Some credit cards offer built-in travel insurance as a cardholder benefit, and it may be tempting to rely on credit card travel protections instead of buying travel insurance. The entire point of travel insurance is to be covered if something goes wrong. So, you may be wondering whether you should buy travel insurance even if your credit card offers travel protection.

There isn’t one answer that fits every traveler or situation. We’ll explore some aspects you should consider, and I’ll discuss my take on this topic. Let’s dive in so you can make an informed decision.

Related: Is travel insurance worth it?

Travel insurance you can buy

At a high level, you can buy a travel insurance policy for a relatively small premium (compared to the total cost of your trip) that may provide reimbursement or coverage for unexpected issues that affect your trip.

Many different types of protections fall under the term “travel insurance.” Standard, comprehensive insurance policies typically include broad coverage across various potential issues.

But there are also policies that offer specific coverage. For example, it’s possible to purchase travel insurance that only provides medical protection for international travel (such as GeoBlue). Likewise, you can also purchase policies that allow you to select the protections you need (such as the build-your-own option with American Express Travel Insurance).

We’ve previously compared the best travel insurance policies and providers. So, check out that guide to find the provider and policy that best fits your needs. You can also check a travel insurance aggregator to compare different policies quickly.

Most travel insurance policies exclude any loss incurred due to a preexisting medical condition. However, many policies include a process to obtain a waiver of the preexisting condition exclusion if you meet specific requirements. These requirements typically include purchasing the policy shortly after the first nonrefundable trip payment or deposit and being medically able to travel when you buy the policy. Some companies also require you to insure your trip’s full, prepaid, nonrefundable cost to be eligible.

Likewise, all travel insurance policies have several exclusions. For example, most plans exclude medical benefits for injuries during adventure activities such as skydiving or skiing outside maintained trails.

Related:?7 things to look out for when buying travel insurance, according to an expert

Credit card travel protections

Some cards don’t provide any special travel protections. But, many of the best travel rewards cards offer travel protections.

Check out our guide to the best cards that offer travel protections for more details on what card might be best for you. I also recommend reading the guide to benefits for your specific cards, as these documents will detail exactly what protections you can expect when you purchase travel with your card.

Note that some benefits require you to enroll — and virtually all require a formal claim process, with no reimbursement guarantee.

Related:?Getting credit card travel insurance to cover the change fee on my Disney cruise

When to purchase travel insurance

Even if you have a credit card that offers travel protection, you may still want to purchase travel insurance for some trips. Here are some scenarios and trips for which it may make sense to purchase travel insurance.

Travel protections aren’t offered

As discussed above, not all credit cards provide extensive travel protections when you book travel using the card. So, if you’re using a card without travel protections or a card that only offers limited travel protections, you may want to purchase travel insurance.

Related:?The best credit cards for booking flights

Some travelers aren’t covered

Just because a card offers travel protections doesn’t mean everyone traveling with you will be covered. In particular, travel protections usually only extend to select relatives of the cardholder. Your credit card’s travel insurance may not cover friends, employees and all relatives.

Related: 4 times your credit card’s travel insurance can help with travel woes, and 7 times it won’t

Adventure activities

If you plan to partake in an activity that most insurance policies exclude, you may want to purchase a travel insurance policy that explicitly includes your activity of choice.

For example, many policies exclude adventure sports like base jumping, sky diving, free soloing, diving, mountaineering and paragliding. You may want to consider purchasing insurance from an association involved in your adventure activity, such as Divers Alert Network (DAN) if you’re a diver or German Alpine Group (DAV) if you partake in alpine sports.

You’re concerned about preexisting conditions

Most credit card trip interruption and cancellation insurance benefits exclude cancellations or interruptions caused by a sudden recurrence of a preexisting condition. So, you’ll want to purchase travel insurance — and ensure you satisfy the provider’s preexisting condition exclusion waiver conditions — if you want trip cancellation and interruption insurance that covers preexisting conditions.

Related: 8 times your credit card’s travel insurance might not cover you

Nonmedical evacuation insurance

If you want evacuation insurance for nonmedical reasons, you should purchase travel insurance that offers this coverage even if you have a credit card with evacuation insurance.

Read the benefits guide closely, as evacuation benefits may not cover every evacuation you might need. For example, some policies don’t cover evacuation from an area with a travel warning or evacuation from a place suddenly inaccessible due to a landslide or other environmental incident.

Related:?A Medjet medical transport membership is different from travel insurance

Cancel for any reason

Suppose you are uncertain whether you’ll be able to take your trip and are worried that applicable credit card trip protections won’t reimburse you if you decide to cancel or interrupt your trip for a reason that isn’t covered. In that case, you may want to purchase cancel for any reason trip insurance.

Related:?6 truths and myths about cancel for any reason travel insurance

You want peace of mind

Some travelers prefer to buy travel insurance — for each trip or via an annual travel insurance plan — for the peace of mind that having a travel insurance policy brings. Given the issues travelers have faced with a specific credit card insurance provider, it may be worth buying a travel insurance plan; this especially applies if you don’t feel confident your credit card travel insurance and individual health insurance will combine to provide enough coverage during your trip.

Related:?Here’s why I buy an annual travel insurance policy, even though my credit cards offer travel protections

When credit card travel protections may be enough

Suppose you don’t fall into any of the categories above and use one of the best credit cards with travel insurance when making travel purchases. In that case, you may determine that credit card protections are enough for some (or all) of your trips. However, I only recommend relying on credit card protections if you also have health insurance that will provide adequate coverage at your destination.

Below is a collection of reasons you can rely on credit card protections instead of purchasing independent travel insurance. If some (or most) of these reasons apply to your trip, it may be reasonable for you to rely on credit card protections instead of buying travel insurance:

• You have personal health insurance that will cover you on your trip, even if treatment is out of network at your destination
• You book your trip with a credit card that provides travel insurance
• You have a credit card that provides medical evacuation benefits during your trip
• You make refundable travel plans that you can cancel for little or no fee
• You tend to change your plans frequently or book travel at the last minute
• You have an emergency fund that can cover unexpected expenses if needed
• You have airline miles or transferable points?you can use to leave the area or return home if needed
• You avoid especially high-risk activities and destinations

The decision of whether to buy travel insurance is complex and personal. If you don’t feel confident that your credit card protections and individual health insurance will provide adequate coverage, it’s likely worth buying travel insurance.

Related: Why you might want to get a premium credit card instead of purchasing travel insurance

Why credit card travel insurance is usually enough for me

After researching the best travel insurance policies and providers, I purchased travel insurance for one specific trip because I wanted political evacuation coverage.

For most of my trips, credit card protections and individual health insurance provide enough coverage for me. After all, my travel usually looks like the following:

• My flights are often award flights that I can cancel and redeposit free of charge — or ones that carry minimal change and cancellation fees.
• My lodging can almost always be canceled without a penalty until shortly before my stay.
• If I book a tour or activity, it’s usually within a few days of said tour or activity (or offers free cancellation).
• My health insurance provides out-of-network coverage outside the U.S., so travel insurance would only pay for my deductible. In addition, my out-of-pocket maximum for out-of-network care is low enough to cover using my emergency fund.
• I book flights and pay for the taxes and fees for award flights using the Ink Business Preferred? Credit Card, which provides excellent travel protections for a $95 annual fee card.
• I have ample airline miles and transferable points that I can use to cover last-minute one-way flights if needed.

As you can see, the benefits of purchasing travel insurance would be minimal for most of my trips. The travel protections I use most are trip delay protection and baggage delay protection, both of which the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card provides when I use it to pay for my flights.

Related:?Why the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Ink Business Preferred combo is perfect for couples who travel

Bottom line

As you book trips, you may wonder whether you should purchase travel insurance. One way to decide is to consider whether you’d be adequately covered without it if the worst happens.

If you’re willing and able to cover the costs in this situation — or you feel confident you’d be adequately covered by your credit card’s travel protections and health insurance — then you may want to proceed without buying travel insurance. Otherwise, I recommend purchasing a travel insurance policy shortly after you make the initial payment for your trip.

