This summer we’ll be traveling somewhere overseas with our nephews and their parents. Exactly where we go will depend on the trajectory of the Covid virus and how different jurisdictions choose to manage transmission risk.
To minimize uncertainty, I’ve resorted to stacking three trips for around the same time this summer. We’ll make one of the trips:
- Option 1: Japan, then Hawaii
- Option 2: Spain, then Portugal
- Option 3: Hawaii
Option 1. Japan, then Hawaii. Today, tourists are not allowed into Japan. Once the border reopens, Japan may require visitors to quarantine for a few days upon entry. I’ve also read Japan may initially only accept tour groups. I don’t do tour groups.
I’ve booked all the flights, and many of the accommodations, but the odds point to cancelling Option 1.
Option 2. I’ve booked flights and accommodations for Spain and Portugal.
Option 3. If all else fails, we’ll go to Hawaii, extending the reservations we’ve already made for the Hawaii portion of Option 1.
Of course there’s a 4th option: no travel at all because of a new, dangerous Covid variant. For now, I choose to plan hopefully.
Stacking trips is attractive. Currently, airlines, hotels, and vacation rentals are carrying the financial risk of cancellations. International airline tickets with Delta Airlines are fully refundable, and all accommodations can be cancelled close to travel time. Trip stacking doesn’t appear to contravene Delta’s Contract of Carriage, unlike other strategies like hidden city ticketing.
I experienced stacked travel back in November and December 2021. I’d planned a Northern Hemisphere RTW (round the world) journey:
To be safe, I’d previously booked stacked tickets, anticipating Japan might not open up. It felt odd, at one point to have two seats in my name on the same transatlantic flight. Ultimately, Japan remained closed, so I cancelled some of the flights. I ended up flying round-trip to the UK in November then round-trip to Hawaii in December. I wasn’t a cent out of pocket.
I’m grateful vaccines set me free to plan long-haul journeys again.
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