If you’re planning to travel for the upcoming holiday season, I’m sure you’re wondering what it’s like at the airports these days, and how it will impact your trip. In this post, I’m sharing my personal experience flying during covid, what to expect, and 15 changes you’ll see in U.S. airports. I’m letting you in on the biggest differences I noticed at the airport and on the plane, and tips to help you prepare. BONUS: Be sure to scroll to the bottom for an “ask me anything” to get your burning questions answered!
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When I booked my trip from San Diego to St. Louis in August 2020, I didn’t know what to expect. After all, we’re in the middle of a pandemic and life as we know it has changed so much. I found myself curiously wondering…
What’s it like at the airports? Is it busy? Are the restaurants and shops open?
How are the airlines keeping everything clean?
I wonder if the lines are moving slower or has anything really changed much?
Truthfully, a lot has changed. But overall, in my opinion it was a good experience and felt really good to travel again! I was itching to see my family, and craving some normalcy in an otherwise crazy world. Here’s what my trip looked like:
On my trip to St. Louis, I had layovers in a few other cities. In total, I passed through these airports: San Diego, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, and St. Louis. Here are a few of the biggest observations I had, as well as how I approached planning my trip and what happened mid-trip that you’ll want to know about:
Things To Consider Before Traveling
Just a quick note – It’s a personal choice whether or not to travel, and each person’s situation is unique.
If you’re on the fence or trying to make up your mind about a future trip, be sure to check out my post Should You Cancel Travel Plans Because of Coronavirus?. It’s a great way to help you think through different scenarios, and I hope it helps you.
Booking A Flight During A Pandemic
The first thing I noticed when searching online for a flight was that there are more limited options to choose from. Air travel is down roughly 40-50%, which causes airlines to cut back the routes they fly, and in some cases cancel the route altogether.
One really nice positive change is that airlines are offering more flexibility to cancel or change a flight without penalty. If you’ve ever had to change a flight and been charged an enormous fee you know how big a deal this is! Airlines are going the extra mile to get people to fly again, so the generosity of their policies has definitely improved.
Another thing I noticed when searching for flights was that every airline is approaching covid precautions differently. For example, some airlines are blocking middle seats and others are not. Across the board, masks and social distancing are enforced, but each airline has their own cleaning protocols and distancing requirements and it can vary depending who you’re flying with.
How Airports Are Different Now
Once you’re at the airport, one of the first things you’ll notice is that the check in process is slightly different. I flew with Delta, and at the self-service kiosk they had covid-related agreements for each passenger to check off on. It was basically saying you agree to wear a mask for the entire flight, etc.
At the TSA security checkpoint there were several noticeable changes. First, they now have an exception to the carry-on liquid rule. Liquids are normally limited to a small, 3 ounce bottle. Due to covid, you can now have a larger bottle of hand sanitizer with you on the plane – up to 12 ounces. Another change? They may not ask to see your boarding pass. Select airlines have updated technology, meaning you only need to show a valid ID.
Looking to grab lunch on your layover? Better bring some food with you. Another pretty significant change at the airport is that many shops and restaurants are closed. In my experience traveling through the San Diego, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, and St. Louis airports, I would estimate roughly 40% of restaurants were closed.
In general, the airports are a ghost town. Very, very few people out and about in the terminals. I traveled on a Thursday, and again on a Monday and both days were much slower than what you would see on a normal weekday.
One positive I noticed was that Priority Pass lounges were open, woohoo! If you aren’t familiar with them, they have comfy (less crowded) airport lounges in more cities and countries than anyone else. It’s nice to tuck yourself away somewhere quiet and peaceful, and enjoy some of the amenities like cozy seating, fast wifi, food and free alcohol. Some even offer spa treatments! If traveling during a pandemic has you stressed, relaxing in a lounge is one way to make your trip more relaxing and enjoyable. It’s quick and easy to sign up – click the banner below to get started:
For the businesses that are open (and for everyone else working at the airport), all employees are wearing masks. Additional precautions like plexiglass barriers at cash registers were used sporadically from what I observed. Many seats and tables were marked off to ensure social distancing, and there’s signage all throughout the airport as well.
Walking through the airport, I noticed funny (but practical) PPE vending machines where you could buy masks and hand sanitizer en route. I also saw tons of hanging signs and floor signs reminding everyone to social distance.
Flying During Covid- Changes In The Air
When it comes to the boarding the plane, airlines have made a few changes to help allow for social distancing. On Delta, they now board back to front. Each airline does things differently, so keep that in mind if you’re flying America, United, or others. The flight attendants have an updated script too, and you can expect to hear periodic reminders when boarding and de-planing reminding everyone to not crowd one another.
When you board the plane, the flight attendant may hand you a sanitizing wipe or face mask. Again, each airline is doing things their own way, but on my Delta flights I did receive a sanitizing wipe, which was helpful to be able to wipe down the armrest, tray table, etc.
They are definitely attempting to distance on the plane, spacing out passengers (somewhat). In my experience, I really appreciated the middle seat being blocked, which in one instance meant I had the whole row to myself! But keep in mind that each airline has different policies for how they seat passengers. In my case, I wasn’t sitting directly next to someone else, but I was sitting directly behind another person.
The in-flight service is more minimal – flight attendants aren’t pouring drinks or using ice. In my experience, we were handed a zip-top plastic bag that had a few snacks and a small bottle of water inside.
How Airlines Have Adapted to Covid
One of the biggest, and most obvious changes is that everyone is wearing masks. Everyone working in the airport, pilots and flight attendants, and all passengers. Bring your comfiest, most breathable mask! You’ll be wearing it for practically the entire travel day (except for eating and drinking, which is allowed). In my case I wore my mask for over 9 hours.
I also noticed a difference in who was actually traveling. Unlike pre-covid times where airports have more business travelers, nowadays it’s less people traveling for work and more people traveling for fun. I observed many families, couples, and people dressed casually that indicated they were flying for leisure versus business.
What To Expect Flying During Covid
Overall, for a day of air travel amidst a pandemic, the airport experience was actually a good one. If you know what to expect, are patient, and can accept the experience for what it is, you’ll be just fine. Is it the same as before covid? It’s not. But life must go on, and it’s nice to see airlines adapting to allow us to enjoy travel again.
If you’re planning to fly duing covid, be sure to check out some of my related content (I know you’ll find it super helpful!):
- What NOT To Bring On A Plane
- Is TSA PreCheck Worth It? An honest review to help you decide
- What To Pack For A Trip: the genius method you need to try
- How To Avoid Getting Sick While Traveling (it’s not as hard as you think!)
I hope you found this post helpful to let you know what to expect when flying during covid. Have you flown recently and had a different experience? Comment below and let me know what happened. I’d love to hear from other travelers!
