Recently, Expedia.com added a new tool, COVID-19 travel advisor, that solves the puzzle of searching for accurate travel information from reliable health organizations. In today’s climate of contradicting news and ever-changing health orders, traveling during COVID-19 poses a big challenge. On the one hand, you want to keep your family safe. On the other, the family is ready to get out of the house (if not out of town) for a while.
COVID-19 travel advisor provides a wealth of information about both general precautions and specific destinations once you input the date and locations of departure and landing. Thus, you can plan more easily by logging into your Expedia account and navigating the tool’s various features.
What is Expedia’s COVID-19 travel advisor?
The COVID-19 travel advisor gives you all the necessary information about travel restrictions, testing policies, and quarantine requirements (vaccinated or not) for your destination. You can also access general details about safe travel during the pandemic and up-to-date information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The tool is activated when you enter your travel details, and it walks you through each step.
How can I access and use the tool?
After logging into your Expedia account, you’ll select your mode of travel (flight, cruise, etc.). The necessary fields will show up immediately upon your selection. For example, if you choose Flights, you’ll fill out your destination, start date, and end date as usual, but when you click on the Search button, you’ll see a pop-up that says, “COVID-19 alert: Travel requirements are changing rapidly, including the need for pre-travel COVID-19 testing and quarantine on arrival.”
When you click on the link that says “Check restrictions for your trip,” then you’re redirected to another page that’s titled “COVID-19 travel advisor.” This page includes the following information about your destination:
- Restrictions (including transit)
- Quarantine policy
- Health documents
- COVID-19 testing policy
- Mask requirements
Furthermore, you’ll find information about your return home such as:
- Testing requirements
- Quarantine policy
There are many factors to consider when deciding where to go during the pandemic, especially if you’re traveling abroad. However, Expedia’s tool makes traveling during the pandemic much easier.
More resources and information
Below the fine print underneath the title, you’ll also find a link to a COVID-19 travel guide that consists of articles that cover any topic related to traveling during COVID-19 such as:
- Traveling safely
- Checking on traveling advisories
- Canceling or rescheduling a flight or cruise
- Tracking your refund
- What to expect (in general) at your destination
In addition to the articles, this page also has an FAQ section. The questions cover many pandemic-related topics from canceling nonrefundable flights to finding flights with the most flexible change policies to travel advisories. Viewers of the FAQ section are also encouraged to stay current on the latest developments with a link that states “Check COVID-19 travel and health advisories,” which contains links to the latest information from the CDC, WHO, and the U.S. State Department.
How does this tool help me to plan where to go during the pandemic?
Basically, this depends on what exact information you’re looking for. You can look up your specific travel destination, or you can obtain information that’s more general. Plus, you can get your particular question answered. Any of the tool’s different features would prove to be useful in getting vital details about how your trip would be affected by the “new normal.”
Therefore, if you find yourself yearning to get out on the road or to hop on a plane, Expedia’s tool contains a wealth of information to help you to make a sound decision based on the latest facts and data. Plus, you’ll be better able to plan for any activities that you and your family will want to participate in and any tourist sites that you want to visit when you know what to expect with regard to masks, social distancing, and the number of people allowed at that specific locale.
While a vacation might look a little different compared to previous years, you and your family can still safely enjoy a memorable getaway.
