Our Flights from Europe to the USA During the Global COVID Pandemic
We Tried to Stay in Europe Until the Pandemic Was Over, Yet We Recently Had to Leave
After nearly a year and a half abroad in Europe, with ten of those months living in Portugal, we recently had to take three flights from Europe to the USA during the COVID-19 global pandemic. We didn’t want to leave Europe or take these flights, but due to our residency status (and the pandemic), we had to leave Portugal before the holidays.
We could have flown to a few other countries that were still accepting US citizens during this pandemic. We could have stayed in those countries for three to six months each. We actually hoped to do just that—not to roam freely during this pandemic, but to continue hunkering down/social distancing, waiting out the pandemic. But the countries that could take us were in various states of border restriction flux, with winter health and safety not looking good.
With no guarantee or ideal solution in sight, we decided it might be wisest to head to our country of birth—a country that must take us in, no matter what. We were not thrilled about going to the United States due to many things happening in the States. We knew those things might extend our time in the US longer than we’d prefer. But we knew we could also…
hunker down during the most dangerous COVID-19 + influenza months
attend overdue medical appointments
order some much-needed items (luggage, clothing, + supplies)
enjoy a cozy, warm, and slightly fancy apartment in a city (so we could walk to most places we’d need to go)
apply for visas that would allow us to be back in Europe for as long as we desire (eliminating the requirement that we change countries every three to six months; eliminating the need to return to the USA to apply for future visas)
So We Tried Our Best to Handle This As Safely As Possible
The first thing I did was purchase World Nomads travel insurance for this next leg of our adventure since World Nomads did not exclude Covid-19 on the policy (you can see how World Nomads compares by reading Money.com’s Best Travel Insurance).
Choosing flights and where to stay in the USA was a bit complicated at the time, with every possibility changing by the minute. This was due to the constantly changing pandemic unknowns, so we needed to find something we could focus on. Focusing on safety did the trick.
So, while I typically spend as little money as possible when booking flights (about $300 to fly between the Pacific Northwest and Europe), I thought it wise to pay extra to “guarantee” (as much as possible) that we could…
fly from Portugal to the USA without stopping in any other country (as we were not allowed in most other countries at that time; some countries were instating pandemic requirements that we could not meet; we had no legal paperwork to explain that the Portuguese government had legally allowed us to overstay our time in Portugal by 6 months, meaning our passports might appear illegal; we discovered a border crossing reporting glitch that would charge us a large fee if enforced)
fly on airlines dedicated to high-quality sanitizing
fly on airplanes that were not fully booked
book socially-distanced seats (with extra legroom)
have enough time during layovers to eat in the airports (to keep our masks on when on the planes)
We researched and booked what seemed to be the safest airlines, connections, and seats. Then, later, all of our flights were canceled. Fortunately, we were eventually able to rebook, but we couldn’t find as much protection during the second booking. This is because the airline that guaranteed social distancing shut down all their flights on our route, and the other airline no longer had the same socially-distanced seating available.
So we chose the next best flights, the next best seating, and paid just as much (somewhere between $1300 and $1600 total, I think, though I’ve yet to peek at the final bill). I still feel our health was worth these extra precautions during such an unknown since we would have to spend seventeen hours inside airplanes.
We carefully readied to fly from southern Portugal to the Pacific Northwest. Including transfers, layovers, and delays, this entire trip would take three days.
Our First Airport (and Flight) Were Packed
I should note that our first flight wasn’t supposed to happen—we had hoped to take a bus or train instead—but there was no guarantee that they would operate (they were in flux, needing to accommodate last-minute COVID-19 changes). A flight was the safest bet, as any single flight cancellation would guarantee a rebooking of all flights on the same ticket.
