travel increased anxiety

The Real Reason for Travel Anxiety

10 anxiety hacks to lower your travel stress..

Posted September 19, 2022 | Reviewed by Gary Drevitch

• What Is Anxiety?
• Take our Generalized Anxiety Disorder Test
• Find a therapist to overcome anxiety
• Now more than ever, air travel has become an anxious mindscape.
• Airlines profit from creating customer anxiety.
• There are tactics you can employ to preserve your mental well-being in transit.

The airport is an unruly place. It’s opposite world. People who otherwise rarely move are seen sprinting to Cinnabon. High fashion is Birkenstocks and yoga pants. Happy hour starts at 7:00 am. Stepping over sleeping adults in fetal positions is expected. And all purchases are made within a 400% inflationary market.

The Boarding Process: Humanity Has Left the Building

In few other affairs is your life status so publicly displayed than during the airline boarding process. This is by design. Airlines publicly grade us by airport megaphone. It’s a grandstand to reward or humble customers based on how much money those individuals have we spend with them. The airline credo? “If you want to travel humanely, you’re going to pay.”

All airlines do the same thing: They move people from one place to another via the troposphere. The way in which they begin their process, however, can greatly vary, with the differences most evident during onboarding.

As soon as the gate attendant blows into a hot mic, people leap to their feet into pole position, blocking all pathways to the jetway ready to blitz the ticket scanner. There are notable reasons we act like stressed Billy goats during the boarding process, including the following:

• Mob Mentality. A study found that as few as five people can influence a crowd of 100 to follow suit. 1 At the gate we leave our common sense to follow these Pied Pipers to a closed, retractable belt barrier 12 feet away, where we wait for the next gate announcement.
• Competition . We want to be the first on and the first off the plane. It's why people jockey for the airplane aisle as soon as the seatbelt sign dings off. God forbid if a senior citizen or toddler tries to disembark first. It often becomes every passenger for him/herself, as if airports and planes are vacuums of courtesies.

Impatience . People crowd the gate under the illusion that it will get them to their destination faster. A superior use of time would be to find nearby space and do some birthing squats and jumping jacks to avoid the onset of DVT.

Baggage space . Planes almost always have enough overhead bin space for every passenger. In fact, newer planes have increased bin space. 2 Yet people will still drop their bags on unsuspecting heads.

California-based clinical psychologist Tom McDonagh says, “There has been a measurable uptick in clients who divulge anxiety about travel. Oftentimes clients will express worrisome thoughts about what could go wrong on their flight." These types of cognitive distortions are "future tripping" thoughts. "Get into the habit of seeing anxious thoughts as a symptom, and not reality, to help alleviate your stress," adds McDonagh.

Why Can’t the Airlines Lose My Emotional Baggage?

The airlines employ the art of anxiety seed-planting so you’ll pay a little more to check your bags or opt for earlier boarding. In their defense, airline margins are small and they depend on such fees to remain profitable. In 2021, airlines in the U.S. made an estimated $4.3 billion in baggage fees alone. The scariest thing about flying today are those fees. Which begs the question: "Is that a bag you’re checking, or a griefcase?"

To maximize profits, airlines create the illusion of grossly limited bin space, while continuing to splice boarding groups into ever-thinner stratifications. Consider the many tiers of the boarding processes to understand the psychological game you’ve entered. United boards in six groups, American has nine, and Delta has 10. You board according to your value to the airline.

I ride “basic economy” — the airborne proletariat class. We roll onto the jet bridge like the end credits of a sad movie. Airline personnel avoid making eye contact with us, knowing we barely chipped in for gas. Our shame is palpable. In the future, airlines could operate under any array of boarding and seating procedures, such as including bleachers or removing the seats and tethering each of us to a standing pole. But rest easy, Marco Polo, there are strategies to quell your travel angst.

10 Tactics to Less Stressful, if Not Stress-Free Travel

• Counter the murmuring lies of anxiety . "Some people are struggling intensely with 'contamination anxiety.' They're worried about catching Covid on a plane," McDonagh says. "We try to help these clients by discussing possibility versus probability. When it comes to fear , we often overassume but just because something is possible, does not mean it's probable."
• Practice makes progress . Build up your safe-risk tolerance prior to travel day to develop resiliency for the unfamiliar. Think overnight or weekend daytrip, not Burning Man. The goal is to not make your upcoming trip the first big, new experience since Covid and Zoom.
• Bring a “bug-out” bag . Include all the travel-soothing accoutrements you need for your mental and physical well-being. These might include books, electronics, snacks, medications, that silly neck pillow, and the contact information of those in your support circle.
• Consider avoiding caffeine and alcohol . Both can leave you feeling dehydrated in a desiccating fuselage. Moreover, they can both increase anxiety. Anxiety kicks in with caffeine, booze, and no control over the window shade.

Normalize feeling abnormal . Remind yourself that it is 100% normal to have worries or stress related to travel. While this skill might seem overly simplistic, it’s incredibly powerful. Telling yourself, “It makes sense that I feel this way given the situation,” is often the reassurance your brain needs. Normalize and nama-stay who you are.

Name it to tame it . Labeling emotions is a proven way to reduce their intensity. This process uses your prefrontal cortex, which brings your more reasonable, thoughtful self back online. It can downregulate the anxiety center of the brain that contributes to stress. Do this by asking yourself, “At this moment, how am I feeling given this situation?” Talking to yourself is a sign of higher intelligence — especially when referring to yourself in the third person. 3 But use a sock puppet if you want to make a statement.

Breathing . An effective way to flip from fight-or-flight response to the rest-and-digest state is by doing the physiological sigh. 4 Take a short inhale through your nose, pause for a moment, and then inhale through your nose again. Then slowly exhale through your mouth. It’s a process our bodies do naturally when soothing from an emotional experience. Imagine a young child or politician at the end of a crying fit and you can see the double intake that naturally happens. Take 5-10 physiological sighs as needed.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) . Muscle tension contributes to stress. To reduce muscle tension, intentionally constrict your muscles for 30-60 seconds. This constriction causes the muscle to be less tense after the constriction period. Try to focus on one muscle group at a time while seated, such as your feet/lower legs and work your way up the body. Flying Frankie says relax.

