Now that Covid-19 restrictions are easing for vaccinated tourists in Europe and elsewhere, you might have your sights set on some international summer travel. But it won’t be business as usual.
Depending on where you’re going, expect wildly fluctuating prices, new testing and vaccination rules and even varying mask specs. (Sorry, Air France doesn’t want your pretty homemade face covering.)
“You’re going to have another item on your pre-check checklist. But the reward is being able to visit some of those most iconic tourist destinations with a fraction of the summer crowds,” said Scott Keyes, author of “Take More Vacations” and founder of the price-tracking website Scott’s Cheap Flights. He says international travel is down 60% overall compared with 2019, though some spots are starting to see an uptick in tourism.
To navigate pandemic-era travel, here are some apps and websites that can help streamline the process.
Check the CDC’s Covid-19 advisory for your destination. Before you fly, it’s a good idea to heed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s per-country guidance for travel. Currently, the CDC recommends international travel only for people who are fully vaccinated—those for whom two weeks have elapsed since their last vaccine dose.