Your ultimate guide to international travel in 2021
- After a year with little international travel, some countries are reopening to tourists.
- Insider rounded up the top tips to guide anyone who is ready to travel internationally.
- From vaccine passports to safety tips, traveling abroad may look different in this new normal.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
With coronavirus vaccinations ramping up across the globe, many Americans are thinking about international travel again.
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Traveling internationally has been taboo and in many cases off-limits since the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020. But as countries reopen and more people get vaccinated, the dream of traveling internationally again is becoming more of a reality.
To help guide you through the return to international travel, Insider compiled everything you need to know before you book a trip.
Decide where you want to go
The world won’t reopen all at once, and while some countries, like Iceland and Guatemala, are welcoming some visitors back, others, like Australia and New Zealand, are keeping their borders a little tighter.
As of Wednesday, the European Union agreed to lift all COVID-19-related travel restrictions and allow all non-essential travel from the US, a European source with knowledge of the discussions confirmed to Insider.
The EU’s latest announcement means both vaccinated and non-vaccinated travelers will be able to take European trips this summer from the US. However, individual countries can still require coronavirus tests or quarantine upon arrival. A formal decision will be made by Friday, according to the same article.
Tools like interactive maps from United Airlines and Sherpa show you in real-time where in the world Americans can travel and what restrictions they may face.
Read more:
Australia and New Zealand’s quarantine-free travel bubble has officially launched
An interactive map shows where you can travel right now depending on your location and vaccination status
12 countries where vaccinated travelers can skip tricky entry rules
Vaccinated US travelers will be able to visit Europe this summer, but their travel may be restricted
Figure out how you want to get there
Once you know where you want to go, you’ll need to decide whether you want to travel by plane, train, or cruise ship.
If you’re not vaccinated yet, be aware that cruise lines and airlines are increasingly announcing vaccination requirements, Insider reported.
Qatar Airlines became the first airline to operate a fully vaccinated flight on April 6, and Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told NBC News in March that the airline would likely require proof of vaccination on international flights.
Major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean have announced fully vaccinated cruises to set sail starting in late spring, Wiley reported.
Read more:
Italy’s cruise industry resumes, but ships won’t be passing through one of the country’s most popular tourism spots
An expert guide on what activities are safe for vaccinated and unvaccinated people, from hugging to indoor dining
I went on a 2-night ‘cruise to nowhere’ where I had to carry a tracking device at all times and make a reservation for the pool. Here’s why I wouldn’t do it again.
Is it safe to travel? Here’s what experts say you should know about risks associated with flying, booking hotels or Airbnbs, renting cars, and more
If you plan to fly, take precautions
Though people are getting COVID-19 vaccines, the virus isn’t gone, so it’s still important to take safety precautions while traveling.
If you’re partially vaccinated, you may be able to travel to some areas, but health experts recommend avoiding crowds and indoor dining. If you’re fully vaccinated, you may not need to quarantine when you arrive, but some experts told Insider you should still be getting tested before and after traveling.
All travelers should still wear a mask and follow social-distancing guidelines as much as possible.
Read more:
A health expert says you can travel after the first dose of Pfizer’s or Moderna’s vaccine, but you should still avoid crowds
An expert guide on what activities are safe for partially vaccinated people, from dating to going to the gym
Airlines don’t plan to block middle seats, but here’s what fully vaccinated people should know before hopping on a plane
Figure out where you want to stay
Accommodation rules are constantly changing.
Lodging companies like Airbnb have restricted one-night and last-minute stays as the summer approaches.
Read more:
It’s going to be a ‘hot vax summer,’ but maybe not for Airbnb renters
I stayed in a Bali tree house for under $35 a night, and it felt like a fairy-tale
I traveled to Barbados from a high-risk country and had to quarantine upon arrival, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat
I moved to Singapore alone during the pandemic and spent 14 days quarantining in a tiny hotel room – here’s what it was like
Gather your documents
A vaccine passport is documented proof that a person is vaccinated or recently received a negative test result.
While the US doesn’t require proof of vaccination to travel, some countries have required some sort of vaccination documentation for decades.
And while the US will not federally mandate vaccine passports, proof of COVID-19 vaccination will likely be required for some international travel. For some cruises, it’s already a requirement.
Travel, tech, and political leaders in the US and abroad are working on vaccine-passport programs as the summer approaches; some are in trials or up and running.
Read more:
You’ll need to be vaccinated if you want to take a cruise, but you don’t need the COVID-19 vaccine for all travel – yet
Vaccine passports won’t be federally mandated in the US, but you might need one for international travel. Here’s what it could look like.
You may need proof of COVID-19 vaccination to travel internationally soon
What the COVID-19 vaccine could mean for the future of travel
Plan your activities
Many activities will still be closed, and the ones that are open have varying risks depending on whether you’re vaccinated, in a crowd, or outdoors.
Use expert tips to figure out what activities are available to you and safe as the world reopens.
Read more:
Experts say you can visit Disney theme parks once you’re vaccinated – but you still might want to wait
An expert guide on what activities are safe for partially vaccinated people, from dating to going to the gym
As the weather heats up, photos show people packing beaches around the world
I spent a week at a wellness retreat in Thailand this winter to see if it would help me cope with stress and come to terms with change in the middle of the pandemic
Plan your return
Do everything you can to ensure the safety of yourself and others as you get home.
Health experts have different advice about testing and quarantining depending on whether you’ve been vaccinated, traveled with vaccinated people, avoided crowds, or live with immunocompromised people.
Before you leave, refresh yourself on how to travel safely during the pandemic with Insider’s guides and personal experiences.
Read more:
You don’t need to quarantine after traveling if you’re vaccinated, health experts say, but you should still take precautions
26 packing essentials we never travel without – from a $150 mobile WiFi hotspot to a $6 pack of face wipes
Experts say that picking the window seat on a plane can lower your risk of getting sick
I flew business class for 9 hours, and it made me wish I’d saved my money and bought an economy ticket
Looking to travel closer to home? See our ultimate guide for domestic travel in 2021 here.
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