Travel hopes 2021

[JustKickItForward]

Funny you asked. We just booked tickets RT from east coast to Montana for 10k aa miles a piece. Fully reinstatable no fee

...

AA flies into Montana ? Which airport? We were looking at using our AA miles for flights from the West Coast into Bozeman, didn't see any options

 

[JustKickItForward]

I cannot see ant travel for us until late fall 2021.

The numbers are awful and going the wrong way. Listening to Dr. Fauci and others speak about the upcoming fall and winter was depressing. Ditto for the prospects of a safe, effective, and widely available vaccine for this year and q1/21.

We were waiting for the release of several travel guides. Two have been moved from this month to Sept 21. Makes sense but still discouraging.

At least we are safe and in good health.

The frustrating thing is (according to everything I have read), there are a couple of solutions to kill the virus in this country right in front of our eyes.

1) Do an actual shutdown for 4-5 weeks, no exceptions. The shutdown(s) we had (depending where you are located) starting earlier in the spring was NOT a full shutdown - too many holes in the cheese. ). That would effectively knock out the virus, cold, because it would literally have NOWHERE to go.

If we cannot stomach a full shutdown, then

2) Mandatory mask wearing and physical distancing of 8-10 feet (not six feet) as much as possible, fully enforced with jail time and fines, that should have almost same effect as a full one month shutdown.

Unfortunately, neither will happen because of way too many factors living in a free society like ours where people do not get thrown in jail for having/expressing their personal views and beliefs. I'd probably get banned for life from this forum if I described in detail my thoughts (although likely true).

There you go - it is very frustrating. Especially because we love to travel.

 

[Souschef]

Having just cancelled our two-weeks Hawaii summer vaca a couple of months back, we have scheduled our one-month Hawaii summer vaca in 2021. If by chance that gets cancelled, we will work on a two-month Hawaii summer vaca in 2022 <sort of kidding, but at the same time, not ... I need my Hawaii fix ! )

Also, have a couple of planned driving getaways in 2021 as well ...

WE have our fingers crossed. We booked an 18 day stay on Kauai for March. Hope the vaccine is there by the end of the year

 

[BeachOrCity]

AA flies into Montana ? Which airport? We were looking at using our AA miles for flights from the West Coast into Bozeman, didn't see any options

Glacier. Via their regional affiliate. But they connect thru Dallas or Chicago.

 

[Bamaman]

We're pretty much living our normal lives, however we're distanced ourselves from friends and relatives. And after 50 years of international travel, we'd be good (but sad) never to make any more European trips.

But we've been bombarded by cruise line brochures day by day. Those Norwegian cruises out of Venice going to the other side of the Adriatic, the Greek Isles and two stops in Turkey look fabulous.

I'll just be glad when our dreams can turn to reality again. In the meantime, we'll be spending our long weekends in the Smokeys and Blue Ridge Mountains with nature.

 

[NW-Bound]

I just received in the email an offer for a discount of $5K off for a 7-night stay in the Maldives, good for travel prior to Oct 2022.

From $7k for 2 persons (lodging+meal only) down to $2K for this:

Sounds like a heck of a deal, but it is likely I would get a severe case of island fever, considering how small these atolls can be.

So, I am back to the tentative plan of a long trip through the Scandinavian countries, whenever travel is reopened.

 

[braumeister]

So, I am back to the tentative plan of a long trip through the Scandinavian countries, whenever travel is reopened.

I've been thinking about that too, and by coincidence I got an update the other day from Ancestry.com that their latest analysis of my DNA shows 15% Norwegian. I didn't expect that. My father's family was from northern Germany, so it's reasonable.

I've spent just a short amount of time in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Loved every bit of it. Finland looks interesting as well.

My guess is that we'll be in 2022 before free travel over there is available again.

 

[1242Vintage]

Just committed to a four stage gravel road bicycle race next Summer in the Canadian Rockies. Support crew/chief mechanic/masseuse (AKA wife) and I will stuff the Subaru full and load bikes on the roof rack for a two-day drive to the venue.

After a week of heart pounding gravel road racing goodness, planning a leisurely drive back home. Currently think about spending a few days hanging out in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on the return trip. Wife was born in Idaho so leaving it up to her to plan that part of the road trip.

 

[brett]

Thailand and either Vietnam or Australia (if open) for Jan-March 21.

 

[explanade]

Thailand and either Vietnam or Australia (if open) for Jan-March 21.

Doesn't seem like any of those countries will be among the first to open.

Without widespread vaccinations.


Washington Post had an article which asked travel experts when we would travel again. Rick Steves says he doesn't know because local outbreaks keep happening in different places in the US and Europe. However, he's got a waiting list of over 10k people.

Another travel company which leads high-end guided tours in Europe thinks spring could be possible.

Someone else also advised, if restrictions are lifted, be ready to book immediately because there is probably a lot of pent up demand and it will be a race.

 

[kcowan]

We just got the Vermont Biking Tour guide for 2021. They seem hopeful.

