The Coronavirus Has Changed Travel From BOI

The thought of traveling by airplane right now has some shaking their heads in disgust. Others are seeing the great deals on airfare right now and thinking, this is the time to go somewhere. For me, it wasn't either of those reasons that put me on a plane to Las Vegas this past weekend. Since moving to Boise in December, my family has remained in Las Vegas to finish the school year and the summer before my daughter heads out of state to college. I planned to visit every two to three weeks, but when Governor Little's the shelter in place order kicked in, I thought that for the sake of my co-workers, it was safer for everyone to wait.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

This weekend, for the first time in two and a half months, I flew from Boise to Vegas, and the experience was very different from the pre-pandemic flights of the past. The first thing you'll notice about flying right now is that the airport seems empty. I never thought that the Boise airport was super busy, but it was strange to be one of five people walking towards the B Gates on a Friday morning.

I was on Southwest Airlines, who usually line people up in groups of 60 to board, but now it's groups of 10. You can still sit anywhere, as long as it's not a middle seat. You are required to wear a mask for the duration of the flight. As long as you can handle having the mask on for the flight, I thought that it was a pretty good experience. I felt safe and comfortable the entire way.

Maybe the strangest part of my trip was the view of an empty Las Vegas airport. It's almost surreal to see what is usually a bustling place, abandoned. I didn't even think that the Apocolypse could get people off of slot machines. Still, until further notice, the airport slots are off.

With very few tourist attractions open in any given place right now, it may not be the best time for a vacation. If you want to visit family, though, this might be a great time to take advantage of the discount fares and fewer travelers.