This year fully vaccinated Americans can feel more confident about traveling, provided they still follow some helpful guidelines for the holiday season by the CDC. Travelers should brace themselves for jam-packed airports this year; many people who missed out on holiday travel last year are booking trips now. The increased travel demand has already affected prices, both for flights and hotels bookings, according to the internet search engine “Kayak.”
Domestic flight prices have increased by 13 percent from 2019 and, not so surprisingly, more than twice that much from last year (at 37 percent).
International flight prices are up 18 percent from last year. This upsurge of wanderlust will create more flight delays and longer layovers, too. And, this year air travel increased by 94% compared to 2020, according to a recent report by Bloomberg.
The peak season for travel will be between November 12th and January 7th.
The stress of the holiday travel might not be enough to deter Americans after a year of feeling cooped and isolated but it’s important to remain responsible. We are not out of the pandemic woods yet.
Tips and Guidelines for Traveling This Holiday Season
- For non-vaccinated travelers, the best advice is — don’t. The CDC recommends travel for vaccinated travelers only. And, if you are traveling with children who are still too young for vaccinations, (between the ages of 2 and 12) they should wear a mask in public, and practice social distancing when around those they don’t live with.
- If you feel you must travel, then please take the precautions to protect yourself and others by getting a test no earlier than three days before your trip. Travelers should get tested upon return and remain home for a full 7 days after returning from travel.
- Do not travel if you are sick or test positive for COVID.
- Immunosuppressed people are still at greater risk of catching COVID even after vaccination. They should continue to take precautions recommended for unvaccinated people, including wearing a well-fitted mask, until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider, according to the CDC guidelines.
- Never put a mask on a child younger than 2 years old.
- Take shorter road trips with only fully vaccinated people. And try to keep stops to a minimum.
- When booking a flight try to opt for non-stops when possible.
- Choose car travel and air travel over trains, buses, and cruise ships, as they tend to have poor ventilation issues.