Acceptance . Acceptance does not mean approval. Simply acknowledge things as they are in the moment. Boarding delays, limited leg space, and lavatory lines will likely be part of the experience. Acceptance removes unnecessary suffering. Acceptance challenge accepted!

Don’t fall asleep before the snack cart reaches your row.

If anyone is Christmas shopping for me, I’m a size “window seat.”

University of Leeds. 2008, February 16. Sheep In Human Clothing: Scientists Reveal Our Flock Mentality. ScienceDaily

McCartney, Scott - "Travelers, Welcome to the Revolution in Overhead Bin Size," The Wall Street Journal, October 13, 2021

Kross, E., Bruehlman-Senecal, E., Park, J., Burson, A., Dougherty, A., Shablack, H., Bremner, R., Moser, J., & Ayduk, O. (2014). Self-talk as a regulatory mechanism: How you do it matters. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 106(2), 304–324

Ramirez J. M. (2014). The integrative role of the sigh in psychology, physiology, pathology, and neurobiology. Progress in brain research, 209, 91–129.

Jon Patrick Hatcher, M.A., is the author of 101 Ways to Conquer Teen Anxiety and Anxiety Hacks for an Uncertain World.

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What Is Travel Anxiety, and What Can You Do About It?

Experts say ignoring your stress only makes it worse. here’s what you can do.

Jaimie Seaton,

When returning home from a trip to the Bahamas for my 40th birthday, I found myself on a small prop plane, violently bouncing and bumping through a thunderstorm in pitch darkness. My husband and daughter were at the back of the plane and I was in the front with my toddler son. At a certain point, I became so convinced that the plane was going down that I asked the woman across the aisle to take care of my son if I had a panic attack .

We landed safely, but I’ve had travel anxiety, including fear of flying, ever since. I’ve continued to fly, but instead of sitting by the window and marveling at the experience, I sit on the aisle and pretend I’m not in an airplane. I imagine I’m being magically whisked to my destination. Before takeoff, I listen to a book, and during takeoff, I close my eyes, breathe deeply and focus on my destination .

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I’m not alone. Travel anxiety and fear of flying are common, says Lisa Wilson, a licensed independent clinical social worker and associate at the Center for Travel Anxiety in Washington, D.C. About 25 million adults in the U.S. have a fear of flying, and about 40 million Americans are living with an anxiety disorder, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

Travel anxiety refers to a feeling of worry or fear around traveling. It can happen before you go or while you’re traveling. Some people develop travel anxiety after a specific event; others can’t identify a cause. You may have traveled by car, train or plane for decades without concern and suddenly develop a sense of panic or anxiety , Wilson says. 

When that occurs, she says it’s best to address the anxiety instead of pretending it’s not happening.

Wilson says the symptoms of travel anxiety are distinctive to the person rather than the form of travel. They tend to be the physiological symptoms associated with the fight-or-flight response, “because fundamentally, what we’re talking about in terms of panic or anxiety, we’re talking about the body’s response to a perceived threat,” she says.

These symptoms can include a rapid heart rate, tension in the shoulders or elsewhere in the body, sweating, nausea, a feeling that you can’t breathe, pressure in the head and an irresistible urge to move your limbs. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and travel anxiety overall can stop you from making plans and traveling altogether.

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Address the anxiety

“If you notice that [you] are making decisions based on [your] anxiety, it’s time to get help,” says Wilson. She adds that you don’t have to wait until your travel anxiety is affecting your plans. If you’re starting to feel discomfort about travel, that’s a good time to reach out for help too.

Jonathan Bricker, a University of Washington psychologist who has studied the fear of flying for more than 20 years, says aviophobia is a hodgepodge of different phobias that converge on an airplane. There are people who are afraid of dying in a plane crash, those who are claustrophobic and those who fear having a panic attack and not being able to escape or get help (agoraphobia). He adds that it’s very common for people to have more than one disorder.

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Bricker, who treats people for aviophobia, advises making a flight plan (see sidebar) so you — not the airports or airlines — are in charge of your travel. He also says to face your fears and recommends looking at YouTube videos of people taking ordinary flights (avoid incident or crash videos). “The goal is to open up, be open to the fact that you’re going to have … these physical reactions … and to let them just come and go,” Bricker says.

Wilson advises being attentive to the experience of anxiety and responding quickly before it gets out of control by utilizing supports such as deep breathing, yoga, meditation, and listening to podcasts and books to return to a state of calm. She advises figuring out what methods work best for you and using them during the trip. 

A recent study on stress found that a majority of people age 45 and older ignore and/or downplay their stress. This can make travel and flight anxiety worse, says Wilson, because they’re layering avoidance on top of the stress. So you need to dissolve the avoidance to remove the stress .

“The key is getting effective help to address the concern and get back out there and get to the places and the people [you] love,” Wilson says.

Making a flight plan

Here are tips from Jonathan Bricker, a psychologist who specializes in air travel anxiety, that can help if you have a fear of flying.

1. Identify why you are traveling.  What makes it matter to you? Is it seeing family or friends you care about? Is it traveling with someone who matters to you? Is it seeing places in the world you are curious about?

2. Do  meaningful activities  while you’re traveling.  Rather than just avoid the experience of airports and planes, explore the airport, read an informative book, listen to a podcast or watch an  interesting movie . Do it because you want to, not to distract yourself from your anxiety about flying.

3. Breathe.  Breathe in one full breath. Hold it for three seconds. Release it all the way. Then hold for three seconds. Repeat this cycle three times.

4. Repeat one word.  Before you leave for the airport, take the scary thought (e.g., “crash”) and repeat the word aloud for 90 seconds. Repeat three times. Notice how the word loses its power and meaning over time. 

5. Don’t drink.  The anxiety will rebound after the  alcohol  wears off.

6. Try talking to an exposure therapist.  Do this at least two months before your flight to gradually confront your fears.

7. Try virtual reality.  Work with a therapist who provides virtual reality therapy for fear of flying.

8. Consider medication.  If you must use medication, use only a fast-acting anxiety drug at a low dose, once, and only under your physician’s prescription. This is not a long-term solution, just a way to get you on the plane and on your way.

