I recently read an article from a fellow travel writer about how she had not traveled in two years, and regretted having missed a window to travel before the recent spike in COVID cases. I have to admit that I was hesitant to return to international travel given all the additional rules, and rules which seemed to change daily. I was fearful one of us would fail a test, tossing all our plans to the side. Having just returned from our first international trip during the pandemic, and after jumping through all the hoops, it was well worth all the planning involved to return to a little bit of normal. Here are our tips for planning travel during the pandemic.
There are numerous studies addressing the effect of COVID on our mental health. For many, there was a substantial loss of income associated with the pandemic impacting their mental health, but for others, who continued to have employment, it wasn’t just the monetary impact. People were feeling confined and lonely, and experiencing depression and anxiety not related to their income, but instead to a loss of their lifestyle and quality of life. Travel, which brings with it benefits to our mental health and quality of life, was for a long period of time eliminated or restricted. I have always known the need for travel to balance out the stress of my occupation, and nearly always had at least one trip scheduled at any point in time. We had just returned from Anguilla in January 2020 when travel shut down. Thankfully, we had planned that trip, but we had no idea when we would be able to travel again.
2021 brought the vaccines, and we were in the first group of those vaccinated in our area, so we planned our first trip, a domestic trip to Miami, with a drive to Key West, and a seaplane flight to the Dry Tortugas.
It was not our normal journey, but it helped to have something to look forward to after a year of uncertainty. We then planned another domestic trip, to New York City, and then planned our first international trip, a trip to Grenada in November/December of 2021. At the time we planned it, there seemed to be no doubt that the world would be back to normal.
An outbreak of COVID cases in Grenada in the early fall of 2021 brought with it the fear that our Thanksgiving trip would never happen. Our resort, Spice Island Beach Resort, modified its cancellation policy and required only a one night deposit, making it easier to book. The concern was still there that we might unknowingly contract COVID and not be able to make the trip, or be quarantined in Grenada. We took our PCR tests three days before arrival and with negative results, received travel approval. Next were the complications of presenting documentation at the airport to be able to board the flight. Also to consider was the need to be tested before return to the United States. We successfully navigated all the hurdles and had a wonderful trip to Grenada, but came away with these suggestions on how to best plan travel during the pandemic.
1. Know The Rules.
It’s important to know the rules for both admission to your destination country and the rules for returning to the United States. Grenada changed the travel authorization website/form just a week before our arrival. I ended up completing both versions to make sure that we were authorized to travel. It’s important to know what you need ahead of time to make sure you can travel. For Grenada, the official tourism site is Pure Grenada and the official health site is https://covid19.gov.gd
In addition to knowing your destination’s rules, consult with the concierge at your hotel/resort to make sure you have complied with all the requirements and know their terms for cancellation, refund, and rescheduling. Also, confirm that your resort will arrange for health officials to do return testing at the resort, or make arrangements for transport to the testing location. Spice Island Beach Resort advised us when we would be able to test and took care of all the arrangements. Ask about where masks are required, and ask about whether proof of vaccination is required for various activities.
2. Know What’s Going on in Your Destination.
Before your trip, make an effort to understand what the situation is in your destination country. The U.S. State Department maintains a list of Travel Advisories. These are just advisories, but it is worth checking to see the information regarding your destination. Given that Grenada had an outbreak of COVID cases in early September, this site had Grenada as a “Do Not Travel” destination. However, I watched the news sources including NOW Grenada to watch the progression of COVID cases. Grenada increased protections for a bit after that spike, but ultimately the cases dropped, vaccinations increased, and the two-day quarantine upon arrival was eliminated. The helpful folks in the Grenada forum at Trip Advisor also provided practical information for travel. It pays to watch what is happening.
3. Get Travel Insurance.
I always get travel insurance, but it was even more important given the additional roadblocks to travel during a pandemic. Also, review the terms of the coverage. I use Allianz, and I do not receive anything from Allianz for recommending them, but they gave a quote online, and gave you time after purchase to review the terms of the policy and cancel without expense. I ended up purchasing an annual plan for our family because it was more economical with the upcoming travel we have planned. Look specifically for what is covered when the cancellation is due to the pandemic.
4. Use Verifly.
We flew out of Chicago, and the line at American Airlines was incredibly long for check-in. There were only two agents working the day after Thanksgiving, and it was obvious that people had not learned what they actually needed to check in, causing long delays in processing. I had all my paperwork with me, test results, travel authorizations, and vaccination cards for all of us, and so we were able to get through pretty easily, but I suspect that the people behind us may not have been so fortunate, and many may have missed flights given the delays. On the return flight, I decided to try Verifly. Verifly is an app that was recommended when I checked in online for my flight with American. I downloaded it and was a bit concerned about all the information requested so I skipped it for the outgoing flight. However, on the return, I was willing to give it a try. Once you upload your test results and vaccination cards, it was just a matter of a couple hours before we were verified. All persons in your travel party can be entered on one user’s phone using the app. When we arrived at the airport, we just showed the app, and we breezed through check-in. Verifly users have a separate line for check-in, making it even faster. Not all airlines use the app, but if yours does, I highly recommend using it to make your check-in faster and easier.
The rules may seem insurmountable, but it’s well worth the effort to plan future travel. There still is a chance that your trip will be derailed by lockdowns, changes in rules, or positive test results. You have to go into planning with the mindset that things might change. But there’s also a good chance that with proper planning, and a little bit of luck, you can enjoy international travel again.
Soon I will be posting images and stories from our trip to Grenada. I hope it will inspire you to take the leap!