We’ve traveled a few times since the pandemic started. Back in April we made the 16-hour drive from Massachusetts to South Carolina, only stopping a few times when necessary. Since then, we’ve flown a few times, back to Massachusetts and then round-trip to South Carolina.
Based on those experiences, here are a few tips and tricks we’ve picked up while traveling.
Bring multiple masks
The cute new mask you bought might be hotter or tighter than you realized after wearing it for a long period of time. Sometimes after having one on for a few hours, it’s refreshing to have a new one to swap out.
Pack face wipes and travel size mouthwash
Along the same lines of wanting to change masks, after wearing one for a while, when you get to your destination or take a moment to refresh, it’s nice to wipe your face off and freshen your breath.
Airlines
Stick with airlines that are blocking out middles seats. Delta, Jet Blue, and Southwest are all currently doing this. If you have to fly an airline that isn’t doing that, consider upgrading to the extra room seats in the front of the plane so you don’t have a stranger in your row.
Hand wipes and hand sanitizer
In the beginning, I would use gallon size ziplock bags as gloves to touch things while traveling. I still think this is a good idea for gas pumps and bathroom stalls — surfaces someone might not be able to clean between each use. I also traveled with disinfectant wipes prior to COVID and wiped down my area on the plane. Obviously, I still do this.
Snacks
The airports are still operating on a limited dining basis, which means the line to buy that $8 bottle of water can be crazy. Bring your reusable bottle and fill it up and have your own snacks for the plane. Many airlines are also operating on reduced in flight services.
