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Is it safe to travel in 2026?
It’s a fair question. Travel still can be very safe, but it feels less predictable than it used to. Scams and petty theft are still part of the picture. More travellers are also factoring in bigger issues now, like civil unrest, regional conflicts, and sudden changes that can disrupt transport or limit access to certain areas.
A lot of people are thinking about this right now. In Global Rescue’s Winter 2026 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey, 38% of travellers said travel danger in 2026 will be unpredictable. Another 36% said it will be more dangerous than before 2020. Only 1% believe it will be less dangerous, while 21% feel it will be about the same.
We’ve travelled a lot over the years, and I’m a practical planner by nature. My background in forensic accounting probably has something to do with that. I’d rather take a few smart steps upfront, then relax and enjoy the trip.
One quick note: I’m not an expert in geopolitics or public health. For the big-picture issues, I use official travel advice as the baseline. What I can do is help you focus on the risks that most often affect travellers, and the simple habits we use to reduce them.
In this post, I’ll cover the modern travel risks that matter most in 2026. I’ll also share travel safety tips that we use to make a difference, especially if you’re at the stage where you want the adventure, not the drama. And I’ll link to deeper guides on scams, public Wi-Fi, and VPNs if you want the step-by-step detail.
Want the full travel safety framework first? Start here: Travel Security 101: How to Stay Safe Before, During, and After Your Trip
Travel risks remain, but the mix has shifted.
We rarely worry about one huge threat. It’s the everyday stuff that catches people out. A delay that snowballs. A street you can’t use because of a protest nearby. A quick login on “free” Wi-Fi. Or the overly friendly stranger who suddenly won’t leave you alone.
The biggest shift is how quickly things can move. Civil unrest can flare up with little warning. Regional conflicts can affect flight routes, border rules, and even what your travel insurance covers. Even in places that feel safe day to day, scams and petty theft still show up in the usual spots. Think transport hubs, crowded attractions, and any place where travellers are tired or distracted.
For example, in early 2020, we flew from Stockholm to Dubai. The normal route goes over Iran, but tensions in the region meant our flight path changed, and the flight took longer. It’s a good example of why we avoid tight connections, especially when there’s a connecting flight home.
The good news is that basic planning still works. Check the risks before you go, pay attention in busy places, and have a Plan B in your back pocket.
A practical way to think about risk
Instead of asking, “Is this destination safe?” we ask a few quicker questions:
It keeps the focus where it should be: calm, upfront planning, so you can actually enjoy the trip once you’re there.
When people ask, “Is it safe to travel?”, they’re usually not looking for a yes or no. They want to know what could realistically go wrong and what simple steps can reduce the risk. Here are the travel risks worth paying attention to in 2026, without letting them take the fun out of the trip.
This is one of the reasons travel can feel more “unpredictable” now. The challenge isn’t that every destination is unsafe. It’s those situations that situations can change quickly, and disruptions can spill over into nearby areas that weren’t previously on your radar.
Active conflict zones aren’t a “be careful” situation; they’re a “don’t go” situation. It’s also smart to check advice for nearby regions, because disruption can spill over and affect flights, borders, and insurance cover.
What it can look like:
Travel safety tips that help:
These are still the most common issues travellers run into, especially around tourist hotspots and transport hubs. The upside is they’re also the easiest to avoid once you know what to watch for.
What it can look like:
Travel safety tips that help:
This is the one many people still underestimate. Your phone is your boarding pass, bank, map, camera, and communication tool. If it gets compromised, the impact can follow you home.
What it can look like:
Travel safety tips that help:
This one isn’t “dangerous,” but it can throw everything off. When flights are delayed or cancelled, you end up tired, rushed, and in unfamiliar places, and that’s when you’re more likely to make mistakes or get caught out.
What it can look like:
Travel safety tips that help:
If flying makes you nervous, you’re not alone. Flying gets a lot of media attention. One incident can make it feel less safe, even when the bigger picture is still reassuring.
