Pandemic Travel 2.0: How to Travel on Thanksgiving This Year

Miami prepares to welcome 2 million travelers on Thanksgiving 3:25

(CNN) -

After the 2020 vacation is in store, many more travelers are expected to be on the go this year.

In the United States, the American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts that Thanksgiving travel will rebound near pre-pandemic levels, and 53.4 million Americans are expected to travel. for holidays, a 13% increase over last year.

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That brings total travel volume to just 5% below the 2019 figure. And air travel is expected to increase 80% from last year, bringing it to just 9% below 2019. Around 4.2 million travelers are expected to fly this year.

With the recent operational collapses at Southwest and American Airlines, in addition to staffing problems and an increase in international travel, many air travelers worry that things could get complicated.

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"Even before the pandemic, reports of major delays, cancellations and stranded passengers were something of a vacation tradition," said Willis Orlando, senior product operations specialist at airfare deal site Scott's Cheap Flights.

"This year, people are understandably more nervous than ever," Orlando said, and recent mass flight cancellations caused travelers to pause.

But he said airlines are making adjustments to avoid potential problems.

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"While it's certainly not out of the question, we'd be surprised to see the kind of major failures among US non-budget airlines that we've seen in the last few months before the holidays," Orlando said.

The usual delays related to bad weather are more likely, he said.

But while air travel is on the rise, the vast majority of travelers will continue to travel by car, according to AAA, with 90% (48.3 million) expected to drive.

With so many people vaccinated, AAA spokesman Andrew Gross hopes the roads will feel like a typical Thanksgiving: "Crowded."

"If you leave on the Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving and you live near a large metropolitan area, you will be sitting in that old traffic again," Gross told CNN's Pete Muntean.

And the traffic is just the beginning.

There are also health issues to grapple with and meeting safety once you get there.

With the vacation travel season approaching, here are expert tips for minimizing hassle and maximizing safety while traveling during a pandemic:

• If you received any of these vaccines against covid-19, you can travel to the United States.

Preparation for holiday flights

The airports will be full.

"We are close to pre-pandemic numbers," said Gross of the AAA.

"So we're saying to people, 'Look, you'll find queues at the airport. It's just unavoidable. So arrive at least two hours early. And if it's an international flight, three hours early.'

Vacation travelers pass through Los Angeles International Airport in November 2020. Air travel is expected to increase 80% during Thanksgiving this year.

David McNew / Getty Images

Consideration should be given to major disruptions and AAA recommends travel insurance.

"Get that travel insurance and that airline insurance if you can. That little box that you often skip, click on it this year because we don't know what staffing levels the airlines and the Transportation Security Administration are going to have." Gross said.

Insurance coverage can generally be purchased up to the day before the traveler's departure, according to travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth.

Other tips for flying:

- Fly early in the day to avoid the cascading effect of delays and cancellations.

Bad weather is also more likely to affect subsequent flights.

- Try the airline's website or app to rebook if your flight is canceled.

It's generally faster, according to Kathleen Bangs, a former airline pilot and a spokesperson for FlightAware.

- Book nonstop flights offered multiple times a day on major airlines to increase your chances of rebooking on the same itinerary in a timely manner, Orlando said.

- To be really safe, book a backup flight.

"Personally, I often buy two tickets, and the second ticket is kept as a backup reservation," said Bangs of FlightAware.

She makes sure that the second flight is refundable or reusable, and that it is at least two hours later than the first to have time to catch it if the other is seriously delayed or canceled.

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Hit the road

Gasoline prices average about $ 3.42 a gallon this year, Gross noted, representing an increase of about $ 1.30 from last year and about 80 cents from 2019.

"But as we've always found, no matter what the price of gas is, people are still going to make that trip. They'll just budget along the way."

AAA tips for driving:

- Make sure your vehicle is ready.

AAA suggests that key components such as the battery, fuel system, tires, brakes and fluid levels be checked

- The mornings during the holiday weekend are generally the best times to drive.

The best time on Wednesday is after 9 p.m., according to transportation analytics firm INRIX.

The worst time on Wednesday is between noon and 8 pm

Covid-19 health considerations for vacation travel in 2021

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated.

For those traveling with unvaccinated people, the agency suggests safer options like road trips with few stops and direct flights.

Traveling with children who are not vaccinated will be a consideration for many families.

"This risk is not so much the journey itself, but what you do at the destination," said Dr. Leana Wen, CNN medical analyst, emergency physician and professor of Health Policy and Management at the School of Public Health. from the Milken Institute at George Washington University.

Trips that involve visits to indoor attractions and crowded restaurants are at higher risk.

"The ride itself can be very safe, especially if younger children can wear the mask. If they can't wear a mask, that's a major barrier," said Wen, who is also the author of a new book, "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health. "

If she were traveling alone with her 4-year-old son, who is used to wearing a mask in preschool, Wen said she would feel very comfortable carrying him on a short flight.

However, she would not travel by plane or train with her daughter, who is one and a half years old, because she cannot wear a mask constantly.

People should wear a high-quality mask (N95, KN95 or KF94) whenever they are indoors crowded with people whose vaccination status is unknown, he said.

• Why the world is still arguing about face masks, 20 months after the pandemic started

Meet safely when you arrive at your destination

Everyone else's immunization status is key when you have unvaccinated children.

"If you plan to see family members who are all vaccinated and be outdoors or near other people who are known to be vaccinated, the risk is much lower than if you plan to be indoors crowded with people whose vaccination status is unknown. "Wen said.

If the meeting involves immunosuppressed family members or unvaccinated children, or both, Wen suggests that everyone self-quarantine for at least three days before meeting and take a rapid test just before seeing each other.

"That would reduce the risk for everyone," he said.

And those who are eligible for the booster shots should get them, Wen advised.

• Pfizer will request authorization for booster doses of its vaccine against covid-19 for those over 18 years of age

Beyond pandemic health precautions, patience will be essential for vacation travel.

Expect flight delays, cancellations and understaffed restaurants right now, said travel consultant Dave Hershberger, president of Prestige Travel Leaders in Cincinnati.

"If you are a very impatient person, stay home now because you really have to let yourself go."

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