Tack

I never stopped flying. I’ve been 3 times a month all through 2020 and into this year. Tomorrow I have a day trip mileage run on AS, LAX-EWR-LAX. So of course I’m going to tell you that flying is safer, germ wise, than it’s ever been. But you’re the one electing to get back into the game. If you’re nervous, Why are you jumping back in just now? I think you’ve got a good strategy, you seem confidant in it, so honestly there isn’t anything that I could tell you that should change your mind. COVID is a crap shoot for everyone. It’s up to us to determine how we live with it, because even a vaccine isn’t a magic cure. I’m happy for you to have mileage runs to look forward too. I’m betting the last year was tough not having the joy of flying, because for all of us on FT, flying is a pleasure, lol no matter how much we grumble at times. Congrats on getting the vaccine, I hope I get mine in the next few months. Follow your plan and enjoy your flights, you’ll be fine. Cheers!

NW.BTR.Than.The.Rest

Thanks for your reply, yes, I really enjoy traveling. I had to cancel a couple of tours and one Tauck river cruise that I had to cancel. That would have been my first Tauck and I hear great things about them.

D3Kingg

Just flew into Denver and the concourse train to the main terminal was jam packed. So I waited for the next train. It arrived 2 min later and was also jam packed. So another 2 min later a train was only half full so I hoped on. Every bit helps but I don’t worry about catching Covid from flying. I always wait one gate over in an empty area until I’m ready to board. Every bit helps. Why crowd the gate area ?

The biggest problem I face flying during COVID is my family giving me the third degree. As they’re glued to cnn.com “why are you flying?” “Do you want to catch Covid ?” “Are you deliberately tying to ?”

zip10001

I have been flying international and domestic for the past 5 months, close to 70k BIS on AA.
and I have yet to catch Covid.
i get tested before / after each trip.

just be careful and wear a mask as much as possible. No group dining or drinking.

VSLover

i am cautious about travel myself, but the few times i have, i actually felt best on the plane. it was the entire ground experience i was mindful of and just kept my distance from everyone as much as i could and frankly its pretty easy so long as you are patient as the poster above displayed about the DEN trains.

rstruthe

I would say you are lucky to have completed both vaccine shots and are pretty safe. I’ve not been and won’t be vaccinated this year, but still feel safe flying as long as you follow basic rules. I’ve completed segments on AA, AC, Delta, and United. In all cases I wiped down the surfaces around me and wore a mask as much as possible.
I would say your more likely to catch it in the airport then on the plane, just sanitize your hands as much as possible and you should be good!

IADCAflyer

I am tested after each trip and have done 5 trips since December including two to Los Angeles (one trip we found out en route to LAX that the client caught COVID). Landed and immediately turned around for home.

Wear a N95 mask. And I mean a -real- 3M N95 mask. KN95 are Chinese; If it doesn't say N95, don't bother. Those stupid masks with ruffles on them are useless as well.

Wear some type of eye protection - eye glasses, sun glasses or safety glasses. Avoid rubbing your eyes - or if you do, after you slather some 70 percent alcohol hand sanitizer on your hands. Obviously, let it dry first...

Try to stay on flights which are less crowded and change flights if needed.

Avoid crowds. The Admirals clubs have not been that crowded so I stay there.

Bring a full bottle of hand sanitizer. I bring a bottle with 6 ounces of sanitizer and usually burn up 1/2 of it over the course of a trip. Its going to dry out your hands, but it is what it is. Bring a package or canister of disinfecting wipes.

Turn the air vent on you and blast it on you. If you're in coach and there is an empty seat next to you, use that vent too.

Presguy

I'm about 110 segments in since March of last year, about 50% of which were on AA.

I did have COVID, nearly asymptomatically, at the end of October - but I can't attribute it to any particular flight, no. I was in Mexico about a week prior, and if I had to speculate, I likely contracted it there - though I don't say that with any degree of confidence.

I wear a simple dispoable surgical mask, and change it regularly (mostly as a factor of comfort). Beyond that, my only precautions have been slightly more frequent hand washing and sanitizing. I also wipe down my luggage handles, laptop, etc with disinfectant wipes, but that's not a new habit. I also test regularly (about 50 tests so far), with tests before and after each trip.

I can't speak to your health, risk factors, risk tolerance, etc - but I'd have no problem doing what you desribe in the original post.

Centurion

I am 99% sure I have caught other viruses on a trips that involved a IROP and staying up all night to flying from LAX to NYC to fly BA flight 001 from JFK to LHR. It is a shame as I was sharing seating in the lounge with some very famous celebs and I felt awful.

brewdog11

I feel safest when onboard an aircraft, honestly. On my recent AA flights after the Mask Mandate was put into place, FAs have been borderline militant with mask enforcement (I mean this in a good way). Granted almost all of my travel has been in the Premium cabin, but I still feel safe in Y. I also feel much safer having a beer in the socially-distanced Admirals Club than I do at my neighborhood bar. If you do a MR during the week, the low loads will be even better for safety.

Buster CT1K

I have been flying almost monthly since June 2020. But I would not feel safe flying in F or Y with a stranger sitting right next to me even if everyone is masked up. Generally, I have flown only in F and with an open seat or a family member next to me. And I would prefer an aircraft with flat-bed F so that people are more spread out.

ijgordon

If you’re in coach and the passenger next to you is contagious and shedding virus, there’s a very high likelihood that you will catch the virus as well. There’s also a reasonable likelihood that a few people in the immediate vicinity will contract the disease.

So buying an extra seat, flying an airline that blocks middle seat, and wearing a high quality mask the entire flight are steps you can take to reduce your chances of infection on the flight. Of course if nobody near you is infected then the chances you catch it on the flight are very low.

IADCAflyer

My seat selection choices these days are quite simple. Is there someone sitting next to me? If yes, move. I had ONE instance where I couldn't move and that was a 772 from MIA to CLT. I was in PE and had the window...Not much more you can do about that given that a PE seat is the same as a domestic F seat.

On that flight I was slathering san hanitizer on like it was going out of style and I never once even thought about removing my face mask. I drank at a double at the Centurion Lounge after that hop...

Repooc17

Good luck getting an open domestic F seat next to you while traveling solo; everyone is buying F outright. There are only so many F seats on a full/relative full flights (have been on about half a dozen flights this past week, and full F every single flight - A321/737)

If you’re in coach or first class and the passenger next to you is contagious and shedding virus, there’s a very high likelihood that you will catch the virus as well. There’s also a reasonable likelihood that a few people in the immediate vicinity will contract the disease.

Tack

My recommendation for you? Stay home, don’t risk it. I totally respect your concern. I leave tomorrow for a 1 day mileage run. Then on Thursday back on my 3 times a week flying, keeping my employees at my small business drawing a pay check. Everything now days is all a personal choice. Cheers!