 

[Freedom56]

TSA data indicates air travel is between 20-30% compared to the same period in 2019.

https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput

Not too many airlines can survive with these numbers. IATA reported that passengers are booking very close to their travel dates versus months in advance which is making future demand visibility difficult for airlines. In our case, we want to return to our condo in Florida but don't want to book any tickets too far in advance since their is no guarantee that the airline won't cancel the flight and refuse to refund the tickets. We waited 112 days before getting a refund on our tickets to Europe that were cancelled by the airlines in May 2012. I believe this is one of the reasons why people who want to travel are not booking tickets months in advance.

 

[IMATERP]

We’ve got a 10 day sailing to the Greek Islands (out of Venice) penciled in for Early October 2021. I hope it’s a go - but will not purchase air or make a hotel reservation until the outlook becomes a little clearer.

I hate to be a pessimist about this but.....

 

[Chuckanut]

I have booked a NP cabin w/kitchen for this Spring. I imagine that will be very safe unless the corona virus really becomes totally out of control, wildly spreading about everywhere. That's about it for now. The reservation can be cancelled for a full refund.

 

[braumeister]

We have two trips booked for next year, one in Alaska in June and one in Canada in late Aug/early Sep. At least I learned my lesson and everything is refundable if it's still impossible to travel there, but I really hope we can do them. I won't even mind too much if we have to mask up for them.

 

[P.S.]

Was so excited by a massively discounted Viking Danube cruise that included airfare, that a couple of weeks ago, I booked a trip for my mom and I. Unfortunately, since then I have come to my senses and not sure if we will go b/c I am slightly pessimistic about the vaccine solution [think they will work, just not sure about how well, or the availability of a well-vetted one by spring ‘21 for my mom (I’ll have quick access b/c of my role in my hospital system)]. And DH can’t swap cause he gets seasick bad, even on a river.

 

[braumeister]

Was so excited by a massively discounted Viking Danube cruise that included airfare, that a couple of weeks ago, I booked a trip for my mom and I.

Well, that's the thing, isn't it? Right now all these travel companies are offering us such remarkably attractive deals that many of us are jumping at them, just hoping they will actually happen. Because if things go back closer to normal next year, the prices will jump up accordingly and we'll kick ourselves that we didn't take advantage of the sales when we could. It's a real dilemma.

 

[explanade]

Actually I looked at some airfares the other day and they don't seem low.

The past couple of years, I've been able to find some good business class fares to Europe for the summer months.

So far no sign of that for next summer.

I think airlines will be starved for cash and capacity may be limited that they could keep prices down.

But maybe with the economic decline, there aren't as many people willing or able to spend on business class tickets.

OTOH, savings rates are at historic highs during the pandemic as people cut back spending.

And there could be pent-up demand to travel as soon as the cages are opened up.

 

[Freedom56]

Domestic business class fares are relatively low. You can book return business class tickets from the West to East coast for $766 and these fares are even for bookings days in advance.

 

[Freedom56]

Actually I looked at some airfares the other day and they don't seem low.

The past couple of years, I've been able to find some good business class fares to Europe for the summer months.

So far no sign of that for next summer.

I think airlines will be starved for cash and capacity may be limited that they could keep prices down.

But maybe with the economic decline, there aren't as many people willing or able to spend on business class tickets.

OTOH, savings rates are at historic highs during the pandemic as people cut back spending.

And there could be pent-up demand to travel as soon as the cages are opened up.

Business class fares to Europe next May and June from LAX to Western Europe are running about $3000 return which isn't that bad.

 

[P.S.]

Well, that's the thing, isn't it? Right now all these travel companies are offering us such remarkably attractive deals that many of us are jumping at them, just hoping they will actually happen.

Cheapest cabin including airfare was less than $2000, though I booked a nice one in case my mom just wanted to stay isolated.
Oh, well. We can cancel up until 4mo prior to departure date for penalty of $100 per. Until I came to my senses, I was so excited to travel. And maybe I’m reluctant to cancel right now b/c of the mood boosting effect of anticipation.

 

[timo2]

I'm just hoping to go visit my currently 95 year old mother in the Ozarks in 2021. We had to cancel this year, because of COVID. .

 

[P.S.]

The frustrating thing is (according to everything I have read), there are a couple of solutions to kill the virus in this country right in front of our eyes...

There you go - it is very frustrating. Especially because we love to travel.

Yup. B/c coronavirus don’t hibernate.
Although it would have to be a coordinated worldwide effort, else as soon as borders would open, virus would be reintroduced (exhibit: New Zealand).

 

[NW-Bound]

I've been thinking about that too, and by coincidence I got an update the other day from Ancestry.com that their latest analysis of my DNA shows 15% Norwegian. I didn't expect that. My father's family was from northern Germany, so it's reasonable.

I've spent just a short amount of time in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Loved every bit of it. Finland looks interesting as well.

My guess is that we'll be in 2022 before free travel over there is available again.

Well, if it's 2022, that will allow me a lot of time to plan the itinerary for my trip. Maybe I will go for longer than 2 months. That will allow time to include Finland in the trip.

But meanwhile, what do I do till then? Oh, I know. Just do the cross-country RV trip I planned for 2020 in 2021.

 

[TimeMeasure]

Actually I looked at some airfares the other day and they don't seem low.

This seems to be true with domestic rental cars, too... at least, based on a sample size of looking at one particular city. The quoted rates bounce up and down from week to week, but are comparable to pre-pandemic rates... seemingly no discount at all.