Travel Advisory Changed After You Booked? What to Do Next

You booked the trip months ago. Now the government travel advisory for your destination has gone up a level.

An advisory doesn't cancel your trip, and in most cases it doesn't stop you going. What it can change is your travel insurance, your refund rights and how much help is available if something goes wrong. This guide walks through what to check, in order, under US, UK, Canadian and Australian rules.

Step 1: Read what actually changed

Before you call anyone, open the advisory and look at three things.

• The level. Each government uses its own scale. Our guide to travel advisory levels explains what each level means.
• The area. Many advisories cover specific regions, not the whole country. A higher level for a border province may not touch your itinerary at all.
• The reason. Unrest, crime, a disease outbreak and a natural disaster each affect a trip differently. The reason tells you what to plan around.

It's also worth checking more than one government. The US, UK, Canada and Australia each assess risk independently, and they don't always move at the same time. If only one has raised its level, read what changed and why.

Step 2: Know which levels affect insurance

Insurance is where an advisory change usually matters most. Each country has a different trigger point.

Government	Levels that commonly affect cover	What official guidance says
UK (FCDO)	"All but essential travel" and "all travel"	Travelling against FCDO advice could invalidate your insurance
Canada	Level 3 and Level 4	Insurers may refuse medical or cancellation claims
Australia	Level 4 ('Do not travel')	Most standard policies won't cover "Do not travel" places
US	No single standard	An advisory alone is rarely a covered reason to cancel

A few details behind that table:

• UK. The FCDO says your insurance could be invalidated if you travel against its advice, and that some policies may let you claim if you cancel because its advice changes. Only your insurer can decide whether to accept a claim.
• Canada. The Government of Canada says insurers may decline medical claims or cancellation fees for travellers who booked after, or travelled despite, an advisory to avoid non-essential or all travel.
• Australia. Smartraveller says most standard policies won't cover "Do not travel" destinations. Smartraveller also suggests checking whether your policy covers cancellation if the advice level goes up after you've booked.
• US. US policies don't usually tie cover to State Department levels. That cuts both ways, as the next sections explain.

Step 3: Ask your insurer two separate questions

Call your insurer, or read your policy wording, and get clear answers to both of these:

1. Am I still covered if I travel now? In the UK, Canada and Australia especially, travelling against advice can remove medical cover for anything linked to the reason for the advice.
2. Am I covered if I cancel? Some policies pay out when the advisory rises after you bought the policy. Many don't.

Timing matters. Policies that do cover travel warnings generally only pay out if you bought the policy before the warning was issued. Buying cover after the advisory goes up usually won't help with anything linked to that change.

Ask for the answer in writing, by email or chat, so you have a record if you need to claim.

If you're a US traveller

Cancelling the trip

Standard trip cancellation insurance usually won't pay out just because an advisory went up. A small number of policies list government travel warnings as a covered reason, but only if you bought the policy before the warning was issued.

The main flexible option is Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) cover. It's an optional add-on with strict terms:

• It typically refunds up to 75% of your prepaid, non-refundable costs.
• You usually have to buy it within 14 to 21 days of your first trip deposit.
• You usually have to cancel at least 2 to 3 days before departure.

If you're still early in planning a trip somewhere with a changeable situation, CFAR is the main way to keep your options open.

Your flights

Under US Department of Transportation rules, if your airline cancels or significantly changes your flight and you don't accept the alternative offered, you're entitled to a refund, even on a non-refundable fare. A significant change includes a departure or arrival time moved by more than three hours on a domestic flight or six hours on an international one.

If the flight still operates and you decide not to fly, the normal fare rules apply. Airlines sometimes publish travel waivers for affected destinations, so check your airline's website before you cancel.

If you booked a package holiday in the UK

Package holidays have the strongest protection. Under the UK's Package Travel Regulations 2018, you can cancel without a fee if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at your destination significantly affect the holiday or your journey there.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has said that if the FCDO is advising against travel to your destination when you're due to leave, that is strong evidence these circumstances are likely to apply. In that case you're entitled to a full refund under regulation 12(8).

