Travel has changed. After years of limited flights during COVID, we’re finally starting to see restrictions lift. And we’d argue it comes as a great vacation is needed now more than ever. So, of course, it seems like traveling has only gotten more stressful in the time since we’ve been away. Between rapidly changing health and safety guidelines and constantly updating travel restrictions, there’s so much you need to know to plan a safe getaway. But if you’re stressing over the details, don’t worry. We’re here to make it easier for you. We’ve gathered together answers to all your burning questions and our best tips for getting you prepared for your next adventure!
Table of Contents
- What Can I Expect When Flying During COVID?
- 5 Tips for Flying During COVID
- If You’re Nervous About Flying – Let Next Vacay Take Some of the Stress Off
What Can I Expect When Flying During COVID?
For some of us, it’s been a while since we’ve traveled to the airport, let alone set foot on a plane. If this sounds familiar, you’re in for some changes on your next visit:
- Increased cleanings
- Lots of people social distancing
- Travelers and airport personnel wearing masks
Federal law requires travelers to wear a face mask that completely covers their nose and mouth. This mandate applies to all public transport in the United States, at least through April 18th of 2022. So, be prepared to wear a mask at the airport, on the plane, and most likely at your destination too.
While the rules are strict, flying isn’t as scary as you might think. Both airports and airlines continue to take precautions to keep their passengers safe throughout every step of their journey.
Do I Need a COVID-19 Test Before Boarding a Flight?
Possibly. Requirements for Covid-19 testing differ greatly depending on your vaccination status and where you’re traveling. Luckily, this information is readily available on most states’ and countries’ websites for eager travelers to find.
Note: We try to keep the following guidance updates current with the latest information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but changes can occur rapidly. Always check before travel to confirm new requirements have not been added.
Domestic Flights
Thankfully, when traveling domestically, the recommendations are relatively simple.
For domestic trips, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all travelers:
- Consider getting tested within 3 days of departure
- Wear a mask indoors and in heavily crowded areas
- Consider getting tested after your return and monitor for symptoms
- If the test is positive, self-isolate for five days
International Flights
Planning an international vacation? The requirements are a bit different. Whether you’re fully vaccinated or not, you must present a negative COVID-19 test result before you can return to the States.
Depending on vaccination status, travelers should quarantine upon returning until they receive a negative COVID-19 test result.
For fully vaccinated individuals, some destinations don’t require a COVID-19 test prior to travel, so be sure to verify if your destination is one of them and prepare to take a test if necessary.
When traveling internationally, the CDC requires that all travelers:
- Provide contact information to the airline within 72 hours of returning to the US
- Before returning to the US, provide a negative COVID-19 test result from a test taken no more than one day before travel. (Or you can provide documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months). You’ll be required to attest that this information is true.
To get the most up-to-date recommendations, always check the CDC’s website before you travel to ensure how you can best protect yourself and others while traveling.
If you’re looking for places to visit, take a peek at our Top 10 Destinations to Travel in 2022, where we break down some of the best places to book your flights during COVID. And if you want all the best deals to get you to those destinations and more, sign up with Next Vacay to have low fares delivered right to your inbox—no stress, fewer worries, just great deals!
Should I Travel Despite the Risks of COVID?
Health organizations and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have provided their best recommendations for how people can protect themselves and others while still getting out of the house.
With countries having reopened their doors to tourism and airlines servicing previously previously closed flight routes, travel is possible again. Not only that but booking a flight during COVID has become easier than it’s ever been—at least since the first lockdowns began in 2020.
When it comes down to questioning whether or not you should travel, this is a personal decision that only YOU can make.
You know your health situation best, and you can weigh the risks and benefits of traveling, along with your comfort level doing so.
If you’re having trouble reaching a final decision, though, here are some factors to consider:
- Have you or others in your family been vaccinated against COVID-19?
- Do you or someone you live with have a pre-existing condition or increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19?
- Does your planned destination have a high community spread or an increased number of restrictions due to COVID-19?
Answering these questions can give you a better understanding of whether it’s safe for you to travel and if you feel comfortable to jump back in just yet. Or, if you should wait just a bit longer before planning your next getaway so that you have more options for where you can travel.
5 Tips for Flying During COVID
If you are ready to get back out there and find your next adventure, here are some tips to get you up and flying again.
1. Check Out Ways to Be Alerted to Cheap Fares
With everything else going on—from making your trip plans, finding safe accommodation options, and coping with other travel-related stress—the last thing you’ll need or want is to add finding the best deals to your to-do list.
A great way to avoid having this on your plate is to let someone else do the hard work for you.
Check out flight search engines and sign up for alerts from a tool you trust to keep you updated when flight prices drop. You can also use search engines to get access to a broad scope of destinations and prices at a glance and pick one that fits your schedule and budget.
Pro-tip: Look out for direct flights or those with as few stops as possible to reduce the possibility of exposure to COVID-19 during travel.
Search engines can help relieve the burden of finding a flight, but you can also sign up for a service that monitors the same deals for you and sends the best fares directly to you.
Here at Next Vacay, we do just that.
