When booking your tickets, it might be worth paying extra for some flexibility (in terms of change of dates, no rebooking fee, refund policy) as the Covid-19 situation is a dynamic one. Check if the airline offers hold fees for a small charge (i.e., they’ll hold your ticket and fare for 24 to 72 hours) if you need more time to decide.

Currently, Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Delta, Etihad, and KLM extend to customers a 24-hour grace period after purchase, during which you can cancel your flight without incurring penalties (but usually only when the flight isn’t scheduled to depart within the next seven days).

It’s not news that Europe has gone into a sudden partial lockdown due to the rise in Covid-19 cases.

Overnight, Denmark (a VTL-approved country) required all travellers from Singapore to quarantine for at least four days on arrival, regardless of vaccination status. Elsewhere, Austria announced a nationwide 10-day lockdown on November 22, and Germany has already cancelled its famous Christmas markets.

Unfortunately, fluctuating on-the-ground changes have become part of travelling, so being prepared to stay indoors (i.e., you should consider splurging on a nicer hotel room), planning for more outdoor activities (think hikes instead of leisurely Michelin-star restaurant meals) and knowing what food delivery services are available make a good plan of action. (Or pack some instant noodles as a back-up.)

And depending on your comfort level, research a plan B in advance should case numbers rise beyond your comfort level (you can track them here).

Depending on where you are travelling to, you might need to get a digital country-specific vaccine passport. The good news is if you’re heading to the EU, Singapore Covid-19 vaccination certificates are now accepted. You won’t need one in the US or the UK, except to show proof of vaccination to enter certain indoor venues.

Be sure to have a digital copy ready (preferably with a QR code) and make sure the following details are displayed: identification data, date of vaccine (name and lot) and date of administration, identification of the person who issued the certificate.

Airlines are grappling to get up to speed with the sudden return to travel, so you should anticipate that delays or cancellations may happen. Travel insurance is a definite must-have (and not just because some countries like South Korea mandate it), but because airlines legally aren’t obliged to guarantee their schedules.

The good news is, if you’re travelling to or from an EU country like Germany, you are entitled to financial compensation upwards of 250 euros per passenger depending on how long your delay is.

However, if you’re flying back from the United States, US-based airlines aren’t on the hook to provide any form of financial or compensation in kind (such as food, drinks, meal vouchers) due to a flight delay. As you shop around for travel insurance, take note of the provisions for delays and cancellations, so that you’ll know what to do if need be.

This is a scenario that happens more often than anticipated. The good news is many airports have dedicated on-site Covid-19 testing facilities to help ensure post-arrival and pre-departure tests can be done easily.

According to this list by Business Traveller, there are airport testing facilities in London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Mumbai, Munich, Vienna, Zurich Istanbul, Dublin, and Berlin, but definitely check your destination pre-departure so you’re not caught off guard.

Don’t panic, just get online ASAP to look for another VTL flight home.

According to the Singapore Airlines site, VTL flights are currently scheduled up to March 26, 2022, except for those from Brunei which run till December 26, 2021. If your ticket is issued before December 31, 2021, you will be able to rebook without paying extra; after that date, you will be eligible for a one-time complimentary rebooking.

If you end up booking a new flight, be aware that you might have to pay a premium: “More than 40 per cent of people would pay extra to be on a 100 per cent vaccinated flight or stay at a 100 per cent vaccinated hotel or resort, according to WalletHub’s 2021 Winter Travel Survey,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst.

“We’ve seen cities have success with vaccine mandates, and applying the idea to travel – at least as a specialised service where certain flights or hotel rooms are reserved for the vaccinated – could prove to be a moneymaker for airlines and hotel chains.”

Before setting off to the airport, double-check with your place of accommodation or host to see if things have changed, or if they’ve closed to guests not currently checked in.

Every property will have its own terms, but you should not be out of pocket for prepaid fees or penalties if the situation is classified as force majeure, defined as “unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract”​.

If you’ve booked an Airbnb, navigate to their Extenuating Circumstances Policy to see if your booking (regardless of your host’s cancellation policy) comes under covered events like changing government travel requirements, government travel restrictions, and declared emergencies and epidemics.