Related: The best travel insurance policies and providers

In the 1970s, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established the Vessel Sanitation Program to ensure cleanliness on cruises with the goal of tracking and responding to outbreaks of infectious diseases on vessels across the industry. The main focus on gastrointestinal illnesses like norovirus.

Below is an overview of what the VSP does to protect cruisers from sickness that could confine them to their cabins during what should be an enjoyable getaway.

What is the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program?

The Vessel Sanitation Program is an initiative to help the cruise industry prevent and control the introduction, transmission and spread of gastrointestinal illnesses — such as norovirus — on passenger vessels. The program operates within the CDC and is under the authority of the Public Health Service Act.

Under the CDC VSP, ships that accommodate 13 passengers or more and call on U.S. ports are required by U.S. law to submit to random, unannounced cleanliness and sanitation checks.

Program inspectors board cruise ships when they’re in U.S. ports and evaluate several key areas like galleys, restaurants, medical facilities, pools, hot tubs and other public areas that pose a high risk for contamination. The scoring system is out of 100, and ships lose points for every infraction. The program maintains high standards, as scores of 85 and lower are considered failing.

Another purpose of the VSP is to train cruise ship employees on public health practices. According to its website, the CDC provides health education as well as reliable and current public health information to the cruise ship industry, the traveling public, public health professionals, state and local health authorities, and the media.

The inspection categories

How often are cruise ships evaluated?

The inspections are periodic and unannounced. The goal is to inspect operational sanitation without alerting officers and crew to when the inspectors are coming. Under the program, cruise ships are inspected two times a year.

“If a ship sails outside of the United States for an extended period, it may not be inspected twice a year, but it will be inspected again when it returns to the United States,” the CDC notes.

Rest assured that the ships will be checked if they are under the VSP’s jurisdiction.

CDC cruise ratings: The cleanest cruise ships

Are cruise ships clean? These sure are. At the time of publication, here are the vessels that scored perfectly — 100 out of 100 — on their cruise ship cleanliness ratings in the past year:

• Radiance of the Seas, Royal Caribbean — July 21, 2024
• MSC Meraviglia, MSC Cruises — July 9, 2024
• Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Cruise Line — June 22, 2024
• MSC Seashore, MSC Cruises — May 26, 2024
• Norwegian Sky, Norwegian Cruise Line — May 23, 2024
• Brilliance of the Seas, Royal Caribbean — May 16, 2024
• Viking Polaris, Viking Cruises — April 2, 2024
• Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Cruise Line — Feb. 25, 2024
• Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Cruises — Feb. 15, 2024
• Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Cruise Line — Jan. 27, 2024
• Explora I, Explora Journeys — Jan. 25, 2024
• Disney Fantasy, Disney Cruise Line — Jan. 24, 2024
• Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Cruises — Jan. 7, 2024
• Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Cruise Line — Jan. 2, 2024
• Viking Sky, Viking Cruises — Dec. 20, 2023
• Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Cruises — Dec. 11, 2023
• Voyager of the Seas, Royal Caribbean — Nov. 13, 2023
• Carnival Panorama, Carnival Cruise Line — Nov. 4, 2023
• Spirit of Discovery, Saga Cruises — Oct. 8, 2023
• Viking Octantis, Viking Cruises — Sept. 30, 2023
• Oceania’s Vista, Oceania Cruises — Sept. 20, 2023
• Jewel of the Seas, Royal Caribbean — Sept. 14, 2023

CDC cruise ship ratings: The dirtiest cruise ships

Are cruises dirty? Below are the vessels that had failing cruise ship health inspections in the last two years, as of the time of publication. It’s a short one, as there are only two. Click on the cruise ship’s name to see a breakdown of each score.

• Paradise, Margaritaville at Sea — scored 83 on May 1, 2024
• MSC Seaside, MSC Cruises — scored 67 on April 27, 2023

Note: These ships have both received passing scores since the above dates, with Paradise earning a 92 on July 2, 2024, and MSC Seaside pulling a 92 on July 17, 2023. A failing score doesn’t necessarily mean a ship is dirty in the sense that you’ll find grime everywhere or that your cabin won’t be clean. Rather, ships can lose points for things like improper food storage or pools that aren’t properly chlorinated.

Are cruise ships dirty? Do cruises make you sick?

CDC officials take cruise ship cleanliness seriously, so the short answer is no to both of those questions. When cruise ships follow CDC protocol, they are not dirty and will not make you sick. Although there are always exceptions, the cruise industry is held to high standards of cleanliness on its ships.

The chances that you’ll get sick on a cruise are no higher than anywhere else where you’re around lots of people. In fact, according to the CDC, the likelihood is lower on ships.

“People often associate cruise ships with acute gastrointestinal illnesses, such as norovirus, but acute gastrointestinal illness is relatively infrequent on cruise ships,” the CDC says on its VSP website. Based on the math, you have less chance of catching a gastrointestinal illness on a ship than at many places you’re likely to visit on land.

The CDC estimates only about 1% of all annual U.S. norovirus cases happen on cruise ships. The numbers are greatest in nursing homes, hospitals, schools and restaurants, which collectively account for about 91% of cases.

When do cruise lines report outbreaks under the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program?

As required by the CDC, cruise ships must report cases of gastrointestinal illness to VSP officials no fewer than 24 hours before arriving in any U.S. port.

When 2% or more of the onboard population is sick, cruise ships must provide further reporting to the CDC and must do so within two weeks of arriving in the U.S. VSP officials conduct investigations when the threshold of ill passengers reaches 3% or more.

Where can I find more information about the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program?

Use these resources from the CDC’s website to find out more about the program, how it’s enforced and how your favorite ship scored during its last inspection. You can also click the links throughout this article to learn more about how the CDC VSP handles inspections, crew training and the reporting and investigation of outbreaks.

• All VSP resources
• Ship scores
• VSP FAQ

Bottom line

Cruise ships are generally safe and clean, and the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program is designed to ensure the latter stays true. (The U.S. Coast Guard inspects ships for safety, while the VSP keeps everything clean.) Each passenger ship that calls on U.S. ports is evaluated during a random, unannounced CDC VSP inspection twice a year, and the guidelines are strict.

From proper food handling to the cleaning and sanitation of highly trafficked public spaces, CDC officials are highly trained and know how to spot infractions. They also offer training to crew in an effort to educate them on best practices.

The next time you’re thinking of cruising, visit the VSP website to see how your ship recently scored. It’ll give you peace of mind when you sail.

Have more cruise questions? TPG has answers:

• Packing for a cruise? These items aren’t allowed on board
• Man overboard: Cruise ship overboards and how they happen
• What is baked Alaska, and why is it paraded around cruise ships?
• What are the largest cruise ships in the world?
• Gentlemen hosts: These men cruise to make sure single ladies have a great time
• What is the Jones Act and how does it affect cruise ships?
• What is a lido deck on a cruise ship?
• What’s a cruise cabin guarantee and will it save you money?
• What’s the difference between a cruise ship concierge and a butler?

Solo travel has many benefits. It’s a chance to step outside of your comfort zone, meet new people from around the world and spend time doing some inner reflection. However, solo travel also comes with risk, and in many places, this risk is heightened for female travelers.

Accidents, emergencies and unavoidable hiccups in your travel itinerary happen — and these situations can be even more stressful when you’re traveling alone.

This is where travel protections and insurance can help save the day. You can buy comprehensive travel insurance plans from a third-party provider, which is a good idea when you’re doing anything potentially dangerous, like mountain climbing or other adventure sports. But many credit cards also offer base protections that can be a lifesaver when you’re abroad.

Everyone should have some sort of travel insurance coverage when traveling abroad. However, female solo travelers, in particular, should double down to make sure they’re protected throughout their trip, no matter what happens.

Let’s discuss a few solo travel situations and the type of travel insurance coverage that will be most important for your trip.

When you’re traveling somewhere new

Coverage needed: Travel assistance hotline

Unfortunately, there are some destinations that are riskier for female solo travelers, whether it’s due to crime rates, local laws or a mix of the two. When you’re traveling somewhere you’ve never been before (especially if your destination is off the beaten path), access to a travel assistance hotline can be invaluable.

