Lost Passport? Missed Flight? We Have Your Travel Survival Guide

You lose your phone

Use Find My Phone to track your smartphone from another device.

Illustration by Lars Leetaru

• Create a cheat sheet. Most of us no longer memorize phone numbers because we have them stored as contacts in our phones. If you lose your phone, you lose that information. One of the easiest steps is to carry a written list of important numbers, including your family and friends, hotels where you’re staying and your travel agent, if you have one, says Gary Brickhouse, chief information security officer at GuidePoint Security. Similarly, back up your contacts to cloud storage. If you lose your phone, you can access that information from a computer.

• Enable security features. This includes passcodes, face ID and biometrics, and two-factor authentication. Many people take advantage of at least one of these precautions; you should consider using all of them. These security steps can help prevent your personal information from landing in criminal hands, Brickhouse says.

• Use Find My Phone. Most smartphones have a Find My Phone feature that you can access through a computer or another phone. It can help locate your phone if it’s lost. Be sure to set this up before your trip, Brickhouse says.

• Contact your cell provider. “There are protections they can enable on their end to mark the phone as stolen,” Brickhouse says. The provider may be able to set you up with a new phone and help restore backed-up data to the device.

You get stopped by TSA

Inspect your bag before packing to limit chances of being stopped by TSA.

Illustration by Lars Leetaru

• Inspect your bag beforehand. “Go through all the zippers and compartments before you pack it to make sure there’s nothing in it from the last trip that might be a prohibited item,” says Transportation Security Administration spokesperson Lorie Dankers. If you’re unsure about an item, check the MyTSA app’s feature What Can I Bring? Or you can share a photo of the item in question with Ask TSA on X or Facebook Messenger, or text it to AskTSA (275-872), and get an official ruling.

• Listen. Think you know how to go through the security line? Take your shoes off, put your laptop in a separate bin, and take everything out of your pockets. Maybe. “We’re working towards streamlining the technologies we use, but right now every airport is different, and it’s even possible that two lanes next to each other might be different,” Dankers says. Listen closely to TSA instructions. If an agent stops you, “it is usually a communications issue.”

You’re about to miss your flight

Call the airline if you are about to miss your flight. That gives you the best chance at getting rebooked.

Illustration by Lars Leetaru

• Call ahead. If you’re stuck in traffic or overslept, the best action is to call the airline, Bramley says. This will give you the best chance of getting rebooked on a flight that’s convenient for you. “It’s possible that if you don’t call before you miss your flight, that you’ll be marked as a no-show, and your entire itinerary is canceled,” Nelson says.

• Pack light. Traveling without a checked bag will help if you miss a flight, Nelson says. “This gives you much more flexibility to change flights if your itinerary gets messed up,” she says. “And if you get stuck somewhere overnight, you’ve got all your belongings with you.”

Your wallet or handbag is stolen

Report a lost or stolen wallet or handbag to the police immediately, and cancel your credit cards.

Illustration by Lars Leetaru

• Go to the police. This is your first stop to get the crime on the record, which can help with other steps. For example, if your passport was in the stolen bag, a police report will be helpful in getting a replacement.

• Deactivate your cards. Call your credit card companies to report the theft. Do this right away to avoid bogus charges and to get new cards delivered to your hotel. Before you leave for vacation, set up payment apps on your phone. “Let’s say you lose all your cards,” says Kenneth Bombace, a former Army intelligence officer and now the CEO of Global Threat Solutions. “You could use, for instance, Apple Pay.”

• Before your trip, make a list. An inventory of the contents of your wallet or handbag, carried separately, will make filing that police report easier, Bombace says. Or take photos on your phone and back them up to cloud storage that you can access from another device if needed. Another precaution: Place an electronic tracker inside your wallet or purse, Bombace says.

• Leave the fancy bag at home. “If you’re traveling and you have a high-end luxury bag, you are asking for problems,” Bombace says. Even imitation fancy bags could cause an issue. “Thieves are going to see that, and they’re going to think that you’re a person of means, and you might have more to lose if they were to target you.”

You lose your passport

If your passport is stolen, a U.S. embassy or consulate can help you get a new one.

Illustration by Lars Leetaru

• Know your embassy. Before you leave the country, you should be aware of the location of the U.S. embassy or consulate closest to your hotel, says Andres Rodriguez, spokesperson for the Office of Passport Services at the U.S. Department of State.

• Get a new passport photo. After contacting the embassy, but before you go to your appointment, get a new passport photo. “In some larger consulates, they do have photo booths on-site, but it’s not guaranteed,” Rodriguez says.

• Fill out forms online. When you report a lost passport, there are forms to complete. To speed the process, do this online at travel.state.gov before arriving at the embassy or consulate. How long will it take to get a replacement passport? Rodriguez says that “in general, the average turnaround time is the next day. In some instances, they could do it the same day. If there are urgent, immediate travel plans, then the consulate is going to make every effort to issue the passport so you can make your travel plans.”

You get sick

If you get sick, carry a list of all your prescriptions with you to the hospital.

Illustration by Lars Leetaru

• Do your homework. The more you know about where you are traveling, the better your care experience will be. Knowing where hospitals and urgent care centers are in relation to your hotel can save you time and worry, says Roberto Cardarelli, chief medical officer at Baptist Health Louisville.

• Ask your hotel. If you fall ill, your best option for care might be closer than you think. “If you’re at a resort or a hotel, some have medical offices within them,” Cardarelli says. Some hotels will also help coordinate care elsewhere.

• Know your medications. Be sure to bring all your prescription drugs, or at least a list of them, to the hospital or urgent care facility. That helps medical providers with your care, Cardarelli says. There are apps that store your medical information on your phone.