While the calendar says we still have a few weeks before summer officially starts, the fact is that once Memorial Day arrives, the “summer travel season” begins. And what a season it is going to be! After two pandemic summers, those who have had limited/no travel since 2019 are raring to go: a Washington Post-Schar School poll found that 72 percent of Americans say they will “definitely” or “probably” go on a summer trip this year.
If you’ll be one of those happy travelers – especially if you’ll be flying – things may be different from the last time you boarded a plane. Here are 10 ways to be prepared for air travel before you even leave for the airport.
- Masks are no longer required in the airport or on the plane. However, you can certainly still wear one, and healthcare providers do still recommend it, especially for those who may be vulnerable or immunocompromised.
- You can bring one liquid hand sanitizer bottle up to 12 ounces in your carry-on (in addition to your quart-sized liquids bag). Keep in mind that your large hand sanitizer may be opened and tested by security officers. You can (and should) also bring antibacterial wipes with you onboard, provided they are individually packaged. (Plan to use them when you arrive at your seat – and anywhere else you feel the need.)
- Expect to scan your own boarding pass and ID cards to prevent a touchpoint. You can easily have your boarding pass texted to you so that you can quickly pull it up to be scanned.
- Staffing shortages are still a real thing, so don’t be surprised to find some restaurants and stores in airports shut down or have limited hours. You may also find that inflight food and beverage service are curtailed, too, so you may want to bring your own if you think you’ll need to eat or drink during your flight.
- Technology is more important for air travel than ever before. From touchless kiosks, and mobile boarding passes to digital health passports, which are mobile apps that allow travelers to upload proof of vaccinations and coronavirus test results in a safe and encrypted way, technology has become – and will continue to be – an integral part of air travel. Make sure you are comfortable with any apps you’ll be using before you arrive to the airport. And since technology is also not perfect and *does* fail at times – have paper copies of your documents as a back up – just in case.
- Put any food items that you are bringing in clear plastic bags and place that clear plastic bag into your carry-on bag. When you get to the checkpoint, remove the clear bag containing your food and place that bag into the bin to reduce the opportunity for cross-contamination. Why remove your food at all? Because food items often trigger an alarm, so instead of a TSA officer needing to open a carry-on bag to see what triggered the alarm (and causing delays – to say nothing of having someone rummage through your stuff), removing the food reduces the likelihood of a carry-on bag needing to be searched.
- It’s busy. REALLY busy. Those days of half empty airports, middle seats being open etc. are long gone. Airports and security lines are crowded, and flights are full. Assume you will be around (and sitting next to) lots of folks.
- Expect things to take longer due to slower screening processes, and an increased number of travelers combined with fewer employees. Don’t cut things too close to your flight and be sure to allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for domestic flights right now (and 3 1/2 for international flights), because things really are taking longer. No one wants to be the “Home Alone family” racing through the airport to get to their flight before it departs.
- Be prepared for flight delays and cancellations. Make sure you have the app for your airline and your cell number is listed on your reservation, so you’ll be notified of any last-minute changes. And then check the status before you leave home, as it’s not uncommon right now for cancellations to occur within a few hours of departure. It’s far better to wait it out in the comfort of your home (and find new flights if need be) than stuck in a crowded airport with hundreds of other tired and cranky travelers.
- Pack your patience – and lots of kind words for those who are helping you to get to your destination safely. Things are going to take longer. When you plan for it, delays aren’t as bad. Along the same lines, keep a sense of humor as well. Delays and cancellations are stressful for everyone and being able to smile and laugh does make the situation easier. And please, be especially kind to the workers you encounter – whether TSA agents, staff in the dining locations, and airline personnel – they are all overwhelmed, and this is a good time to give them all a lot of grace.
Happy Summer and happy travels!
Learn how the FREE services of a travel agent can make planning your vacation simple and STRESS FREE!