This type of benefit has different names across credit cards. Amex has a Global Assist Hotline benefit, while Chase and Bank of America both call this benefit “travel and emergency assistance.”

A travel assistance hotline can help if you lose your passport or luggage, need an emergency legal referral or need to find reputable medical care while abroad. Traveling alone can be stressful, especially when something goes wrong. A travel assistance hotline can help alleviate some of that stress and let you focus more on your trip. But note that you’ll be on the hook for any charges that come with the assistance.

When your flight home is delayed

Coverage needed: Trip delay reimbursement

It’s an unfortunate fact of air travel: Planes are often delayed. Sometimes, a delay is just a minor inconvenience. However, if you have a connecting flight with a shorter layover, a delay can be the start of a nightmare. Solo travelers could end up stranded alone at an airport overnight or longer while waiting for the next available flight, which can cost hundreds of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses.

In some cases, extra planning can help avoid a missed flight due to a delay. If you know the route you’re flying often experiences delays, you can simply make sure you book a flight with a longer layover. But oftentimes, delays are unavoidable and unexpected. Trip delay reimbursement will offset most, if not all, of the reasonable costs associated with a delay that’s out of your control.

Chase and Amex both have a number of branded and cobranded cards that offer this protection that are worth looking into.

Related: Best cards that offer trip delay insurance

When you get hospitalized abroad

Coverage needed: Emergency evacuation insurance and/or emergency medical insurance

No one wants to think about the possibility of getting injured or sick while on a trip, but it does happen. You could fall while hiking or skiing or catch a nasty bout of food poisoning that dehydrates you to the point of needing a trip to the emergency room.

Unfortunately, your standard health insurance most likely won’t cover any doctor visits, hospitalizations, medical transportation or medications you need while traveling internationally. Emergency evacuation insurance will cover out-of-pocket expenses if you need a medevac or some other type of transportation to get to needed medical help. Emergency medical insurance will provide coverage for unexpected medical costs such as an ER visit.

When your rental car breaks down

Coverage needed: Roadside assistance

Whether you get a flat tire (and don’t have the means or ability to replace it) or have an engine issue, it can be nerve-wracking to be stranded on the side of the road by yourself. This is when roadside assistance can be a lifesaver. If you’re in an area you’re unfamiliar with, calling your card’s roadside assistance hotline will be easier than frantically searching for a nearby mechanic or tow truck.

Depending on the specific provider and coverage plan, services such as towing, winching, jump-starts, fuel delivery and more could be partially or fully covered.

Related: Best credit cards that offer roadside assistance

Choose a credit card with travel insurance

Comprehensive travel insurance with a third party can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of your trip, depending on your travel plans. However, many premium travel cards come with travel insurance included when you use your card to pay for at least part of your trip. Note that coverage and specific benefits vary between cards.

Premium travel cards from Chase, Capital One and Amex offer a nice set of protections that can help you in most cases. When you’re comparing credit cards, take a look at the travel coverage details offered. Additionally, make sure that when you’re booking a solo trip, you’re using a card that offers the benefits you might need.

Related: The best credit cards with travel protections

Bottom line

Travel insurance is something that every traveler should consider before taking a trip abroad, but there are specific types of coverage that solo travelers should look for when choosing a credit card to pay for their trip. Accidents and illnesses can turn into nightmares, especially if you’re on your own in trying to arrange emergency transportation and handling nonrefundable ticket costs. Some of the travel protections offered by premium cards can help provide peace of mind before you set off on your next adventure.

It’s also a smart idea to look into more comprehensive coverage offered by a third party, especially if you’ll be traveling for an extended period of time. Medical coverage and trip insurance that covers more than just approved emergency expenses could come in handy.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa? or Mastercard? and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

Whether it is due to ongoing conflict, special events such as the 2024 Paris Olympics, natural disasters like a volcano currently erupting in Iceland or an uptick in crime, conditions of countries can change rapidly, affecting both travelers and locals.

To help keep American travelers safe, the U.S. Department of State issues and maintains travel advisories for U.S. citizens based on current circumstances.

These advisories can be particularly helpful for first-time and younger travelers, though the agency encourages all people to review them for their desired destination ahead of travel.

What are travel advisories based on?

Although travel warnings originate from the State Department and live on its website, they are a joint effort between the State Department’s Office of Overseas Citizens Services and U.S. consulates and embassies worldwide.

“We’ve got our diplomats and consular officers on the ground in all those places, who have more up-to-date information than anyone in Washington could have,” said Angela Kerwin, deputy assistant secretary for Overseas Citizens Services, during a Zoom interview Thursday. “But we use a variety of information in order to look at the criteria that go into our travel advisories around the world.”

In addition to crime reports, nongovernmental organization reports and those from international organizations such as the United Nations, the government considers nine risk factors in determining the level at which each country’s advisory should be set:

• C — Crime: Widespread violence or organized crime is present in areas of the country. Local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond to serious crimes.
• T — Terrorism: Terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups or other targets may exist.
• U — Civil Unrest: Political, economic, religious and/or ethnic instability exists and may cause violence, major disruptions and/or safety risks.
• H — Health: Health risks, including current disease outbreaks or a crisis that disrupts a country’s medical infrastructure. The issuance of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Travel Health Notice may also be a factor.
• N — Natural Disaster: A natural disaster, or its aftermath, poses danger.
• E — Time-limited Event: Short-term events, such as elections, sporting events or other incidents that may pose safety risks.
• K — Kidnapping or Hostage Taking: Criminal or terrorist individuals or groups have threatened to and/or have seized or detained and threatened to kill, injure or continue to detain individuals in order to compel a third party (including a governmental organization) to do or abstain from doing something as a condition of release.
• D — Wrongful Detention: The risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals exists.
• O — Other: Potential risks are not covered by previous risk indicators. Read the country’s travel advisory for details.

Although the most recently added category, Wrongful Detention, only applies to a handful of countries, it’s an important criterion for travelers to note when a country has detained a U.S. citizen without cause.

Level 1 to 4 tiered warning system

Based on that nine-rubric system, plus reports and input from U.S. consulates and embassies in these countries, the agency assigns each country a Level 1 to 4 tiered warning, with 1 being the lowest level, indicating relative safety, and 4 being the highest, meaning travelers should not visit.

Level 1: Exercise normal precautions

This is the lowest level a country can achieve, making it among the safest for Americans to visit. As with any travel, there is always some risk, so every country will always have at least a Level 1 advisory.

Level 2: Exercise increased caution

Under a Level 2 designation, a country has increased safety or security risks, but they likely won’t preclude you from traveling there.

Level 3: Reconsider travel

A Level 3 advisory tells travelers to potentially defer trips to the country in question, as serious potential risks exist.

Level 4: Do not travel

The most serious advisories are Level 4 recommendations, which alert you to avoid travel to designated countries and areas due to a greater threat of potentially life-threatening risks and limited resources to help Americans.

What else to know about travel advisories

In addition to the State Department’s general travel advisory, a country’s information page will also provide any timely alerts from the corresponding U.S. embassy and/or consulate to consider.

There are also certain countries where the agency can provide “carve-outs” to communicate information related to specific areas or regions within a particular country.

“Perhaps the country itself is a Level 3 country, but there is one particular border area that has ongoing kinetic activity of some sort, and we’d say that would be a Level 4,” Kerwin explained.

These carve-outs are most often found in Mexico, as the U.S. shares a border with the country and more Americans travel to Mexico for tourism than elsewhere.

“Mexico is a special case. We also have more U.S. consulates than we do in any other country in the world, and for that reason, we are able to provide state-by-state travel advisory levels in Mexico,” Kerwin said. “[With] other countries around the world, [we] just simply don’t have the ability to have that level of detail; the specificity is greater for Mexico.”

Because data is the main source of information for crafting these advisories, not all alerts can be created equally.

“It is impossible to say that we can apply all nine criteria exactly the same in country A as we do in country B. You’re going to have more statistical data of a reliable type for … Germany than you would Chad,” Kerwin explained. “So to compare the exact same report for Germany with the exact same report for Chad is not something that makes sense because it’s generally not going to be available.”

In those cases, the government relies on its embassies and consulates, which are present in most of these countries, to help inform its alerts.

