Best Travel Credit Cards: Top Rewards Picks for 2021 - The best travel rewards credit cards! Compare the latest sign-up bonus offers to start earning free flights, hotel stays and more. The US State Department advises that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect countries differently. Warnings will be designated from Levels 1 to 4 depending on country-specific conditions. Challenges to any international travel at this time may include mandatory quarantines, travel restrictions, and closed borders. Foreign governments may implement restrictions with little notice, even in destinations that were previously low risk. If you choose to travel internationally, your trip may be severely disrupted, and it may be difficult to arrange travel back to the United States. (Editor note: The lifting of the global travel advisory is not an endorsement or a green light to travel to a country or nation of your choosing. The original blanket Do Not Travel advisory has now been revised to country-specific warnings. It’s up to each traveler to research and meet the criteria to travel to, and or from that destination.
As a first step in planning any trip abroad, check the Travel Advisories for your intended destination. You can see the world at a glance on the State Department’s color-coded map.
The CDC offers a handy guide of things to consider before you travel within the United States. The government organization also offers a comprehensive Q & A travel section with common issues such as “Should I cancel my trip?” and “Should I go on a cruise?”
Where can U.S. travelers go now? Currently, there are 73 countries with no entry restrictions (entry may depend on the traveler’s citizenship, point of origin, or other specific regulations) whereas 50 remain completely closed to tourists. Kayak updates the worldwide picture each day with a color-coded global snapshot and/or details for each nation or island.
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Planning a trip on a budget? Follow money expert Clark Howard’s simple strategy of finding an airfare deal and then figuring out why you want to go there. Clark has traveled around the world without spending a lot of money — and so can you!
The Best Travel Deals: Quick Links
Flight Deals
Select a destination below or scroll down to see all of the best flight deals right now.
North America | Europe | Central and South America | Asia | Caribbean | Australia | Africa
Today’s HOT Domestic & International Deals from Atlanta:
Denver $98-$158 round-trip, or $49-$79 each way
- Travel dates at $49: Dec 25-April 8 west and east
- Travel dates at $79: April 12-Nov 16 west and east
- Airlines: United, nonstop
- Typical fare: $500+
- Find cheap hotels in DEN: Hotwire | Priceline
Delta nonstop sale! from $97-$319 round-trip
- New York-LaGuardia $97 Feb 11-March 31
- Las Vegas $117 Dec 16-March 10
- St. Louis $117 Dec 31-Feb 22
- Orlando $97 Dec 16-Feb 22
- Reno-Tahoe $159 Jan 8-Feb 21
- Destin $179 Dec 31-March 1; April 6-May 30; Aug 10-Oct 28
- Charleston or Roanoke WV $179 Dec 30-March 1; April 6-May 30; Aug 10-Oct 30
- St Thomas USVI $185 Dec 15-Feb 22
- St Croix USVI $190 Dec 16-Feb 22
- Tucson $199 Dec 30-Oct 30
- San Francisco $199 Dec 29-Feb 27; April 14-May 22; Aug 18-Oct 28
- Grand Rapids $177 Dec 25-Feb 28; April 7-May 30; Aug 10-Oct 28
- Punta Cana DR $240 Jan 1-Feb 21
- Palm Springs $269 Dec 30-March 1
- Boise $257-$329 Jan 2-Feb 18
- Cancun $275 Dec 21-March 4; April 14-May 16; June 22-Sept 13
- Spokane $277 Dec 31-Feb 28
- St Maarten $279 Dec 18-Feb 22
- Liberia, Costa Rica $280 Jan 7-Feb 3
- Belize City $290 Dec 16-Feb 22
- Aruba $300 Dec 15-Feb 21
- Puerta Vallarta, Mexico $325 Dec 17-Feb 21
- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico $370 Dec 16-Feb 21
- Rio de Janeiro $609 Feb 5-May 28
- Buenos Aires $660 Dec 19-June 24; Aug 10-Oct 28
- Airlines: Delta, nonstop
- Typical fare: $600+
- Find cheap hotels in BOI: Hotwire | Priceline
Las Vegas $118 round-trip, or $59 each way
- Travel dates: Jan 5-April 10 west and east
- Airlines: Southwest, nonstop
- Typical fare: $600+
- Find cheap hotels in LAS: Hotwire | Priceline
- Travel dates: Dec 19-April 5
- Airlines: Southwest, one connection
- Typical fare: $800+
- Find cheap hotels in MTJ: Hotwire | Priceline
- Christmas! American $250-$278 travel dates: Dec 1-March 31
- There are six ski areas accessible from Montrose, including the world-class slopes of Telluride Ski Resort.