Jaimie Seaton has lived in and reported from South Africa, the Netherlands, Singapore and Thailand. She’s written on travel for Skift, The Independent and CNN.

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What Does Travel Anxiety Look Like In 2021?

As we roll into the new year still battling the same pandemic-induced dilemmas that troubled us in 2020, it seems that stress and anxiety are here to stay for a while. Just leaving the house for basic necessities requires an extended mental checklist with face masks and hand sanitizer top of mind. But for those who go much farther than the front door, traveling now demands more preparation than ever before—and it’s all done with the threat of COVID-19 looming in the air.

Anxiety, however, is nothing new for Americans. Andrew Rosen, a clinical psychologist and the founder of the Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders , told us last year that about 40 million Americans are diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Even more people—about 25 percent of the population—are specifically anxious about travel. And those are pre-pandemic numbers.

In today’s world of lockdowns, record unemployment, and social distancing, it’s safe to say those statistics are probably higher now. From working the frontlines at higher rates to insidious gender roles giving them even more responsibilities at home, women are taking the brunt of the pandemic's impact . And with statistics showing that women travel more than men ( especially solo ), the stress of traveling in times of COVID may fall on their shoulders as well, even for women who previously didn’t struggle with travel anxiety .

“Travel involves being willing to expose yourself to new situations and to be able to tolerate some uncertainty because you don’t know exactly how it’s going to go,” says Bethany Teachman, a psychology professor and director of clinical training at the University of Virginia.

According to Teachman, travel-related anxiety usually fits into one of three categories: the mode of transportation (ie. flying, sailing); the destination itself and challenges like language barriers; or the idea that something is being missed or mismanaged at home.

“What they share in common is discomfort with the unknown, that intolerance of uncertainty,” says Teachman, who’s a member of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America .

She also notes that travel-related anxiety can change within different historical contexts. After September 11, there was increased fear and anxiety surrounding plane hijackings. Nowadays, it’s the breath—or worse, the cough—of our fellow travelers that has people on edge.

“The days leading up to my trip were awful,” says Cassandre Dunbar, a doctor, professor and wellness content creator who went to a Mexican destination wedding in November. “Although we were looking forward to this wedding for over a year, we anxiously and hesitantly went out of love and support for our relative.”

Dunbar has never enjoyed flying because of the turbulence, but this time it was COVID that consumed her mind. Throughout the trip, she nervously imagined the different scenarios in which she could possibly get infected.

“COVID is like this invisible monster who is most ferocious when you leave your bubble,” she says, adding that she has no future travels planned at this point. “Reports of the new, ‘more contagious’ [strain] of COVID has made me apprehensive to even begin planning anything.”

For Portland resident Kay Kingsman, the CDC’s guidelines for social distancing and avoiding large gatherings were part of her life even before the pandemic began.

“My travel anxiety stems from aversion to people and large crowds,” Kingsman says. “In my everyday life, I avoid talking to strangers if at all possible, which has been a situation I’ve dealt with since I was a child. That has always been part of my experience as a traveler.”

Even in the outdoors, unexpected crowds—and varying comfort levels—can be incredibly stressful. 

Normally an avid explorer, traveling more than seven times per year, Kingsman, like many Americans, opted for a road trip last summer. Before departing, Kingsman isolated herself, got tested, and stocked up on supplies so she wouldn’t have to stop before reaching her destination. She was planning for a safe, socially distanced getaway in the outdoors , “but nothing could have prepared me for the large crowds of people who had the exact same idea as me, but [were] a lot more careless.”

On her trip to Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, Kingsman often found herself surrounded by masses of people who didn’t respect social distancing guidelines or wear face coverings. On more than one occasion she was even berated by others for wearing a mask .

Teachman says differing attitudes towards dealing with the pandemic is also a major driving factor for the anxiety people feel with traveling. In our own environments, we can control our risk factors, but in new places and situations we don’t know what choices others have been making and how that can affect us.

For Kingsman, it was ultimately enough for her to cancel her other upcoming road trips.

“With so many people incorrectly equating public health measures as a political stance during a surge of protests calling out racial inequality in America, I was deeply concerned for my safety as a Black woman,” Kingsman says. “Crowds while traveling have so many different layers of anxiety for me now.”

Beyond the risk of exposure causing increased anxiety for travelers, there are also those more concerned about their actions potentially impacting others, whether at home or in their destination.

“I’ve always been fearful of making the wrong decisions, but COVID has only heightened the level of anxiety these decisions carry because I’m not only choosing them based on price and desire but also safety,” says Dana “dCarrie” Armstead who describes her travel anxiety as manifesting in self doubt. This sentiment coupled with confusing travel regulations at her job in New York’s court system is what keeps Armstead from venturing out, despite also working as a travel podcaster .

“I am indeed my brother’s keeper and although I don’t like or enjoy it, I will sacrifice a personal want for the need of another—pandemic or not,” she says. “It would devastate me knowing that my travels may have been the reason for a coworker or member of the public getting sick.”

And while most people can easily avoid traveling, Karen M. Ricks had no choice. As the nomadic head chef of Our Kitchen Classroom , Ricks and her family have been on the road full time for nearly four years, meaning they had no home base to hunker down in when the pandemic hit. Under normal circumstances, the family would hop on planes, trains, and buses at least once a month to go exploring, but the pandemic caught them in the Balkans. Now they oscillate between North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Albania, moving only when necessary to maintain their legal status as tourists.

Pre-COVID, Ricks would have described herself as a “fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type of traveler,” but with lockdowns, closing borders, and constantly changing travel requirements , she has had to change her ways.

“Out of necessity, I became an almost obsessively detail-oriented over-planner, triple and quadruple checking every bit of minutia before cross-checking again with my husband," she says. "It was kind of exhausting.” Now, Ricks uses breathing and meditation techniques from her yoga practice to deal with the newfound anxiety she feels.

According to Teachman, other factors causing travel-related anxiety this year also include a fear of judgment from friends and family, as well as financial hardships or guilt for spending on travel during such uncertain times.

As vaccine distribution is underway in several countries around the world, however, Ricks feels cautiously optimistic.

