You're not alone. Many travelers feel 'uneasy' about going abroad.

On the morning of March 3, Kendyl Grender's partner company pulled the plug on her upcoming group trips to Egypt.

Grender is a travel content creator who built a career on her blog about budget traveling and also hosts small group trips through her company, Kendyl Travels, in partnership with Intrepid Travel. They had two back-to-back trips with about 20 other travelers exploring Egypt, including Cairo, Aswan, and the Nile, scheduled for the end of March.

As war broke out between the U.S., Israel and Iran, Grender said her travel companions began expressing concern over the trip, mostly about their flights. "Of course, everyone's been watching the situation very closely," she told USA TODAY. She started suggesting that those with connections in Doha or the Middle East look into changing their flights to go through Europe instead, including her own American Airlines flight.

On Feb. 28, the U.S. launched combat attacks in Iran, and shortly after, the State Department issued a worldwide security alert, specifically listing Egypt. Intrepid canceled all trips to Egypt, Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia for the rest of March in line with the government travel advisories, the travel company said.

"That's when everything went downhill kind of quickly," said Grender, adding that she was surprised Egypt was included on the list, especially since commercial airlines are operating out of Cairo. She admits she's a more "open-minded" traveler, but still finds it "worrisome" that Americans are being urged not to go to so many places and will "think a little bit more" about her upcoming travel plans.

From the war in Iran to the recent civil unrest in Mexico and the current government shutdown, recent escalated political events are making more Americans hesitant about traveling abroad. After seeing airspaces shut down and people being told to shelter-in-place, travelers are not only worried about their safety but also getting stranded and unable to get a flight home, even if their final destination was somewhere that is not in a conflict zone.

"It's completely understandable that Americans are feeling uneasy about international travel right now," said Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip, in a statement to USA TODAY. "When you see airspace closures across Iran, the UAE, Qatar, and other major hubs like Dubai and Doha, it creates a ripple effect that extends far beyond the Middle East."

Worldwide caution urged by the government

Americans are being warned to exercise "worldwide caution," not just when traveling to the Middle East, according to the State Department in its Feb. 28 alert. At first, U.S. citizens in the Middle East were told to shelter in place. On March 2, Americans in 14 countries – including Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan – have been urged to depart as soon as possible.

"It's all unfortunate; it's made a lot of people uneasy within the region, but kind of extended on throughout the world now. Am I actually safe being anywhere?" said Grender.

William J. McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project, said the disruptions many travelers are experiencing to other destinations are "a lot of downline residual effects with these situations." Airline resources disrupted by the war may take a while to return to normal.

"You see this a lot where people will say, well, I'm not going anywhere near that, why is my flight canceled or why is my flight delayed or rerouted around? Well, because right now we're facing problems with aircraft and crews that are out of place because of this," he said. "That's the same thing that happens with bad weather, natural disasters, and, you know, terrorist events, and certainly with wars."

For Intrepid Travel, the decision to cancel its upcoming trips around the region was in accordance with the State Department guidance. "It’s disheartening to see the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East," said Leigh Barnes, president of the Americas at Intrepid Travel, in a statement. "Our first priority is always the safety of our customers and teams, and we’re working hard to navigate the disruptions as best we can. We hope for a rapid de-escalation and return to stability for the region, but there is no doubt that this is an incredibly unsettling time."

Canceling travel plans

Some travelers are scrambling to postpone or cancel their upcoming trips abroad. Most major carriers are offering waivers to rebook or change their flights to and through the Middle East without fees. If your flight is canceled and you choose to no longer continue with your trip, you're entitled to a refund, according to the Department of Transportation.

"It makes sense to be proactive, to not just assume that everything's going to go well," said McGee. "Check with the airline, check online, get the updates that you can have sent to your phone to make sure that your flights are going the way you want them to go."

The State Department also urges travelers to enroll in its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for real-time alerts from the government. If people are already abroad, they should register with the nearest embassy.

Morrow added that travelers should also be understanding when it comes to their expectations on getting money back with travel insurance. Most standard policies exclude foreseeable events and acts of war or instability. Cancel for Any Reason or Interruption for Any Reason coverage will offer the most flexibility for cancellations, if that was purchased, but you should still check with your provider on potential limitations.

"The key right now is staying informed, reviewing your coverage carefully, and documenting everything," said Morrow. "Preparation and clear information help travelers make confident decisions, even during uncertain times."