Travel Health Tips: How to Avoid Getting Sick
Key Takeaways
- The best travel illness prevention is doing the basics: hydrating, sleeping enough, handwashing, and limiting exposure to germs in crowded spaces.
- Staying healthy on a cruise may require extra precautions because stomach viruses can spread quickly in shared dining and living areas.
- Products marketed as immune support for traveling, such as Emergen-C or Airborne, may support overall wellness but cannot guarantee illness prevention.
- A personalized travel health consultation can help you prepare for international travel with recommended vaccines and destination-specific health and safety guidance.
Holiday travel surges are coming up quick! From crowded airports and cruise ships to destination-specific health risks, traveling can expose you to a variety of illnesses.
Many travelers wonder the same thing: How can I avoid getting sick while traveling?
“Travel health risks can range from common colds to less familiar infections—and that preparation matters,” said Infectious Disease Physician Angela Branche, MD.
Here’s what to consider before your next trip, plus expert-backed tips to help you stay healthy.
Why Travel Can Increase Your Risk of Getting Sick
While travel itself doesn’t weaken your immune system, the stressors that often come with vacations can increase your odds of getting sick. Changes in sleep, stress, hydration, and nutrition during vacation can increase exposure to germs while making your body less prepared to fight them off.
International travel can pose additional risks, such as viruses, bacteria, and unsafe food and water that our bodies are not used to.
Stay Protected During International Travel
Travel Health offers personalized guidance, recommended vaccines, and destination-specific advice to help you prepare for your trip.
How to Stay Healthy on a Plane
Planes are enclosed spaces with lots of frequently touched surfaces, making healthy travel habits important. Try these tips next time you hop on a flight:
- Hydrate Before and During Your Flight: Drink water before and during your flight, limit alcohol and caffeine, and consider packing electrolyte packets.
- Be Aware of High-Touch Surfaces: Bring hand sanitizer and/or disinfectant wipes to clean tray tables, seatbelt buckles, screens, and armrests. Pro tip: consider bringing lotion, too, as dry skin can lead to small open cuts.
- Sleep Matters More Than You Think:It plays a huge role in immune function. Early flights, jet lag, and travel stress, which interrupt your sleep, can all make it harder for your body to recover and fight off illness.
Staying Healthy on a Cruise Ship
Illnesses, especially norovirus, spread more easily on cruise ships due to close quarters, shared dining, and large groups of travelers.
Common norovirus risk factors include:
- Shared buffets and dining areas
- Close living quarters
- Lots of frequently touched surfaces
- Infrequent handwashing
Reminder: Washing your hands with soap and water is more effective than hand sanitizer in preventing norovirus.
Other ways to stay healthy on a cruise:
- Avoid food that has been sitting out too long
- Stay hydrated, especially in hot climates
- Be cautious with food and water sources during excursions (bring bottled water when possible)
Don’t ignore symptoms. If you develop vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or respiratory symptoms onboard, limit your contact with others, report symptoms to cruise medical staff, and focus on hydration and rest.
Traveling During Flu Season? Don't Skip Your Flu Shot
Should I get a flu shot before traveling? Yes! Aim to get vaccinated at least two weeks before your trip to reduce your risk of serious illness. Even if you're leaving sooner, it's still worth getting vaccinated.
It's also important to recognize the early symptoms of the flu, especially before boarding a plane or cruise ship.
Do Supplements Like Emergen-C or Airborne Actually Help?
“There’s no magic supplement that prevents illness during travel, but healthy habits before and during your trip can make a meaningful difference.”
The best evidence-based strategies for immune support while traveling are still sleep, hydration, nutrition, and handwashing.
Prepare for Safe, Healthy International Travel
Planning an international trip? Our Travel Health team partners with Passport Health, to prepare travelers with personalized consultations, recommended vaccinations, and destination-specific health and safety guidance to keep you healthy wherever your travels take you.
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