If you have to or are planning to fly during the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to share some quick tips to keep you safe when you take to the skies.

And if you want to see my 5 tips/observations from my first flight during the Coronavirus pandemic, check out this video below. Make sure you watch until the end because I’ll tell you whether I think it’s worth it to splurge on a biz class ticket or if you should save your money!

IF YOU HAVE A TRAVEL QUESTION THAT WASN’T ANSWERED IN THIS VIDEO, PLEASE LEAVE IT IN THE YOUTUBE COMMENTS OR SEND ME A DM ON INSTAGRAM!

QUICK TIPS TO KEEP YOU SAFE AT THE AIRPORT

Keep your distance from everyone. If you see a crowd, walk the other way. You might need to walk to a gate that isn’t yours in order to find a seat away from others.
If you can avoid it, try not to buy anything. If you do need to get a water bottle, wipe it down with a sanitizer wipe.
While you might be tempted to use your phone as a ticket, opt for the paper version instead. If you think about it, hundreds if not thousands of other passengers are using their phones to scan their tickets. A lot of times their phone screen touches the scanner. If you put your phone on top of that, well...you have their germs now.
Look for a bathroom that’s not too crowded. If there’s a line, walk further to find one that’s less busy.
If you want to go over the top, you can wear multiple layers of gloves and peel them off as you go (this is not something I did but I heard others who have been traveling for work this year are doing this)

QUICK TIPS TO KEEP YOU SAFE ON THE PLANE

As soon as you get to your seat, bust out your wipes and wipe down EVERYTHING (Naomi Campbell style) I make sure I wipe down my tray table, the window, the seat (if it’s leather), the seatbelt, the arm rest, the head rest and the air vent and light above your head.
It’s best to cover up as much of your skin as possible. I like to travel in long pants and long sleeves. This might be overkill but I just don’t like the idea of my barelegs touching the seat.
Pack extra masks just in case you feel better changing them out if you’ve been wearing them for too long.
Avoid the airplane bathroom unless it’s an emergency

QUICK TIPS TO KEEP YOU SAFE IN A RENTAL CAR

Even though the cars are sanitized before you get into them, I like to be extra cautious. Spend some time wiping down ANYTHING you might touch. This includes the steering wheel, the gear shift, the door handles, the radio, seat belt, seat adjusters, key, rearview mirror, etc.
Before you get back in your car, I use my little mini hand sanitizer and sanitize my hands before I touch the door handle.

HERE’S A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS YOU SHOULD TAKE WITH YOU ON YOUR FLIGHT:

A few cotton masks (It’s good to have extras to swap out after you’ve been wearing the same one for a while)
Mini Hand sanitizer ( I like to have one attached to my keys, and one in my purse)
Disinfecting wipes (if you can find them. The travel pack I purchased at the start of all of this is my most prized possession)
A clear plastic pouch to store all your items
A solid carry on bag/backpack (I never travel without my Tumi backpack)
A reusable water bottle to fill up at the airport (I always like to travel with one of these so that I don’t need to buy anything at the airport)
Snacks for the plane (some airlines might have limited food options so it’s best to come prepared with your own snacks
1. These are my go tos: Skinny Dipped Almonds, Dates, Protein Bars, & Bare Chips
A good moisturizer
Peppermint Essential Oil (spray if you can get it) This is great to spray on the inside of your mask to keep your airways open and keeps your mask smelling nice
Compression socks (since you won’t be able to walk up and down the aisles on a longer flight to stretch your legs, these are the next best way to make sure blood is moving in your legs)

If you want my FULL list of all my carry on essentials, you can snag my carry on packing list here

CARRY ON CHECKLIST

MY EXPERIENCE:

I’ll keep this brief, but if you want the FULL story, make sure to check out this video where I go in depth on my observations from my recent flying experience.

In normal times, both of my flights would have been absolutely fine. Unfortunately we’re not in normal times and while there were some aspects of the experience that went well, others made me uncomfortable.

One thing I do not want to do is make sweeping statements about air travel right now. I know that everyone’s experience will be completely different based on what airport they’re in, what carrier they’re flying, who’s on their flight and where they’re headed.

I’m simply sharing what I experienced so that you can make an educated decision about whether you feel safe to fly right now.

CHANGES YOU SHOULD PREPARE FOR:

Most sit down restaurants will be closed but takeaway and snack shops are open
Meal service on your flight will be different or canceled all together (check with your airline prior to your flight)
Not all lounges are open (check which ones are on your respective airline app)

SOCIAL DISTANCING ISN’T ALWAYS POSSIBLE

While in some instances, my fellow travelers maintained a safe 6 feet apart at the airport (the line at Starbucks was generously spaced) others did not. When going through security, the people behind me in line did not hesitate to stand directly behind me as we placed our bags to go through the scanner.

EXPECT CROWDING AT THE GATE, ON THE PLANE AND AT BAGGAGE CLAIM

The crowding continued and was the worst while waiting to board, deplaning and collecting our bags. When we landed, the flight attendant’s requests for everyone to deplane row by row were completely ignored as passengers crammed into the aisle (watch the video here).

IF THIS HAPPENS ON YOUR FLIGHT:
- First, I would advise getting a window seat if at all possible, that means you are the furthest away from the aisle and can let all the passengers who want to crowd do their thing.
- I would stay in your seat and wait until you see a lull in the line, so that you can safely collect your bags and avoid the crowds

It reminded me that throughout the entire flying experience, I am very much not in control. Meaning…

YOUR SAFTY DEPENDS ON THE ACTIONS OF OTHERS

You as a traveler could do everything in your power to be safe and respectful. You could get a COVID test prior to flying to make sure that you don’t have the virus. You could consciously try to stay 6 feet away from other passengers at the airport. And you could listen when the flight attendants say to stay in your seat until they call your row.

But what it comes down to, is individual travelers actually listening, following rules and being respectful of the flight attendants by doing what they ask.

Until everyone can conduct themselves in a safe manner I will not feel totally comfortable getting on a plane. That’s not to say I won’t but I will exhaust every other option before I turn to flying again.

Which really stinks because I want to support my industry and help it recover. I feel for everyone who works in the airline industry and I do believe the flight attendants, pilots, everyone is doing the best they can to keep everyone safe. But at the end of the day there’s only so much they can do.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the airlines are finding ways to innovate, and keep safety at the forefront of the conversation in the months to come.

MORE COVID TRAVEL TIPS:

If you’re curious about how travel will change after COVID, click here. If you’re looking for the resources I turn to to get the most up to date travel information, click here.

TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER TRAVEL VIDEOS - CLICK HERE

IF YOU’RE NOT QUITE READY TO TRAVEL JUST YET, CHECK OUT THESE 27 WAYS TO TRAVEL FROM HOME + MY VIDEO ON HOW TO TURN YOUR BACKYARD INTO A LUXURY RESORT!