Arriving three hours early at the first airport, we were a bit shocked when a crowd swarmed in around us, with visitors who were not respecting their host country’s (Portugal’s) COVID-19 rules:
their masks were intentionally hanging below their noses and chins (they were pulling them down)
they were pushing themselves into us while literally remaining inches from us the entire time—not staying six feet away
they were loudly laughing, coughing, hacking, and yelling out to each other—all while inches from us
it appears they came to Portugal for the Portuguese Grand Prix/Grande Prémio de Portugal (which, last we heard, was not going to allow crowds)
So one of us remained in line, hoping to get this situation over with as quickly as possible. And one of us stood far away, waiting for it to pass. But it didn’t pass. In fact, this situation took up our entire three hours; then, they packed in tightly onto our flight.
We practiced some breathing. =)
Side note: After we were swarmed, I searched my phone for airport security, hoping security might send someone out to help the crowd follow the signage/announcements (wear your mask, stand six feet away), but I had no luck finding a contact. The photo above was actually a rare moment of quiet with the last few visitors.
Our Next Airports (and Flights) Were Near Empty
Arriving at the Lisbon airport, we had nearly eight hours before our next flight (due in part to flight delays). So we roamed the airport, bought supplies (hand sanitizer, snacks), ate hot meals (off in corners, by ourselves), freshened up, and prepared for our flight over the Atlantic.
We were so happy to spend most of this time walking (exercising) to tire ourselves out so we might sleep on the flight.
Boarding the plane in Lisbon, we were so relieved to see that it was near-empty. Everyone could stretch out and sleep on four seats if they wished. We still can’t get over that spacious feeling.
Landing in Newark, our bags were already officially checked all the way through to our final destination. But we were instructed to still greet our bags in customs and walk them a few feet to another carousel, per customs procedures.
As luck would have it, when we arrived at customs around midnight, our bags were sitting alone, the carousels were not operating, and nobody was there to process this customs procedure.
So we waited nearby until 4 am (during which time I washed up) when someone began yelling at us (how you know you’ve landed on the East Coast of the United States), and another employee took our bags.
I then sped through security, but a certain someone received the most thorough search ever. He wasn’t thrilled with this, as COVID-19 protocols were not followed, and all of his belongings were literally everywhere on the conveyor belt.
After we collected all of his things, we may have had to walk a few laps discussing this travel experience before we were ready to eat a hot meal. Waffles made everything better.
Boarding our last flight, we were so happy to see that it was a clone of our previous flight (near empty), with a flight attendant mandating that everyone wear their masks properly—no excuses. =)
Our COVID-19 Clothing + Gear
We left a warm climate, with two of our airports in warm climates and two airports in colder climates. But how did we dress?
A certain someone did a stellar job of wearing his favorite layered flight outfit: a base layer shirt, button-down shirt, travel blazer, nice pants, warm socks, and a favorite hat. This made him feel so comfortable.
I packed away all my favorite clothing and instead layered on items that I was ready to donate. I’d hoped to peel those layers off and donate them along the way to anyone homeless. It turned out to be too cold for me to remove layers, so I wore everything I truly did not intend to wear.
We wore “kn95” masks for the first time (check out this helpful explanation). We each had four masks so we could follow the health guidelines and change masks after each leg of the trip. Changing our masks also made us feel a tad fresher during these days that we could not shower.
We also wore snug glasses. My sunglasses wrapped around (and helped me sleep). A certain someone wore comfortable and clear safety glasses (that allowed him to see).
We brought gloves, carried hand sanitizer, plus packed sanitizing handy wipes.
If I Could Share a COVID-19 Message with Airports
COVID-19 signage and frequent loudspeaker announcements are fantastic (yet not enough)
it’s necessary to also have kind security officers in frequented zones to prompt visitors to follow precautions
because, sadly, not everyone is concerned with protecting themselves or others, making this extra step necessary right now
If I Could Share a COVID-19 Message with All
giving people a bit more personal space, even after this is over, is a good thing (it can calm people; people can more safely breathe)
continuing to practice some of this germ hygiene, even after this pandemic is over, is also a good thing
if we continue with a few of these sanitary steps, we can keep each other healthier and happier in the long-run
Because We Care More Than Ever
This pandemic has reinforced just how much we value health, our planet, and how much we want to enjoy the meaningful things in this world—like travel. So as soon as it’s safe to do so, we’re excited to continue doing what sustains us.