Travel has changed since 2019. I’ve got ten easy prime tips for a pandemic journey today.
The COVID pandemic has significantly abated in the U.S., but in Europe and Asia there’s been a large increase of COVID cases recently. This could be a harbinger for the U.S. Travel has changed for your pandemic journey today.
Despite increasing cases in some locations, most of the world’s travel destinations have put out the welcome mat. However, there are new suggestions for navigating travel for a pandemic journey today.
With the desire to get away increasing for many who haven’t considered travel since 2019, travel bookings are increasing. It’s been more than two years since their last trip, and many 2022 travelers are “out of practice.” They’re unsure of the new travel requirements due to the pandemic. Travelers have to adapt to pandemic conditions that can rapidly change and the new realities that it has created, while also refreshing their travel preparation memory of what’s always been needed.
Preparation, insurance, and flexibility are the keys to successful travel in 2022. I have ten prime tips to help you avoid travel trouble and minimize the potential problems you might encounter on your first pandemic journey since 2019 or 2020.
More than 50 countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months after entry or exit. If it’s not, some destinations will refuse to accept it.
Double check your passport:
If your international journey begins soon, it may be too late to do anything about your passport that won’t cost a fortune. Often it isn’t enough that it’s unexpired. Many countries require visitor passports to be valid for at least three months after your date of departure from them. More than 50 countries require passports be valid for at least six months after your date of entry or departure from them. Unfortunately, passport processing times for expedited service in the U.S., for example, is five to seven weeks. If you don’t have a passport for your trip, apply now. I recommend renewing existing passports a year before they expire.
Processing times are so long for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck that you need to apply or renew them long before you plan to travel.
Double check your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck status:
Global Entry and TSA (Transportation Security Administration) PreCheck are very helpful for travelers. Precheck makes it easier and usually faster to go through U.S. airport security. Global Entry significantly speeds members through reentry into the U.S. Global Entry also gives members automatic TSA PreCheck privileges.
Unfortunately, Global Entry renewals and new applications are taking as long as 90 days to process. My wife’s recent renewal took 106 days to process. Precheck applications can also take as long as 90 days to process. If you’re not a current member, but want to be, apply immediately. For renewals, start the process six months prior to expiration.
International travelers must know the COVID and entry requirements for all their destinations.
International travelers should review each destination’s COVID rules and regulations:
Each country has its own COVID rules and regulations. They may have vaccination and testing regulations, as well as documentation requirements, etc. You’ll need to determine what rules and regulations you’ll need to follow to visit your destinations and return to the country of your citizenship and/or residency. To find out what you need to do in the U.S., go to the State Department’s COVID-19 Country Specific Information page. Check your destination’s government website, too.
International travelers should review each destination’s entry requirements:
The entry requirements you need to follow to visit the many countries of the world vary greatly. U.S. Nationals can find out what requirements they must meet on the U.S. State Department Country Information pages, while citizens from other countries should check their government’s website for this kind of information. It’s essential to determine your destinations’ entry requirements well before you leave to be sure you have them fulfilled.
Make sure your carry-on meets your airline’s requirements and that you pack all your essentials in it.
Review the baggage requirements and restrictions for each airline, train or other transportation mode you plan to use:
I’ve seen it too often, travelers forced to check their carry-on with expensive breakable gear and other valuables in it, because their bag is oversized, or paying $100 or more to an airline that they can’t afford, because their bags are too heavy. Know the luggage requirements you must follow. Make sure you comply with them.
Take your essentials in carry-on baggage:
Pack the valuables and breakables you’re taking on your journey in your carry-on, as the airlines don’t accept liability for them if they’re lost, stolen or broken. Pack the medications you take regularly, both prescription and over-the-counter, in your carry-on, along with a full change of clothes, in case your checked luggage is lost, stolen, damaged or significantly delayed. Anything you can’t do without should be packed in your carry-on.
Travel insurance is becoming essential, particularly for international travel.
Purchase travel insurance, particularly if the trip is international:
We’re still living in the COVID pandemic and now there is a war in Ukraine that is affecting travel. Particularly if you’re traveling internationally, purchase travel insurance. Be certain the travel insurance meets your needs. If you become infected with COVID will it cover you if you cancel the trip? If you have to quarantine during the trip, will it cover your quarantine expenses for hotel, food, rebooking, etc.? Since many healthcare insurance policies won’t cover expenses while outside your home country, such as Medicare in the U.S., will your travel policy cover your medical expenses while traveling? Will your travel insurance cover problems resulting from the war in Ukraine?
Get a smartphone if you don’t already have one:
For travelers, a smartphone is essential. Dealing with airlines, rental car companies, hotels, trains, etc., while you’re traveling is generally much more easily accomplished through the travel companies’ apps loaded on your smartphone, than any other way. It can also hold boarding passes, train tickets, reservation information, emergency phone numbers, and be used as a hotel key, etc. You can use it to guide your walking or driving and keep abreast of news important to your trip, and of course it will permit you to make emergency telephone calls from almost everywhere.
Do you have vouchers you plan to use when you begin today’s pandemic journey? If so, check their expiration date so you’ll be able to use them.
Check your airline, cruise or other vouchers for their expiration date:
Even if you aren’t actively planning a trip, check any vouchers that you received for travel canceled due to the pandemic now. Some dates were extended, but others were not. Be sure of their expiration date so you won’t miss using them.
Bring a COVID travel kit:
COVID conditions, rules and regulations can change at any time. Be prepared. Put together a COVID kit and bring it with you. It should contain your COVID vaccine certificate and whatever documentation you need to get a vaccine passport for your destination, if required. Also carry high quality masks (N95, KN95) have COVID test kits, hand sanitizer. and sanitizer wipes.
Some of these tips, such as checking your passport, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck status, need your attention as soon as possible, because it will take time for new or renewal applications to be processed. The other tips will need to be used as you plan your first journey since the COVID pandemic began.
(Image: American Airlines A319 landing at Philadelphia International Airport. Copyright © 2018 NSL Photography. All Rights Reserved.)
After many years working in corporate America as a chemical engineer, executive and eventually CFO of a multinational manufacturer, Ned founded a tech consulting company and later restarted NSL Photography, his photography business. Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. Visit Ned’s Photography Blog and Galleries.
