Travel Tips: How to Plan for a 2021 Vacation in the Midst of COVID-19

By Nicole Maher

Nearly everyone who had a vacation planned for the year of 2020 needed to cancel due to the rise of COVID-10 cases across the world. However as 2021 approaches, with established health guidelines and the hope of vaccines, you may be wondering if the new year will allow you to travel again. While the state of the world is changing constantly, travel experts have revealed some travel tips for planning a vacation in the upcoming year. 

Use these travel tips for planning a safe and enjoyable vacation for 2021 in the midst of COVID-19.

1. Plan in advance: It is important to plan a vacation in advance under normal circumstances, but planning one during a pandemic makes this step even more necessary. Travel agents recommend that you should book your tickets six to nine months in advance if you are looking to travel during 2021. This will allow you to get the best price on plane tickets, which will likely be limited, and likely allow for some time to cancel the trip if necessary. 

Related Link: Travel Advice: Socially Distant Vacation Ideas 

2. Research airlines: Airlines were one of the industries that needed to make the most changes following the spread of COVID-19. While your main priority in the past may have been taking the airline with the best deal, it is now more important to pick the airline that is the safest for your health. Use this travel tip to look at which airlines have maintained their new protocol the best and have been linked to the fewest possible cases of the virus. It is also important to look at the capacity of the planes and determine if you feel safe traveling with that number of passengers. 

Related Link: Travel Tips: What to Pack in Your Carry-on During a Pandemic 

3. Anticipate changes: One thing we’ve all learned throughout the course of this pandemic is that things change quickly. Even though it is important to plan your vacation well in advance, it is also essential to understand you may not know if the trip is confirmed until weeks before. This is especially important when traveling internationally, as many countries are changing their travel restrictions every few weeks. Having a smaller backup plan in case your trip gets delayed is a good way of accommodating any possible changes. 

4. Support affected destinations: The pandemic has hit everyone hard over the past year, but there are some areas that have struggled more than others. When planning your trip for 2021, it could be beneficial to look into what travel destinations have experienced the largest financial hit since the beginning of the virus. Many of these travel destinations are smaller islands that make most of their revenue off of tourists. Make the most of your next vacation by escaping somewhere nice and helping out the local community while you are there!

5. Consider your health and safety: At the end of the day, there is nothing more important than your health and safety when traveling this upcoming year. Look into destinations that prioritize social distancing guidelines and have throughout cleaning plans. If possible, try to book a living space that does not share any common areas with other guests, such as a private house and separate villa at a resort. If your destination experiences a spike in virus cases prior to your visit, consider the option of rescheduling your vacation until it is safer.

What are some other ways to plan a safe vacation in the midst of COVID-19? Start a conversation in the comments below.