Getting sick while traveling can be scary — especially if you’re far from home, don’t speak the language, or aren’t sure how healthcare works where you are. The good news? With a little preparation and the right mindset, getting sick on vacation doesn’t have to derail your entire trip.
Here’s how to stay prepared before you go — and what to do if you get sick while traveling, whether you’re in another country or just far from home.
1. Travel Prepared (Even to “Developed” Countries)
One of the biggest travel myths is that you don’t need to prepare for illness if you’re visiting a developed country. While healthcare may be excellent where you are traveling, accessing it as a traveler is different.
Always assume:
- Pharmacies can carry different/unfamiliar brands
- Your exact medications you like will not be available
- Language barriers can make things harder when you’re sick
Preparation is peace of mind. I always bring preventative health boosters with me when I travel. Travel exposes you to a lot of people, unfamiliar environments, and added stress on your body—sometimes all at once.
A few small, familiar items can go a long way toward keeping you feeling your best (or helping you recover faster if something does hit). I recommend packing:
- A pack of Airborne
- A couple packs of Oscillococcinum
- A small tea tin with a few comfort teas
- Hydration packets
These don’t take up much space, but they can make a huge difference when you’re tired, stressed, or starting to feel unwell—especially somewhere unfamiliar.
2. Always Get Travel Insurance
Travel insurance isn’t just for lost luggage — it’s one of the most important tools you can have if you get sick abroad.
Look for policies that include:
- Emergency medical coverage
- Hospitalization
- Prescription coverage
- Medical evacuation (this is huge)
- Travel hotel/flight changes due to illness or other interruptions
Even in countries with great healthcare systems, travel insurance can save you thousands — and a lot of stress.
3. Bring a Small Travel First Aid Kit
You don’t need a full pharmacy, but having your personal basics can make a huge difference.
You should ALWAYS pack:
- Pain reliever you already use (ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc.)
- Cold & flu medicine you trust
- Anti-diarrheal medication (common travelers affliction)
- Constipation medication (common travelers affliction)
- Motion sickness medication (common travelers affliction)
- Antacids (common travelers affliction)
- Bandages, ointment and blister care (even small first aid kits can make a world of difference for your peace of mind and enjoyment of your trip)
- Any daily or “as needed” prescriptions
When you’re sick, familiarity matters. This is not the time you want to be standing in a foreign pharmacy trying to decode medical French while feeling awful. Even in a country like France, medications are labeled with complex clinical terms, and what looks “right” on the shelf may not be what you actually need. If you’re dealing with something unpleasant like traveler’s diarrhea or constipation, you can easily end up buying a medication you’ve never heard of—and have no idea whether it will work at all. Bringing the basic remedies you already know and trust removes stress from an already miserable situation.
4. Bring Your Own Medications (Even Common Ones)
Medication names, formulas, and dosages vary by country — even for common OTC things.
If you rely on:
Bring them with you in original packaging or a cutout of their original packaging, bring more than you think you will need, and if it is a prescription, bring a copy of your prescription.
5. Know How to Access Care Before You Need It
Before you travel, take 10 minutes to:
- Google nearby hospitals or clinics
- Save emergency numbers on your phone
- Know how to contact your travel insurance provider
- Have an emergency contact at the ready
When you’re sick, thinking clearly is hard. Deciding what to do can be even harder. Future-you will be grateful.
6. Don’t “Power Through” Serious Symptoms
Travel culture sometimes glorifies pushing through illness — but that can make things worse.
Seek medical help if you experience:
- High or persistent fever
- Severe stomach pain
- Trouble breathing
- Chest pain
- Severe dehydration
- Symptoms that rapidly worsen
Your health is always more important than an itinerary. My mother once got so dehydrated when we were traveling that she was having seizures. She ended up in the hospital and then bed rest in the hotel with liquids for a few days. If you have any signs of sickness while traveling treat them quickly and take them seriously.
7. Build Rest Days Into Your Travel Plans
Overpacking itineraries makes everything harder — especially if you get sick.
When possible:
- Avoid moving cities every day
- Plan lighter days after long flights
- Allow flexibility for rest
Rest is not wasted travel time — it’s what keeps trips enjoyable.
Your health is always more important than an itinerary.
8. Don’t Be Afraid to Not Fly If You’re Sick
This is one of the hardest travel decisions to make — but sometimes, the smartest thing you can do is not get on the plane.
If you’re sick — even with “just” a bad cold — flying can:
- Make your symptoms significantly worse due to cabin pressure and dehydration
- Slow your recovery, sometimes turning a minor illness into a longer one
- Increase your risk of complications, especially on long-haul flights
- Spread illness to dozens (or hundreds) of other people in a confined space
Long flights are particularly hard on the body when you’re already unwell.
There’s also an emotional piece here: traveling sick often means you’re miserable, exhausted, and not actually enjoying the trip you worked so hard to plan.
Sometimes, the smarter choice is to pause.
That pause might mean not flying yet, or it might mean staying where you are to recover instead of rushing home.
This actually happened to me while traveling in Thailand. I became sick abroad and had to make the call to stay put rather than get on a long flight home while unwell. I booked additional hotel nights, had a doctor come directly to the hotel for an examination, and focused on resting until I was better. It wasn’t ideal — but it was the right decision.
The total extra cost ended up being around $1,000. Through travel insurance, I was reimbursed for roughly 65% of the extended hotel stay and flight changes, and my medical expenses were covered in full. Filing the claim was straightforward, and while I didn’t recover every dollar, the trade-off was absolutely worth it: I didn’t get sicker, I didn’t spread illness to others, and I was able to recover properly.
Many people don’t realize that travel insurance often covers illness-related delays, interruptions, and medical care, including situations where a doctor advises against flying. Even when reimbursement isn’t 100%, the financial impact is often far smaller than expected — and far less costly than pushing through and dealing with bigger health problems later.
There can be a lot of pressure to “power through” travel plans, especially when flights and accommodations where a lot of money is involved. But experienced travelers understand this truth:
Taking care of your health is part of traveling smart.
A delayed flight or altered plan can be disappointing. Making yourself sicker — or turning a trip into an exhausting ordeal — is far worse. Sometimes the best travel decision is giving yourself the time and space to recover, so you can actually enjoy the journey when you’re well again.
Final Thoughts
Getting sick while traveling isn’t fun — but it doesn’t have to be terrifying or trip-ending. With preparation, insurance, and realistic expectations, you can handle it calmly and safely wherever you are in the world.
Travel smart. Travel prepared. And take care of yourself — because that’s the real foundation of great travel.