(soft tense music)
- With headlines like these,
you're probably where I am, at home.
For a travel columnist, being
stuck inside is not ideal,
but I'm learning that
it does have its perks.
The coffee is close,
no need for headphones,
and the travel deals are big.
In August, you could fly
New York to San Francisco
for $255, and that's round trip
Los Angeles to Chicago, $104,
and you get to come back.
Washington DC to New Orleans, $133.
Before you get excited,
now is not the time
to be dumb and dangerous.
You shouldn't travel during a pandemic
just because fares are cheap,
but the bargains extend
beyond the forecast sheltering periods.
So the question is: Should you buy?
Well, it depends on what you're booking.
Let's start with flights.
According to booking app Hopper,
domestic air fares for
summer and fall trips
were down 36% compared to
the same period last year.
Some, like this $41 Boston to Orlando
round trip in June were
even better than that.
And while it's hard to know
what will be happening in June,
the cheapness of domestic flights
make them worth the gamble.
Airlines are currently
selling these tickets
without cancellation or change fees,
meaning, if you do end
up unable to travel,
you'll get a voucher for a later trip.
The trip may not work out for
you if the crisis extends,
but you won't have much
money tied up in the ticket
and you can apply it to later trips.
If you do get to go on
that $41 fare, you win.
The risk isn't worth it
for international travel,
at least not this year.
Sure, seeing a $280 round trip
from New York to Paris is tempting,
but international travel restrictions
may remain in place for some time.
And even if they're lifted,
consider how far from home you want to be,
as there could be yet more local outbreaks
of the coronavirus.
So wait on your international trips
and be flexible when you do book.
Airlines are dropping lots of routes,
and those schedule changes may
force you to travel earlier
or later than expected.
As for cruises, this one is simpler.
You should wait.
Coronavirus shut down
the three big operators
for at least 30 days, possibly longer.
Even after they're back on the water,
I expect there will be a long-term concern
about cruise ships and
the possible recurrence
of viral outbreaks.
Ultimately, it will depend on
your personal comfort level.
The news of the Diamond Princess
and the Grand Princess dominated headlines
and showed how a viral outbreak can spread
in a confined space.
If you're looking for a hotel, however,
now might be the time to book,
as long as it's refundable.
Occupancy rates are way down.
Marriott says it has lost 90%
of its bookings, for example.
That means hotels are
dropping prices to fill rooms.
Even luxury hotels, which
try to avoid discounts,
are offering fourth and
fifth night free deals
and waiving prepayment
and cancellation penalties
according to travel sellers.
No matter what, don't book
anything with cancellation fees.
We just don't know how
long the coronavirus
is going to keep us homebound.
On that point, it's just fine to wait.
Travel experts say, when this is over,
there will be huge sales to
get people traveling again.
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