“The vaccine rollout seems to provide the proverbial ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ for the global travel restrictions we experienced in 2020,” she says. “However, I'm not exactly holding my breath for the end of all the added complications, nor am I expecting 2021 to see a swift ‘return to normal,’ either.”

While some people may be itching to get vaccinated as a green light to travel, Lola Méndez , a freelance writer based in Uruguay , has a higher standard.

“I will be comfortable traveling once a vaccine has been widely distributed globally,” she says, adding that she’ll travel “like normal” again, “in an ideal scenario, when I know that my choice to travel isn’t likely to result in someone dying of a virus I brought to the destination.”

As much as we’d all love to flip a switch and make COVID-19 disappear, Teachman says it’s more likely that we’ll be dealing with the risks and fear of this virus on a spectrum, and she suspects that people will feel COVID-related travel anxiety for a long time.

Teachman recommends finding science-driven, evidence-based sources of information to help guide your choices by first making reasonable evaluations of risk factors. When it comes to specific travel plans, Teachman suggests avoiding an “all or nothing” approach, and instead looking for ways to enjoy parts of your original plan so that you’re striving to minimize risk, even if you can’t fully eliminate it. If you must cancel plans, think of it as a postponement as opposed to a forever cancellation.

And if the stress of the pandemic feels overwhelming, Teachman says it’s important to seek help even if you don’t meet the formal criteria for an anxiety disorder diagnosis. She points to the COVID Coach app created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as an excellent, free resource for anyone.

Above all, Teachman says we must have compassion with others and ourselves during these trying times.

“Recognize that people are balancing risks to their physical health as well as risks to their mental and emotional health,” she says. “These are not easy decisions to make for anyone. Try to have some compassion as we figure this all out.”

Eventually, we’ll be able to venture out into the world again fully and freely, and when we do, that compassion is something we should carry with us—both at home and abroad.

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Tips For Traveling With Panic Disorder and Anxiety

Travel can trigger panic and anxiety symptoms

If you have panic disorder , panic attacks and anxiety-related symptoms might keep you from traveling. Being in new and strange places, away from the safety of your home, can make you feel insecure. You may also be afraid of others witnessing your fear and nervousness. Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to manage your symptoms while traveling so you can enjoy your trip.

Tips for Managing Travel Anxiety

Try any of these tips or combine several of them to make your next trip more manageable.

Be Prepared

When making your travel plans, also put some effort into planning and preparing how you're going to deal with your symptoms. The anticipation of uneasy travel will often bring on more stress and anxiety about your upcoming trip. Be ready to face your panic attacks by having a plan of coping skills ready beforehand.

For example, deep breathing techniques , visualization , or meditation may be all you need to counter your fears. There is even some research that suggests playing a difficult game of chess on your cell phone may be an effective way to successfully treat panic attacks.  

Practice these relaxation techniques and self-help strategies in the weeks before you travel. Regular practice is key to learning to sit with uncomfortable thoughts. As a result, you may find your symptoms stay under control on your next trip.

Use Distractions

When traveling, it's not uncommon to focus more on your symptoms. One way to manage them is to put your focus elsewhere. Instead of concentrating on the sensations in your body, try to bring your attention to other activities. For example, you can bring along a good book, favorite magazines, or enjoyable games.

Turn your negative thoughts around by diverting your attention to happier thoughts or visualize yourself in a serene scene. Use affirmations to center on more calming thoughts, such as repeating to yourself “I am safe” or “These feelings will pass.” You can also bring awareness to your breath. Focusing on your breath can have a calming effect.

Calming Breath Exercise

Start by breathing slowly and purposefully. You can become even more focused by counting each of your breaths, counting on each refreshing inhalation and again on each deep exhalation. Once your breath has steadied, you can also relax your body.

Intense feelings of panic and anxiety can bring tension and tightness throughout your body. To relieve these sensations, try doing some stretches, moving through a few yoga postures, or practicing progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) .

It can also be beneficial to focus on what you're looking forward to on your trip. Have an itinerary that will include activities you enjoy. If you’re traveling for business, see if you can schedule some time to check out a new restaurant, get a massage , or fit some exercise in at the hotel or outdoors. By concentrating on fun activities, your excitement for your trip may take over your worry.

Accept Your Symptoms

If your symptoms become too overwhelming to distract yourself from, try to simply allow them to run their course. Panic attacks often heighten within a few minutes and then gradually taper off.

If you resist your panic attacks, you may actually experience increased anxiety and panic-related fears, such as feeling that you're having a medical emergency, losing control of yourself, or going insane.

If you have panic and anxiety while traveling, try to surrender to your symptoms, reminding yourself that they will soon pass. Consistently conceding to your symptoms may reduce your fears around them and strengthen your sense of control.

Go With a Buddy

Many people with panic disorder have one or more loved ones with whom they feel comfortable and safe. If possible, try to enlist a trusted friend or family member to travel with you.

Make sure that your companion is aware of your fears and anxiety. Your loved one may be able to assist you in coping with your symptoms and boost your sense of security while traveling. For some, just having that person there is all that is needed to have a much more relaxing trip.

Consult Your Doctor

Discuss your travel concerns with your doctor or healthcare provider. It's possible you're experiencing other underlying issues or conditions, such as agoraphobia or a fear of flying ( aerophobia ). Your doctor will be able to determine if a co-occurring condition is contributing to your travel anxiety.

Your health provider may also recommend medication to treat your symptoms. Benzodiazepines are a type of anti-anxiety medication that can quickly reduce panic symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe a benzodiazepine, such as Xanax (alprazolam), Ativan (lorazepam), or Klonopin (clonazepam), to ease the intensity of your panic attacks.

A Word From Verywell

Living with panic disorder can be challenging, but your diagnosis shouldn't hold you back from having a fulfilling life. Follow these easy tips to help you manage your symptoms on your next trip. With practice and preparation, you may be able to travel without taking your panic and anxiety with you.

If you or a loved one are struggling with panic disorder, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area. 

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database .

Barzegar K, Barzegar S. Chess therapy: A new approach to curing panic attack. Asian J Psychiatr. 2017;30:118-119. doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2017.08.019

National Institute of Mental Health. When Fear Overwhelms .