“We’ve got people on the ground who are often best positioned to help us evaluate the number of kidnappings, the level of civil unrest, how many terrorist attacks reported or not reported,” she said.

Note that a lack of readily available or accurate data doesn’t make the country inherently riskier or more dangerous for travelers.

“It just means that we don’t have the exact type of data that we would have in another country,” Kerwin said. “We would have to rely more heavily on embassy reporting and our folks there, but it does not necessarily mean it is a more dangerous country.”

Does a Level 4 alert mean I should avoid traveling there?

In short, the answer is yes.

At the time of publication, there were 19 countries with Level 4 alerts, per the State Department.

“These are the places we deem as the most dangerous for U.S. citizens to travel to, and we would really like U.S. citizens to look at other destinations,” Kerwin said. In part, that’s because of the limited consular or embassy services available in these places should an American need help.

“Every U.S. citizen gets to make up their own mind on where they want to travel. That’s all we can do as a government,” she continued. “If a U.S. citizen finds themselves in a situation where they need to travel to one of these countries for whatever reason, we would ask that they look at our travel advisories in advance, read our country information sheet. We would certainly recommend if we have a functioning embassy, that they save that information on their phone so they can contact the embassy if necessary.”

But overall, travelers should avoid traveling to Level 4 countries if possible.

“Each of these Level 4 countries will tell you what our concerns are with these countries and [that] our criteria has been met,” Kerwin said. “We believe it is quite dangerous to go there.”

How often are State Department travel advisories updated?

When viewing a travel advisory, you’ll note at the top the date it was last updated, as alerts are updated on a rolling basis.

Generally speaking, Level 4 and Level 3 alerts are updated at least once every six months, while Level 1 and Level 2 alerts are examined at least once per year, pending evolving circumstances.

“If something changes or some precipitating event, we would do it earlier as needed,” Kerwin said.

For example, on Thursday, the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik issued its own alert regarding a volcanic eruption in southwest Iceland that morning. When embassy alerts are issued for isolated events in a particular region of a country, it does not necessarily reflect the overall level of the country as a whole.

Despite the volcano warning, Iceland remained at Level 1, as it has since July. If it had been a more widespread eruption affecting general European air travel, that would have prompted the agency to update the travel advisory as a whole.

“Right now, by sending out that security alert, we’re saying stay away from the volcano, but if you wanna go have dinner in Reykjavik, follow our regular information we have on our travel advisory,” Kerwin said.

That volcano alert also went out via the agency’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which sends relevant security updates from the nearest U.S. Consulate, and which Kerwin advised travelers to enroll in as another way to stay safe abroad.

“So anybody who is registered in STEP traveling to or who is living in Iceland would’ve gotten an email to say, ‘Hey, be aware the volcano erupted again today, we’re watching it closely; pay attention,'” she explained. “We have those various security alerts that we can send out at any time in a country based on late-breaking events.”

Special events, such as the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, will also trigger additional and/or more frequent alerts.

“We will be paying special attention to that. We expect there will be a large number of U.S. citizens that are headed in that direction to cheer on our team, and we want to make sure that we are giving them the best information we can about their time when they’re traveling,” Kerwin said.

Other things to consider when traveling abroad

As with travel in general, the State Department advises Americans heading overseas to prepare in advance.

“We have a slogan we’ve been using, and I like it; it’s called ‘travel smart from the start,’ and that starts even before you decide what destination,” Kerwin said. That slogan applies to details like checking that you have enough validity on your passport (most countries require six months at the time of entry) and buying travel insurance.

Kerwin also advises procuring the contact information for the nearest U.S. government presence (i.e., the embassy or consulate) via the State Department’s list of U.S. embassies and consulates.

“Jot down on paper, take a picture on your phone and save the U.S. Embassy/Consulate phone number or email address so you can get in contact with us if there’s a problem,” she said. “And always be aware of your surroundings … a heightened level of awareness … is important for travelers no matter where they’re going.”

Bottom line

With travel comes an inherent risk, and the government aims to help travelers remain safe domestically and abroad.

While the decision to travel is ultimately up to the traveler, these travel advisories should be taken seriously.

“Our goal is to always provide the best advice and information we can for U.S. citizens so they can make their decisions as to where they wish they travel,” Kerwin said.

Therefore, heed these travel warnings from the State Department via U.S. embassies, consulates and the department’s STEP program.

“The final thing — and this is an important one — is to have fun,” Kerwin added. “Travel is fantastic — you get to see new cultures, and you get to experience new languages and beautiful countries and beautiful cities. We want U.S. citizens to travel and have fun on their adventures around the world.”

Related reading:

• Cancun travel advisory: State Department issues warning to US travelers heading to Mexico
• The difference between CDC and State Department travel warnings
• US issues worldwide travel advisory — here’s what you should know
• Finally: US passport processing back to pre-pandemic time frame

When the first cruises allowing Americans restarted in spring 2021, all major lines were sailing with at least 90% of passengers vaccinated against COVID-19. That meant they required just about everyone on board to have their shots, with only a few exceptions allowed for young children and people who can’t be vaccinated due to medical conditions or religious beliefs.

Since then, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has withdrawn its opt-in guidance for cruise lines, and most are now allowing unvaccinated passengers to sail. In fact, most aren’t even checking to see if cruisers are vaccinated or not.

However, with cases picking up seasonally and new booster vaccines rolling out, will you need a vaccine to cruise? Click on your favorite cruise line above, under “Jump to Section,” to find out.

Note: In order to be considered “fully vaccinated,” passengers must have received their final shot (not including boosters) at least 15 days prior to embarkation. Most lines only accept vaccines (or a combination of vaccines) recognized and approved by the World Health Organization and the CDC. Generally, proof of inoculation must include your name, the type of vaccine you received and the dates on which you received all required doses.

Booster shots are not required unless specifically noted. However, keep in mind that the rules may vary by country, with some lines requiring boosters for international departures due to local regulations or for extra-long sailings like ocean crossings when port calls are few or nonexistent. Passengers who have their boosters are considered “up to date” rather than merely “fully vaccinated.”

For general information on testing, please refer to our article on cruise testing requirements.

AmaWaterways

Vaccine required? No

AmaWaterways no longer requires proof of vaccination for passengers. However, cruisers are responsible for meeting the requirements of the countries in which they’ll be traveling. If they do not, standard cancellation fees will apply. Pre-cruise testing is not required. Should passengers become ill during their cruise, AmaWaterways will assist in procuring testing and other medical services, which will be the financial responsibility of those guests.

American Cruise Lines

Vaccine required? No

American Cruise Lines does not have a vaccine requirement for all passengers on any of its sailings. Pre-cruise testing is no longer required.

American Queen Voyages

Vaccine required? No

Vaccines are not required to sail with American Queen Voyages, and pre-cruise testing is no longer required.

Related: What happens if someone tests positive for COVID-19 on your cruise

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Vaccine required? No

Vaccination is not mandatory for Atlas cruises, but passengers must comply with regulations in countries on their scheduled itinerary, which could require that they be up to date on their shots. Additionally, pre-cruise testing is no longer a requirement.

Avalon Waterways

Vaccine required? No

Avalon Waterways no longer requires proof of vaccination or a negative test prior to passenger boarding. However, mandatory testing and proof of vaccination could still be required in some countries the line visits.

Azamara

Vaccine required? No

Azamara recommends that passengers follow local regulations and the latest guidance from government health organizations when determining which vaccines to obtain prior to travel. The line also does not require negative test results in order to board unless mandated by local governments in the ports where the line’s ships sail.

Carnival Cruise Line

Vaccine required? No

Neither vaccines nor pre-cruise testing is required for Carnival sailings. However, the line recommends that anyone 5 years or older be up to date on their shots and carry proof. It also suggests that cruisers test themselves no further than three days from their sailing date to make sure they’re in good health.

Celebrity Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Celebrity does not mandate vaccination or testing for any passenger on any sailing unless required by regulations in the ports its ships are visiting.

Related: Cruise ship contact tracing: How the world’s major lines are tracking COVID-19 exposure

Celestyal Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Celestyal continues to require all crew members to be fully vaccinated, but passengers don’t have to be. The line recommends anyone 12 and older be up to date on their inoculations. Testing is also no longer necessary in order to board Celestyal ships.

