Lifestyle

5 Holiday Travel Mistakes Most People Over 50 Make

By Mike Harper · October 17, 2026

Holiday flights and long car trips pile stress on bodies that already have a few prescriptions, a tighter schedule, and less patience for surprises. The fixes are mostly paperwork and habits, not gadgets.

Here are five mistakes that show up every winter travel season, and what to do instead.

Assuming Medicare will cover you overseas. Medicare.gov is blunt: Medicare usually doesn’t cover health care while you’re traveling outside the U.S., aside from narrow exceptions such as certain foreign hospital stays when a foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat you, or limited cruise-ship care near a U.S. port. Medicare drug plans also do not cover prescriptions bought outside the country. Some Medigap policies add emergency foreign coverage, but that is plan-specific. If a trip leaves the 50 states and U.S. territories, buy travel medical insurance and read the evacuation terms before you go.

Packing medications in checked bags, or without labels. The CDC tells travelers to pack medicines in a carry-on in case luggage is lost or delayed, keep them in original labeled containers, and bring copies of prescriptions with generic names. TSA says medication should be clearly labeled and that medically necessary liquids, medications and creams can exceed the 3.4-ounce liquids limit if you remove them for separate screening. For international trips, check destination and layover country rules. Some common U.S. medicines are restricted abroad.

Sitting still for the whole flight or drive. The CDC warns that long periods of sitting can raise the chance of a deep vein thrombosis, a clot in a large vein that can travel to the lungs. Older age is one of the listed risk factors. Prevention is simple: stand or walk every 2 to 3 hours, choose an aisle seat when you can, stretch your calves while seated, and ask your doctor about compression stockings if you have extra clot risk. The CDC does not recommend taking aspirin solely to prevent travel clots.

Skipping the pre-travel medical visit. CDC travel guidance for medicine and vaccines urges an appointment with your clinician or a travel health specialist at least 4 to 6 weeks before you leave. That visit is where you sort destination vaccines, refill timing, refrigeration needs, and how to adjust dosing across time zones. Waiting until the week of departure leaves little room if a pharmacy needs a prior authorization.

Leaving no paper trail at home. CDC advice is to leave a copy of your prescriptions with a friend or relative, and to carry your own copies. Add your doctor’s phone number, your insurance cards, a list of doses, and your travel medical policy number. If you use an injectable such as insulin or an EpiPen, ask your clinician for a note. Lost luggage is annoying. A lost unlabeled pill bottle in another country can become a medical and legal problem.

Holiday travel gets easier when the health logistics are finished before the packing starts. A carry-on pharmacy kit, a realistic view of Medicare’s borders, and a plan to move your legs every couple of hours prevent most of the avoidable disasters.

This article is for general information and is not medical or insurance advice. Confirm coverage, medication rules, and clot-prevention steps with your doctor, Medicare, TSA, and your travel insurer before you go.