National Institute of Mental Health. Mental Health Medications .

By Katharina Star, PhD Katharina Star, PhD, is an expert on anxiety and panic disorder. Dr. Star is a professional counselor, and she is trained in creative art therapies and mindfulness. 

• Anxiety Guide
• Help & Advice

Travel Anxiety: Causes and Cures

Fact checked.

Micah Abraham, BSc

Last updated October 10, 2020

Many people dream of travel. But travel anxiety is also very common. Some people experience a significant amount of anxiety when they travel. Those with persistent generalized anxiety and panic attacks are also prone to travel anxiety simply because travel represents change and distance from comfort. Some people fear travel but are not completely aware of this fear because they avoid booking their ticket or come up with other excuses in order to not leave their homes.

Whatever the case, travel anxiety makes it much harder to travel, whether for work or pleasure. This article explores the concept of travel anxiety, providing tips and information regarding what you can do to reduce your fear.

Causes of Travel Anxiety

Travel anxiety is unlikely to have any single specific cause. Many people have travel anxiety their entire lives. Others may develop the anxiety either because of past experiences relating to travel which were anxiety provoking; and some seem to have travel anxiety for no apparent reason at all. Here are some examples of experiences that can lead to travel anxiety:

• Fear of Flying Probably the most common issue seen in those with travel anxiety is a fear of flying. This is a fairly common phobia that’s linked to various factors: the lack of control, the changes in air pressure, the general discomfort, and the turbulence. These can all contribute to a fear of flying, especially as you age1. Since travel often involves flight, it's not uncommon for these fears to interact with your ability to control your anxiety.
• Horror Stories Some people are influenced by the "worst case scenario" stories they hear on the news. You may not even realize you're influenced, but when you access news articles about kidnappings, injuries, and other accidents, it's easy to subconsciously associate travel with tragedy.
• Home Comfort Some people also develop a fear of being far from home, because their home is their source of comfort. It's very common in those with anxiety disorders involving panic attacks or agoraphobia, for example, because their home becomes associated with being safe. The idea of leaving their home for an extended period of time then becomes very stressful.
• Post Trip Worries You may not have travel anxiety before the trip, but you may find that you develop it during your trip. This type of anxiety can be due to any number of issues, including the stress of planning and organizing details upon your arrival, the possible discomfort of being in a new environment, the looming threat of jetlag and perhaps simple worries about not knowing where your nearest supermarket or pharmacy might be.

But this is just a simplified list. You may not even know the exact reasons why your travel anxiety developed. It is possible - and important - to understand what your specific worries are (we'll get to that in a moment), but it isn't always possible to know why you have those worries. Travel anxiety affects many people and it can have a disruptive influence on your life.

How to Overcome Travel Anxiety

Of course, knowing about the causes is only the first step. Ideally, you'll also want to learn how to overcome your travel anxiety. Consider the following tips and strategies to reduce your travel anxiety:

• Don't Avoid It If you want to travel or you have to travel, don't avoid buying the ticket and don't push back the date of the vacation. The act of avoiding something fearful actually increases future fear, because by pushing it back you've created what's known as "negative reinforcement." This means that it becomes more and more likely that you’ll deal with travel anxiety in future by simply avoiding the travel date. This also serves to strengthen the anxiety. If you really want to overcome your travel anxiety, you need to put yourself out there and not let yourself fall into the avoidance trap.
• Figure Out Your Fears While you may not be able to figure out the underlying cause of your fears, it’s a lot easier to identify what your fears are. Are you afraid of flying? Afraid of being away from home? Afraid of the stress of planning a vacation? Notice when you're feeling travel anxiety and write down the thought that's going through your mind at that point in time. Knowing your fears will give you an opportunity to evaluate them.
• Prepare in Advance Start your trip anxious, and you’re setting yourself up for a difficult journey. Do your best to pack, plan your mail, arrange for a friend to look after your home, etc., as far in advance as possible. That way, the time before your departure will not be quite as hectic. Have your entire tripped planned as best as you can too so that you're never worried about what you're doing once you arrive.
• Have Someone to Call at Home You may also want to consider having someone that you can call if you experience anxiety - like a friend or family member. Ask someone you know that will be around. Tell them you have travel anxiety and you want to know that they'd be available if you needed to call someone. Knowing that person is there can often be enough to lower your anxiety levels.
• Take Vacation Breaks If you find that your anxiety while on your trip is acting up, take a short break from your vacation. This might mean, for example, going for a massage and staying home to watch Netflix rather than going sightseeing. Don't try to relax and ride it out if you start to get anxious. Anxiety is the type of condition that is nearly impossible to "fight" because fighting it increases stress, which ultimately creates more anxiety.
• Plan an Empty First Vacation If you have a fear of traveling in general, make your first vacation something where the entire goal is to do nothing but get used to the idea of traveling. For example, catch a plane to a location near a beach, and spend each and every day just sitting on the beach relaxing. Alternatively, plan a vacation where you spend as much (or more) time relaxing as compared to sight-seeing and actively engaging. This can help you get used to the act of being on a vacation without the pressures that come from some of these trips.

Beyond these travel anxiety ideas, you'll also want to focus on reducing your overall anxiety. Anxiety is a cumulative disorder. When you experience anxiety in one area of your life, it can cause more anxiety in other areas of your life. If you have anxiety on a daily basis, reducing that anxiety will provide you with a powerful advantage when it comes to managing your anxiety on the whole.

Questions? Comments?

Do you have a specific question that this article didn’t answered? Send us a message and we’ll answer it for you!

Where can I go to learn more about Jacobson’s relaxation technique and other similar methods? – Anonymous patient

You can ask your doctor for a referral to a psychologist or other mental health professional who uses relaxation techniques to help patients. Not all psychologists or other mental health professionals are knowledgeable about these techniques, though. Therapists often add their own “twist” to the technqiues. Training varies by the type of technique that they use. Some people also buy CDs and DVDs on progressive muscle relaxation and allow the audio to guide them through the process. – Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CRNP

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Having Travel Anxiety in a Post-Coronavirus World? It’s Normal.

