What are you afraid of this summer?
From low water levels to Middle East volatility, here's what's keeping travelers awake at night — and what to do about it
Jan Howell is afraid of the water levels this summer.
She's booked on a Danube riverboat cruise, and she's concerned that the water won't be high enough for the ship. That could turn her cruise into a bus tour — or even cancel it. Months of careful planning would go down the drain.
"That's my biggest worry," says Howell, a nurse from Spokane, Wash.
This summer, travelers are afraid of a lot of things. A recent survey by Aon Affinity Travel Practice suggests travelers are concerned about getting sick and not being able to travel (28 percent), having a cancellation or delay because of bad weather or a natural disaster (26 percent) and concerns about the impact of global conflicts (19 percent). Half of the respondents have purchased travel insurance to protect their trip.
"The excitement of summer travel comes with a heightened awareness of potential risks," explains Beth Godlin, president of Aon Affinity Travel Practice. "For many, it’s not just about making memories but also helping ensure their financial investment, health and belongings are protected while they’re on vacation.”
So what are you afraid of this summer? What should you be afraid of? And how do you allay those fears?
Don’t be afraid
If you were a full subscriber to Elliott Confidential, you’d know how to avoid trouble this summer. That’s because you’d have full access to the pro insights in our Friday Forum and our weekly Consumer Alert. Plus, you get unlimited access to our archive. Here’s how to upgrade your subscription.
Yes, travelers have a lot to fear this summer
These fears are not irrational. A recent study commissioned by AXA Partners found only 30 percent of travelers reported having a completely trouble-free trip.
"It can shake a traveler's confidence," says Susan Sherren, who runs the travel design company Couture Trips. "When my clients leave home, they embark on a risky journey, and many unpredictable scenarios can lead to anticipatory anxiety. Safety concerns, loss of control, and travel complexities may make someone think twice about leaving home."
Howell, the nurse from Spokane, had heard about the low river levels and researched the problem. Usually, the Danube's levels are fine in late spring, with the runoff from melting snow, but they can sometimes drop quickly during the summer.
Her solution was to self-book her hotels through her credit card, which offers cancellation insurance. And to address any potential illnesses or injuries, she also made sure her medical insurance covered her for international travel and then picked up a medical evacuation policy through Medjet.
"Being stuck alone in a foreign hospital wouldn’t be great," she adds.
Put it all together, and Howell says she feels reasonably confident that her river cruise will go off without a hitch.
Sponsored by Linx Legal
Linx Legal Timeshare Debt Cancellation company has built its reputation by helping thousands of customers to cancel their timeshare contracts.
What to be afraid of this summer and what to do about it
How about you? What are you afraid of, and what should you be afraid of? Let's do a lightning round of travel phobias.
Disruptions
Travel advisors say they're seeing increased anxiety levels when it comes to delays and cancellations. "It's probably among travelers' most common fears, especially during the busy summer season," says Mercedes Zach, a travel expert at ASAP Tickets. "Weather, strikes, aircraft maintenance delays and staffing shortages can cause significant problems across the travel industry, resulting in thousands of missed flights."
What to do about it: Book tickets that offer flexible change policies and consider a travel insurance policy that covers long delays and cancellations.
Natural disasters
The Los Angeles fires in January have made everyone hyperaware that Mother Nature could be a wild card this summer. "I've had a surge of people inquiring about natural disasters," says Sunil Gupta, the co-founder of a tour operator in India. "Even the wildfires have shown us that even the most sought-after destinations aren't untouchable."
What to do about it: Get a good travel insurance policy and work with a travel advisor who can help you avoid the most disaster-prone areas like the Caribbean during hurricane season.
Politics
It's no exaggeration to say we live in uncertain times, politically speaking. No one knows where that will leave us this summer, but you don't have to be a political scientist to be afraid of the possible fallout. Just check this weekend’s headlines. I’ll wait here.
What to do about it: Don't call off your overseas travel plans just yet. Be discreet. "I'm going to pretend to be Canadian," says John Hedtke, a technical writer from the Seattle suburbs. Well, he's close.
Illness
People get sick when they travel. It happened to Tiffany Banks, a real estate agent from Reno, Nev., on a flight from Rome to San Francisco, and with all the viruses going around this year, she's afraid it will happen again. She's headed to Greece soon. "I'm following all the travel guidelines," she told me. That includes packing her own food and bringing antinausea medication.
What to do about it: Take sensible precautions and make sure you have a medical insurance policy with a generous evacuation benefit — just in case.
Are you afraid of the wrong thing this summer?
My greatest travel fear this summer is ending up in a crowd with no way out. I'm headed back to Europe on assignment and may be in places that are overrun with tourists. I've been hearing about the crowding problem, and I'm not sure there's anything more I can do than worry.
But experts say there is.
"What should really worry people is lack of preparation," says James Shaffer, managing director with the website Insurancepanda.com. "Choosing nonrefundable tickets. Ignoring insurance. Or booking through a third-party site without researching their policies. These choices can trap you."
In other words, instead of worrying about your summer trip, do something about it before you leave. Find a flexible ticket. Get a travel insurance policy. Book through a reliable agent, or do your research and then book the trip yourself.
"I expect the unexpected," Shaffer told me. "I only buy refundable airfare. Of course, it costs a little more — but it does give you peace of mind."
Ah, peace of mind. Couldn't we use a little more of that this summer?
How about you?
What are you afraid of this summer? Our comments are open. I’d love to hear from you.
I'm a relatively brave traveler, so I'm fine with traveling the world, though I will continue to avoid the same places that I avoided in 2024. As a citizen of the US, my biggest worry is that the government junta will find a way to impose martial law, particularly in those states whose residents show the greatest opposition to their various illegal and unconstitutional actions. That would severely limit my ability to travel to my favorite places in the US.
What scares me now is travel. This is an apropos time to post your article. With the events of the last 24 hours, I’m worried about traveling into Times Square New York City or other major city. I’m worried about flying overseas or flying from country to country in Europe. I’m worried that we might start seeing terrorist attacks that we haven’t seen in decades. Something‘s gonna happen and I don’t wanna be there when it happens and I generally don’t panic over these things. We have a trip upcoming end of September to Sicily, but I can’t believe I’m saying this. I’m glad it’s on a non-US airline. And of course today we’re flying home from a cruise but thankfully from Miami to New York. I am very concerned now all of the other things seem trivial about travel in my opinion now.