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Thursday, November 12, 2026Nov 12

Travel tips in the COVID era

Travellers check in at a United Airlines kiosk with help from a United employee in the main terminal of Denver International Airport Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Travellers check in at a United Airlines kiosk with help from a United employee in the main terminal of Denver International Airport Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Travellers check in at a United Airlines kiosk with help from a United employee in the main terminal of Denver International Airport Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Q. My family plans to travel by air for the holidays. COVID considerations make planning much more complex. What advice may BBB provide for travel?

A. Thinking about traveling by air for the holiday season? According to data from Airlines for America, airlines in the United States were serving only about a third as many passengers as they did a year before, and although many of them are offering enticing deals to fly, it is costing the carriers billions just to stay afloat. As the holiday season starts, some may feel the need to visit families. When looking for the best fare available, read the details required by the carrier to travel safely during the coronavirus pandemic and review CDC guidelines, www.cdc.gov.

Before clicking the button to buy tickets, BBB recommends the following:

Make certain everyone who is traveling has the appropriate ID, www.tsa.gov. The deadline for the TSA-required Real ID has been delayed to October 1, 2021; however, make sure parties traveling together have a current compliant ID as required by each state.

Read all cancellation polices carefully. Not all situations, including a pandemic, require a full refund of the ticket value and fees. Each online travel agency, airline and broker is different.