Impact of COVID-19 on Travel
Famous for all the wrong reasons, the novel coronavirus has unfortunately taken the world by storm. Originating in Wuhan, China, there are 25MM+ confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide and growing. More than 95 countries have reported infected citizens, and there have been over 800k deaths.
Many travelers who had planned international vacations in 2020 have canceled those trips due to fear of contracting COVID-19 and government-mandated travel bans. You may be wondering when you will be able to travel again. And while the answer to that question is still unknown and depends on a variety of factors, we want to help you prepare for when things get back to normal. Here you will find our latest news and guides for everything related to COVID-19 and the return of the travel.
Essential Reading
Where Can I Travel?
As the pandemic rages on in 2020, most travelers continue to stay close to home, with many opting to not travel at all or choosing a road trip within a few hours of home. For the time being, the majority of Americans have foregone air travel. In fact, airline passenger volumes are down approximately 70% domestically and 88% internationally from a year ago, according to Airlines for America’s Tracking the Impacts of COVID-19 report. While options are limited, check out how Covid-19 is impacting where Americans can go:
Recent Covid-19 News
Important Guides
Airlines response to COVID-19
| Airline | Precautions taken against COVID-19 |
|---|---|
| American Airlines | Travelers are asked at check-in to confirm they have been free of COVID-19 symptoms for the past 14 days. Face coverings (mask or any secured cloth covering your nose and mouth) required while flying, except when eating or drinking. Very young children or those a condition preventing them from wearing one are exempt. |
| United | Face coverings required during the entire flight, except when eating or drinking. Small children and travelers with disabilities or certain medical conditions are exempt. New boarding procedure, back to front. |
| Delta | Face coverings required during the entire flight, except when eating or drinking. Middle seats have been blocked through September 30. Each customer is queued to debark, ensuring better social distancing practices. Those refusing to wear masks will require an in-airport test before boarding |
| Southwest | Face coverings required "at the airport and while traveling." Face covering required to board. Boarding in groups of 10. Middle seats blocked October (but those traveling together can sit beside one another). |
| Alaska Airlines | Face coverings required "when social distancing cannot be maintained," including on aircraft, except when eating or drinking. Not required for travelers aged 11 under, or for those with a medical condition preventing them from wearing a mask. Select seats blocked through Sep 30, 2020. New boarding procedure, back to front. |
| JetBlue | Face coverings required during the entire flight, with the exception of "[y]oung children who are not able to maintain a face covering." Regular temperature check for crew members interacting with customers. Middle seats blocked on larger aircraft, and many aisle seats blocked on smaller aircraft. New boarding procedure, back to front. Inflight entertainment can now be controlled by personal mobile devices as a remote (no need to touch the screen). |
| Frontier | Face coverings required during the flight. Wash hands or sanitize before your flight. All passengers will undergo a non-invasive temperature screening at the gate via a touchless thermometer. Temperatures of 100.4 or above will not be allowed to board. New boarding process, from back to front. |
| Spirit | Face coverings required during the entire flight, with the exception of children ages 2 and below, and children who cannot maintain a face covering. |
| Allegiant | Face coverings required during the entire flight, except those with medical conditions preventing it. You must provide physician documentation of your medical condition to the gate agent at least one hour before takeoff. |