With three different COVID-19 vaccinations currently available and nearly half (!) of the U.S. population now at least partially vaccinated, global travel for Americans this summer has become a very real possibility. With all of this great vaccination news, the European Union has recently announced that they will allow vaccinated travelers to enter the EU, with proof of a negative COVID test within 72 hours of traveling.
As millions of Americans take to the skies this summer to make up for all the lost travel in 2020, Wi-Fi will be a vital resource—from booking the flight to check-in to enjoying your time in a land far away.
For those who did attempt to travel in the midst of the pandemic, “electronic” tickets became an incredibly popular—and sometimes mandatory—way to board your flight. The use of the electronic tickets on your smartphone or tablet reduces the amount of direct contact needed at the airport and the tickets can be easily downloaded using either home or airport Wi-Fi. According to Andrew Hyzler, CMO of Healix International, “the move to a fully automated travel experience with electronic boarding passes…will become the norm in a post-pandemic world.”
In-flight Wi-Fi is also getting an upgrade. For instance, Delta Airlines recently announced a plan to upgrade to “best-in-class” Wi-Fi across the bulk of Delta fleets by the end of 2022. In-flight Wi-Fi has sometimes struggled to keep pace with other Wi-Fi innovations, but the industry is focused on connecting passengers more seamlessly while 30,000 feet in the air.
More important than having access to high-speed Wi-Fi than when booking and when in-flight, however, is the need to stay connected when actually on vacation. That is, at least, according to this revealing study from OnePoll. The study found that a whopping 75% of Americans consider Wi-Fi at a rental a must-have, making it an even more important factor than air conditioning or laundry. The study also found that nearly half of Americans said that not having access to Wi-Fi would ruin their vacation.
Wishing everyone safe travels and strong Wi-Fi connections this summer!