Flying to Europe is safe by virtually every measurable standard. The region ranks as the most peaceful in the world, its aviation oversight is among the strictest anywhere, and tens of millions of Americans travel there each year without incident. That said, “safe” covers a lot of ground: aviation risk, crime, health, extreme weather, and entry logistics all factor into the question. Here’s what actually matters for your trip.
Aviation Safety in European Airspace
Europe enforces some of the tightest aviation safety standards on the planet. The European Commission maintains an Air Safety List that bans airlines with serious safety deficiencies from operating in EU airspace. As of June 2025, 169 airlines are banned, including all carriers certified in 17 countries with inadequate safety oversight and 22 Russian airlines. If you’re booking a flight on any major U.S. or European carrier, you’re flying with airlines that meet or exceed international safety benchmarks.
The bigger physical risk isn’t the plane itself but what sitting in one does to your body. Flights to Europe from the U.S. typically run 7 to 12 hours, and research puts the risk of developing a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis) on flights over 8 hours at roughly 3 to 12%, depending on your personal risk factors. That number sounds alarming, but most of that risk concentrates in people who already have a predisposing factor: recent surgery, use of hormonal birth control, pregnancy, obesity, or a history of clotting disorders. One large study found that long-haul flights were associated with blood clots only when at least one additional risk factor was present.
For prevention, compression socks and regular foot movements during the flight are the most effective non-medical options. Getting up to walk the aisle every couple of hours helps too. If you know you’re at higher risk, talk to your doctor before the trip, as prescription blood thinners can be appropriate for some travelers.
Security and Crime Across Europe
The 2024 Global Peace Index ranks Europe as the most peaceful region in the world, home to seven of the ten most peaceful countries globally. That doesn’t mean risk is zero. The U.S. State Department issues travel advisories for every country, and most popular European destinations sit at Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) or Level 2 (exercise increased caution). Italy, for example, carries a Level 2 advisory primarily due to terrorism concerns, which is the same level assigned to France, Germany, and the UK.
In practical terms, the security risks most tourists encounter are petty crime: pickpocketing on public transit, bag snatching near tourist landmarks, and scams targeting distracted visitors. Major cities like Paris, Rome, Barcelona, and London are hotspots for this kind of opportunistic theft. Carrying valuables in a front pocket or crossbody bag and staying alert in crowded areas goes a long way. Violent crime targeting tourists is rare across Western and Central Europe.
Health Risks Worth Knowing About
Europe doesn’t require any special vaccinations for entry, and your routine immunizations (measles, tetanus, flu) are generally sufficient for most Western European travel. If you’re heading to rural or forested areas in Central or Eastern Europe, particularly in countries like Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, or the Baltics, tick-borne encephalitis is worth considering. The WHO lists it among vaccines for selective use by travelers. The disease spreads through tick bites in wooded and grassy areas, mainly from spring through autumn.
Measles outbreaks have been a recurring issue across parts of Europe in recent years. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control flagged measles among active communicable disease threats in late 2024. If you’re unsure whether your measles vaccination is current, checking before you travel is a simple precaution, especially if you’re visiting countries with lower vaccination coverage in Eastern or Southern Europe.
One practical concern that catches many American travelers off guard: most European countries do not have reciprocal healthcare agreements with the United States. If you get sick or injured, you’ll pay out of pocket unless you have travel insurance. Emergency room visits in Western Europe can cost hundreds to thousands of euros, and a medical evacuation can run into six figures. A basic travel insurance policy with medical coverage typically costs $30 to $80 for a two-week trip, and it’s one of the highest-value precautions you can take.
Summer Heat and Wildfire Season
If you’re traveling between June and September, extreme heat is a genuine safety consideration, especially in Southern Europe. The World Meteorological Organization has documented increasingly severe heatwaves driven by high-pressure systems that trap hot, dry air from North Africa over the continent. These heat events push temperatures above 40°C (104°F) in Spain, Italy, Greece, and southern France, sometimes for days at a stretch.
Wildfires have raged across Greece, Spain, and Portugal during recent summers, occasionally forcing evacuations of tourist areas and causing dangerous air quality. July is typically the peak month. If your trip overlaps with the hottest weeks, plan outdoor activities for mornings and evenings, stay hydrated aggressively, and monitor local weather alerts. Heat-related illness is a real risk for travelers who aren’t acclimated, particularly older adults and young children.
Entry Requirements and ETIAS
U.S. citizens currently enter the Schengen Area (26 European countries including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain) without a visa for stays up to 90 days. You just need a passport valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure date.
That will change when the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) launches, now expected in the last quarter of 2026 after multiple delays. Once active, ETIAS will require U.S. and other visa-exempt travelers to apply online before departure and receive approval. It’s similar to the U.S. ESTA system for travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries. For now, no pre-authorization is needed, but it’s worth tracking the timeline if you’re planning trips in 2026 or beyond.
The UK, which is no longer part of the EU, has its own entry rules. U.S. citizens can visit for up to six months without a visa. The UK is also developing its own Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, which is already required for some nationalities and will expand to U.S. citizens in the coming years.