WORLDWIDE TRAVEL ALERT - 10 THINGS TO DO

The U.S. State Department released a 90-day Worldwide Travel Alert on Nov 23, 2015.  

 

As outlined by the State Department, a travel alert is different from a travel warning. At this time most airlines are not refunding tickets and travelers are staying on track with their plans.  

 

Here are 10 things to do before your trip:

 

1.  Sign up for the STEP program.

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service that allows U.S. citizens and nationals traveling abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

 

2.  Locate the U.S embassy at your destination.

 

3.  Make a photocopy of the following and keep it handy:

• Emergency phone numbers – U.S. Embassy, Friends & Family

• Hotel and Airline info

 

4.  Follow the State Dept. on Twitter and on Facebook.

 

5.  Download Google maps and save your destination map offline.  Here are instructions to do that for iOS and for Android.  

 

6.  Sign up for alerts from your airline.

 

7.  Sign up for alerts from local & international news outlets.

 

8.  Share your itinerary with friends and family.

 

9.  Have some cash in hand, U.S. dollars or local currency.

 

10. Book your ride to the airport, giving yourself as much extra time as possible to go through the heightened security measures.

 

That's it.  Have a great trip!