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And another one bites the dust… Fortunately, I’m only talking about a trip, so it’s not a big loss.
A few months ago, I wrote a post about my plans to use up the remaining hotel certificates, all of them due to expire at the end of the year. That was right before delta wave hit Southern states with the vengeance, hence my optimism. Since then the situation has changed drastically, which required an attitude adjustment on my part.
The trip I was looking forward to the most was our Chicago getaway, due to take place in October. My husband and I were supposed to go without the kids, and I used my Hyatt certificates on this funky turn-of-a-century hotel called Chicago Athletic Association. Cookie-cutter it is not, at least according to the photos.
My in-laws agreed to watch the kids, my husband’s time-off request was approved, and everything looked splendid.
What changed
You know where this is heading, right? While I didn’t think Covid-19 would disappear by October, I did believe that getting the vaccine would protect my husband and me from getting a symptomatic infection.
Since then, it became clear that is not the case. According to many reports from other countries, the Covid-19 vaccine efficacy wanes over time. Just look at what’s happening in Israel.
And judging by evidence around me, I can see that’s definitely the case. Several of our vaccinated relatives got infected recently, some were quite sick. Yes, it’s technically anecdotal proof, but still. I’m convinced that breakthrough infections are quite common. Of course, living in Florida doesn’t help.
The good news is, you are still well protected from hospitalization and death, so to me getting vaccinated is a no-brainer. All of the vaccinated relatives have recovered at home. On the other hand, several relatives and friends who did not get the vaccine, ended up in ICU. One almost died. That tells me everything I need to know.
But this realization that vaccine most definitely does not protect from symptomatic infection has changed my approach to travel, at least in the short term. Yes, eventually we will have to learn to live with the virus, but we are not there yet. Not until everyone has a chance to get vaccinated and we have some therapeutics to treat it.
It’s impossible to say if Chicago will get hit by delta variant to the same extent as Florida, but I suspect that will likely be the case. Don’t get me wrong, Florida has totally mismanaged the pandemic. What’s happening here is a disgrace. But people forget that our vaccination rate is similar to many states up north, including Illinois.
Once the weather gets colder and people congregate indoors, things could get ugly there too. I hope not, obviously, but nobody knows. Since my husband is immunocompromised, I don’t think it’s wise to take on this kind of a risk. Chicago will still be there later, so maybe we can plan a trip in the future.
My main concern was getting symptoms right before our return flight, and having to quarantine for a week or longer. We have kids, and that would be a huge burden on my in-laws. I am absolutely not telling others what to do in a similar situation. It is a personal choice, especially for those who have been vaccinated. Plus, I’m sure I would be singing a different tune if I had non-refundable reservations.
Fortunately, my total loss was $50, and even that was avoidable. Originally, I booked flights using Southwest points. However, I do have Avianca Lifemiles and want to get rid of them ASAP. So, when I saw that there was award availability on the flight from Sarasota to Chicago, I went ahead and redeemed 15k miles on two one-way tickets.
I did also have to pay a booking fee totaling $50. When I decided to cancel the trip, I reached out to Avianca via Chat. The agent said he has submitted a request for penalty-free refund of miles, minus the booking fee. Sure enough, I got the miles back a few days later.
Yes, it stinks to lose that $50, but it’s not the end of the world. And it’s a good lesson for the future. Now is not the time to gamble on trips that involve nonrefundable hotel reservations or mileage redeposit penalties. Things can change rapidly, and nobody really knows what this virus has in store for us.
Why I picked Savannah
Since my husband has a long weekend off, I still want us to go somewhere. Gotta burn those certs! Plus, he just got his booster Moderna shot, so my assumption is that he will be relatively well protected for the next few months.
While I realize that no type of trip I plan will come with 100% “no sickness” guarantee, I think it’s possible to be strategic about risk mitigation. Since the current wave in the South seems to be peaking, it stands to reason that October may be a good time to go. No guarantees, of course, so I will play it by ear.
Neither me or or my husband like long drives, so I wanted to limit my search to places we can reach in 5-6 hours by car max. I also wanted to stay in an interesting hotel in a walkable city. This led me to Andaz Savannah. It’s 5.5 hours from our house, not too bad. Plus, I’ve always wanted to go there, so why not now?