Cunard Line

Vaccine required? No

Although Cunard suggests that travelers be fully vaccinated and current with their boosters, proof of immunization is not required, nor is pre-cruise testing for any of the line’s sailing unless required by law.

Disney Cruise Line

Vaccine required? No

Disney Cruise Line encourages — but does not require — all passengers to be fully vaccinated before sailing. It also recommends pre-cruise testing, no more than two days prior to embarkation, for anyone who doesn’t have their shots.

Emerald Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Emerald Cruises suggests that all passengers be vaccinated, but it no longer checks for proof. Pre-cruise testing is also no longer required, but the line advises travelers to check local regulations in the places they’ll be visiting.

Grand Circle Cruise Line

Vaccine required? Yes

Grand Circle has mandated that all passengers must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to embarkation as a condition of carriage, and proof must be provided before boarding. Passengers who are not fully vaccinated will have to return home at their own expense. Boosters are not mandatory. Pre-cruise testing might be required, depending on your port of embarkation. (The line will send you that information prior to your sailing.)

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Hapag-Lloyd does not require vaccinations or pre-cruise testing as a condition of sailing. However, the line recommends both to passengers as precautions. It also advises that cruisers are responsible for knowing and adhering to all local guidelines and regulations.

Holland America

Vaccine required? No

Holland America now allows unvaccinated passengers to sail and does not make pre-cruise testing compulsory unless either of these is required by local regulations in the areas its vessels sail. Booked cruisers can search for requirements specific to their individual sailings by using this tool.

Hurtigruten

Vaccine required? Sometimes

On expedition cruises with Hurtigruten, passengers are not required to show proof of vaccination, except on 2023 and 2024 voyages to Antarctica and the Northwest Passage or West Africa sailings departing from and returning to Dakar. Immunization is also not necessary for the line’s non-expedition itineraries, but it is recommended for both coastal voyages and expedition cruises. Neither type of cruise requires negative test results as a condition of embarkation. Passengers with reservations can check specific protocols for their specific bookings using this tool.

Lindblad Expeditions

Vaccine required? No

Lindblad passengers no longer need to provide proof of vaccination in order to cruise, and pre-cruise testing is no longer required, including at embarkation. Exceptions might apply for departures from certain destinations. The line urges passengers to follow government recommendations for masking, testing and vaccination.

Related: Why I feel safer now on a cruise ship than in my hometown

MSC Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Vaccination and testing are no longer terms of carriage when sailing with MSC Cruises. The line still recommends that passengers receive their shots and notes that it’s each passenger’s responsibility to comply with local regulations in the places their sailing visits.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Vaccine required? No

In early August 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line became the first major cruise line to roll back its vaccination requirements. Proof of immunization is no longer required, nor is testing in order to board for any voyage.

Oceania Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Upscale cruise line Oceania does not check vaccination records for passengers, nor does it require pre-cruise testing for its sailings.

P&O Cruises

Vaccine required? No

There are no vaccination or testing mandates in place for any of P&O Cruises‘ voyages.

Ponant

Vaccine required? No

Ponant‘s website simply reads, “when you visit certain destinations, vaccines can be recommended,” but they are not required by the line. Ponant also says it will alert passengers to their specific requirements after they have booked a voyage. Testing is also not needed in order to board.

Princess Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Following an industry-wide rollback of protocols, Princess passengers no longer have to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine, nor proof of a negative test result, unless either is required by local regulations. Passengers are responsible for knowing the requirements for the places their ships will visit.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Regent doesn’t check the vaccination status of any of its passengers unless required by local protocols. Testing requirements vary by location and might depend on whether or not you are up to date on your shots. If vaccination or testing is required, the line will alert cruisers approximately 30 days prior to their sailing date.

Royal Caribbean

Vaccine required? No

To board Royal Caribbean ships, you don’t have to be vaccinated or provide test results. However, the line advises staying up to date on inoculations and following guidelines issued by federal health authorities.

Saga

Vaccine required? No

Saga has rolled back its vaccination and testing requirements, which is significant, given that the line only allows passengers 50 and older to sail on its vessels. They will only be required if local authorities dictate them.

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

Vaccine required? No

Passengers embarking on river and ocean voyages with Scenic will not need to be fully immunized prior to sailing. Testing is not required by the line but might be needed to enter the country in which you’re embarking on your sailing. Passengers are responsible for meeting entry requirements.

Seabourn

Vaccine required? No

For cruises with luxury line Seabourn, there are no line-enforced regulations for vaccination or testing unless required by local authorities in the countries on which its vessels call. To see if your booked sailing requires either of these, check out the line’s search tool.

Silversea

Vaccine required? No

Luxury brand Silversea does not require shots for its passengers or pre-cruise tests unless they’re needed to meet local regulations.

Star Clippers

Vaccine required? No

Star Clippers has eliminated all vaccine checks and testing protocols for all passengers on all voyages.

Tauck

Vaccine required? Yes

For all voyages through 2023, Tauck requires passengers 12 and older to be fully vaccinated and have at least one booster dose and/or show proof of recovery from COVID-19. Passengers 11 years old and younger are not required to be fully vaccinated. If they aren’t fully vaccinated or don’t have a booster, they must provide proof of a negative PCR or antigen test result from a test taken no more than three days prior to embarkation. For sailings in 2024, vaccination and testing requirements will be waived for all passengers.

UnCruise Adventures

Vaccine required? No

All UnCruise passengers are exempt from vaccine and testing requirements. The line will continue to monitor the effects of new variants, as well as CDC recommendations and will adjust its policies accordingly.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Vaccine required? No

Testing requirements are determined by the countries the ships visit, but the line itself has no vaccine or testing mandates of its own. You can check the protocols for the places on your itinerary for the most up-to-date information by visiting the protocols page on Uniworld’s website.

Viking

Vaccine required? Yes

All Viking passengers, whether on a river sailing or an ocean voyage, must be fully vaccinated for sailings departing on or before Oct. 31, 2023. It will not be required for cruisers embarking on or after Nov. 1, 2023. Testing is no longer required unless passengers are exhibiting symptoms and seek medical assistance.

Virgin Voyages

Vaccine required? No

Virgin Voyages will not check proof of immunization or a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding.

Windstar Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Windstar no longer mandates shots for passengers of any age. Testing is not required by the line but might be necessary based on local regulations, which with passengers must comply.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
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• What to pack for your first cruise

The road to the cruise industry’s restart was a long one with lots of twists and turns.

Now that ships are back in service, the number of COVID-19 deaths is down worldwide, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has scrapped its opt-in protocols for vessels, nearly all cruise lines have walked back their pre-cruise COVID-19 testing requirements.

Additionally, most countries have waived their test-for-entry requirements. That’s good news for passengers because individual countries often had timelines different from those of cruise lines, making it difficult for travelers to accomplish pre-cruise testing when departing from ports abroad.

With all of the changes, The Points Guy is here to answer some of your most pressing questions about COVID-19 testing for cruises. For a line-by-line list of current testing and vaccination policies, read our pre-cruise vaccination guide.

Editor’s note: This article is intended to highlight general rules for most cruise lines. Testing requirements can vary by cruise line and embarkation port. Check with your line and the rules for the country in which you’ll be embarking for the most current information relevant to your itinerary.

Pre-cruise COVID-19 testing

Do I need to take a COVID-19 test before my cruise?

All but a small handful of lines have waived their mandatory testing protocols, except where required by local regulations in the countries and ports their ships visit. It is unlikely you will have to test prior to embarkation unless it’s required by your country or municipality of entry or you’re exhibiting symptoms similar to those associated with COVID-19.

How close to my cruise do I need to be tested?

If your cruise line or destinations on your itinerary require negative test results, they will generally have to be from no more than two to five days prior to your embarkation date, depending on the specific regulations.

Where can I find an approved test that will give me my results in time?

Pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS offer antigen and PCR testing by appointment. However, with the tight window in which the results are needed, there’s no guarantee you’ll have them in time to cruise.

