Most of us have not traveled since the United States shut down in March of 2020. Travel restrictions to various countries have been lifted. A lot of us have been planning our trips for the holidays. Whether that is visiting family or going on a solo, family, or couples vacation. We all are trying to get on a plane and escape for a little bit from our routine life. The best way to escape is to use the time we get off during the holidays. I’m here to share the various holiday travel tips that can help you plan your vacation.
Holiday Travel during Covid-19
As countries continue to lift their travel ban and allow vaccinated travelers to enter. Please view the countries official website to see if you must be vaccinated to enter or negative test within a certain amount of hours. You do not want to be stranded at another countries airport because of their covid-19 rules and regulations. I would start planning your trip as soon as possible but also have some flexibility with dates. Most places will shut down if an employee or customer tests positive for covid. So, have various backup plans. If you can plan your trip within a month of your departure date that would be ideal. We are still experiencing flight cancelations and last-minute changes.
Limited service continues to be experienced in the hospitality, airlines, and other industries due to staffing and other covid challenges. I would be open to being flexible and patient with the staff that you interact with. Be open that a restaurant you might want to try will have limited hours or only serve take out. You still want to be cautious when interacting with strangers even if you are vaccinated.
Increase in Fares
If you are looking into traveling to popular destinations such as Los Cabos, Mexico, Hawaii, Virgin Islands, and other Caribbean islands. I would look into booking your hotel (ASAP). Hotels are filling up fast and increasing their prices as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years’ approach. It seems as domestic flights will increase in price as international flights will stay at a decent price rate over the holidays. So snag those low-fare prices anytime you get a marketing email from airlines in your inbox. Airfare hack searches for flights on Sunday; ticket prices are 30% lower. If you haven’t already read my post on the best apps to use to find cheap tickets.
Best Travel Apps
Here are some good travel apps to have on your phone while traveling this holiday season. I was put on to this app by a co-worker about two years ago. It is called Hotel Tonight if your hotel reservation got canceled or any plan changes. You can book a hotel or motel for the same night and they offer discounts. This app comes in handy if you are traveling by car.
ChefsFeed is another great app especially when you’re in a new city and want to try out the best restaurant. I also recommend viewing the restaurant’s Instagram page to see the aesthetic and vibe. Happy Cow is another food app that is great for vegetarians and vegans who are traveling. Also, use Open Table to reserve dinner plans especially with restaurants still having a certain time limit for each party.
I hope these tips help with your holiday travel plans. If you have any tips or resources that you use when traveling for the holidays leave them in the comments below.