Tips For Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Two years ago, COVID-19 spread across the globe and irrevocably changed all of our lives. As we reach the one year mark of the pandemic, I have been reflecting on how COVID-19 has impacted travel. I have traveled several times both domestically and internationally during the pandemic with varying experiences. I’ve also had multiple trips get cancelled due to COVID-19. I consider myself a seasoned traveler but navigating pandemic travel has been both challenging and a big learning experience for me. I have seen a lot of misinformation and bad advice which has led to a lot of travelers making costly mistakes. I have decided to compile the information I have learned from traveling during the pandemic as well as helpful resources to aid others traveling during these unprecedented times. 

Planning Your Trip

The first part of the planning of any trip is selecting the destination but with all of the different COVID-19 restrictions in place this can be a minefield. Here are some steps to follow when planning travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. First, check that the location you are going to is open, you are able to travel there and you are able to fulfill the entry requirements. The International Air Transport Association or IATA is the best resource for international travelers. The interactive map includes information on every country’s entry restrictions. For American travelers, CNN and The Points Guy have created lists of international destinations that are currently open to US passport holders. CNN and The New York Times also have dedicated lists to US state restrictions. You should also always check the destination’s government website for details and changes. While there are other websites and apps with similar information, I have found these websites to be the most accurate and up to date. In addition to the destination’s entry requirements, you will also want to find out what rules and restrictions are in place in the city, state, country, etc that you will be staying in. Some things to consider are what places are open, what will you be able to do while there and where will you be able to go. You may want to reconsider for example going to a destination that is under lockdown or requires a long quarantine on arrival. Next, if you are returning home or planning on visiting another location after your trip, you will need to plan ahead. Make sure that you will be able to comply with government guidelines such as getting a negative COVID-19 test prior to departure or quarantining upon arrival. In most cases, residents and citizens are not exempt from these rules. So be prepared. 

Testing

As the world begins to open up again many destinations are asking for negative COVID-19 test results as a requirement for entry. This is another reason why it is important to check your destination’s government website. You will need to know what type of test is required, how old it can be and which labs are authorized to provide results. There are two different types of tests: the antigen test or rapid test and the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test. Antigen tests can give you test results in as little as 15 minutes but they have a higher rate of false negatives than the PCR test. This is why most places don’t accept antigen test results. PCR tests typically provide results in 1-5 days and are the most accurate test. Most destinations require incoming travelers to show proof of a PCR test taken within 1-2 days of arrival. Be sure to check the locations test requirements as each place has different rules. 

When getting tested for travel you should first find out what kind of test the government accepts. Some destinations including the United States accept antigen test results. These tests provide faster results and are often cheaper and easier to come by. Next check the lab. Some governments don’t accept results that come from home test kits or they will only accept test results from labs with certain certifications. So do some research and double check that your lab meets these requirements. Last, check how old the test results are allowed to be. Usually the time starts from when you take the test and not when you receive the results. If you only have a short period such as 48 hours from when you take the test and when you arrive then you will need to get tested at a place with fast turnaround times. Also keep in mind how much time it will take to reach your destination. You may want to book a direct flight or one with few stops and be careful of long layovers. Give yourself a few extra hours between when you are scheduled to arrive and when your test results expire in case you experience any flight cancellations or delays.  Lastly before booking a flight with any layovers check the place you will be transiting through rules. The country or territory may have different or stricter rules than your final destination. Always double check that you will be allowed to transfer there and that you meet the location’s test requirements for transiting passengers.

Flying 

Flying during the COVID-19 pandemic looks a little different than before. Airports and flights appear less crowded, there are fewer international flights but the most noticeable change is that everyone is now required to wear a mask in airports and on aircraft at all times unless eating or drinking. Many airlines have limited food and beverage services to reduce the amount of time people have their masks off. If you are taking a long flight you may want to bring some snacks. When I took a 14 hour flight from San Francisco to Taipei there was only one meal served. Don’t count on picking something up at the airport either. Airports have also been affected by the pandemic. Many if not most lounges, shops and restaurants are closed right now. You will likely have very limited options particularly if you are flying out of an international terminal. Airline policies have also been impacted by the pandemic. Many airlines are now offering free flight changes and cancellations. Prior to booking a flight read the airline’s policy. During the pandemic, I always read over airlines’ and booking websites’ policies about reservation changes and cancellations. This has saved me thousands of dollars. In 2020 I had trips to Iceland and the Bahamas fall through after the countries changed their entry restrictions. In both cases I was able to get all of my money back after I was forced to cancel the trips. I also recommend avoiding booking flights with a lot of connections because there has been a lot of disruption in the airline industry. There is a greater chance of one of the flights possibly getting delayed or cancelled. This can cause a lot of issues particularly if you need to show negative COVID-19 test results on arrival. 

