Several US embassies in Europe, including the missions in Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belarus, published an identical “Security Alert: Holiday Travel” on November 13, 2026. Although each was posted on a single embassy’s website, the message speaks to the whole continent: Americans planning to spend the festive season in Europe are being reminded that the places that make December travel special are also the places security services worry about most.
The alert lists holiday markets, festivals, transport hubs, shopping centres and places of worship as potential targets for terrorist groups and lone actors, noting that attacks can come with little or no warning. It also observes that strikes and demonstrations have become more frequent in recent months, which can snarl transport and occasionally turn confrontational, and asks travellers to steer clear of protests wherever possible.
One detail stands out for anyone flying. The embassies point to hoax bomb threats against civil aviation in several European countries during November that disrupted flights. The Traveler reports that early-month threats affected airliners, rail hubs and schools, with at least one aircraft receiving a fighter-jet escort and some stations temporarily closed. None of these incidents turned out to involve a real device, but each one cost passengers time and connections.
The practical guidance is familiar but worth following: check with your airline before heading to the airport, keep an eye on local news, follow instructions from officials if you are evacuated or diverted, and enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program so you receive alerts on the ground. Christmas markets are not being declared off limits, and millions will visit them safely, but staying alert in crowds is the message of the season.
Sources: U.S. Embassy in Lithuania, U.S. Embassy Sarajevo, The Traveler
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