Two things to keep in mind:

• Talk to your tour operator before cancelling. The CMA's view is tied to the advice in place when you're due to leave, and advice can change again before then. Ask your tour operator what they plan to do before you cancel.
• Separate bookings don't qualify. If you booked flights and a hotel separately, this protection doesn't apply. Check each provider's own terms.

If you decide to go anyway

Some travellers still go, especially when the change affects a region they aren't visiting. If that's you:

• Sort out your cover first. If your standard policy excludes the destination, look for a specialist insurer that covers it.
• Register with your government. US citizens can enrol in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Australians can subscribe to Smartraveller updates. Canadians can use Registration of Canadians Abroad. UK travellers can sign up for FCDO email alerts for each country.
• Know the limits of consular help. Our guide to what your embassy can do abroad covers what to expect, which can be less in areas under the highest advisory levels.
• Plan around the reason. Avoid the regions named in the advice and keep your documents and copies easy to reach.
• Keep checking. Advisories can move again, up or down, before or during your trip.

If you're already there

If the level rises while you're travelling:

• Read what the advice tells you to do. Some updates say to leave. Others say to avoid certain areas or follow local authorities.
• Contact your insurer. Ask how the change affects your cover while you're there and whether they need you to do anything.
• Contact your embassy if you need help, and keep your government's emergency number saved on your phone.

If the change follows an earthquake, storm or outbreak, our guide on what to do if a natural disaster or disease outbreak hits while you're traveling covers the next steps.

A quick checklist

• Read the new level, the affected areas and the reason.
• Compare what other governments say about the same destination.
• Ask your insurer whether you're covered to travel, and to cancel.
• Get your insurer's answer in writing.
• If you booked a package, speak to the tour operator before cancelling.
• If your airline cancels or significantly changes a flight, ask for a refund rather than a voucher.
• If you go, register with your government and keep watching the advice.

Where Farhaven fits

Farhaven shows travel advice from the US, UK, Canada and Australia for your destination side by side, so you can see whether one government changed its advice or all four did. Save a trip, and the daily brief on your Home screen shows what changed for that destination since yesterday. Embassy alerts appear on the Alerts tab, with your own government's listed first.

Farhaven doesn't replace your insurer or tour operator. They decide what's covered and what's refunded, so always check with them directly.

For everything else to check before you leave, see our pre-trip travel safety checklist.

Get Farhaven for iOS and Android.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still travel if the advisory is raised to the highest level?

In most cases, yes. Government travel advisories are advice, not travel bans. But your insurance may not cover you, and consular help in the area may be very limited.

Will travel insurance refund me if the advisory goes up?

It depends on your policy and when you bought it. Some policies cover cancellation after an advisory rises. Many standard US policies don't, unless you added Cancel For Any Reason cover. A policy bought after the change usually won't cover anything linked to it.

Will my airline refund my ticket?

Only if the airline cancels or significantly changes the flight, or its own policy or a published travel waiver allows it. If the flight operates and you choose not to fly, the normal fare rules apply.

What if the advisory goes back down before I leave?

Advice can move down as well as up. For UK package holidays, the CMA ties refund rights to the advice in place when you're due to leave. That's why it's worth talking to your tour operator or insurer before cancelling a trip that's still weeks away.

Sources

• GOV.UK: How the FCDO puts together travel advice
• GOV.UK: CMA warns package travel firms over refunds
• UK Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, regulation 12
• Government of Canada: Travel insurance
• Government of Canada: Registration of Canadians Abroad
• Smartraveller: Don't be influenced into risking your life
• US Department of Transportation: Refund rule compliance guidance
• US Department of State: Smart Traveler Enrollment Program
• Squaremouth: What happens if there is a travel warning for the country I'm visiting?
• Squaremouth: Can I cancel my trip because of a CDC alert?