The Airport and Flight Experience When You Travel Abroad Part II

Before you arrive at the airport for your international trip, it's a smart idea to do a couple of things:

1)  Check with your travel agent (if you used one) to make sure everything is in order.  If you have to make any changes (like a name change) try to do it well enough in advance because your airline ticket must be an identical match to what's on your passport.

2)  Check on travel restrictions.  Depending on where you're going will determine what restrictions are in place due to COVID.  This website has information to help you know what the restrictions are:  INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL  Although we didn't need to show proof of vaccination prior to leaving, it was mandatory that we be tested prior to arriving back into the United States.  It's also important to know what type of test is required for you to return.  And be sure to set up that test with the hotel once you get there because you probably won't be the only one trying to get tested on the same day.

3)  Check in with your airline.  When you go online, you can choose your seat or get an upgrade and get additional information regarding the flight's status.  You should also check to see how much you'll be charged for your baggage.  American charges $30 for EVERY bag.  

4)  Know what to pack in your carry-on.  If you pack toothpaste, lotion, or face cream, it will be confiscated.  The smart thing to do is to put those items in the checked luggage so you won't end up without them. 

5)  Once you arrive at the airport and check in with your passport, you may find out you have to complete paperwork in order to get into the foreign country.  (We learned that if you don't fill it out PRIOR to arrival at your destination, you will not be admitted until it's completed---no matter how LONG it takes).    

6)  Be prepared for some discomfort on the plane.  Depending on where you sit and how long your legs are, you could in for some discomfort.  The longer the flight, the more discomforting it could become.  If you can afford it, you should do business or first class. Our flight took approximately three and a half hours so it wasn't too bad.  And thankfully, there were no Karen's, Becky's or Billy Bob's on any of our flights!

7)  You may be subject to a random customs check in the foreign country.  There is no rhyme or reason for it.  Some people just get singled out.  

8)  Look  out for the hustlers! Prior to traveling to the Dominican Republic, we were warned about people who would be trying to talk us into buying timeshares:

TIMESHARE ADVISORY - When you arrive at your destination, even before you leave the customs area, you may be approached by many aggressive timeshare sales agents. Timeshare sales agents are very persistent and may entice you with offers of complimentary breakfasts, free transfers, discounted tours, etc., in exchange for your attendance at a presentation designed to sell their property. Timeshare selling can and does take place in many locations, including the airport, hotel lobbies, and even on the beaches and streets. These sales agents are in no way associated with your ground transportation operator or with Costco Travel.

In my next post, I will share some do's and don't while vacationing in a foreign country.  

Things to Know When Traveling Abroad Part I

 

The last time I traveled out of the country was in 2006.  Needless to say, quite a bit has changed since then.  First, I didn't need to have a passport to travel to St. Lucia and there was no world-wide pandemic.

In mid-September, my husband and I traveled to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic to celebrate his birthday.  It was intended to be a surprise for him but it was full of surprises for OTHER reasons!  Here are some things you need to know before traveling out of the country:

1)  Everyone is trying to leave the U.S.!  When countries started to open back up again and the United States eased some of its travel restrictions abroad, everybody was trying to get away after being cooped up in their own little bubbles for so long.  Passport offices were swamped with appointments causing longer than usual delays in receiving service.

2) You need a passport.  This goes without saying---but it's important to know that if you don't have one, it could take weeks just to get an appointment at your local post office or passport center.  We started the process in early June and was unable to get an appointment until mid July.  Then we were told it could take up to 16 weeks to receive our passports, provided everything was in order.  Getting them in 16 weeks would've meant we would have to cancel our trip.

New passport application fee:  $110

Execution fee:  $35

Picture fee:       $25 (Walmart can do it for a cheaper price)

3) Sign up for an Expedited Passport: This is only necessary if you need the passport in a hurry but then there's no 100 percent guarantee that if will arrive in time if your trip is less than six weeks away.  You will pay an extra $60/person.  We were told paying extra would shave off about 2-4 weeks for expected arrival time.  That was cutting it EXTREMELY CLOSE for us but we paid the extra fees.  

4)  Make sure all of your documentation matches:   Documentation you will need to present are your driver's license, your birth certificate, and social security card.  Your passport is supposed to reflect what's on your driver's license.  I had a problem because my DL still shows my maiden name but I was initially told that wouldn't be a problem because I had my marriage license to show I was legally married.  THAT TURNED OUT NOT TO BE TRUE!!! 

5)  What to do when there's a DELAY:  My squeaky clean husband received his passport in about two weeks (the first week of August), while I was still trying to understand why we didn't receive them at the same time.  If you are married, I've learned it's not unusual to receive them separately but I was still in a panic.  Then two weeks before we were scheduled to leave I received an email from the Passport Office in New Hampshire telling me my passport application wasn't approved because the documentation didn't match. I was also told I would receive an email with follow up instructions on how to resolve the problem.  Long story short, the email never came less than 10 days before we were scheduled to leave so I went to another passport office to figure out what to do.  They advised me to get my Congressmen involved which I certainly did.  While I will admit I do not care for the politics of Senator Thom Tillis, I will publicly say he came through for me and made it happen.  The Friday before we were supposed to leave, I received my passport.  (I also believe God's divine intervention had more to do with it).

"Be vigilant in hope.  Be patient in trouble but keep on praying." (Romans 12:12) 

6)  Know important dates:  On the passport application, you will be asked about your parents birthdates and where they were born.  You will also be asked about your divorce date (if applicable).  My husband and I both had some challenges in getting this information.  

7)  Don't try to hide information from the State Department:  What I mean by that is don't omit any other names you may have used over the years.  Even though I hyphenate my name, I am tied to a social security number so the government can easily find out information if I omit it.  Omitting information could put you a a no fly zone list.

8)  Stay in touch with your travel agent or the airline for updated information:  Because of COVID and the Delta Variant, the rules for traveling may change.  Just like with "fake news" there is a lot of conflicting information out there.  For example, we initially thought we would have to be tested just to get on the American Airlines flight but that was not the case.  I did learn, however, that Delta was requiring their passengers to be tested before they travel to Italy.

In my next post, I'll share information on what happens once you get to the airport and arrive in a new country.