U.S. Travel Advisories And Where To Find Them

Whether you’re a frequent traveler or the occasional flyer, one service that I recommend signing up for is travel advisories. Travel advisories can help you be best prepared for a delayed or canceled trip. Advisories can also help you decide whether the trip is worth taking.

How To Find A Travel Advisory

One of the first places to look for travel advisories is through the U.S. Department of State’s website, travel.state.gov. Here, you can look up destinations worldwide and see what threat there may be to Americans and when the information was updated. Additionally, there are four travel advisory levels to be aware of:

• Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
• Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
• Level 3: Reconsider Travel
• Level 4: Do Not Travel

Don’t be alarmed if your destination has a travel advisory. Every country worldwide will have a travel advisory, with many on Level 1 or 2.

Resources To Prepare For Your Trip

Travelers may also want to visit travel.state.gov/destination for further information, including requirements for entry/exit, more information on local laws and customs, health information, transportation, and other requirements.

Another website to visit is the enrollment page from the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Here, you’ll be able to create an account and provide specific details of your trip, including arrival and departure dates, to get specific notifications that may be relevant to you. You’ll receive emails with alerts (if any are issued while you are traveling), so you’ll want to use an email that is easy to access.

I’ve used this service and been warned about protests and demonstrations taking place in busy public areas. Notices like these can help you if you need to pass through a busy destination. It can also help prepare you if you are traveling with children.

There are a few other sites you may want to visit that the Department of State recommends. Their page includes advice and links to their social media accounts that you may also want to follow.

Additionally, some travelers may receive alerts from their airline and travel booking sites. This is only relevant if something should arise when traveling or near your travel dates.

Other Travel Advisories

If you want to have additional information or want to keep up with a specific destination, you can also sign up for additional travel advisories. The Canadian Travel Advisory page and the page from the United Kingdom are two other resources that travelers may find helpful, especially if their native language is English. You can sign up for the advisory that best serves you.

Summary

Signing up for travel advisories can give you a jump on any information you may need about your destination abroad. You can learn more about what you’ll need to enter and exit the destination and any other relevant issues that may help. Enrolling in the STEP program can also give you peace of mind.