What is it like to fly in the US right now?

Flying over the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

As we all know, the travel industry - and especially the airline industry - has been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands of people were forced to cancel or postpone their trips, myself included. A planned visit with family in Louisiana in April was put on hold, but as many states, including Louisiana, began lifting their Stay at Home orders and entering various phases of reopening, I decided I was comfortable enough to travel again and rebooked my trip for June. As a healthy individual with a strong immune system, I evaluated my personal risk to be low in this situation and decided to go for it.

If you are someone who is considering traveling in the United States right now, whether out of wanting or necessity, and you are curious about what it is like to fly in the US during the coronavirus, this post is for you.

I wondered what it would be like to fly again in a post-COVID-19 world. Would the check-in counter be covered in plastic film or shielded by plexiglass? Would they ask to take my temperature? How full would my flights be? Would people be wearing masks in the airport or only on the plane?

Here’s what I observed:

For reference, my flights took place on June 4, 2020. I traveled from San Jose, CA to New Orleans, LA with a layover along the way in Dallas Fort-Worth, TX.

Plexiglass: There were no plastic canopies or plexiglass screens at the ticket counter in San Jose which I found interesting considering plexiglass is now standard in many places. I did not visit the ticket areas in Dallas or New Orleans, but I do believe that what I observed in San Jose was an anomaly and that you should expect to see plexiglass shields at most airports.

Temperature scans: My temperature was never requested, but that doesn’t mean that this measure will not be implemented by airlines in the future.

Flight capacity: Fuller than expected. More on this below.

PPE (personal protective equipment) use: The farther south I traveled, the fewer travelers I noticed wearing masks within the airport. By the time I got to New Orleans, my guess is that about 60% of non-airport personnel were wearing masks. Compare this to the 80% - 95+% of people I saw wearing masks in Dallas and San Jose respectively. (Take these numbers with a grain of salt as they are not based on any kind of science, just mere guesstimation.)

Security and beyond

All airport personnel at the San Jose airport were equipped with PPE, and security seemed to be taking measures to minimize interaction. Security bins were being sanitized in batches as well. TSA is also currently allowing travelers to bring up to 12oz of hand sanitizer through security as an exception to the standard 3oz limit. Truthfully, I’ve never felt more germ-free going through airport security.

The boarding process

On this trip, I flew American Airlines, but I listened over the airport intercoms to hear what other airlines had to say about changes to their boarding procedures, cleaning protocols, etc.

While waiting for my first flight from San Jose to Dallas-Fort Worth, Delta announced that a flight to Los Angeles would be complying with social distancing standards by allowing every passenger to have a seat by themselves and that they would be boarding the plane from the back to minimize close contact. They even detailed their “fogging” sanitation method and touted the efficacy of HEPA air filters (standard in most airplanes). I was generally impressed by Delta’s clear line of communication with customers. If you’re interested, you can read more about Delta’s health and safety protocols here.

When the time came to board, I waited to see what information American Airlines would share about my flight. A gate attendant announced over the intercom that passengers would be asked to scan their own boarding passes to make the boarding process as “contactless” as possible. In addition, passengers were notified that they were required to wear a face mask for the duration of the flight and that no in-flight food and beverage service would be provided. American then began the boarding process as normal by zone. While the gate attendants didn’t specify American Airlines’ cleaning procedures, the company has detailed its updated methods here which include the use of disinfecting electrostatic spray within the aircraft.

Check with your airline to find out what protective measures they are taking.

On the plane

While both of my flights from San Jose and Dallas-Fort Worth weren’t 100% full, I’d estimate that both were filled to about 90% capacity. This wasn’t particularly surprising. I had received an email one day prior to travel that informed me that my flights were expected to be busy and I was offered the option to change to a less full flight free of charge.

With fewer flights and fewer routes, I think it is safe to say that many airlines will attempt to make up for this loss by filling airplanes as much as possible. However, some airlines like Delta and Alaska Airlines have committed to limiting the number of passengers on any given flight in order to allow for greater social distancing.

Takeaways

In summation, here is what I think you should expect if you plan to fly within the United States right now.

• The degree of health and safety protocols will vary depending on the airport and the airline, but heightened sanitation methods and greater use of PPE (personal protective equipment) are to be expected.

• Anticipate that there will be no in-flight meal service and come prepared with your own snacks. Purchase any drinks prior to boarding.

• Expect many airport restaurants to remain closed.

• All US airlines are currently requiring all passengers and staff to wear face masks throughout the duration of their flights.

• Flights may be fuller than you expect.

• Airport Lounges are beginning to reopen with limited or modified services. Visit your airline provider’s website to confirm which lounges are open during your time of travel.

Many people will not feel comfortable flying again for a long time, but travel trends have shown that demand for air travel is slowly but steadily increasing. American Airlines has seen increased interest in places like Asheville, North Carolina and Savannah, Georgia as well as mountain destinations like Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming as people seek to spend their vacations in places that offer a multitude of outdoor activities.

As the United States slowly emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, consider how great your desire or need to travel is, and what risks you are willing to take. It could be argued that anytime you leave your house, you put yourself at risk. But in my honest opinion, I’ve never felt less likely to get sick while flying than on my recent trip, and I attribute this to the extra precautions being taken by airlines and heightened public awareness about personal hygiene.

Here’s to safe travels!