The best option is to order at-home antigen testing kits that offer telehealth access. You can find them through the Optum or eMed websites.

The type of test you will need will vary based on the specific requirements of your situation. If you need a professionally proctored at-home antigen test, order one of Abbott’s BinaxNOW tests. (Make sure it’s the BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test if the cruise line or destination requires results to be from supervised tests.)

If it’s not required that your test be proctored in order for the results to count, another option is self-administered at-home antigen testing, which you can conduct yourself without dialing in for proctoring. These tests are available at many local drugstores like CVS and Walgreens and big-box chains like Target and Walmart, and they’re far more affordable than the supervised version. But before you buy, check to see if you qualify for a shipment of free government-funded tests by visiting the United States’ official COVID-19 website.

Will my cruise line provide testing at the embarkation port?

Although most major cruise lines offered day-of-boarding testing at embarkation ports, that’s no longer the case. If a negative test result is required for you to board your cruise, make sure you arrive prepared.

How much does a COVID-19 test cost?

COVID-19 test costs depend largely on the type of test, how and where you have the test done, and whether you’re specifically asked if the test is for travel purposes. Prices can vary from free to several hundred dollars.

At a big-box drive-thru pharmacy, there’s a good chance your test will be covered by your health insurance. However, it depends on whether the reason for the test is indicated when you make your appointment.

For example, CVS asks if you need the test to meet travel requirements. In that case, insurance is unlikely to pick up the tab.

If you order a test online instead, you’re looking at a vast swath of pricing, ranging from $4 for a single unproctored antigen test (or 25 tests for $25, which is only $1 per test) to about $70 for a pack of two proctored antigen tests, plus shipping. If you have a flexible spending account or a health savings account, the IRS says at-home tests are considered eligible expenses. The White House has also indicated that people with private health insurance could be reimbursed for the cost of these at-home tests. Check with your insurance provider for details.

If you’re due for a shipment of free at-home, unsupervised tests, as mentioned above, you won’t pay anything.

If you’re someone who requires a PCR test and you want to do it yourself at home, the downside is that it can be pricey, with kits running between roughly $30 and $120 each.

Keep in mind that if you need COVID testing during your cruise — either from an onboard medical center or a shoreside hospital or doctor’s office — you will be responsible for the cost, which can be expensive unless you have a travel insurance policy that covers it.

COVID-19 tests during a cruise

Will I be required to test during my cruise?

Currently, no cruise lines require routine onboard testing for passengers. Exceptions would be if you feel ill and ask to be tested or exhibit symptoms that require you to be tested. In these cases, you would be responsible for any associated costs.

Additionally, if a passenger feels ill and subsequently tests positive for COVID-19 on your cruise, you could be required to take a test if the vessel’s contact tracing program determines you were in close contact with the ill passenger. Testing under these circumstances is covered by the line.

Most countries have waived their test-for-entry requirements, so it’s highly unlikely that you’ll have to take a test before disembarking in order to return home.

Post-cruise COVID-19 testing

Do I need to take a COVID-19 test after my cruise?

The only reason you would have to test after your cruise is if it’s required by a country you’re visiting or by your home country in order for you to return. Since most countries have now scrapped those requirements, you almost certainly won’t have to take a post-voyage test.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• 15 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise

Since cruising resumed post-pandemic, I’ve been on more than 30 sailings, and I have several more planned. At this point, cruise lines have eased restrictions such that wearing a mask is largely optional.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allowed its voluntary Conditional Sailing Order to expire in January 2022. It replaced the order with a now-defunct, color-coded, opt-in system that rated cruise lines based on the percentage of passengers for whom COVID-19 vaccinations were required. Now, however, the guidelines are merely recommendations, and all lines have rolled back their masking policies.

The first to do so was Norwegian Cruise Line, which shocked the industry, given the line’s notoriously strict stance on pandemic protocols.

So, which cruise lines require masks? Here, you’ll find a line-by-line breakdown of whether masks are required on board and, if so, where and when.

Azamara Cruises

Azamara no longer requires passengers to wear masks on its ships, although it still recommends them. The line also warns that masks could be required by some ports of call its ships visit.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival no longer requires masks on its ships. Passengers are encouraged to wear them during embarkation and disembarkation, as well as in areas with large crowds. Masks may also be required when ashore, per local guidelines. Cruisers must wear masks in the onboard medical center.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity has made masks optional for all passengers, regardless of vaccination status. This policy may vary based on local port requirements.

Cunard Line

Cunard only requires cruisers to wear face masks that cover their noses and mouths when in the medical center, as well as when required by local regulations.

Disney Cruise Line

Face coverings on Disney Cruise Line are optional throughout the line’s ships. Unvaccinated guests are strongly encouraged to wear masks while on board. Masks are mandatory in select ports if required by local protocols.

Holland America Line

Masks are optional but recommended in most areas on Holland America Line‘s ships. Certain ports of call might require passengers to wear face coverings while ashore.

MSC Cruises

Masks are optional on MSC cruises, but the line recommends them for unvaccinated passengers. Face coverings might also be required in certain ports per local regulations.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian no longer requires passengers to wear masks on any of its voyages.

Oceania Cruises

Passengers on Oceania sailings are not required to wear masks, but they are strongly encouraged to do so. These regulations may change based on local port requirements.

Princess Cruises

Princess no longer requires masks on board.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Passengers on Regent voyages no longer need to wear masks, but they will be strongly encouraged to do so. The policy is subject to change based on local port requirements.

Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean has dropped its mask mandate for vaccinated passengers. The line also recommends that unvaccinated children wear masks in all indoor areas, including the youth center.

Seabourn Cruises

Seabourn cruisers are not required to wear masks, but they are encouraged to do so in areas where crowds congregate.

Silversea Cruises

It’s no longer mandatory for Silversea passengers to wear masks. However, they are encouraged to do so on shore excursion buses and must do so in destinations where there are mask requirements.

Viking Cruises

For its ocean, river and expedition sailings, Viking has made face masks optional, but its ships’ onboard medical teams can require passengers to put them on at any time if conditions warrant it. Face coverings could also be required in select destinations, based on local regulations.

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages passengers are no longer required to wear masks on board the line’s ships. However, face coverings might be compulsory during embarkation, disembarkation and during port visits, per local rules.

Windstar Cruises

When sailing with Windstar, cruisers are no longer required to wear masks, but the line does encourage the practice. Face coverings might be required in some destinations.

Have more cruise questions? TPG has answers:

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• What are the largest cruise ships in the world?
• What is a gentleman host on a cruise?
• What is the Jones Act, and how does it affect cruise ships?
• What is a lido deck on a cruise ship?
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Pride month represents a bright spot of joy and celebration for the LGBTQIA+ community. For some people, this will be another chance to celebrate a tradition, as they’ve done for years. For others, it could be their first time openly embracing Pride after coming out or joining festivities with their growing family.

It’s also a time to be seen and recognized. The country took an important step toward recognition on June 1, 2021, when President Joe Biden issued a proclamation declaring June Pride Month and promised to fight for full equality for LGBTQ people to be written into law.

That positive step came on top of an executive order mandating federal agencies fully enforce all federal laws that bar discrimination due to sexual orientation or gender identity. Biden signed this upon entering office. This starkly contrasted the previous administration, which had steadfastly refused to even acknowledge Pride in 2020.

This year, however, Pride arrives at a time when a record number of anti-LGBTQIA+ bills threaten equality in many states. Approximately 540 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills have been introduced this year in state legislatures, according to the Human Rights Campaign. The HRC issued an unprecedented “state of emergency” alert in response.

The TPG brand was founded on principles of equality for all. Our founder, Brian Kelly, has publicly shared his experiences traveling the world as an openly gay man, and our company supports several organizations focused on improving the quality of life for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

However, there is still much work to do on the equality front, especially for gay people in countries with restrictive, homophobic laws.

Many individuals worldwide live in fear of persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Outed people are sometimes ostracized, abused and even killed by homophobic people in their communities or by government officials. Discrimination also exists in many areas of the U.S.

LGBTQI+ individuals continue to face much higher rates of discrimination than non-LGBTQI+ individuals across all areas of society, according to a 2022 Center for American Progress survey. Some of these areas include healthcare, employment, housing and public spaces.

