Travel in today’s world is vastly different than it used to be just a short 18 months ago. Gone are the days of carefree travel. With so much uncertainty, is it even worth it to travel right now? Mr. Bug and I have been on approximately 10 trips since the pandemic hit and are here to give our insight into air travel nowadays.
Expect longer waits at the airport. Travel seems to be back to almost normal pre-pandemic levels but that does not mean that staffing is back to that level. Security lines are longer than we have seen in over a year and while the number of travelers is still down from pre-pandemic levels, the staffing simply isn’t there and the lines take much longer than normal. This is a great time to get TSA PreCheck and Global Entry if you have not yet done so. These are huge time savers at the airport and well worth the money in our opinion.
Don’t come to the airport hungry. Several restaurants are still closed at many airports so make sure to eat before you get to the airport and bring snacks. Make sure to bring an empty water bottle that you can fill up at the airport as well in order to save yourself from having to purchase overpriced bottled water.
Don’t expect to get the exact flight time and plane you originally booked. Our flight time has changed on every single flight we have flown since the pandemic started. Some are only a 10-15-minute change. Others are hours different from the originally booked flight. Another thing we have noticed is that when the flight changes, often times our seats change as well. Make sure to check your seats frequently prior to your flight. We recently lost our exit row seat on a flight when our seat changed and we did not notice it in time to move to a different exit row seat. It may not seem like a big deal unless you are a 6-foot tall German stuffed into a regular seat for a 4-hour flight to Las Vegas.
Masks are required. I think this should go without saying, but do not try to fly without a mask. The airlines are not messing around and will absolutely not let you fly if you don’t have a mask. We like to use KN95 or N95 masks when flying. You can get them at your local pharmacy or online at places such as Amazon. We have never felt unsafe while flying and think the airlines do a great job of making sure everyone complies to this new way of travel. Yes, the masks can be annoying but they haven’t prevented us from enjoying our food and beverages while flying, you simply put the mask back on when not actively eating or drinking.
There is more paperwork needed than ever before. If you are traveling internationally, make sure to check what documents are needed. Many countries now require a travel authorization/attestation along with proof of negative COVID test. Make sure to complete these items prior to travel and print copies of all. Additionally, upload the documents to the airline directly to save time at the airport and ensure no documentation is missed. Also please note that as of September 2021, a negative COVID test is still required to get back in the US from any international travel.
The key to travel currently is flexibility. If you plan to fly somewhere, pack an extra set of patience as things are not as easy as they once were. Make sure to have a positive attitude and be able to roll with the punches/changes that come now more than ever before. Yes, air travel is very different now than in was in 2019, but it is definitely doable and worth the extra hassle to be able to get back out and see the world again. Who knows how long it will be until things return to pre-pandemic status or if this is simply our new normal. Either way, we are so grateful to be back out traveling again.
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