Travel Safety
Travel Safe. Travel Confident. Travel Ready.
I've been stranded, surprised, and caught without things I really needed while traveling. And what I learned — every single time — is that the difference between a stressful situation and a manageable one almost always comes down to preparation you did before you left home.
This page covers the fundamentals. The things that make a real difference, not just the obvious stuff you've already thought of. It's not everything (not even close), but it's a solid starting point. And if you finish reading and realize how much more there is to think through? That's exactly what my course Master Every Mile is for.
Let's start here...
SIGN UP WITH THE US STATE DEPARTMENT'S STEP PROGRAM
Before any international trip, register with the U.S. Department of State through their free STEP program — Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. It's one of the most useful steps in travel prep, and one of the easiest to skip.
When you register, the U.S. Embassy knows you're in their country. If there's a natural disaster, civil unrest, or a fast-changing security situation, they can reach out to you directly. If your family back home can't reach you in an emergency, the State Department can try to get a message through. It doesn't track your every move — it just puts you in the system so the government can actually help you if they need to.
It takes about 15-20 minutes. It's free. And it's one of those things you'll only wish you'd done if you didn't.
Sign up at step.state.gov before your next international trip.
Quick thing to know — STEP is for U.S. citizens and nationals. If you're traveling with family members who hold other passports, check whether their home country offers a similar program.
Check Travel Advisories
What the State Department Is Actually Telling You
The State Department rates every country in the world on a scale of 1 to 4 — from "exercise normal precautions" all the way to "do not travel." The level number is just the starting point. The real value is in the details — which specific regions to be aware of, what types of incidents have been reported, whether there are entry restrictions that could affect your trip.
A Level 2 country with a regional advisory is a very different situation from a Level 2 country with a blanket one. Reading past the number takes five minutes and gives you information that actually shapes how you prepare.
Check travel.state.gov when you're booking and again within a week of departure. Advisories can change — and the gap between those two checks sometimes matters
You can also get information such as safety, visa/entry requirements, US embassy information, etc for each country.
USE YOUR PHONE AS AN IMPORTANT TRAVEL TOOL, NOT JUST A CAMERA...
GET SET UP BEFORE YOU GO.
Your phone can be the thing that gets you help when you actually need it — but only if you've set it up the right way before you leave.
The starting point: the right people need to be able to reach you, and first responders need to be able to help you, even if your phone is locked. That means your emergency contacts, your critical medical information, and the numbers you'd actually need in a crisis can't just live in your head. They need to live on your device — and in a couple of other places too, just in case.
The full setup — what to configure, where to store it, and what to do if your phone is lost or stolen abroad — is inside the module.
YOUR DOCUMENTS
(MORE THAN JUST A PASSPORT)
THE LAYER OR PREP THAT YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU HAD
A valid passport is the floor, not the ceiling. There's a whole layer of document preparation that separates a smooth trip from a stressful one — and it goes well beyond having the right expiration date.
A few things worth knowing:
Many countries require your passport to be valid for six months beyond your travel dates — not just your departure date. It's one of those requirements that's easy to miss until it's too late to fix.
Visas have processing timelines that don't care about your trip date. Some take days. Some take months. Getting ahead of this early is one of the most important things you can do when booking internationally.
What you do with copies of your documents — where you keep them, who has them, what format they're in — is its own system. Physical, digital, and shared with the right person back home are three different things. You want all three.
The full document prep system — what to have, where to keep it, and exactly how to set it up — is inside the travel safety module in my course Master Every Mile.
TRAVELING WITH KIDS
A FEW THINGS CHANGE WHEN LITTLE ONES ARE INVOLVED
Traveling with kids is wonderful. It also comes with a few safety considerations that don't apply to adult-only trips — and a preparation checklist that looks genuinely different.
Your kids should know what to do if you're separated. You should know how to get emergency help at your destination.
And there are document situations specific to families — particularly if you're traveling with children and without the other parent — that can create real complications at border control if you're not ready for them.
I cover family-specific travel safety in detail inside the travel safety module in my course Master Every Mile, because the stakes feel different when your kids are with you. The prep should match that.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
WORTH UNDERSTANDING BEFORE YOU NEED IT
I'm a certified travel insurance advisor — so here's the straightforward version: the right coverage depends entirely on your trip, your health, and what you're actually trying to protect.
Medical evacuation from another country can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Trip cancellation can mean losing thousands in non-refundable bookings. Whether what you have — through your credit card, your employer, or a policy you purchased — actually covers what you think it covers is a question worth asking before you're in the middle of a situation.
What to look for, what questions to ask, and how to evaluate whether your coverage is enough — that's inside the module.
For personalized guidance on your specific trip, check out my travel insurance page with educational videos designed to help you feel you understand how it works.
THE RIGHT GEAR MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Packing for safety isn't about being paranoid — it's about being practical. The right gear won't prevent every situation, but it can change how a situation plays out.
There's a category of travel gear specifically designed to keep your belongings secure, your information protected, and your options open when something unexpected happens. A door alarm for a hotel room that doesn't feel quite right. A wallet that protects your cards from skimming. A water solution for destinations where you're not sure about the tap. A bag designed so it's not the easiest target in a crowd.
None of it is bulky. None of it is expensive. And having it means one less thing to think about when you're actually on the ground.
I've put together a list of my personal favorites — the gear I actually travel with and recommend to my clients. You can find some on my shop page. The full breakdown — what each item does, when you actually need it, and how to use it — is inside Master Every Mile
READY TO GO DEEPER?
Available Inside Master Every Mile and as a Standalone Travel Safety Bundle
Everything on this page is the starting point. The systems, the step-by-step setups, the scenarios worth thinking through before you're in the middle of one — that's what lives inside my Travel Safety Bundle.
This is the travel safety module inside my full course, Master Every Mile.
Inside the course you'll find:
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Your Travel Operating System
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Get Your Documents in Order
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Protect Your Trip
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Book Smart
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Know the Airport Blueprint
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Navigate Like a Local
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Pack Smart
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Travel Safety — Full Coverage
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If Something Goes Wrong
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Family Travel
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Teen Travel Confidence
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Points & Miles Resources
Travel safety isn't about being scared. It's about being ready. This is how you get there — without spending hours going down a research spiral on your own.
