Planning to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic? Here's what to know as you plan your trip

Loading Video…

This browser does not support the Video element.

COVID-19 travel tips

If you are planning to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, being prepared is key to a successful trip.

Many people are traveling this year after the COVID-19 pandemic derailed 2020 trip plans.

With cases of the delta variant surging, it's important to take some steps if you are preparing to travel.

READ: Michigan's next COVID-19 surge is coming – What to know

First, plan your trips early. If you will be traveling during the holidays or spring break, start booking your plane tickets and hotel stays now.

"If you don’t plan ahead of time you may not be able to get a good price on your air and then you have hotels that don’t have full occupancy," said Dave Fishman, the president of Cadillac Travel Group in Royal Oak.

Fishman said to make sure you get travel insurance and know what it covers because some policies don't include COVID-19 cancelations.

"Some policies will not cover COVID, other policies will. Some will cover it for cancel with a voucher, some will give you your money back, not all of it but 75% of it. Some of it will cover a longer stay," Fishman said.

Also, make sure you know the rules and policies where you are traveling.

Fishman said having a travel agent right now can make sure your trip goes smoothly, especially if there are changes that must be made.

"This way you have someone with you guiding you along the way in the process of booking and knowing what the rules are, making sure everything's going OK on your trip and then if there’s a problem, solving the problems whether you’re on the trip or when you get home," he said.

Fishman added that there is a misconception that airplanes recycle air. He said that is not true, and airplanes use HEPA filters that circulate air from outside into the plane.