family. If you decide on a destination, book a refundable room to keep your options open if plans change.

Regarding purchasing a plane ticket, a study from Expedia states that international travel's sweet spot is at least six months in advance.

According to Expedia, travelers who book six months in advance save an average of 10% more than travelers booking within two months or less.

Skip the hassle of planning altogether and book a solar eclipse tour

Another option is to let a tour operator do the work for you. A handful of tour companies have seen the increased interest in the solar eclipse and launched tours designed around the event.

These tours will have predetermined locations to view the eclipse, hotel blocks reserved, and itineraries highlighting both the region and the eclipse.

However, these can sell out quickly. For example, Space and Telescope created an 11-day tour of Spain around viewing the 2026 solar eclipse. The tour has already sold out as of Wednesday, and the waitlist is full.

Other operators, such as Wilderness Travel and Eclipse Traveler, have similar itineraries for the total eclipse in 2026.

Watch: A small Australian town was treated to a rare hybrid solar eclipse

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