Australians have revealed the biggest travel risks they believe they will face this year, with flight cancellations the biggest risk, followed by extreme weather events.
Three-quarters (76%) of Aussies expect domestic flight cancellations and delays this year, while 63 per cent expect international flight disruptions and cancellations.
More than half (59%) believe extreme weather events will be the second biggest risk for domestic trips. By comparison, just 38 per cent of travellers think war and geopolitical events will be an international travel risk.
The findings come from a survey of an independent, nationally representative panel of 1006 Australians, commissioned by award-winning travel insurance provider Insure&Go. The survey found that almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents believe there will be more travel risks this year than in 2024.
The research comes during the ongoing war in the Middle East and Ukraine. Many countries have also experienced extreme weather events in 2024, including the US tornado that left over 500,000 people across four states without power in May.
In April, dangerous heatwaves hit south and south-east Asia and catastrophic flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, left 100 people dead, 130 missing and 400 injured. The United Arab Emirates also saw its heaviest rainfall in 75 years.¹
By comparison, flight cancellations and delays also had minimal impact, with Australia’s November cancellations sitting at 2.6 per cent, on-time arrivals at 68.4 per cent and on-time departures at 69 per cent.
However, those on-time figures were notably below long-term averages, arrivals were 12.3 per cent lower than the 80.7 per cent average, while departures came in 12.9 per cent below the 81.9 per cent benchmark. Meanwhile, flight cancellations and delays had only a minimal impact, with November’s cancellation rate at 2.6 per cent, 0.4 per cent higher than the 2.2 per cent long-term average.²
Older and younger generations views conflict
Over-50s travellers are most likely to believe flight cancellations or delays will be the top risk for domestic travel (81%) and international travel (67%). They are also most likely to believe contracting COVID or other viruses is a high risk during domestic travel, at 49 per cent, compared with 25 per cent for under-30s travellers, reflecting the medical vulnerability of the older group. The pattern was similar for international travel, with the perceived risk of getting sick declining the younger the respondent.
The threat of war and geopolitical events had similar patterns, with 49 per cent of over-50s respondents listing this as one of the top three risks – more than double the rate of under-30s travellers (21%). Among those aged 30-49, 34 per cent voted war and geopolitical events as a top risk, suggesting greater interest and monitoring of global politics among older travellers.
The opposite was true for extreme weather events, where younger generations aged 18-49 are more likely to see this as one of the biggest threats during travel, suggesting there may be more awareness and anxiety around climate change among this younger age group.
Understand the risks and your travel insurance
As Australians ease into 2025 and start planning their upcoming holidays, David Mayo, Commercial & Marketing Director, Insure&Go gives travellers a timely reminder to monitor what is happening in the country or city they plan to visit and closely read exclusions in their travel insurance policy.
He says: “Travel takes people out of their comfort zones, heightening their awareness and sense of risk, and that will look different for everyone. While flight cancellations and delays have a smaller impact than war, political unrest and extreme weather events, they can still have significant impact on travel itineraries, causing further missed flights, tours and hotel check-ins. Flight disruptions are also more common for the average traveller, so could understandably be perceived as the greater risk.
“Not all travel policies cover natural disasters or other unexpected events, so make sure you purchase a policy that suits your needs. Always review the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and talk to your provider if anything isn’t clear. Insure&Go, for example, can assist policyholders who need help or support during their trip. Travellers have access to a 24/7 emergency assistance line, on-the-ground presence in over 200 countries, and a network of more than 750,000 assistance providers.
“We also encourage travellers, before booking their international trip, to check the Australian Government’s Smart Traveller website for warnings and essential information about specific destinations.”
| What do you believe will be the three mostly likely domestic travel risks in 2025? (multiple choice) | % of all respondents | 18-29-year-olds | 30-49- year-olds |
Over-50s |
| Flight cancellations or delays, especially during peak periods | 76% | 65% | 75% | 81% |
| Extreme weather events such as flooding and bushfires | 59% | 62% | 63% | 53% |
| Theft of my belongings | 27% | 39% | 28% | 20% |
| Travel provider, such as an airline, losing my luggage | 42% | 41% | 43% | 42% |
| Physical accident | 26% | 28% | 25% | 26% |
| Being bitten or stung by wildlife on land or in water (eg spider or shark) | 9% | 18% | 10% | 4% |
| SMS or online scams in relation to the holiday (eg. Fake airline or hotels SMSs.) | 23% | 22% | 21% | 26% |
| Contracting COVID or other viruses just before or during the holiday | 39% | 25% | 35% | 49% |
| What do you believe will be the three most likely international travel risks in 2025? (multiple choice) | % of all of respondents | 18-29-year-olds | 30-49- year-olds |
Over-50s |
| Flight cancellations or delays, especially during peak periods | 63% | 56% | 62% | 67% |
| Extreme weather events such as flooding and bushfires | 38% | 43% | 43% | 33% |
| Theft of my belongings | 27% | 40% | 29% | 19% |
| Travel provider, such as an airline, losing my luggage | 28% | 37% | 30% | 23% |
| Physical accident | 18% | 22% | 17% | 16% |
| Being bitten or stung by wildlife on land or in water (eg spider or shark) | 23% | 32% | 20% | 21% |
| SMS or online scams in relation to the holiday (eg. Fake airline or hotels SMSs.) | 11% | 10% | 12% | 12% |
| Contracting COVID or other viruses just before or during the holiday | 25% | 14% | 23% | 32% |
| War or geopolitical events overseas | 38% | 21% | 34% | 49% |
| Domestic riots | 8% | 6% | 7% | 9% |
| Extreme turbulence on trans-Tasman or long-haul flights | 7% | 6% | 7% | 7% |
| Food poisoning, such as ‘Bali belly’, in an overseas country. | 14% | 12% | 18% | 13% |
| Do you believe that there will be more travel risks in 2025 than in 2024? | % all of respondents | 18-29-year-olds | 30-49- year-olds |
Over-50s |
| Yes, for international travel | 32% | 26% | 29% | 38% |
| Yes, for domestic travel | 7% | 16% | 8% | 2% |
| Yes, for both international and domestic travel | 24% | 27% | 24% | 24% |
| No | 37% | 32% | 39% | 36% |
