Holiday Travel Health Tips: Flights, Food, and Flu Season

The best holiday travel health tips come down to four things: protect yourself on a crowded, dry flight, pack your medications in your carry-on, handle holiday food with care, and respect flu season. Holiday travel concentrates millions of people into a few days. TSA screened 3,133,924 travelers on the Sunday after Thanksgiving 2025, the most in its history, and the CDC says flu activity most often peaks between December and February, right when most of us fly home. Cabin air is typically 10 to 20% humidity, and cross-country legs can span three time zones. As a physician-founded travel health team, we see the same predictable problems every season, and a little preparation prevents most of them. Wandr's free destination check is a simple place to start.

Last updated October 30, 2026. By The Wandr Team.

Why Holiday Travel Is Hard on Your Health

The holidays are the year's biggest travel surge. AAA projected a record 81.8 million Americans would travel over Thanksgiving 2025, including about 6 million by air. This year the trip also costs more: Hopper's 2026 Holiday Travel Index puts the average domestic round trip at $402 for Thanksgiving (up 31%) and $452 for Christmas (up 23%), both 10-year highs.

You cannot control the fare or the crowds. You can control how the trip treats you. Crowded flights, shared holiday meals, and peak flu season all arrive in the same few weeks, so it pays to plan for all three.

On the Plane: Dry Air, Crowds, and Long Legs

The CDC notes that cabin air is usually 10 to 20% humidity, dry enough to irritate your airway and eyes, and that cabins are pressurized to the equivalent of roughly 6,000 to 8,000 feet. It also notes that close proximity between passengers increases the risk of spreading illness. A few habits do most of the work:

• Water: Carry an empty bottle through security and refill it at the gate. The CDC notes that alcohol and caffeine can both contribute to dehydration on travel days.
• Clean hands: Wash with soap and water, or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, after security and before you eat.
• Movement: The CDC says anyone traveling more than 4 hours can be at risk for blood clots, and recommends moving your legs often and walking every 1 to 2 hours when you can.
• Seat choice: An aisle seat makes walking easier, a window seat makes sleeping easier, and a seat near the wings gives the smoothest ride.

If you feel sick mid-flight, tell a flight attendant. The CDC notes that flight attendants are trained in basic first aid and that airlines carry required medical supplies. Cover coughs, and arrange care after landing if symptoms are severe.

For the fundamentals of in-flight illness, see our guide on how to not get sick on a plane.

Sleep, Jet Lag, and Flight Anxiety

Early departures and cross-country legs make holiday trips tiring. The CDC recommends limiting alcohol and caffeine around in-flight sleep and keeping naps to 20 to 30 minutes after you land. Flying west, the body typically adapts about 1.5 hours per day, compared with about 1 hour per day flying east. Our physician's guide to jet lag goes deeper.

Crowds, delays, and family expectations also make holiday flights harder for anxious flyers. A few general approaches help many people:

• Slow your breathing. A slow, longer exhale is a simple way to settle your body during takeoff or turbulence.
• Know the normal sounds. Engine pitch changes and landing gear noises are routine. Telling a flight attendant you are a nervous flyer is completely normal.
• Plan your distraction. Download shows, music, or podcasts before you leave rather than relying on in-flight Wi-Fi.

If flight anxiety regularly makes travel hard for you, our guide to managing fear of flying covers it in more depth.

Traveling With Medications Over the Holidays

A lost suitcase during peak holiday travel should never mean a missed dose. The CDC advises keeping medications in your carry-on, in their original, labeled containers.

• Carry-on only: Checked bags can be delayed or lost, and you cannot reach them mid-flight.
• Original labeled bottles: TSA recommends clearly labeled medication to make screening easier.
• Paperwork: Bring a copy of your prescription, or a letter from the clinician who prescribed it listing each medication and why you take it.
• Liquids: TSA allows medically necessary liquids over 3.4 ounces in your carry-on. Take them out of your bag for separate screening.
• A buffer: Pack a few extra days' supply in case weather delays your return.

This matters most for kids and older relatives, who are more likely to rely on daily medications. Our full guide on how to travel with prescription medication covers the details.

Motion Sickness on Winter Flights

A full holiday flight is a bad place to discover you get airsick. The CDC's motion sickness guidance offers a few practical steps: choose a seat near the wings, keep your head still, avoid reading or scrolling during rough patches, and skip alcohol, which can make motion sickness worse.

If you are flying with kids, the CDC says susceptibility peaks between ages 7 and 12. If motion sickness is a pattern for you or your family, plan for it before the trip rather than at 30,000 feet. It is something we cover during a Wandr visit, and our motion sickness guide for travelers explains your options.

Holiday Food: Buffets, Potlucks, and Traveler's Diarrhea

Holiday buffets and potlucks often leave food sitting out for hours. The CDC's rule is simple: never leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it is above 90°F. Cook poultry and reheat leftovers to 165°F, and wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before eating.

