Need a COVID Getaway? Here's How to Get One on a Budget ASAP
- Author: Jeffrey Simmons
- Posted: 2024-08-21
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, many people around the world were either forced or advised to stay at home temporarily. As months have gone by, different countries and even different states have generally relaxed their emergency rules at drastically different levels. For the United States, the west coast and the northeastern region of the country may prove difficult to travel through for your next getaway, but the rest of the country is mostly open for business!
As a sidenote, please remember to check each state you plan to travel through. While most states not on the west coast and northeast don't have any restrictions on who may enter and leave, others have a "positivity rate" ban list. For example, if your state's COVID-19 tests are more than 15% positive, Ohio will not allow you to travel into it or through it. Though the most you are likely to receive is a warning, there's the possibility of being charged with a crime, so do your research!
After being stuck at home with many institutions closed, people have gone stir-crazy. This is quite a fortunate combination, since the hospitality industry is pulling out all the stops to get customers back in. Let's take a look at how you can travel for a fraction of what the cost would have been last year.
Your Credit Card May Be Your Friend
Hotels, car rental services, restaurants, and other industries have largely partnered with major credit card providers. These providers give users "offers" they can utilize when they get a specific service, spend a certain amount at a certain gas station, etc. Check your credit cards for these offers before going on a trip.
Gas Prices Are Low
For the first time in years, most of the country is seeing gas prices below $2.00 per gallon. Traveling by private vehicle is still very cheap, but check out the various apps on your phone that will allow you to save even more. You can easily save an additional twenty to fifty cents per gallon through these at no cost to you, making that getaway even more affordable.
Hotel Loyalty Just Ramped Up
Hotels got hit very hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. After being forced to either close or significantly limited visitors in many states along with a lack of demand, many are desperate to get back up and running. As a result, many have made their member programs easier to get into and ascend.
For example, many chains have lowered the amount of stays required to attain certain status levels. Hotel credit cards may be an option to look into, as we're seeing some of the most generous offers in history, such as one chain that offers seven free nights simply for signing up!
When you add up these benefits, you can probably put together your next road trip with ease.
No Car? No Problem!
Especially for those living in urban areas, cars may not be a necessity. Car rentals have historically been expensive. However, due to the pandemic, some businesses have actually started to sell parts of their fleets due to severe lack of demand. They have also lowered their rates, mostly waived their "young driver fees" for those under 25 years of age, and have very significant discounts.
It wouldn't be infeasible to get a car rental for a week for less than $100.00. Every major rental company has removed their mileage cap, so you're free to go as far as your heart desires. Even if you have your own car, you may not want to put 10,000 miles on it, so this may very well work out to be cheaper either way.
The Upsides of COVID-19
Everyone has suffered some consequence due to the pandemic itself and government intervention related to it. Don't let the pandemic kill your natural desire to explore the country! As long as you take proper precautions, you can help industries that need it the most while getting away from home.
Restaurants, gas stations, airlines, car rental services, and other hospitality industries desperately need consumer revenue. You can help prop these industries up to preserve them for the future while you and your friends and/or family take advantage of their lower prices to enjoy the present!
