What International Travel Currently Looks Like

 

I’m fresh off my first “real” pandemic trip. I took a road trip to Sedona a month ago, but this trip included not only my first flight, but an international flight and a six-day trip. Let’s explore how it went!

The Airport Experience

LAX was about 25% full. Most restaurants were closed. Social distancing reminders were everywhere, and face masks were required. Travelers were complying, and regular face masks were very common – there weren’t many face shields.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska did a great job at not overbooking the flight. Beverage and food service was modified, but there were options. The flight was only two hours, so it was easy, and everyone wore their masks the entire time.

Travel to Mexico

There is a Level 4 Travel Advisory to Mexico, but it is important to read the details. It does not apply to certain tourist areas – especially in places with resorts, you feel very safe.

Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Towers

Their “Care Pledge” was spot on! From a walk through disinfecting machine for guests to limited reservations in the spa and cleaning products in the rooms, we felt very comfortable at the resort. And, since it wasn’t too full, we were never around crowds. Not all of their restaurants were open, and they had limited activities (naturally), but we didn’t miss them!

Solaz Resort Los Cabos

They also did a great job of letting you know their protocols. All staff wore masks, they had a little “clean kit” in the guest room, and they had a very rigid program in their gym (mainly because it wasn’t the largest gym) assisting them in keeping track of guests. The reminders were more sophisticated.

Overall takeaways

Most travel and hospitality companies are doing their part. That being said, it ultimately comes down to the social responsibility of the traveler. You, and we all, must do our part and help these companies by abiding by their new protocols. Ultimately, it is going to be a long, bumpy road to recovery, but we will get there.

If you have any specific questions, find me online and let me know!

Say Yes To Travel has a new episode every Thursday!

Say Yes to Travel with Sarah Dandashy

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

coverage
Clip 2 – Fighting for Coverage: One Patient’s Story
December 3, 2025

Health insurers love to advertise themselves as guardians of care, but the real story often begins when a patient’s life no longer fits neatly into a spreadsheet. In oncology especially, “coverage” isn’t a bureaucratic checkbox—it’s the fragile bridge between a treatment that finally works and a relapse that can undo years of grit…

Read More
educator advocacy
Just Thinking… About How Rapid Shifts in AI and Policy Are Elevating the Need for Educator Advocacy in Texas Schools
December 3, 2025

Schools today are navigating a whirlwind of change, from new expectations in the job market to the growing influence of AI and the constant push to rethink accountability. That’s why conversations about educator advocacy matter so much right now. Texas, for example, ranks among the lowest ten states in per-pupil funding—even while boasting the seventh-strongest…

Read More
great leaders
Why Great Leaders Hire People Unlike Themselves
December 3, 2025

Leadership today is being reshaped by a simple lesson many leaders learn the hard way: a team full of people who think the same way won’t get you very far. Research shows that teams with deeper diversity—meaning differences in perspectives, values, and cognitive frameworks—consistently outperform more uniform teams in creativity, innovation, and complex decision-making. Today,…

Read More
Automation
Just Thinking… About How Career and Technical Education Can Keep Up With AI and Automation
December 3, 2025

Automation and AI aren’t arriving someday—they’re already reshaping factory floors, logistics hubs, and technical workplaces right now. That shift is putting schools, especially Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, on the spot: the jobs students are training for are evolving faster than most curricula. In its Future of Jobs Report 2025, the World Economic…

Read More