For several years now, TPG has partnered with the nonprofit organization Rainbow Railroad to rescue LGBTQIA+ individuals. One such person is Montgomery, a Jamaican man who spent more than 30 years hiding his sexuality to stay alive.

Montgomery — who is now in his 50s — was able to escape his dangerous homeland and relocate to the United States thanks to a couple of organizations, including Rainbow Railroad. Montgomery is just one of tens of thousands of people who reach out to Rainbow Railroad each year for assistance in seeking asylum.

Related: TPG’s interview with Rainbow Railroad executive director Kimahli Powell 

Rainbow Railroad continues to raise awareness about homophobic discrimination and abuse worldwide.

Here’s how you can support the LGBTQIA+ community.

Educate yourself about the LGBTQIA+ movement

Knowledge is power. To be an ally and supporter of the gay community, it’s important to understand the history of the LGBTQIA+ movement. It stretches back further than many may suspect. There are numerous books you can read for Pride Month, including romance novels and autobiographies from LGBTQIA+ authors. If you prefer to watch and learn, these 12 films showcase LGBTQIA+ characters.

It’s also vital to understand the importance of identity, especially with regard to pronouns. Using proper pronouns and gender identity terms is an easy way to let someone know you respect them. NPR has a guide to gender identity terms that is very helpful.

Learn about Rainbow Railroad’s efforts

Rainbow Railroad helps gay, lesbian and transgender people escape attacks, kidnappings and even murder in places like Chechnya, Afghanistan and Uganda. The organization helps rescue people facing “persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics,” according to its website.

Since August 2021, Rainbow Railroad has received more than 6,000 requests for help from LGBTQI+ Afghans. This week, the organization announced that (in partnership with the Canadian government) it will facilitate the resettlement of around 600 LGBTQI+ Afghans, in addition to the 230 LGBTQI+ Afghans Rainbow Railroad has already helped resettle.

Rainbow Railroad also calls on governments worldwide to uphold the right to asylum, resume the resettlement of LGBTQIA+ refugees, release LGBTQIA+ asylum-seekers held in detention centers and increase resources dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ refugees.

Donate directly to Rainbow Railroad here.

Rainbow Railroad announced TPG as its top corporate partner. Brian Kelly and TPG matched $100,000 of donations to Rainbow Railroad. You can still partner with Rainbow Railroad and TPG.

Donate during Give Out Day

Give Out Day is a fundraising campaign that runs from June 1 to 28. The initiative has raised millions of dollars (more than $1.3 million for LGBTQ nonprofits just last year) for more than 700 LGBTQIA+ organizations since 2013. Rainbow Railroad has a dedicated fundraising page.

Rainbow Railroad relies on both monetary and points and miles donations to help facilitate rescue and rehabilitation missions for persecuted individuals.

Escape missions are often dangerous, uncertain and complicated. Visas, safety concerns and other logistical issues will always be a problem for organizations like Rainbow Railroad. However, your money and your miles can help defray the financial expenses associated with travel, which can represent the difference between life and death for hundreds of refugees.

This June, celebrate Pride Month with TPG by supporting Rainbow Railroad. Please give what you can to help us educate ourselves and our communities on how to eradicate anti-gay discrimination and persecution.

Additional reporting by Mike Avila.

Seven people were hospitalized after severe turbulence forced a Frankfurt-bound plane to make an emergency landing near Washington, D.C., last night.

Lufthansa Flight 469 took off from Austin normally, and flight attendants were serving meals when the plane encountered rough air.

Videos posted on social media show meal trays and food flung all over the plane’s floor.

Passenger Jazz Kantipudi told NBC4 Washington that he witnessed a flight attendant get thrown to the ceiling of the jet. “He was literally standing up serving drinks, so he had no way to brace himself,” Kantipudi said. “At one of the drops, he literally, completely, hit the ceiling and dropped down and was completely horizontal.”

“Lufthansa Flight 469 diverted to Dulles International Aiport and landed without incident around 9:10 p.m. … after the crew reported severe turbulence at 37,000 feet altitude over Tennessee,” the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

The FAA is investigating.

Severe turbulence that leads to injuries is rare, but this occurrence serves as a reminder that flight attendants and pilots are serious when they ask passengers to keep their seat belts on during the flight. It also may make travelers question how worried they should be about turbulence. The bumps, drops and shaking can put even the most seasoned travelers on the edge of their seats.

On an overnight American Airlines flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Miami International Airport (MIA), a sense of panic took hold of me as turbulence shook the plane for the first three hours of the flight.

I knew before taking off that there were storms over much of the southern U.S. that were spawning tornadoes in Texas. So, when the flight quickly started getting bumpy, I immediately concluded it was related to the weather. (I also noticed the pilot was flying low enough that I could see the ground for the first few hours of the flight.)

The uneasy journey got me thinking more about turbulence and how passengers can figure out when it’s normal — and when it’s potentially something to be concerned about. So, I contacted a few aviation experts to get the lowdown. Here’s what they said you need to know about turbulence during flights.

What is turbulence?

Justin Franco, a former American Airlines spokesperson and a self-proclaimed “weather nerd,” says there are two types of turbulence: clear-air turbulence and convective turbulence.

“Clear-air turbulence is caused by the sudden formation of cumulus clouds, jet streams and other weather phenomena,” Franco told TPG. “Convective turbulence is caused by stormy conditions on the ground or in the atmosphere.”

“Convective turbulence can be far more severe than clear-air turbulence,” Franco explained. “In fact, most incidents of severe air turbulence happen during storms or other severe weather events. The wind flow is not smooth like an airplane wing, so it rises and falls in waves. This causes the air pressure to rise and fall as well, causing sudden jolts of movement in the plane.”

Should you worry about turbulence?

I’ll admit, my blood pressure immediately rises every time I feel a jolt on a flight. However, Capt. Laura Einsetler, an aviation blogger and commercial airline pilot with 30-plus years of flying experience, reassured me the ups and downs that I feel in flight are nothing out of the ordinary.

“Turbulence is not something to be concerned about because the aircraft are built to withstand severe turbulence for long periods of time,” Einsetler said. “This is why the wings flex so that they are dynamic structures. This is similar to earthquake-resistant buildings that sway to withstand the forces.”

Patrick Smith, a pilot and writer of the Ask the Pilot blog, agreed.

“For all intents and purposes, a plane cannot be flipped upside down, thrown into a tailspin or otherwise flung from the sky by even the mightiest gust or air pocket. Conditions might be annoying and uncomfortable, but the plane is not going to crash,” Smith said. “Turbulence is an aggravating nuisance for everybody, including the crew, but it’s also, for lack of a better term, normal.”

How do pilots handle turbulence?

Although turbulence may be common, pilots still try to minimize it when possible.

“We coordinate with our airline weather pros and dispatch in addition to using software and Doppler radar that shows us where the areas of turbulence are,” Einsetler said. “We route either around or plan for lower or higher altitudes that are smoother.”

Related: Can pilots predict turbulence?

To ease passengers’ nerves and ensure safety, pilots will typically announce any expected bumps during the flight.

“[Ideally] pilots should give PA announcements every 15 to 20 minutes in anticipation of a turbulent area and also during,” Einsetler said. “It is very important that when the seat belt announcement has been made, and the seat belt lights are on, that everyone stays in their seats with seat belts on and things secured.“

Even if pilots don’t announce the turbulence — which was the case during my overnight flight — there’s usually little cause for concern.

“When it comes to communicating with passengers about turbulence, I personally [would] much rather have the captain of a flight be concentrating on the potential issue at hand,” Franco said. “What I can tell you is that if you ever see a flight attendant dash down the aisle and return the beverage cart faster than you thought was ever possible, it typically means stay seated.”

Related: How the weather affects your flight

How can you avoid turbulence when you fly?

