Belarus diverts flight: 4 ways to plan for an emergency while traveling
You probably don’t want to think about an emergency while traveling, but you should.
Geopolitical situations can change rapidly while you’re abroad, as we saw in Belarus over the weekend when its government forcibly landed a Lithuanian-bound Ryanair flight from Greece to arrest a journalist. The plane took off for its final destination hours later, but passengers were understandably spooked by the experience, which Poland’s prime minister called an “act of state terrorism.”
If you’re not carefully following the news, you might miss a critical update. And it’s not only security concerns to be hypervigilant about anymore, either. The coronavirus has proven to be unpredictable and highly complex, and the situation on the ground in many countries has deteriorated. With borders shut between some countries because of the pandemic, it’s important to know your options if you become ill abroad.
Before you travel, there are important things you should do to plan for an emergency before you head out the door.
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Register your trip with the STEP program
The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has a program called Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This program helps keep you up-to-date on relevant security updates from the nearest U.S. consulate -- and keep you safe -- wherever in the world you happen to be.
While you probably don’t need to register if you’re taking a weekend trip to Canada, here are a few reasons to consider signing up:
- You’re traveling to an area that’s politically unstable or prone to violence.
- You’re taking an extended trip (several weeks or months long) where you may have limited internet access.
- You’re traveling for a major event, summit or conference that might become the target of protests or attacks.
- You’re a minority traveling to an area where you might be targeted as an outsider.
- You’d like an additional safety resource during your trip, no matter the destination.
Have a physical itinerary -- and share it
While having digital backups of your travel plans is essential, you’ll also want to have physical, hard copies of your itinerary. I learned this lesson the hard way a few years ago when I landed in a country and forgot the address of my hotel. Pulling up those details would have been pretty simple -- except for the fact that I didn’t have working internet access.
After my overseas internet snafu, my family insisted on having physical copies of my itinerary, contact information for friends I’m traveling with and other pertinent information. At first, I thought this was overkill -- but I quickly got over my pride. Having someone back home who is aware of where you are and when you’re supposed to be there is important. They would be the first point of contact should someone need to get in touch with you and point authorities to your location in case of an emergency.
Other TPG staffers I spoke to for this story said the same.
“After all these years, my dad still wants me to email an itinerary that he prints and puts on the fridge,” said Tom Grashler, TPG’s director of video.
Reporter Ashley Kosciolek has taken to printing paper copies of “everything,” including her passport, boarding passes and even her credit cards.
“I feel better knowing I have tangible backups in the event I lose something or technology fails,” she said.
Pack a first-aid kit and medication
You should make sure to pack a first-aid kit anytime you travel -- even if that means taking an extra pair of flip flops out of your luggage in case your suitcase is full.
One of the first medications you should make sure to pack is ciprofloxacin. It’s known as the “stomach virus pill” and will help if you get food poisoning. I have a sensitive stomach and have gotten food poisoning on trips to Cabo, Ghana and Haiti, among other places, and having a few extra ciprofloxacin pills came in handy for what would have otherwise been pretty miserable trips. It’s not available over the counter, so make sure to make an appointment with a travel doctor before you leave to get a prescription.
Other essentials to pack:
- Your prescriptions, enough for your trip and extra in case you have delays or your travel is interrupted (make sure to pack them in your carry-on and not checked luggage)
- Travel medicines like malaria prophylaxis
- First aid kit
- Other medicines
- Diarrhea medicine (Imodium or Pepto-Bismol)
- Motion sickness medicine
- Cough drops, cough suppressant or expectorant
- Decongestant
- Pain and fever medicine (acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen)
- Bug spray
- 1% hydrocortisone cream
- Digital thermometer
Consider travel insurance
The best pandemic travel insurance will depend on your trip details and how much you’re willing to self-insure.
But, before picking any travel insurance, you should consider whether interruptions due to coronavirus-related reasons are covered. Many policies won’t cover your cancellation if it’s related to a known event (such as the pandemic).
However, if you want to book a trip without free cancellation, you should consider buying a cancel for any reason policy. Likewise, if your primary health insurance won’t cover you on your trip, it’s essential to consider whether medical expenses related to COVID-19 treatment are covered.
You may also want to consider a MedJet medical transport membership. Ryan Patterson, TPG’s miles, points and deals intern says he splits a plan with his parents. “[It’s] not the cheapest, but we had to use it back in 2007 when my dad got pneumonia in Tahiti. [It] saved us $60,000 or so.”
Bottom line
Hopefully, you won't find yourself in an emergency while traveling abroad. But if you do, some proper preparation can help you navigate (or avoid) a potentially disastrous situation. Either way, always make sure someone, including family, friends or the U.S. embassy, knows your whereabouts, and print extra copies of your itinerary and keep them in multiple places. And be sure to keep essentials in your carry-on in case of an emergency.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.