If you are traveling internationally, the CDC calls traveler's diarrhea the most common travel-related illness, with higher risk in Mexico, Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East, and much of Asia. Symptoms usually come on suddenly and range from mild cramps and urgent loose stools to severe abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, or bloody diarrhea. Untreated bacterial cases usually last 3 to 7 days, and viral cases 2 to 3 days.

Replacing fluids comes first. The CDC calls fluid replacement key, especially for young children, older adults, and people with chronic medical conditions, and notes that oral rehydration solution can be used for more serious cases. For children, seek medical attention right away for signs of dehydration, fever, or bloody stools. If you are heading abroad, planning for traveler's diarrhea is part of a Wandr visit.

Our guide to food and water safety for travelers covers what to eat and drink abroad.

Flu Season: Protecting Yourself and the People You Visit

According to the CDC, U.S. flu season runs through fall and winter, and activity most often peaks between December and February. Holiday travel lands right in that window, often in homes with babies and grandparents. The CDC lists adults 65 and older and young children, especially those under 2, among the groups at higher risk of serious flu complications.

The CDC's prevention basics apply: wash your hands often, avoid close contact with people who are sick, and do not travel if you have flu-like symptoms. Masks are among the additional measures the CDC lists, and wearing one on a full flight is a reasonable choice, particularly if you or someone you are visiting is at higher risk.

The CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine at least 2 weeks before travel. Our guide to the influenza vaccine for travelers explains timing and how to get one.

Your Holiday Prep Timeline

Two weeks before

• Run a destination check for your trip.
• Refill daily medications with a few days' buffer, and arrange anything trip-specific.
• Get your flu vaccine if you plan to have one.
• Pack a small health kit: hand sanitizer, a refillable water bottle, masks if you want them, oral rehydration packets, and your regular medications.

The day before

• Protect your sleep and stay well hydrated.
• Download entertainment and confirm your flights and airport timing.
• Ask your hosts whether anyone is sick, especially if babies or older relatives will be there.

Travel day

• Medications in your carry-on, in original labeled bottles, with your prescription copy or clinician letter.
• Clean your hands after security and before eating.
• Drink water, limit alcohol, and walk every 1 to 2 hours on longer flights.
• If you develop flu-like symptoms, follow the CDC's advice and delay travel.

When to Seek Care

Most holiday illnesses are mild, but some symptoms should not wait. This is general guidance, not a diagnosis.

• Prompt care: Symptoms that are getting worse or not improving, diarrhea with fever or blood, or signs of dehydration.
• Emergency care: Call 911 or go to an emergency department for emergency warning signs. For adults, the CDC lists difficulty breathing, persistent chest or abdominal pain or pressure, persistent dizziness or confusion, seizures, and not urinating. For children, it adds fast breathing or trouble breathing, bluish lips or face, and not being alert or interacting when awake.
• After you return: If you feel sick after a trip, the CDC advises telling a healthcare provider where you traveled.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I stay healthy flying home for Thanksgiving? Drink water through the day, clean your hands before eating, and get up to walk every 1 to 2 hours on longer flights, as the CDC recommends. Cabin air is usually 10 to 20% humidity, so hydration matters more than it does on the ground.

Should I pack medications in my carry-on for Christmas travel? Yes. The CDC advises carrying medications in your carry-on in their original, labeled containers. TSA also allows medically necessary liquids over 3.4 ounces, screened separately.

Should I fly if I have flu symptoms? No. The CDC advises against traveling with flu-like symptoms and recommends delaying travel until you are no longer thought to be contagious. Flu activity most often peaks between December and February, so plan a little flexibility into holiday trips.

How long can holiday food sit out safely? The CDC says perishable food should not sit out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. After that, refrigerate it or throw it away.

How expensive are holiday flights in 2026? Hopper's 2026 Holiday Travel Index puts average domestic round-trip fares at $402 for Thanksgiving and $452 for Christmas, both 10-year highs. Fares change quickly, so check current prices before booking.

Before You Head Home

The fare is set by the market. How you feel when you land is mostly up to you. Wandr's free destination check helps you think through what your trip needs, and if motion sickness or traveler's diarrhea is on your mind, start your visit on Wandr.

This article is for general educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical advice. Our clinical team reviews your health history and travel plans during your Wandr visit before prescribing any medication.

Sources

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• AAA, "Nearly 82 Million Americans Projected to Travel over Thanksgiving" (November 2025). https://newsroom.aaa.com/2025/11/aaa-thanksgiving-travel-forecast-2025/
• Hopper, "2026 Holiday Travel Index" (September 25, 2026). https://media.hopper.com/research/2026-holiday-travel-index
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