Andaz Savannah ( Category 4) has very good reviews, and boasts an excellent location in downtown. The price for my dates is over $1200 for three nights, so this is a great use of Hyatt certificates.
I’ve read that weather in Savannah is pretty nice in October, so we could enjoy outdoor restaurants and parks. We will avoid indoor attractions completely, and wear masks when in public.
That, combined with our vaccination status should give us decent protection. And if one of us gets mildly sick, the other one can still potentially drive home, while taking all the precautions and avoiding people completely en route.
That said, I wanted to have a plan in place if we needed to quarantine. Normally, I recommend insuremytrip.com, but I’ve discovered that travelinsurance.com has better prices and has FAQ on Covid coverage next to each policy. I found out that I can insure our three-night trip and get quarantine coverage for only $36. To me it’s well worth it.
Yes, one might say that if I have a quarantine coverage, why not just go to Chicago? Well, I still would like to avoid airports, airplanes and big cities with lots of people. I’m also betting on Covid infection prevalence being lower in the south during October.
I plan to take rapid antigen Covid tests with me and also get tested right before the free hotel cancellation deadline (24 hours). It still doesn’t guarantee that the trip will go smoothly, but it should remove some uncertainty.
Savannah just seems like a better fit right now when it comes to my personal risk tolerance. And if things go awry, getting back to Florida should be much easier compared to Chicago.
Btw, the weekend in Andaz Savannah I was looking at had a three-night minimum stay requirement, and there was no way to burn individual certificates online. Fortunately, a phone call has solved the issue.
I must say, Savannah sounds just as exciting as Chicago. So perhaps, this is for the best. Now I only need to worry about hurricanes!
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Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
Guess we will wait and see how it all plays out. Hope you don’t believe in vaccine mandates forced on everyone!
Have you looked at http://www.openvaers.com that has recorded 13,627 deaths and almost 18k permanently disabled from this shot and thousands more injured? Plus only 1 to 10% are even recorded. We’ve never accepted this many deaths from any other vaccine. They were pulled. Have you heard about ADE from these shots? Also d-dimer blood tests are elevated in those who’ve taken these shots. Why the pressure on those who have immunity already to get the shot to go to college or keep their job? Some can’t even enter a business or restaurant without the shot depending on where you live. Look at Australia – is that what you want for America?? I saw that a judge in Illinois even took away joint custody of an 11 year old from his mother because she was unvaccinated. This judge did reverse his decision. But what will our future look like? Already many have been silenced including drs.
Yes, what’s happening in Israel and UK is interesting. There are more vaccinated in the hospitals with covid than unvaccinated. Many of my unvaccinated friends in their 70’s now have their 1st case of covid. Most got on ivermectin early and had some symptoms for a few days. The one who didn’t take ivermectin was hospitalized for a few days when his oxygen level went down to 88. He is obese and has diabetes, but is doing fine now. Natural immunity is much more robust than immunity from shot, but they aren’t testing people for that. Wonder why they’d rather have those with natural immunity still get the shot??
@Lynn It’s definitely true that the benefit of the vaccines was overestimated. It’s still our best weapon to fight the pandemic, but it will take other interventions ( masks, rapid testing etc) to get this thing under control.
That said, the data on hospitalizations in the US speaks for itself. Over ninety percent of those hospitalized with Covid didn’t get the vaccine. Even if it eventually goes down to seventy percent, that’s still a compelling reason to get the shot. Our relative works in the hospital, and according to him, almost 100% of his patients are unvaccinated. In Israel and UK, most older ones got the shot early in the year, and it’s now clear that efficacy wanes over time. Hence many hospitalizations in that particular group. But older ones don’t respond as well to flu shots either since their immune system isn’t as strong. That’s why Israel is so aggressive with booster shots, and it seems to be working. I do think that judging by recent data, Pfizer may end up being inferior to traditional adenovirus vaccines in the long run. But nobody knows since figuring out the best dosage and spacing takes time. We should have more clarity in a year or so.
As far as Ivermectin goes,I’ve seen some promising data on it last year. Since then, it appears that there is no benefit whatsoever. See this Twitter thread https://mobile.twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1433606986931662880 But who knows? Once again, figuring out this stuff will take time. Maybe taking it early in the desease has benefit, but it didn’t help my husband’s cousin, since he ended up in the hospital. Personally, I wouldn’t take it.
The thing is, we already have a miracle drug, aka vaccine. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best tool we’ve got.
