We are finally back to a somewhat normal state of travel after the pandemic. However, what will travel after COVID19 continue to look like? I’m not sure things will be the way they were however. The days of taking a road trip in your car seem to be making a comeback as travelers are concerned about flying in small airplanes crammed with other people. Keep in mind if you are going to be traveling it just takes a little common sense to keep yourself safe from getting infected. We’ve all heard the common-sense mantras – wear a mask, wash your hands, and practice social distancing.
What more can we do when we travel again after COVID19? If you have to fly, plan to do so during off times when you know there won’t be a lot of people. Tuesdays or Saturdays are proven to not only be cheaper to fly but also have less traffic than the other days. The same would be true if you plan to fly internationally. Also, major international airports usually have noise abatement limitations preventing a lot of aircraft traffic from taking off or landing to minimize the noise pollution around the airport. This means that airports start to wake up around 6 a.m. Like banker hours, airports start to ramp up from 9 a.m. till about 6 p.m. Within this window you can expect a lot of travelers, so if you want to minimize your exposure look for those early morning flights around 7 a.m.
What if you are not a morning person? Look for those late evening flights starting around 8 p.m. Around this time airports begin winding down and the foot traffic in the terminals decreases quite a bit. However, you don’t want to just focus on the start of your flight as a way to distance yourself from people. You have to also consider the arrival time at your airport. If you take off at 7 a.m. out of Miami for New York, you will arrive when the airport is starting to get busy. Perhaps the late-night flights are a better alternative for you regarding this issue.
Whichever you prefer, flying can still be done if you are tactfully planning your trips out. Although choosing these times may not give you the price flexibility you are looking for, it will at least get you thinking about maintaining your personal space when walking through the terminals. Then again you could just get in your car and drive….
