Pandemic travel 2.0: how to travel on Thanksgiving this year?

(CNN) -- After the 2020 holidays are in storage, many more travelers are expected to be on the go this year. In the United States, the American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts that Thanksgiving travel will rebound to near pre-pandemic levels, with 53.4 million Americans expected to travel for holidays, an increase of 13% over last year.

That brings total travel volume to just 5% below the 2019 figure. And air travel is expected to rise 80% from last year, bringing it down just 9% from 2019. About 4.2 million travelers are expected to fly this year.

With recent operational collapses at Southwest and American Airlines, in addition to staffing issues and an increase in international travel, many air travelers are concerned that things could get messy.

"Even before the pandemic, reports of major delays, cancellations and stranded passengers were something of a holiday tradition," said Willis Orlando, senior product operations specialist at airfare deals site Scott's Cheap Flights.

“This year, people are understandably more nervous than ever,” Orlando said, with recent mass flight cancellations giving travelers pause. But he said airlines are making adjustments to head off potential problems.

"While it's certainly not out of the question, we'd be surprised to see the kind of major failures among US non-budget airlines that we've seen in the last few months before the holidays," Orlando said.

The usual delays related to bad weather are more likely, he said.

But while air travel is on the rise, the vast majority of travelers will still travel by car, according to AAA, with 90% (48.3 million) expected to drive.

With so many people vaccinated, AAA spokesman Andrew Gross expects the roads to feel like a typical Thanksgiving: "Packed with people."

"If you leave on the Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving and you live near a large metropolitan area, you're going to be sitting in traffic again," Gross told CNN's Pete Muntean.

And traffic is just the beginning. There are also health issues to contend with and meeting safety once you get there. With the holiday travel season fast approaching, here are expert tips to minimize hassle and maximize safety while traveling during a pandemic:

Preparation for Thanksgiving Day flights

The airports will be full.

"We're close to pre-pandemic numbers," AAA's Gross said. "So we're telling people, 'Look, you're going to find lines at the airport. It's just unavoidable. So get there at least two hours early. And if it's an international flight, three hours early.'"

Vacation travelers pass through Los Angeles International Airport in November 2020. Air travel is expected to increase 80% during Thanksgiving this year. David McNew/Getty Images

The possibility of major interruptions should be considered and the AAA recommends travel insurance.

"Get that travel insurance and airline insurance if you can. That little box that you often skip over, click on it this year because we don't know what staffing levels the airlines and the Transportation Security Administration are going to have." Gross said.

Insurance coverage can usually be purchased up to the day before a traveler's departure, according to travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth.

Other tips for flying:

- Fly early in the day to avoid the cascading effect of delays and cancellations. Bad weather is also more likely to affect later flights.

- Try the airline's website or app to rebook if your flight is cancelled. It's usually faster, according to Kathleen Bangs, a former airline pilot and spokesperson for FlightAware.

- Book nonstop flights offered multiple times a day on major airlines to increase your chances of rebooking the same itinerary in a timely manner, Orlando said.

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- To be really safe, book a backup flight.

"Personally, I often buy two tickets, and the second ticket is kept as a backup," FlightAware's Bangs said.

She makes sure the second flight is refundable or reusable, and that it's at least two hours later than the first so she has time to catch it if the other one is seriously delayed or cancelled.

hit the road

Gasoline prices are averaging about $3.42 a gallon this year, Gross noted, which is an increase of about $1.30 from last year and about 80 cents from 2019.

"But as we've always found, no matter what the price of gas is, people are still going to make that trip. They're just going to budget along the way."

AAA Driving Tips:

- Make sure your vehicle is ready for the Thanksgiving Day trip. AAA suggests checking key components like the battery, fuel system, tires, brakes, and fluid levels

- Mornings over the bank holiday weekend are generally the best times to drive. The best time on Wednesday is after 9 pm, according to transportation analytics firm INRIX. The worst time on Wednesday is between noon and 8 pm

Covid-19 Health Considerations for Vacation Travel in 2021

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still recommend delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated.

For those traveling with unvaccinated people, the agency suggests safer options like short-stop road trips and direct flights.

Traveling with children who are not vaccinated will be a consideration for many families.

"This risk is not so much the journey itself, but what you do at the destination," said Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN medical analyst, emergency physician and professor of health policy and management in the School of Public Health. of the Milken Institute at George Washington University.

Trips that involve visits to indoor attractions and crowded restaurants are at higher risk.

"The journey itself can be very safe, especially if younger children can wear a mask. If they can't wear a mask, that's a major barrier," said Wen, who is also the author of a new book, "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health."

If she were traveling alone with her 4-year-old son, who is used to wearing a mask in preschool, Wen said she would feel very comfortable taking him on a short flight. However, she would not travel by plane or train with her daughter, who is one and a half years old, because she cannot wear a mask constantly.

People should wear a high-quality mask (N95, KN95 or KF94) whenever they are in crowded indoor settings with people whose vaccination status is unknown, she said.

Meet safely when you arrive at the destination

Everyone else's vaccination status is key when you have unvaccinated children.

"If you plan to see family members who are all vaccinated and be outdoors or near other people who are known to be vaccinated, the risk is much lower than if you plan to be in crowded indoor spaces with people whose vaccination status is unknown. Wen said.

If immunocompromised family members or unvaccinated children, or both, are participating in the gathering, Wen suggests everyone self-quarantine for at least three days before meeting and take a rapid test just before seeing each other.

"That would lower the risk for everyone," she said. And those who are eligible for booster shots should get them, Wen advised.

Beyond pandemic health precautions, patience will be essential for vacation travel. Flight delays, cancellations and understaffed restaurants are to be expected right now, said travel advisor Dave Hershberger, president of Prestige Travel Leaders, in Cincinnati.

"If you're a very impatient person, stay home now because you're really going to have to let go."