Masks + traveling: what to know right now.

Something major happened in the world of travel this week: a federal court ruling struck down the federal mask mandate extension for public airplanes, public transportation, and transit hubs. Leaving travelers, well, confused. Here’s the DL on what you should know before heading out.

• What changed?
  
  The federal mandate requiring masks on all public forms of transportation is no longer being enforced by federal authorities (for the time being), leaving the decision up to individual airlines as well as state and local transportation authorities.
• Who’s saying “masks off”?
  
  Most major airlines. Players like Delta, United, American and Southwest all issued statements that masks are no longer required on board.
• Do I need to mask up at the airport?
  
  That depends. For most of the US, TSA will not be enforcing masks so it’s entirely up to you. But since the decision is up to the state and local authorities, major hubs like LaGuardia and JFK in NYC announced they still require masking, per the Port Authority.
• How about on trains or buses?
  
  Again, individual transportation authorities are making that call. Amtrak, Uber and Lyft have all said they won’t require riders and drivers to wear masks, but groups like the MTA are requiring masks still.
• What about international flights?
  
  Whether or not you’ll need a mask on international trips will be up to your carrier and destination – check with them before traveling.
• This is confusing.
  
  You got that right. The best thing you can do is check guidance from local authorities for your destination, check resources like our Travel Restrictions Map* and keep packing your mask, just in case.

The pre-check

The week’s latest travel stories and news.

• Cancel culture meets the airport…
  
  For flights all around the country. Here’s a way to find out if your flight will be canceled ahead of time.
• Remember when flights were dirt-cheap?
  
  It feels like just yesterday. With more holiday travel, larger airport crowds and longer lines making a comeback, so are pricey flights – airfare prices jumped about 11% since March.
• Someone’s been doing some spring cleaning.
  
  JetBlue and Alaska Airlines both announced that they would be adding staff while cutting flight schedules this summer.

Trending travel

What’s trending and how it can make the most of your trip.

Actually, it is easy being green.
With a handful of sustainable filters, we’re going to have to disagree with Kermit *sips tea*. As Earth Day approaches, we’ve got sustainable travel on the brain. Here are some tools that can help you help the planet during your travels:

• Do it (CO2) it. 
  
  Browse eco-friendlier flights by using our Least CO2 filter to find options that have the least amount of CO2 emissions.
• Stays, made sustainable.
  
  Look for environmentally-friendly hotels and rentals using our Eco-friendly feature listed under our Style filter.
• Opt for an electric ride.
  
  Who needs gas, anyway? Find more-sustainable car rentals, like hybrid and electric options, using our Eco-friendly options filter.
• Eat with the earth in mind.
  
  Looking for a sustainable place to dine? Check out OpenTable’s list for some of the best eco-friendly restaurants in the country.

Social shoutouts

That’s right, we’re interesting and CO2 conscious. Thanks for the love, @atulbutte.

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*We check for travel restriction information from government authorities daily, and update the page any time we get new information. The information provided regarding travel restrictions for each country is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. If you’re looking for personalized travel advice for your own travel plans like whether or not a restriction applies to your trip, we won’t be able to answer any questions or offer advice. Please consult your local government’s resources.