A Forbes report, citing the Aviation Safety Network (ASN) Safety Database, said 548 people died in aircraft accidents in 2025. That was the highest annual total since 2018. At the same time, the database recorded fewer accidents overall. Accidents fell from 219 in 2024 to 156 in 2025.
Two accidents accounted for more than half of the fatalities. That’s why one or two rare events can heavily skew the yearly total.
The takeaway isn’t that you should stop flying. It’s that aviation safety statistics can look alarming without the context behind them. For most travellers, commercial air travel remains one of the safest ways to get from A to B.
Weather rarely feels like a “risk” when you’re planning. Once you’re on the ground, the weather can run the whole trip. A heatwave, storm, flood, or heavy snow can shut down transport and cancel plans. It can also make basic sightseeing feel like hard work.
More travellers are trying to save money by travelling in shoulder or off-peak seasons. In some places, that overlaps with monsoon or cyclone season, so disruption is more likely than people expect.
What it can look like:
Travel safety tips that help:
Natural disasters aren’t common, but they are high impact. One cyclone or earthquake can close airports, shut down transport, cut power, and force a last-minute change of route or accommodation. Think cyclones, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, bushfires, and major flooding.
What it can look like:
Travel safety tips that help:
Our experience:
We got stuck in Ireland when the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupted in April 2010. Our flight back to London was cancelled, along with thousands of others.
So we booked a ferry from Ireland to Holyhead in the UK, then took a train to London.
It was trickier than usual because there were four of us travelling. We’d been in the UK for a family wedding, so we had my mother-in-law and sister-in-law with us too. Four tickets, a ferry, then a train. It took longer than we expected. That’s why I’m a big fan of having a Plan B.
Health risks aren’t new, but what’s changed is how quickly outbreaks can become travel relevant. Even when the risk to travellers is low, you may see extra airport screening, changed entry requirements, or heightened public concern.
What it can look like:
Travel safety tips that help:
2026 example:
Nipah shows how fast things can change. Two reported infections in India led to extra checks at some borders and airports. That’s why it’s worth doing a quick official health check before you fly.
You can’t control everything when you travel, but you can stack the odds in your favour. These travel safety tips consistently reduce risk without turning your trip into a military operation.
1) Check advisories twice, not once
Do a quick check while you’re researching. Then check again a few days before you leave. If you’re travelling through multiple countries, check once more during the trip. That’s usually enough to catch major changes without obsessing over it.
Extra step: See if your government travel advisory site lets you subscribe to updates. For example, Australia’s Smartraveller lets you subscribe to specific countries. You’ll get an email when the advice changes.
2) Have a “first night” plan
A lot of travel stress happens in the first few hours: you’re tired, it’s dark, you don’t know the area, and you just want to arrive.
3) Keep your essentials in your carry-on
If luggage goes missing or you get stuck overnight, you’ll thank yourself.
Pack: medications, chargers, a change of clothes, basic toiletries, and anything valuable or irreplaceable.
4) Make theft harder than it’s worth
Most petty theft is opportunistic. If you make it inconvenient, thieves usually move on.
To learn more about common travel scams and how to avoid them read: Scams When Travelling: 15 Travel Scams to Know and Avoid.
5) Treat your phone like your passport
Your phone holds your boarding passes, banking, maps, and logins. Protecting it is modern travel safety.
6) Don’t be casual with public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi is handy, but it’s not the place to do anything sensitive. Stick to basic browsing, turn sharing off, and use a VPN if you need to log in to accounts. I go into more detail here:
7) Build “buffer time” into your trip
Most travel chaos comes from tight schedules. One delayed flight can ripple through everything.
If you can, avoid stacking short, same-day connections and leave breathing room between major travel days.
For example: if you need to be somewhere on a fixed schedule, like a tour start or a cruise departure, try to arrive the day before. One delayed flight can wreck a same-day plan, and an extra night gives you options.