If you’re still worried about turbulence, Einsetler said there are a few things passengers can do to minimize the chance of encountering it during flights:

• Always take the earliest morning flights possible since the air is smoothest earlier in the day.
• Fly the largest jet possible so you’ll feel fewer bumps while in the air.
• When possible, plan your trips for fall or spring when the weather conditions are consistently better.
• If you’re traveling in winter, try to book flights with more southerly routings and connections to avoid ice and snowstorms. For summer travels, reserve flights with more northerly routings to decrease the likelihood of encountering afternoon thunderstorms.
• Keep an eye on the Weather Channel or the MyRadar app a day or two before your flight so you can anticipate any weather issues at your departure city or destination, at your connections or along your route.

Bottom line

It’s not unusual to experience turbulence when you fly. While it can be unsettling in the moment, there’s no need to panic over those bumps in the sky.

Take a deep breath and remember that what you feel is perfectly normal. Odds are the temporary discomfort will be over before you know it.

Additional reporting by Clint Henderson.

It’s that time of the year again: Deep winter in the Northern Hemisphere means major airports face disruptions from snow, sleet and extreme weather. If you flew through New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in 2018, you might still have bad memories of the bomb cyclone that shut down the biggest gateway to the U.S.

If you transit through Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) regularly, you know very well the pain of winter-weather delays. London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) is not immune, either. Chances are you’ve found yourself on an airplane sitting on a taxiway, waiting — and waiting — as snow swirled outside. Or you’ve had your flight canceled due to fog.

Another such storm is developing just ahead of the busy Christmas travel rush, and it’s threatening to bring poor weather to hubs in the Great Plains, Midwest and East Coast.

Travelers must grapple with the disruption at the airport — or on their phones as they try to rebook — but what about pilots?

What do these types of weather events look like from the cockpit? And how exactly do airline pilots cope with tough winter weather, from snowstorms to strong winds? What weather events, if any, do pilots fear more than others? For the answers, we turned to an expert: a pilot who flies Boeing 787s for a major international airline and has seen all kinds of weather worldwide.

In an email, he told us all about flying in tough winter conditions. We have omitted his name so he could speak as freely as possible. We lightly edited for brevity and clarity. Here’s what he had to say.

Snow is the worst

Different types of weather bring their own challenges. Strong winds can create bumpy conditions on the departure and approach. If the wind is across the runway, we must fly “crabbed” into the wind to keep us tracking straight. The test of our skill comes when the aircraft is just feet above the runway. Using one of a few approved techniques, we have to straighten the nose while keeping the aircraft tracking down the centerline. Ask a pilot what their most satisfying time at work is, and most will tell you a good crosswind landing.

Fog, too, gets us thinking. When you’re hurtling down the runway at 195 miles per hour and you can only see 250 feet ahead, you need to bring your “A” game. Rigorously practiced procedures for situations like this ensure that we keep all on board safe.

However, it’s probably snow and ice conditions that provide the biggest challenge to our skills as professionals.

While you’re in a cab on your way into the airport, your pilots are also heading in, thinking about the challenges ahead. Bad-weather days require extra focus and thought.

During a pilot’s initial training, there is a large focus on weather and how it can affect flights. We’re taught from a very early stage to respect the weather and never to take any chances with it. Mother Nature is a powerful force.

How heavy is the snowfall? What’s the temperature? What kind of snow is it? What’s the wind doing? All these questions will run through our heads before we even arrive at the airport.

The main threat to flight safety during snowy conditions is contamination on the flying surfaces. The design of the wings is so advanced that any snow or ice on the surface can massively affect the aircraft’s performance.

To create lift and climb away from the runway, the aircraft requires airflow over the wing. It’s this airflow that actually makes us fly — the engines merely create the forward motion. For every flight, the pilots calculate the speed required to lift off safely. This is based on the aircraft weight, weather and runway conditions at departure time. When we reach this speed, known as “Vr,” we ease back on our controls and the aircraft rotates into the air.

However, this speed is based on a clean wing, free from any snow and ice contamination. Build-ups on the flight surfaces can affect the airflow and, consequently, the lift, making the calculated Vr speed too slow — with potentially disastrous consequences.

Before every flight, one of the pilots walks around the aircraft to check its physical condition. During snowy weather, a major part of this is to see what contamination exists. The engines, wings and external sensors all come under close scrutiny. Often, the only way to check the upper surface of the wing is by looking out of a cabin window, so don’t be surprised if you see a pilot doing this — it’s a good sign!

From these checks, we know what kind of de-icing procedure to follow to make the aircraft safe for departure. If there’s any doubt as to how bad the contamination is, we will always consider the worst case. Too much de-icing is better than too little.

De-icing on the cake

We want to be home with our families and friends as much as you do. However, while we are always mindful of punctuality, we are very aware that it can quite often be pulling in the opposite direction of safety. It’s our job to manage that balance.

Sitting at the gate, waiting to be de-iced, we know you have connections. We know you have meetings. We know you just want to get home. However, aviation history is littered with incidents where pilots cut corners to try and save a few minutes, only to regret that decision later on.

Why does de-icing take so long, though?

There are two ways aircraft can be de-iced: either with the engines shut down at the gate or with engines running in a remote de-icing area. This depends on the airport and on what facilities are available. Airports that experience snow and ice regularly tend to have remote de-icing facilities. Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) is a great example. Airports that experience these conditions only a few times a year, such as Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), tend to have trucks that de-ice aircraft at the gate.

Now, I can already hear you asking why these big airports like Newark don’t just have better facilities. It comes down to a matter of space and cost. Remote de-icing pads cost much more and take up a lot of space. Would you spend thousands of dollars on a fancy electric snow-clearing device for your home when you know that, for the few days a year it snows, a shovel will be just fine?

The de-icing process can take anywhere from a few minutes to 30 minutes, depending on how much snow and ice is on the aircraft. When there are only a limited number of de-icing trucks, you can see why delays build up quickly.

All this time, we remain relaxed in the flight deck. You can’t rush these things. Let the trained professionals do their jobs and when the de-icing is done, it’s done.

Once de-icing has been completed, the clock is ticking. If snow is still falling, it’s only a matter of time before it accumulates on the wing again. This time is called the holdover time; we work out how long we have before we need to be airborne or get de-iced again. This time depends on the de-icing fluid used, the air temperature and what kind of precipitation is falling.

While there seems to be a race against time in this situation to get airborne, once again, we are the gatekeepers of safety. If the taxi to the runway takes too long and our holdover time runs out, we have to return to be de-iced again. More delays and more frustration for you, but we are doing our best to keep you safe.

Related: How aircraft de-icing works

Yes, you can take off on a snow-covered runway*

Once we make it near the runway, our focus steps up another level. We’re listening closely to air traffic control. When we can’t see landing aircraft because of poor visibility caused by the snow, we have to build a mental picture in our heads of where other aircraft are.

It’s for this reason that ATC should always speak in English, the official language of aviation. By listening to instructions issued to other aircraft, we can tell if there is one about to land, or another taking off farther down the runway.

ATC will also give us information about the runway conditions, which is where my asterisk comes in. You can take off on a snow-covered runway … depending on how slippery it is and how much snow has accumulated.

There are different kinds of snow. It can be quite wet or very dry. This depends mostly on the air temperature. If the snow is very dry, as it often is in areas such as northern Canada and Scandinavia, there can be times when it’s possible to take off with visible snow on the runway. This depends on how slippery the runway is.

Most airports have special vehicles with a roller on the back that can measure just how slippery the runway is. This information is then passed to pilots who use this to work out their aircraft’s performance for takeoff and landing, as mentioned earlier.

However, the wetter the snow, the more slippery the runway. This is typical of snowstorms on the Eastern Seaboard in the U.S. when the air temperature isn’t too cold. When the runway is slippery like this, it has to be cleared and treated with anti-ice.

Naturally, this can take time — during which we can do very little except wait. Once again, it’s all for your safety.

When approaching the runway to take off, we are constantly assessing the weather to ensure that the performance we calculated earlier is still valid. If things have changed, we must redo the performance calculations, which takes time.

Only when we’re happy that the aircraft is free from all snow and ice — and that the performance is still valid — will we tell ATC we’re ready for departure.

Bottom line

When we line up on that runway with 200-plus lives on board, we want to know that we will take off safely. By abiding religiously by all these procedures, we ensure you get to your destination safely — even if it’s a few hours late.

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