Tips to alleviate travel anxiety during and after the pandemic.

For some, travel has been a top priority despite a global pandemic. For others, a sense of fear is instilled when the topic of traveling is brought up. However, life must continue with or without a sense of anxiety caused by COVID-19. With vaccines becoming increasingly available, mask mandates being lifted, and a general sense of optimism in the air, the positives outweigh the negatives.

Acenda therapists Manny Perry, MSW, LSW and Jessica Grossi, LPC share how you can reduce or calm travel anxiety post-pandemic.

How can I reduce/calm travel anxiety after Covid-19? How can I best prepare for my first trip post-pandemic?

"As a mental health professional I often see clients with severe anxiety, OCD, and other anxiety disorders. However, taking extra precautions for your health when traveling doesn't necessarily mean you have problematic anxiety. You should do what feels safest to you when it comes to traveling and taking precautions. Wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer as needed, and other hygienic practices doesn't necessarily mean you have an anxiety problem. In countries with densely populated cities, wearing masks has been commonplace for many years. Caring about your physical health is important for your mental health," Manny Perry, MSW, LSW explains.

How can I mentally prepare to be on an airplane again?

Being at an airport doesn't scream 'anxiety-friendly' to begin with. Being at an airport with a pandemic not too far behind us could heighten any anxious thoughts one might have.

"Practicing mindfulness can be a great way of mentally preparing oneself. Mindfulness is acknowledging thoughts and feeling when they arise and without judging them (or ourselves!). Simply being aware of anxiety and thoughts associated with them, can help you take back control of your mind," says Perry.

Perry explains, "There are many formal ways mindfulness can be practiced, here are just a few:

• Counting breaths
• Imagine that your thoughts are clouds in the sky, notice as the thoughts as they pass by, label what type of thought it is ("What if" thoughts? Catastrophic thinking? Worry?), describe the thoughts without judging them as good or bad, and notice as they slip out of sight. If you see the thoughts come in again that's okay too.
• Pick an object in your environment and describe it using your senses. What does the object look like? Describe its shape and color as much as you can. Does it have any particular scents or odors? What does it feel like in your hand or to the touch?"

What do I do if I feel overwhelmed in a crowd (airport, train, etc.) after Covid-19?

"Create a self-care tool kit to reduce anxiety by creating a list of different activities you can engage in while being out in a public setting. Some examples of what you can include in your toolkit are listening to a guided meditation, sipping on herbal tea, aromatherapy for stress, carry a worry stone or soft blanket for soothing touch, and a book of mindfulness skills. Practice using the contents of your tool kit before traveling so you are familiar with them. Another tip would be to recognize your body's individual warning signs for anxiety and take a moment to reduce stress whenever you notice your anxiety increasing," says Jessica Grossi, LPC.

How can I best prepare for my first trip post-pandemic?

"Take some time to think about your own comfort levels and what you are ready to reengage in. If you were never comfortable with flying, then a road trip may be a better first trip post-pandemic. Understanding your own comfort levels will help you decide what type of trip is best to plan. Once you have decided where you want to go, take some time to research what changes may have been made and what new safety measures are in place. Make sure you know what documentation you may need to bring to your destination. Think about ways you can feel in control of your environment while traveling," explains Grossi.

Read more on  helpful tips for adjusting after quarantine  and learn some  new coping skills to handle changes. If you or a loved one are experiencing travel anxiety about life after quarantine, clinicians in our Counseling & Wellness Centers  are here to help.

Call our main number at  844-4-ACENDA (844-422-3632 X9500)  for more information or to schedule an appointment.

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• Anxiety disorders

Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks).

These feelings of anxiety and panic interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control, are out of proportion to the actual danger and can last a long time. You may avoid places or situations to prevent these feelings. Symptoms may start during childhood or the teen years and continue into adulthood.

Examples of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), specific phobias and separation anxiety disorder. You can have more than one anxiety disorder. Sometimes anxiety results from a medical condition that needs treatment.

Whatever form of anxiety you have, treatment can help.

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Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:

• Feeling nervous, restless or tense
• Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
• Having an increased heart rate
• Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
• Feeling weak or tired
• Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
• Having trouble sleeping
• Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
• Having difficulty controlling worry
• Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

Several types of anxiety disorders exist:

• Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and often avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed.
• Anxiety disorder due to a medical condition includes symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are directly caused by a physical health problem.
• Generalized anxiety disorder includes persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about activities or events — even ordinary, routine issues. The worry is out of proportion to the actual circumstance, is difficult to control and affects how you feel physically. It often occurs along with other anxiety disorders or depression.
• Panic disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). You may have feelings of impending doom, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a rapid, fluttering or pounding heart (heart palpitations). These panic attacks may lead to worrying about them happening again or avoiding situations in which they've occurred.
• Selective mutism is a consistent failure of children to speak in certain situations, such as school, even when they can speak in other situations, such as at home with close family members. This can interfere with school, work and social functioning.
• Separation anxiety disorder is a childhood disorder characterized by anxiety that's excessive for the child's developmental level and related to separation from parents or others who have parental roles.
• Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) involves high levels of anxiety, fear and avoidance of social situations due to feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness and concern about being judged or viewed negatively by others.
• Specific phobias are characterized by major anxiety when you're exposed to a specific object or situation and a desire to avoid it. Phobias provoke panic attacks in some people.
• Substance-induced anxiety disorder is characterized by symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are a direct result of misusing drugs, taking medications, being exposed to a toxic substance or withdrawal from drugs.
• Other specified anxiety disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder are terms for anxiety or phobias that don't meet the exact criteria for any other anxiety disorders but are significant enough to be distressing and disruptive.

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if:

• You feel like you're worrying too much and it's interfering with your work, relationships or other parts of your life
• Your fear, worry or anxiety is upsetting to you and difficult to control
• You feel depressed, have trouble with alcohol or drug use, or have other mental health concerns along with anxiety
• You think your anxiety could be linked to a physical health problem
• You have suicidal thoughts or behaviors — if this is the case, seek emergency treatment immediately

Your worries may not go away on their own, and they may get worse over time if you don't seek help. See your doctor or a mental health provider before your anxiety gets worse. It's easier to treat if you get help early.

