What It’s Like to Travel in 2020
Three of our Travel Savvi agents recently got to travel in 2020. Dani Lower traveled domestically to South Carolina, Brittany Schiffler traveled domestically to Colorado, and Sarah Key traveled internationally to Antigua. Keep reading to see how their experiences went. Please reach out to us at info@travelsavvi.com with any travel-related questions! We are all so excited to get back to traveling.
Flying
Dani – South Carolina
“We flew on Delta Airlines. I cannot recommend Delta enough. Delta is committed to keeping the middle seat open to allow for social distancing until at least the beginning of 2021. Flight crew required and reminded passengers to wear masks over both their mouth and noses. The pilot or crew made an announcement on the extra cleaning procedures Delta is performing, including the use of “fog machines,” for lack of a better term to disinfect the entire cabin.”
Sarah – Antigua
“I flew both American Airlines and Delta Airlines. With limited flights right now, it took us over a day to get to our destination. We knew we had to be flexible with traveling right now, so this didn’t bother us. Both airlines did exceptionally well with everyone’s safety. There wasn’t normal food and beverage service. They handed you baggies filled with water, snacks, and hand sanitizer wipes for the flight. Delta Airlines is leaving all middle seats open at this time and our American Airlines flights were not full, so we were all able to spread out comfortably. I honestly wish it was always like this flying! I felt very safe, comfortable, and clean the entire time.”
International Customs
Sarah – Antigua
“Antigua was one of the first destinations to reopen after the shutdown. They have changed their entry requirements a few times, but they seem to have it down now. You need a negative COVID test prior to boarding your flight. You also have to fill out an extra health form. Besides those two additional entry requirements, going through customs in the Antigua airport was smooth and easy. It really helped that there was only our one flight that was going through customs. When you get off the plane, you show them your forms, get your temperature taken, answer a few health questions, and you’re good to go to your resort. Very simple and quick!”
Transportation Travel in 2020
Dani – South Carolina
“We decided to rent a car to allow more flexibility for exploring. Most rental companies are up and running like normal, just with extra cleaning measures!”
Sarah – Antigua
“We normally park a car at the airport shuttle lots when we travel. At Denver International Airport, these shuttle lots are not running at this time due to not being able to social distance on shuttles. So make sure you check your airport parking situation before heading to the airport! We took a Lyft to and from the airport in our home city and I was very happy with the new protocols they have in place. Every driver now has a partition between the front and back seat and everyone is required to wear masks. Easy!
In Antigua, we were able to support the local community and hire a private transfer driver. We got a nice tour of the island when transferring between resorts.”
Resort Safety
Sarah – Antigua
“Antigua is opening their resorts in a phased approach. Each resort has to pass a health and safety assessment before reopening. Luckily, the two resorts I was staying at, Sandals Grande Antigua and Hammock Cove, both opened in the first round of openings.”
“Both resorts were only at about 40% capacity, which meant plenty of space to spread out and relax safely. There were no buffets, but instead, all the restaurants were a la carte. I personally liked this a lot better! Sandals has implemented their Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness and Hammock Cove has also implemented enhanced cleaning and operational protocols.”
Overall Travel in 2020
Brittany – Colorado
“Traveling during Covid-19 was easy and stress-free! Delta Airlines had excellent safety precautions and methods in place which made us feel very safe.
Renting a car upon arrival was a breeze as the shuttles were limiting the number of people in each vehicle so we could easily social distance on our way to pick up our vehicle.
Our resort did an excellent job of keeping their guests safe and comfortable – we were very impressed with all the precautions they have taken and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We appreciated the opportunity to spend a lot of time outdoors on our vacation; seeking out attractions, activities, and restaurants, where we could social distance, was part of the fun in exploring a new destination. Although our vacation may have been a little different than in the past, it was every bit as fun, adventurous, and memorable for us as we did things we may have previously overlooked. We wouldn’t hesitate to travel again during the pandemic!”
Dani – South Carolina
“Our trip went much so smoothly. While we didn’t get to explore much we still had a great time. We had each other’s company and that’s really why we traveled in the first place. For the first time in months, I actually felt relaxed. Vitamin Sea is very real in my book.”
Would I travel again during this ongoing pandemic? Yes! I have 2 more trips planned this year. An adventurous girls trip to Guatemala in October (fingers crossed they open their borders). Then I will be jetting off to Aruba in December.”
Sarah – Antigua
“Overall, this was one of the best trips I have been on. It was so great to be able to get back to traveling and support this industry as well as a tiny island in the Caribbean who have been hurting with the lack of tourism. Next up for me is Charleston in October and Riviera Maya, Mexico in December!”
Are you ready to get back to traveling? What questions do you have about traveling right now? Email us at info@travelsavvi.com to book your next vacation and get all your questions answered!
About the Author
