The Navigator Archives - Christopher Elliott

Here are the travel dangers for 2021

January 15, 2021January 8, 2021

What are the travel dangers for 2021? Ask someone like Walt Meyer, and he’ll tell you he’s afraid of getting sick when he travels.

Too many people aren’t taking COVID-19 seriously, he says. He’d travel again this year if he could be sure that his fellow passengers were virus-free.

“If they could require everyone to arrive an hour early, get tested, then wait for test results before boarding a flight or entering a resort, it would eliminate some of the risks,” says Meyer, an author and professional speaker from San Diego.
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This is how to take a long vacation (and survive)

January 14, 2021January 8, 2021

Are you ready for a long vacation? Jeffrey Blaustein and his wife, Marilyn, are.

Their next getaway is a five-week road trip from Amherst, Mass., to St. George Island off Florida’s Panhandle. That’s half an eternity compared with the average number of vacation days — nine per year — that Americans use for travel, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Travel Association.
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How do I prove I’ve had a COVID-19 shot?

January 7, 2021January 1, 2021

With several coronavirus vaccines now in circulation, travelers want to know how to prove they’ve had a COVID-19 shot.

Traditionally, travelers have flashed a Yellow Card, or Carte Jaune, a medical passport issued by the World Health Organization. It’s an official record that some countries require for entrance. The Carte Jaune can document vaccination against diseases ranging from cholera and yellow fever to such childhood illnesses as rubella.

Will there soon be a similar card for COVID-19? And, if so, will it allow you to travel any sooner?
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Here are the most common travel problems — and solutions

January 6, 2021January 6, 2021

I’ve spent my entire career helping people avoid travel trouble. As the Washington Post’s Navigator columnist, I know where the land mines are buried.

Here are the most common travel problems — and solutions:

I’ll show you how to get a refund for an airline ticket.
I’ll help you book the best room at any hotel. If you can’t, I can help you get an upgrade at no extra expense.
I’ll make sure you avoid the worst car rental problem ever: a bogus damage bill.

How the COVID-19 vaccine will affect travel

December 17, 2020December 11, 2020

Recent news about coronavirus vaccines has given travelers a shot of optimism about the future. But how the COVID-19 vaccine will affect travel remains an open question.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged Americans to avoid traveling for the holidays. Quarantines and other restrictions will probably last through the middle of next year as the vaccine is distributed. Leisure travel might resume later in 2021, and even then it is unlikely to return to normal.

Still, travelers are hopeful.
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