MW An already chaotic spring travel season is colliding with effects of Iran conflict

By Genna Contino

Rising fuel prices, TSA bottlenecks and geopolitical unrest threaten to snarl spring-break plans

Fast-rising gas prices are among the challenges travelers face this spring travel season.

Americans who thought spring break would offer rest and relaxation after a tough winter may be in for a rude awakening. Higher fuel prices and long airport-security lines could create extra headaches and expenses. Travelers are facing one of the most potentially challenging travel seasons since Hurricane Katrina disrupted the gas supply across the U.S., said Florida-based travel agent Tim Elrod.

Gas prices were up 57 cents Monday afternoon compared to last month's average, according to GasBuddy, as oil prices skyrocketed in response to the U.S. and Israel's attack on Iran. Some airports are reporting security wait times stretching as long as three hours as Transportation Security Administration employees work without pay during a partial government shutdown - and that situation won't be resolved until mid-March at the earliest. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department has issued do-not-travel advisories for regions of Mexico due to cartel violence that erupted in February.

"Honestly, since [Hurricane Katrina], this seems like the first time where it's like, 'Oh my gosh, enough already,'" said Elrod, who is a vice president at the national travel agency Travelmation. "We've seen it all."

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As families prepare for spring break and look ahead to summer vacation plans, the combination of global volatility and rising fuel costs is shifting the travel landscape. Navigating these trips now requires a dual focus: staying informed on safety advisories while strategically managing a travel budget that is increasingly under pressure.

It's important to note that factors potentially snarling travel could change fast - Trump suggested Monday afternoon to a CBS News reporter that the U.S. action in Iran could soon be over.

Here's what you need to know if you're booking travel soon.

Where you should avoid traveling

Any travelers with plans to visit Dubai, Tel Aviv or even the pyramids in Egypt should reconsider. Last week, the State Department's assistant secretary for consular affairs urged Americans visiting the Middle East to leave via commercial air travel. As of Monday afternoon, the State Department was maintaining active travel advisories across the region, with several countries under its highest "Level 4: Do not travel" warning.

Travel to Europe and other regions overseas beyond the Middle East are seemingly unaffected, Elrod said.

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Closer to home, U.S. tourists were stranded in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara in Mexico several weeks ago when flights were canceled due to cartel violence following the killing of a major drug-cartel leader.

Today, there are "valid concerns" about travel there, but there's also "a lot of hype and hysteria" among those looking to travel to Mexico, Elrod said. Some people are canceling vacations in regions far from cartel activity, he said: "It would be like something happening in California and then deciding not to go to Florida for vacation."

The entire country of Mexico has a "Level 2: Exercise increased caution" warning label issued by the State Department, but where you're traveling within Mexico matters. Travel.state.gov has a breakdown by region showing which areas of the country the U.S. has deemed more dangerous to visit.

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"If you're going to Cancun or Los Cabos or Riviera Maya, you're totally fine," Elrod said. He also has clients in Puerto Vallarta right now who said "everything's back to normal and it's like nothing ever happened."

Airfare costs aren't rising - yet. But extra fees could be coming.

While the CEO of United Airlines $(UAL)$ said recently that the Iran conflict and rising jet fuel prices could soon push airfares up, that hasn't happened yet. The costs of March flights currently reflect standard seasonal prices, said Katy Nastro, a travel expert and spokesperson for the travel app Going, with international fares trending roughly 3% lower than last year.

However, that doesn't mean they'll remain stable in the near future, she said. Travelers who haven't booked their flights for spring break or summer should do so now, as the secondary effects of rising fuel prices could eventually be passed onto the consumer.

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Most major U.S. carriers no longer "hedge" or lock in fuel prices, Nastro said, leaving them directly exposed to the recent price spikes caused by conflict in the Middle East. She also noted that during the Iraq War in 2003, some major airlines added automatic fuel surcharges of $20 to passengers' round-trip fares.

It's possible airlines could "come up with some sort of creative extra charge or extra fee to supplement the extra cost that they're taking on," Nastro said. "But again, nothing has been set in stone. We haven't seen any of this across round trips."

If you're flying, anticipate long security lines

Over the weekend, travelers waited nearly three hours in TSA lines at some major U.S. airports. On Monday, the New Orleans airport encouraged travelers to get to the airport three hours before their flight, while Houston passengers were advised to arrive as many as five hours early.

Read more: Why the TSA shutdown delays could last another week - and what it means for you

The government remains in a partial shutdown as Congress has not yet agreed on TSA funding, and TSA employees are currently working without pay. House lawmakers are away until March 16, so these long wait times are expected to last at least another week until Congress reconvenes.

To stay up to date on security wait times, Nastro recommends keeping up with the social-media accounts of airports you're flying through.

Spring-break road trips will likely be pricier

The average cost of a gallon of gas in the U.S. was $3.49 as of Monday afternoon, up 42 cents from last week. Those prices could hit up to $4 a gallon this week, GasBuddy's Patrick De Haan told MarketWatch on Monday.

Read more: Oil prices pull back from highest levels since 2022 on talk of G-7 emergency release of crude reserves

Most domestic travelers won't cancel trips due to a jump in gas prices, Elrod said, but they might borrow from their souvenir budget to cover additional fuel costs.

"If you've had that trip to Disney World or Universal or a cruise [planned] and you're driving there, I doubt 50 cents a gallon is going to make you cancel your trip," he said. "You might need to buy a few less Mickey pretzels to put gas in the car."

Travel insurance might not protect you when it comes to acts of war

With intense winter weather this year and broader global conflicts, interest in travel insurance has ticked up, insurance providers told MarketWatch last week. But experts say to keep in mind that most travel-insurance policies don't protect you during acts of war.

In the case of a flight cancellation, consumers now have the right to a cash refund whether they have purchased travel insurance or not.

For travelers preparing for overseas trips with detailed itineraries, Nastro said travel insurance can protect you from losing money if illness, delays or other disruptions force you to cancel or rearrange your trip.

'Does travel insurance cover war?': Interest in coverage spikes as Iran conflict, global issues rattle travelers.

The most important thing when traveling this spring, she said, is to stay informed and be prepared. Bring a paper copy of your passport with you, know where the embassy is located in the country you're traveling to and jot down the country's emergency phone number.

"Don't travel blindly," Nastro said.

-Genna Contino

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March 09, 2026 17:45 ET (21:45 GMT)

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