8) Trust the feeling that something’s off
This is one of the best safety tools you have. If a situation feels pushy, confusing, or rushed, you’re allowed to step away. A calm “No thanks” and keeping walking solves a lot.
Travel safety isn’t just about the destination. It’s also about knowing what makes you feel confident and prepared once you’re there. And once you’re over 50, you tend to want the trip to run smoothly. Less hassle. Less risk. And fewer things to worry about.
A few simple habits make a big difference:
For most destinations, yes, travel can still be very safe. What’s changed most is how quickly things can shift. A quick advisory check, a bit more awareness in tourist areas, and solid digital habits go a long way.
For most travellers, the most common issues are still scams and petty theft, followed by travel disruptions (delays, cancellations, missed connections). Depending on where you’re going, civil unrest, severe weather, or health alerts may also be factors.
Focus on the few habits that make the biggest difference: book smooth arrivals, keep valuables secure in crowds, use secure connections online (or mobile data), and build buffer time into your itinerary. You don’t need to do everything, just the basics consistently.
Not necessarily. Active conflict zones are definitely a “don’t go” situation, but many destinations remain safe and stable. The practical approach is to check official advisories, avoid protest areas, and have a Plan B if transport or access changes.
We’ve seen this play out in real life. In early 2020, we flew from Stockholm to Dubai, and the usual route goes over Iran. Because of tensions in the region at the time, the flight path changed, and the flight took longer. Nothing dramatic happened, but it was a good reminder that big world events can affect travel logistics, and why we avoid tight connections when we’re linking flights.
Generally, yes. Mobile data is usually more secure than public Wi-Fi. If you do use public Wi-Fi, stick to low-risk browsing, avoid sensitive logins, and use a VPN when needed.
For more information read: 8 Tips When Using Public Wi-Fi When Travelling and Should I Use a VPN Overseas?
The ones that reduce hassle and fatigue: smoother logistics, buffer days, keeping essentials accessible, and not leaving digital security to chance.
Use your government travel advisory site and, if available, subscribe to email updates for your destinations so you’re notified if advice changes. For Australians, link to Smartraveller.
Travel does feel a bit more unpredictable in 2026. That’s exactly why a few simple habits matter. But none of this is a reason to stop travelling.
We’ve travelled a lot, and the best trips aren’t the ones where nothing goes wrong. They’re the ones where you can handle a hiccup and keep going. A delayed flight. A missed connection. A pushy scammer. Even a sudden change in local conditions. These are easier to deal with when you’ve done a quick safety check and left yourself some wiggle room.
So travel with your eyes open, but don’t travel on high alert. Use practical travel safety tips, trust your instincts, and focus on what matters. The places. The people. The moments you’ll remember.
Next steps
If you want to keep building your travel security habits, here are the most helpful guides to read next:
Hi, I’m Lisa Bundesen - the voice behind The Middle Age Wanderer. I’m a retired chartered accountant turned passionate traveller and photographer. Alongside my husband Darren (and with our two fur babies waiting at home in Australia), we explore the world one adventure at a time.
I’ve travelled to over 35 countries, and I created this blog to inspire fellow travellers in their 50s, 60s, and beyond to embrace adventure. Whether it’s hiking ancient trails, diving into new cultures, or sipping wine in scenic places, I believe life after 50 is the perfect time to explore more.
Here, you’ll find honest travel advice, destination guides, and real stories to help you travel smarter and with more confidence - because age is not a barrier, it’s an invitation.
Hi, I’m Lisa, a 50+ retired chartered accountant. My husband, Darren, and I explore the world every opportunity we get. Staying fit is key to our adventures, from hiking the Inca Trail to scuba diving. We call Australia home but travel overseas often, always eager to discover new cultures, bustling cities, cuisines, nature and wildlife.
We would love you to join us on our journeys and hope that our adventures give you encouragement to explore this amazing world.
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