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The causes of anxiety disorders aren't fully understood. Life experiences such as traumatic events appear to trigger anxiety disorders in people who are already prone to anxiety. Inherited traits also can be a factor.

Medical causes

For some people, anxiety may be linked to an underlying health issue. In some cases, anxiety signs and symptoms are the first indicators of a medical illness. If your doctor suspects your anxiety may have a medical cause, he or she may order tests to look for signs of a problem.

Examples of medical problems that can be linked to anxiety include:

• Heart disease
• Thyroid problems, such as hyperthyroidism
• Respiratory disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma
• Drug misuse or withdrawal
• Withdrawal from alcohol, anti-anxiety medications (benzodiazepines) or other medications
• Chronic pain or irritable bowel syndrome
• Rare tumors that produce certain fight-or-flight hormones

Sometimes anxiety can be a side effect of certain medications.

It's possible that your anxiety may be due to an underlying medical condition if:

• You don't have any blood relatives (such as a parent or sibling) with an anxiety disorder
• You didn't have an anxiety disorder as a child
• You don't avoid certain things or situations because of anxiety
• You have a sudden occurrence of anxiety that seems unrelated to life events and you didn't have a previous history of anxiety

Risk factors

These factors may increase your risk of developing an anxiety disorder:

• Trauma. Children who endured abuse or trauma or witnessed traumatic events are at higher risk of developing an anxiety disorder at some point in life. Adults who experience a traumatic event also can develop anxiety disorders.
• Stress due to an illness. Having a health condition or serious illness can cause significant worry about issues such as your treatment and your future.
• Stress buildup. A big event or a buildup of smaller stressful life situations may trigger excessive anxiety — for example, a death in the family, work stress or ongoing worry about finances.
• Personality. People with certain personality types are more prone to anxiety disorders than others are.
• Other mental health disorders. People with other mental health disorders, such as depression, often also have an anxiety disorder.
• Having blood relatives with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can run in families.
• Drugs or alcohol. Drug or alcohol use or misuse or withdrawal can cause or worsen anxiety.

Complications

Having an anxiety disorder does more than make you worry. It can also lead to, or worsen, other mental and physical conditions, such as:

• Depression (which often occurs with an anxiety disorder) or other mental health disorders
• Substance misuse
• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Digestive or bowel problems
• Headaches and chronic pain
• Social isolation
• Problems functioning at school or work
• Poor quality of life

There's no way to predict for certain what will cause someone to develop an anxiety disorder, but you can take steps to reduce the impact of symptoms if you're anxious:

• Get help early. Anxiety, like many other mental health conditions, can be harder to treat if you wait.
• Stay active. Participate in activities that you enjoy and that make you feel good about yourself. Enjoy social interaction and caring relationships, which can lessen your worries.
• Avoid alcohol or drug use. Alcohol and drug use can cause or worsen anxiety. If you're addicted to any of these substances, quitting can make you anxious. If you can't quit on your own, see your doctor or find a support group to help you.

Anxiety disorders care at Mayo Clinic

• Anxiety disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2013. http://dsm.psychiatryonline.org. Accessed Feb. 26, 2018.
• Anxiety disorders. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml. Accessed Feb. 26, 2018.
• Brown A. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 5, 2018.
• Anxiety disorders. National Alliance on Mental Illness. https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Anxiety-Disorders/Overview. Accessed Feb. 25, 2018.
• Help with anxiety disorders. American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders. Accessed Feb. 28, 2018.
• Reinhold JA, et al. Pharmacological treatment for generalized anxiety disorder in adults: An update. Expert Opinion in Pharmacotherapy. 2015;16:1669.
• Bandelow B, et al. Efficacy of treatments for anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis. International Clinical Psychopharmacology. 2015;30:183.
• Find support. National Alliance on Mental Illness. https://www.nami.org/Find-Support. Accessed Feb. 26, 2018.
• Bazzan AJ, et al. Current evidence regarding the management of mood and anxiety disorders using complementary and alternative medicine. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. 2014;14:411.
• Natural medicines in the clinical management of anxiety. Natural Medicines. https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com. Accessed Feb. 26, 2018.
• Sarris J, et al. Plant-based medicines for anxiety disorders, Part 2: A review of clinical studies with supporting preclinical evidence. CNS Drugs. 2013;27:301.
• Bystritsky A. Complementary and alternative treatments for anxiety symptoms and disorders: Herbs and medications. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Feb. 26, 2018.
• Bystritsky A. Pharmacotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder in adults. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Feb. 26, 2018.
• Sawchuk CN (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 21, 2018.

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Anxious about post-vaccine travels? You’re not alone, according to mental health pros.

"Because people are out of practice, anxiety is slowly starting to rear its ugly head again.”

For travelers with anxiety and panic disorders, vacations did not always feel like getaways, even before covid-19. A century ago, Sigmund Freud described these feelings as “reiseangst,” from the German for “travel fear.” Travel anxiety has since become a catchall for symptoms and fears that, left unchecked, might spoil an otherwise relaxing trip.

“If it’s fear of riding on an airplane, for instance, it doesn’t take too much to stir that up in certain people,” explains Lily Brown, the director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. Once, Brown had a patient who would get nauseous whenever they got a whiff of the airplane’s “cabin smell.”

In most travel contexts, the pandemic has exacerbated our anxieties. And it’s no longer only fears of contracting the virus. For a significant share of the traveling public, the thought of getting back out into the world weighs heavily on their minds even after inoculation.

As the U.S. vaccination campaign continues, there is now a term for these concerns: Mental health professionals say “reentry anxiety” is on the rise. According to a recent study by the American Psychological Association, nearly half of adults are anxious about returning to in-person activities , with little variation between unvaccinated and vaccinated respondents’ worries.

“Some people who might have had anxiety about social situations or travel earlier in their life pushed themselves to overcome those fears, basically, by putting themselves in anxiety-provoking situations and learning about their ability to tolerate it,” Brown says. “But there’s this phenomenon in experimental psychology called ‘spontaneous recovery.’ In other words, because people are out of practice, anxiety is slowly starting to rear its ugly head again.”