I prefer the Hyatt Regency right on the river to the Andaz. Can also use certs & the potential upgrades are much better!
The Andaz is very cookie cutter/blah tho near the market. Absolutely nothing different about it than an Andaz in Chicago! I just feel more bang for the buck at the HR + a better Globalist breakfast & no hassles with free parking on points like the Andaz can present.Getting a river view & seeing those huge barges practically float into your room never gets old.
@Pam That’s very interesting. Thanks so much for this comment! I’ve actually looked at Hyatt Regency and loved the location. Ultimately, I settled on Andaz because it had better reviews. My cousin in law had a bad experience in Regency, though it had more to do with guests’ behavior, and could be a fluke.
Also, staying in Andaz will allow us to get closer to hitting five brands promo, in order to get two free Hyatt certificates. I’m not a Globalist, by the way.
But your comment certainly gives me food for thought.
Since I also had 3 Hyatt certificates to use we stayed at The Confidante and made it a birthday trip for my husband. Now I have to figure out these Marriott certificates and timeshare weeks. Seems like Covid has put stress on travel and miles/points. I never buy travel insurance but since I used American miles just wanted some reassurance should something happen. It’s just so unpredictable!
@Boonie You are so right. Never in a million years did I think that we would still be dealing with this mess after the vaccines are widespread in the US. But it is what it is, and we have no choice but to adjust. I’ve looked at The Confidante property before, and it seems pretty cool. Retro vibe and beachfront location, an excellent combo in my book. I’m not too crazy about Miami area, it’s a bit hectic for my taste. But the property itself looks great. In fact, is Savannah doesn’t work out, maybe I should take a look a it. I’m also having a tough time utilizing my certs, and I hope we can burn them by the end of the year. It’s nice to get out of the house now and again, so they do come in handy. We had a fabulous time with hubby in the Keys, saying at Baker’s Cay resort via Hilton certs a few months ago.
On travel insurance: IMO it’s a must these days, if only for quarantine coverage. The hotel bill for an extra 10 nights can be astronomical, especially if you are staying in a luxury property.
What are Lifemiles’ policies and fees for canceling award tickets? Is there an official Covid policy or does it vary from agent to agent? Is it just the $25 booking fee that isn’t refundable?
@Seth I have actually reached out to Avianca, and apparently there is no official Covid refund policy. Go figure! Normal penalty for this ticket is $50, but can be as high as $200 for an international flight.
Unofficially, you can cancel without re-deposit fees through September 30th. But no guarantees. I recommend following this forum for data points https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/avianca-lifemiles-amigo-716-12.html
As usual, i love your very balanced and sensible reasoning. I think you are being very responsible, not just for yourself and your family, but for others as well. This virus is no joke and everyone must make sacrifices for the greater good. Thank you for sharing all your plans and thoughts. I really hope your family and friends get well soon. Stay safe and have a marvelous time in savannah, i cant wait to hear about it! <3
@Sara Thanks, I appreciate it! At this point, it’s still up in the air whether we will actually go. I hope we do.
It has been a challenge to constantly balance risk vs. reward during the pandemic. I was hoping that the vaccine would largely solve this issue, but alas…
You are absolutely right that for now we have to think about other people ( not just immediate family) when planning trips. One careless decision can potentially get someone killed, a chilling prospect.
I know families that are more relaxed in their approach, and I know some that have stayed home for the last 1.5 years. We are somewhat in the middle of the pack, but in general, I try to err on the side of caution.
I absolutely love Savannah and the Andaz is in a great location. It’s not my favorite Andaz I’ve stayed at, but you’ll definitely like it!
@Mark Great! So far, only positive feedback on Andaz Savannah. I’m not super picky, and mostly value location. Being in a downtown, close to the river, is very appealing.
I think you’ll love Savannah. I’ve had my eye on this Hyatt for a while. Like you, one of my main concerns about traveling too far during Covid times is being quarantined on the way home and not being able to get home to kids and subsequently putting a burden on relatives keeping them. You made a good choice.
@Jennifer I actually looked at Andaz because I remembered you mentioning it. It seems like a solid deal for my certificates. I’m not too crazy about driving almost 6 hours, but we will take our time.
Like you, I’m worried about my in-laws being stuck with the kids in the event of a quarantine. But they said they are ok with the risk. The key is to discuss this sort of thing ahead of time.