Think Ski! Steamboat Springs, Colorado $236-$278 round-trip
- American travel dates: Jan 7-March 23
- United travel dates: Jan 5-May 11
- Airlines: one connection
- Typical fare: $600+
- Find cheap hotels in HDN: Hotwire | Priceline
Jackson Hole or Bozeman $248-$305 round-trip
- Travel dates: Nov 23-May 8
- Airlines: American, Delta or United, one connection
- Typical fare: $600+
- Find cheap hotels in JAC: Hotwire | Priceline
Christmas, New Year, Spring Break! Steamboat Springs, Colorado $214-$318 round-trip, or $107-$159 each way
- Travel dates: Dec 20-April 5 west and east
- Airlines: Southwest, one connection
- Typical fare: $600+
- Find cheap hotels in HDN: Hotwire | Priceline
Hawaii: Oahu, Kauai or Maui $332-$384 round-trip
- Travel dates at $384 to Honolulu, Kauai or Kona: Feb 1-May 13
- Travel dates at $332 to Maui: Jan 12-May 12
- Airlines: United, one connection
- Typical fare: $900+
- Find cheap hotels in LIH: Hotwire | Priceline
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil $473 round-trip
- Travel dates: Feb 15-June 3; Aug 17-Nov 3
- Airlines: American, one connection
- Typical fare: $1,200+
- Find cheap hotels in RIO: Hotwire | Priceline
- Note: Rio 2021 carnival parade is postponed indefinitely.
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Today’s HOT Domestic & International Deals from various U.S. gateways:
New Southwest Routes to Miami:
Chicago MDW, Houston HOU or Tampa $96 round-trip, or from $48 each way
- Travel dates: Nov 15-April 11
- Airlines: Southwest, nonstop
- Typical fare: $400+
- Find cheap hotels in MIA: Hotwire | Priceline
Think Ski! Dallas – Montrose, Colorado $138 round-trip, or from $69 each way
Phoenix – Montrose $158 round-trip, or from $79 each way
- Travel dates: Through April 5
- Airlines: Southwest, one connection
- Typical fare: $800+
- Find cheap hotels in MTJ: Hotwire | Priceline
- There are six ski areas accessible from Montrose, including the world-class slopes of Telluride Ski Resort
Through Spring! Miami – Cancun $167 round-trip
- Travel dates: Dec 25-May 28
- Airlines: American, nonstop
- Typical fare: $600+
- Find cheap hotels in CUN: Hotwire | Priceline
Through Summer! New York – Reykjavik, Iceland $368-$425 round-trip
- Travel dates: March 8-Oct 26
- Airlines: Icelandair, nonstop
- Typical fare: $900+
- Find cheap hotels in REK: Hotwire | Priceline
Miami – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil $507 round-trip
- Travel dates: Jan 5-June 10; Aug 10-Nov 5
- Airlines: American, nonstop
- Typical fare: $1,200+
- Find cheap hotels in RIO: Hotwire | Priceline
Best Travel Credit Cards: Top Rewards Picks for 2021 - The best travel rewards credit cards! Compare the latest sign-up bonus offers to start earning free flights, hotel stays and more. How to Book the Cheapest Flights
- Price deals on Kayak Explore
- Track fares with Google Flights
Travel News and Alerts
Can I Cancel My Flight, Cruise or Hotel?
In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, most domestic and international airlines are currently offering no-fee changes with varying policies. In many cases, fare differences will apply when rebooking for future travel dates.
Should you even travel domestically? Here’s Clark’s advice: “What I’ve been recommending to anyone with travel plans outside the United States is that you just have to keep watching this. You need to make your own decision now that rebooking policies have become more favorable from most travel suppliers,” Clark says. “And that means making your own decision in terms of your health and how you feel about traveling. Traveling is about fun and getting away from it all, but if you’re going to feel a wall of worry, don’t go right now.”
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Note: We point you to the best deals, but we’re not travel agents. Members of Team Clark, the Consumer Action Center, or WSB Radio cannot assist with booking airline tickets, other modes of travel — nor provide airline flight information. When you need assistance, please contact a professional travel agent or travel company.
