Helpful Tips
Useful Tips » Considerations before flying in the current situation
TRAVELING TODAY: What to consider before flying
Due to the new normal situation in today's world, it is wise to review some tips before planning a trip and flying. What to look for when choosing and booking a flight, what conditions to meet and what situations to consider.
Before flying
Please, before going to the airport to start your trip, make sure you do not have symptoms of Covid-19. Don't forget the mask as it is still a requirement in many countries. Also, some countries may still require a negative PCR test performed in the last 48 hours before the flight. Make sure you have the complete vaccination certificate, some countries may require that it be translated into the language of the host country or English.
If you are not vaccinated, you should carefully review the conditions with the consulate of the destination country since in some cases they are very strict with this condition.
We recommend that you arrive at the airport well in advance, since due to the different security measures, it is possible that the time until boarding is longer than usual. For international flights, please arrive at least 3 hours in advance.
Whenever you travel abroad, do not forget to check the entry requirements for the country of destination, as they may vary depending on your origin or nationality.
INFORMATION LINKS
- World Map of COVID-19 restrictions
- Entry to European Union countries
- Entrances and exits to/from the United States
Booking flights
Before buying a flight ticket, consider certain options that may be available to you according to the destination, namely:
- Direct flights, with stopovers but without change of aircraft, connecting flights with change of aircraft.
- Policy and conditions for rescheduling or cancellation and refund of money, due to uncertainties in restrictions on leaving or entering a country
- If your trip coincides with a high season period, it may be convenient for some destinations to buy the ticket well in advance, call it weeks or even months. In this way, you avoid risks of not having availability or of paying a very high price.
- Consider the flight time. When looking for and choosing the flight, the cheapest is not always the best option. In online search engines when the list of results of your search is returned, you will be able to see in some cases slightly more expensive options but with a much lower travel time due to having shorter stopovers or direct flights.
- Although companies usually give notice in the event of a flight schedule change, it is recommended to check the flight schedule status at least 24 hours before departure, either by phone with the airline or with any of the online tools.
- Information available after purchasing your flight:
* Identity of the airline or companies with which you will travel, depending on whether it is a direct flight, or with stopovers with changes of plane and company.
* Departure and arrival times (and connections) always in local time of each place.
* Flight and waiting time (if there are stopovers)
* Detail of the stopovers (if there is a change of plane).
* Location of check-in and boarding counters (some airports have more than one terminal).
* Name of the destination airport: there are cities that have more than one airport.
* Company policies, baggage and weight limits, depending on whether or not it was included in the purchase.
- For connecting flights, keep in mind that in some cases you will have to move from one terminal to another (it usually happens in large airports).
- Even if you have to check luggage, some companies require you to check in online and print your boarding pass or download it to your mobile phone.