Thankfully, there are proven ways to move forward as travel continues its return over the next year. We asked several leading mental health and travel experts to share their guidance for dealing with anxiety as some prepare to take their first post-vaccine trips.

The pandemic forced sweeping changes in travel. Experts argue these should stay.

Before you book, consider exposure therapy

“The single most important criterion determining how comfortable we are with something is how often we do it,” says Martin Seif, a licensed psychologist and a founder of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). The past year has certainly kept a historic number of travelers grounded.

“The effort you use in pushing anxiety away goes right into making that anxiety stronger,” says Seif, who is one of the foremost specialists on overcoming the fear of flying. “The active ingredient for overcoming anxiety is exposure. It has to be done the right way.”

Psychologists call this “ exposure therapy ,” an evidence-based treatment that is proven to be highly effective in treating problems including anxiety, stress and panic disorders. There’s a wide range of exposure therapy methods, which psychologists tailor to a patient’s situation. For example, therapists might use imagined scenarios or virtual reality (VR) flight simulations. In other cases, treatments might prioritize real-life experiences.

If you have acute anxieties around travel, search for a therapist specifically trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, Brown recommends. “This is the kind of therapy that I exclusively practice because it has the strongest evidence base for anxiety,” she says. Tools such as ADAA’s Find a Therapist Directory as well as APA’s Psychologist Locator help you make virtual telehealth appointments with relevant specialists.

Ease back in by practicing close to home

Even if you are not seeking professional care right now, the general principles behind exposure therapy can help many travelers ease back into traveling. “The idea here is to identify what the core fear is,” Brown says, “and then push yourself to practice — slowly approaching that fear at a gradual pace.”

The key is to “start off slowly,” says ADAA board member Ken Goodman, who has produced several at-home anxiety courses . He suggests practicing in your home area first to help with the transition. “Do some of the activities in your local environment that you might do on a trip,” he says.

Take, for example, restaurants. If eating out remains a source of stress, “go to restaurants in your hometown that you’re already familiar with.” The same is true for many anxiety-inducing activities you would do in another place: You can more confidently ease back into it if you first venture out in a familiar setting.

More than a year into the pandemic, we’re still figuring out what risks we’re willing to take

Consider a ‘trial run’ trip before a bigger trip

Even in the best of times, air travel induces anxiety in many people. Recently vaccinated travelers might consider an easier trial run to get some practice before booking extensive trips, Goodman says. “Pick a destination that would be either a familiar one — a place that you’ve been to before — or a place that’s not too far from home.”

Expect that anxiety will invariably creep up on your first few trips, says Ebony Thyme, a traveling nurse practitioner who runs @frontpage_eb , an Instagram account focused on solo traveling.

“In the beginning, I struggled with anxiety around traveling during a pandemic,” she writes in an email. Thyme spent a large part of the pandemic helping out at understaffed hospitals, where she struggled with anxiety on a day-to-day basis in her work. “Eventually I said to myself, I would take the same precautions I would with travel as if I were working among covid patients,” she says.

When it comes to airports and airplanes, this is how she suggests approaching reentry anxiety: Accept that you’ll feel anxious, book shorter and direct flights whenever possible, and keep following the same techniques you practice at home. For your first run, you might also try booking seats with more space. “I believe this would ease a lot of those who have anxiety and are just getting back out there,” she says.

Keep ‘what ifs’ at bay by focusing on the present

Even for vaccinated travelers, anxiety around cleanliness in hotels and vacation rentals may linger when the actual risk is minimal. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides guidance on accommodations , many such anxieties are less about the facts and more about anticipating scenarios where everything goes wrong. Similarly, those with social anxiety and discomfort in public places may find it unsettling to stay in lodging properties with busy lobbies and hundreds of guest rooms.

In cases like these, Seif suggests first spending a few nights where you’re most comfortable. “Renting an Airbnb in a gated community with a restricted pool is less dense than staying at a hotel nearby with a public pool and many public spaces,” he says as an example. “That reduces the social anxiety as well as the covid-related fears.”

But he stresses that we should not allow ourselves to get stuck in the rut of avoiding certain experiences because of “what if” catastrophic thoughts. Or, for that matter, overpreparing for your trip and overthinking every minor detail. “Anticipatory anxiety is a powerful force. And when we don’t do things, anticipatory anxiety just begins to take over.” Part of the solution is continually refocusing your thoughts on the present.

How we can overcome our covid conditioning and start traveling again

Self-conscious in public? Slowly practice the opposite

The paradox of travel anxieties is that they may have little to do with the actual act of traveling. In the past year, depression has surged and addictions have increased . Consequently, many people are struggling with their self-image, worsened by pandemic-driven fatphobia and the body shaming of pandemic diet culture .

“People are really self-conscious now,” Brown says. It’s no wonder some travelers might want to avoid crowded beaches or busy tourist sites. But that’s when we may need to look inward for the solutions. “It’s important to notice how the anxiety makes you want to change your behavior. Practice doing the opposite of what the anxiety tells you,” she says.

“So if this anxiety or shame is telling you to hide or to avoid people, practice slowly doing the opposite of that. The negative emotion will correct itself. But you do need to give yourself enough time to practice.”

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Dominican Republic Travel Advisory

Travel advisory june 18, 2024, dominican republic - level 2: exercise increased caution.

Reissued after periodic review without changes.

Exercise increased caution in the Dominican Republic due to crime.

Country Summary:  Violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide, and sexual assault, is a concern throughout the Dominican Republic. The development of a professional tourist police corps, institution of a 911 system in many parts of the country, and a concentration of resources in resort areas means these tend to be better policed than urban areas like Santo Domingo. The wide availability of weapons, the use and trade of illicit drugs, and a weak criminal justice system contribute to the high level of criminality on the broader scale.

Read the country information page for additional information on travel to the Dominican Republic.

If you decide to travel to the Dominican Republic:

• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
• Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.
• Follow the advice of resort and tour operators regarding local safety and security concerns.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter .
• Review the Country Security Report for the Dominican Republic.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations.  Review the Traveler’s Checklist .
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.

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