Some Suggestions

After traveling multiple times during the pandemic here is some practical advice about travel during COVID-19.  First, don’t book too far in advance. This is really tempting right now especially when many of us have had travel plans postponed or cancelled because of COVID-19. I have seen a lot of people that are eager to get back on the road and book holidays for next year. I don’t recommend this for several reasons. For one, COVID-19 has decimated the travel industry and many airlines, tour operators and hotels have had to close. It becomes a lot more difficult to get your money back in cases of trip cancellation if the business has shutdown. COVID-19 has led to a lot of uncertainty. It’s hard to plan in advance when you don’t know if your destination is even going to be open. The pandemic has been a learning experience for all of us including governments. As a result, governments are frequently changing their policies. This is a pitfall that I fell into. I booked a trip to Iceland for the summer of 2020 when it was announced that the country would be opening its borders to tourism. The country then pushed back the date it would open its borders and only opened to passport holders from a short list of countries. I was then forced to cancel my trip. Booking right now is risky. You may get a good deal on a flight to China for six months from now but that doesn’t guarantee that you will be able to go. What’s worse is that if your trip is cancelled you may not be entitled to your money back and in many cases may only receive credit from the company.  Don’t count on travel insurance to cover trip cancellations either since most policies don’t cover pandemics. 

The next piece of advice I have is to come up with a contingency plan. What will you do if you test positive for COVID-19 prior to departure? How will you handle it if you become sick abroad? What will you do if you are asked to quarantine or your destination goes into lockdown while you are there? These are important questions to ask yourself. You need to think about how you will handle these problems if they come up. You don’t want don’t want to be put in a desperate situation because something didn’t go according to plan.

My final piece of advice for traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic is to be flexible and anticipate change. As I have said before, there is a lot of uncertainty right now. Anticipate cancelations and delays. Give yourself a window when you need to arrive by and make concessions for potential changes to your travel plans. Country openings and border policies are constantly being updated. That means, you need to keep up to date with your destination’s restrictions. In the fall of 2020, I traveled to the Dominican Republic. I checked the government’s tourism website everyday leading up to my departure for the latest information regarding COVID-19 restrictions. I did not want to be put in a position where I couldn’t board a flight or was forced to go into quarantine because of a policy change I was unaware of. Remember you are responsible for knowing the policy. Ignorance is not an excuse and you likely won’t illicit much sympathy from airline staff of border agents for not knowing the rules. 

Responsible Travel 

While I don’t recommend nonessential right now, if you are going to travel, do it responsibly. First of all regardless of whether or not the destination requires proof of a negative COVID-19 test, all travelers should get tested prior to departure and self isolate while waiting for the results. I personally have done this every time I have traveled during the pandemic. Even if you are not showing symptoms, you should be on the conservative side and get tested. While in the early days of the pandemic tests were hard to come by now they have become widely available. Many places now even offer free tests. If you find that it is too expensive or too difficult in your area to get tested then you shouldn’t travel. If you are sick or have been potentially exposed to COVID-19, do not travel. Even if you test negative for COVID-19 there is still a window between the time when you contract the virus and when you may test positive. 

Next, and most importantly comply with government COVID-19 rules and restrictions. Not only can you face repercussions such as fines and jail time for violating local ordinances but you also may be putting others at risk of contracting the virus. No one is above the rules. If you are required to quarantine or get tested on arrival then you need to comply.  Remember travel is a privilege and it should be treated as such. Also keep in mind that you are solely responsible for keeping up to date with the entry requirements and local rules of a destination. This means that if your destination changes their rules or regulations regarding travel, you are responsible for canceling, altering bookings or making the necessary changes to comply with these regulations. 

Regardless of where you are, always wear masks in all public spaces, wash your hands frequently and maintain a distance of two meters from others. Our combined actions are responsible for controlling the spread of COVID-19

I hope this post gives you some insight on what it is like to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. I wish that this pandemic would end but until that day comes travel will look differently. I hope these tips and resources help aid you in your future travel.