smiles33

I'm not sure this is the right place to post, but I am so eager to plan our first post-COVID int'l trip now that clinical trials indicate the vaccine is safe for youth. We haven't traveled (other than a road trip), even though my husband and I are now fully vaccinated, because we have 2 teens who aren't vaccinated yet. Ideally, all kids 12 and up will get vaccinated before school starts this Fall, but I'm optimistic mine can get vaccinated by December 2021 so we can take an overseas trip during Winter Break.

We haven't been on a plane since Feb. 2020, so I know a lot has changed. I'd love advice from those who have traveled:

1) Should I get the "cancel for any reason" trip insurance in case the kids can't get vaccinated in time (or there's a serious surge of a variant that the vaccine doesn't protect us from)? Or is it worth paying for standard trip insurance (more to cover medical expenses overseas or typical issues) and just pay more for refundable airfare? We plan to use a mix of Chase points and cash to get 4 J class seats (destination still TBD but likely Tokyo if Japan opens up to us by then). I see Singapore Air has 3 fare levels for J class.

2) How else has COVID affected air travel? I am hoping tests will be easier to secure in December 2021 if we have to take one before boarding (despite being fully vaccinated). I assume the lounges for J class will have COVID restrictions so limited capacity and maybe no food?

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated!

snic

The problem is that no one knows how things will shake out between now and December. A lot of people are in the same boat, including my family (parents vaccinated, one teen getting the first vaccine dose soon). We have no idea how destinations like Japan (and Singapore, since it seems you're considering transiting there) will handle their vaccination drives and what their policies regarding foreign visitors will be like in December. With that in mind, to the extent that you do any planning at all, it might make sense to consider domestic travel, or travel to destinations that seem to be making a real effort to reopen to tourists as soon as possible (Belize, Thailand, Iceland - in winter? Well, maybe to see the northern lights?).

By the way, this article describes one person's international travel nightmare. Granted, he went to Australia, which is one of the toughest destinations to travel to at the moment. But if these testing and quarantine requirements for each and every stop along the way don't ease up significantly (at least for vaccinated travelers), I'm really not very interested in running this sort of maze with my family.

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/0...g-covid-478821

radonc1

Any trip you plan that goes overseas to international destinations should be planned with full cancellation insurance unless you can afford to self insure.

Given the dynamic state of the virus and the even more uneven regulations being promulgated by international authorities, I would not cast my lot on vaccinations, no matter how many in the family have been so.

Until there is a general agreement by nations on how to handle Covid infections, treatments and vaccinations, planning an international trip is a crap shoot that one's playing in against loaded dice

smiles33

Thank you both. Very astute observations, ones I should have considered but glossed over in my eagerness to plan a trip before prices go up higher when more travelers decide to book their flights. I think we'll just wait a few more months to see if there's more certainty.

Mwenenzi

By December 2021 a large portion of the worlds population will not be fully vaccinated (2 jabs where needed). For example New Zealand will not be and Australia has a 50/50 chance.

There is no agreement if vaccination will allow unrestricted travel. Some countries may allow but others will not.
Dec 2021 is too soon for those decisions. Dec 2020 a possibility,

off topic (link above)
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/0...g-covid-478821
About 800 of those deaths are the direct result of the failings on the Victorian State Government (Genomic testing showed the link) (AU population 25,773,200 from wikipedia)

He should have just bought an economy ticket, if available, on UA-DL-AA for LAX-SYD. Sometimes can be bought at short notice (next few days). There are no reports of anyone on these USA-AU flights being bumped

snic

Some countries *already* allow vaccinated visitors, or plan to start this summer. I'm optimistic that some more will do that by the end of the year. It's just too early to tell which ones.

But even if some destinations are open to vaccinated tourists, getting there might be difficult. For example, Greece seems to be interested in opening this summer, but getting there without a stop somewhere in Europe isn't easy. And even if you find a flight, the endless testing and threats of quarantine if you end up positive are just wearying. They add up to unnecessary worry and needless expense, which are the last things I want to deal with on my vacation.

And then, when you finally get there, if the country is on lockdown because of a spike in cases, that's no fun either.

catocony

There's no guarantee that kids under 16 will be vaccinated by December either. I would plan on a domestic trip only, since the combo risk of the teenagers not being vaccinated and whatever restrictions will be on international travel are unknown at this point and unpredictable.

the810

Some places that allow vaccinated visitors also have some kind of exception for under 18 years old, so it might be possible for you to travel without waiting until kids can be vaccinated (which seems unnecessary anyway).

GUWonder

There are countries that exempt foreign visitors from Covid-19 testing requirements when the foreign visitors are minors under a certain age. Those countries may turn out to be the countries that are more likely to allow in children of the same age -- or even somewhat older children -- even without a vaccination against Covid-19.

davistev

Just as important is the ease of getting a PCR test done and costs involved while you are on "vacation" to be able to board your return flight. Just to speculate, but it would be difficult for a government to "drop" this test requirement anytime soon as long as Covid is in the wild and the possibility exists to be vaccinated and a carrier at the same time.

I am not sure where you are located but it would be prudent to only purchase tickets that can be changed to a later date or at least get a credit for future use.

radonc1

The Politico article below on Asian international travel should open up everyone's eyes as to the state of international travel currently.

Business class and bureaucracy hell: Surviving global travel during Covid
"Disconnected and labor-intensive travel controls are set to make mass tourism a nightmare, if you can even afford it."



I would strongly suggest that anyone who is entertaining international travel read this and take heed.

snic

Uh, didn't I link to that article in the very first post in response to the OP?

the810

There's more to the world than Asia. Various parts of the world will have different approaches to the issue. There is no doubt travel to certain destinations will be severely restricted in winter 2021/22 but I'm just as confident that many other places will be "visitable" under normal, pre-pandemic, rules during that season.

azepine00

if sorting out some hurdles allows me to access places other can't - ya sign me up!

I remember last may driving around several national parks with barely any car in sight - it was amazing and surreal and I don't think I will ever experience this again in my lifetime..
2 month later I went back and those places were absolutely mobbed so take advantage of this opportunity...

radonc1

Sometimes articles are so good that I want to emphasize it
More likely, I just goof and forget someone else posted earlier
This is great if you have the time, money and patience to put up (and overcome) the hurdles placed in front of you.

That is not my idea of a vacation. I can worry and fret at home just as easily as on the road, and in greater comfort too.