We had a great trip to sunny CA a couple of weeks ago. It was the biggest race out crazy child has participated in ever, and we were her support team because her BF had a business trip that he could not skip. I highly recommend San Jose airport! It was not busy at all because business travel is still down, and our car rental was quite a “steal” by today’s standards - brand new Nissan Murano for $200/ 4 days.
heading to DC for a work conference on Monday. Vaccines and masks required. Fingers crossed.
I am sorry to hear this. I have no idea how I lucked out and finally got a refund from United.
I’m hanging in there for a girl’s trip to Europe that has been postponed twice already. We are departing last week of November. I e analyzed everything to death and the only thing is testing before return to US, although we personally are going to test one week and 2 days before departure.
One of the ladies is very worried she will get Covid and have to quarantine and not be able to get back to work. That’s our only concern
@coralbrook, my younger S lives in Eastern Europe and can get a rapid test at the corner pharmacy, results in 30-45 minutes. It’s much easier to accomplish in Europe. He was here in July to get vacccinated and was shocked at how difficult it was to get a rapid or PCR on short notice for his return flight home.
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We had a quick trip over the border to Canada this weekend.
We were required to have a negative COVID test within 72 hours of crossing the border and had to download the ArriveCAN app and upload the test results, pics of passports and pics of our vaccination cards. The app also asked for a quarantine plan - we just kind of fudged that one as we knew it was basically an overnight trip.
AT the border the agent did ask to see our passports and negative COVID test print out (they did tell you to print a copy of that to have on hand). He never asked about seeing our completed app “receipt”.
Coming back to the US was business as usual - just needed to show our passports.
I will say that the area we were in was more rural but COVID restrictions were stricter than home. Masks at ALL places inside. You had to leave a phone number at a restaurant even for outside eating for COVID tracing. If you wanted to eat inside you would have to make a reservation AND have proof of vaccination in hand to enter. People definitely wearing masks everywhere, inside including hallways of hotels.
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Thanks for that. We’re still debating whether to cross the border at Niagara Falls or not. I love the Canadian side - and Canada in general - plus 2020 was the only year of my life I haven’t been in Canada which is a bummer to me.
But is it worth the hassle… I’m not sure.
Actually, with SW award flights, you can have the taxes paid refunded to the original form of payment. I’ve done it many times.
Just made hotel reservations for a family ski trip in early February. Cancellation policy is 30 days, so I hope things are positive for travel by then. Fingers crossed 
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I suppose it’s what you consider a hassle. Downloading an app, some pics and getting a Covid test.
I will say that in the area we were in (Southwestern Ontario) we did see several fast food restaurants that only offered drive through - including all the Tim Hortons we saw!
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Has anyone been brave enough to book a cruise. looking at thanksgiving week, as its cheaper than flying and seeing family (ports are driving distance). Or am I crazy?
Going would be 2 young adults who have have covid and fully vaccinated, and my husband and I who have Moderna (vaccinated in March) and would have our boosters by then.
Did you cancel your award flights online? Or do you have to call to get taxes refunded to the original form of payment?
Fudging ArriveCan seems necessary for anyone driving a short distance to Canada. You have to fill out the quarantine plan with a Canadian address where you would quarantine if necessary, a US address won’t work. Our true plan was the obvious: drive home.
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Right - if you aren’t going to let us go across the border without quarantine then we are just turning around and going home!
I have always just cancelled SW tickets bought with points online, and the taxes just go back to the credit card. It’s usually about $11. Also, if I change the tickets and the fees are less, then those get refunded too.
I cancel online. There is a radio button next to “Refund to method of payment”, and you click on it. This works as long as you’ve made no changes to the original booking. If you have made changes, then you will get the $5.60 in travel funds (unless SW has changed this for the better). So it’s best to not make changes, and just cancel the original booking, and book a new flight.
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That explains why I’ve always had taxes refunded in travel funds. I frequently took advantage of SW’s liberal flight change policy.
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My understanding is that the Canadian quarantine would happen if you tested positive in the random border test, but those results take 24 hours, so American driver’s doing day trips would be back home. People here are just listing a local motel.
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I so appreciate SW’s change and cancelation policies. I always book one ways instead of round trips, it costs the same, and allows for more flexibility in cancelations to snag a better fare or deal with a schedule change. I’ve had a companion pass since 2014 and that makes a world of difference paying for flights. My kid has flown for free with me (well, plus the $5.60 fee one way) for the past 7 years.
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Which is what we did - list a local hotel. But would be nice if the app sort of had an explanation or exclusion or something for perhaps less than 48 hour stays. Those of us who like to be honest and all revealing - it throws us for a loop! 
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