Our team monitors and reviews deals for the best prices, fewest connections, and other great perks. So, when a deal arrives in your inbox, you know it’s been vetted by a real live human to give you confidence and peace of mind in your decision to book that flight during Covid.
Just open the deal you’re interested in, choose the dates that work for you, make your reservation, and get ready to fly out!
If you want the full breakdown of best practices for finding great deals on your next flight, don’t miss our Tips for Cheap Flight Fares You May Not Know.
2. Research Airline Health and Safety Protocols
If you’re nervous about flying during COVID, you don’t have to be!
Even amidst COVID-19, experts have confirmed the relative safety of flying. A study conducted in 2018 to look at the transmission of air droplets from infected travelers found that widespread transmission between passengers was highly unlikely. That study was also performed without masks, meaning you’re even better protected when everyone is wearing a mask.
There are a few reasons this is the case: the air quality on planes is exceptionally high, and the air filters work well to recycle the air in the cabin. Combining this with the additional precautions airlines are now taking in their health and safety protocols, the risks of being exposed to COVID-19 are significantly reduced on most airlines.
Before booking your flight, though, you’ll want to double-check the airline’s public health measures directly through their website and follow up to see if they’re performing those protocols on a regular basis.
Some things to verify before booking your flight:
- Is the airline you’re flying with practicing social distancing?
- Do they have enhanced cleaning procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
- HEPA air filters
- Electrostatic spraying
- Required face masks/coverings
- What do recent travelers say about their experience with the airline?
Pro-tip: Download the airline’s app for easier check-ins and additional features like recommendations for safe travel, tracking your baggage, and interactive terminal maps for uncomplicated navigation on connections.
3. Book Tickets with Flexible Change Policies
Even before the pandemic, booking tickets came with some uncertainty. Plans can change, and emergencies can crop up out of the blue to derail the plans you had.
So many plans were upended due to the pandemic, and most travel itineraries were either canceled or pushed back indefinitely.
If 2020 taught us one thing, it’s that plans change, and in that case, it’s always good to have a backup for when things don’t go right the first time.
Booking your trip through an airline that offers free changes to your flight will help eliminate any stress that may come from unexpected changes before you fly out. Just be sure to do your research beforehand and read through the airline’s policies before you hit Purchase.
Pro-tip: Add trip cancellation service to your booking or book with a travel credit card that offers this perk with their benefits to make sure you’re covered no matter what.
4. Stay Up-to-Date on Travel Restrictions and Community Spread at Your Destination
Remember that flying will only take up several hours of your trip. The majority of your time will be spent at your destination, hopefully enjoying the wonderful sights and entertainment!
But be prepared to follow local requirements and restrictions, whether it’s wearing masks, staying socially distanced, or something more. Plan any activities at your destination around those requirements and respect the local government ordinances, especially when traveling abroad.
It’s also important to consider your accommodation plans and make sure they won’t put you at increased risk of being exposed to the virus. Try to book accommodations that don’t include multi-guest lodgings with shared common spaces such as a lounge, eating area, or restrooms.
Instead, look for places that offer a space you can call your own. Ideally, these would require minimal to no contact outside of those in your travel group.
- Camping
- Cottages/villas
- Vacation rentals
Don’t forget to look into websites like the CDC for travel notices and health and safety information, the State Department for their travel advisories, and news updates at your destination to ensure it’s safe for travel.
5. Take Steps to Minimize Your Risk
Finally, you can take some simple but significant steps to help minimize your risk of being exposed to COVID-19 during your flight.
- Wear a face mask at all times
- Per public health officials, all travelers aged 2 and up are recommended to wear a mask on public transport.
- Be sure to include hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes in your checklist
- The TSA currently allows one 12 oz liquid sanitizer container per passenger in carry-on bags that must be screened separately.
- Clean your area on the plane
- The airlines have their cleaning procedures in place but don’t be afraid to whip out the disinfectant and wipe down your area yourself. There’s no price to put on your peace of mind.
- Practice social distancing when possible
- When it comes to waiting at the airport or standing in line to board, make sure to keep an appropriate distance between yourself and those around you.
- Most airlines have already done away with the empty middle seat, so be sure to keep your mask on except when eating or drinking.
- Use mobile, contactless options whenever possible
- You can download your boarding pass to your phone and hold it and any other identification to the scanners yourself, avoiding unnecessary contact with airport and airline workers.
- You can also use your mobile devices to watch inflight entertainment worry-free.
If You’re Nervous About Flying – Let Next Vacay Take Some of the Stress Off
Planning a vacation can be stressful at the best of times. With so many things to consider to ensure you and your family stay safe and healthy while you’re traveling, it can be nice to know that someone’s got your back and can help lighten the load and make your travel planning that much easier.
Next Vacay offers a whole team of travel lovers who have your back!
Our amazing team of deal hunters keeps an eye out for all the best available flights during COVID. Meanwhile, our devoted team of customer success representatives is always ready to answer questions and find the information you need.
With a whole team behind you, Next Vacay is here to help you have the best travel of your life in 2022 and beyond.
So for your next trip, don’t go it alone. The world awaits … with Next Vacay!