We just got back from Miami to Chicago last night on a full flight. I actually contemplated about going to FL because of the high cases there and we pushed ourselves to get vaccinated because of this trip. But now I’m worried about being a carrier so will social distance for a bit. Chicago is back to indoor mask mandate.
@Boonie I definitely would not travel to Florida while unvaccinated for the foreseeable future. You made the right call. It’s crazy how many of our friends and relatives got Covid within the last few weeks. One is in the hospital right now. This virus is literally everywhere, though it looks like we are finally turning the corner. My family has been fortunate so far, but I fully expect us all to get it at some point. It’s inevitable. I just hope my son gets his vaccine soon, so I will breathe easier.
Not sure if you have access to rapid antigen tests, but you may want to consider doing it for your own peace of mind. I got a few on Walmart.com ( Abbott brand $20 for two), and received them in a couple of days.
Thank you for mentioning the phone call needed to use your certificates. That was a helpful tip! I have plans to go to Cancun for Thanksgiving and I am so hoping we don’t have to cancel for Covid concerns. We had this same trip planned for last Thanksgiving and just a day before our trip my husband decided the risk was too high. He is also immune compromised due to his double lung transplant. I made sure the flights and resorts I booked were cancellable. And I love your idea of the self Covid test the day before your resort cancel deadline. That’s a 2nd great tip! I always enjoy your articles and find plenty of useful ideas. Thank you for all your hard work, it is appreciated!
@Clyn6 Thank you so much for your kind words! I haven’t been posting a lot lately, but I’m glad you still find my ramblings useful. 🙂
Yeah, I was glad to find out that you can combine Hyatt certificates when there is a minimum stay requirement. Keep in mind that you may need to do HUCA or ask for a supervisor. But they definitely have the ability to do it.
I really hope you guys get to go to Cancun. If your husband is comfortable with it, then I don’t see an issue. Everyone has a different risk tolerance, so I don’t tell people what they should or shouldn’t do, especially if they are fully vaccinated. The key is to mitigate the risk as much as possible. We have decided to forego any flights until next summer, but we have an unvaccinated child at home. Having an immunocompromised person in the family is also a concern, but my husband got his third shot. I figured he is as protected as he will ever be at this point. That’s why we are still doing some local getaways and hope to go to Savannah.
Chicago’s out of control crime is more of a concern than COVID
@Fred Redmon I’ve had another reader say the same thing awhile back. It’s a good reminder that Covid isn’t the only risk when you travel somewhere.
In fact, driving instead of flying carries risks of getting into an accident. Something to consider, for sure.
That’s the same thing I said when she originally posted about her Chicago trip!
That Andaz has been on my to-go list for a while, I hope it’s good!
The GA coast is nice. If you’re never been before, Jekyll Island might be worth a stop en route to/from Savannah. Or maybe St Simons Island if you’re into lighthouses.
So you don’t like how your state handled the cooties because they didn’t lock everything down… yet you are personally willing to go around and travel and not (lock down yourself)? So confused…
@Kelly I never said anything about locking down the state. My primary issue is with mass (maskless) events and general attitude that everything is fine when it’s not. Hospitals are bursting at the seams, yet there are zero restrictions. Something doesn’t add up.
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, there is always room for a nuanced approach. More focus on vaccination, rapid testing, quality masks in schools et cetera. Those are not hard policies to implement in the wealthiest country on earth. Yet here we are.
It’s clear that the virus is endemic, but we don’t have to throw caution to the wind. Also, notice how I said that we will only travel if cases are way down in Florida and Georgia. We will also get tested beforehand. Obviously, it’s safer to stay home, and that might be what we will end up doing. Flexibility is key.
@Nick I loved St. Simons and Jekyll islands! We were fortunate to visit six years ago. So much beauty and history in the area. I was actually thinking about “swinging” by on the way to Savannah, but I’m not sure my husband will be up for it. No need to decide ahead of time, I guess.
My wife and I just returned from a 4 day stay in Savannah and it was absolutely wonderful. We didn’t stay at a Hyatt property but we did stay at the JW Marriott Plant River and it was a blast.
Lots to see, lots to do, amazing food and super friendly people.
Like you, I had a trip for my wife and I planned for the end of September in Chicago but we have decided to postpone until a later date for similar reasons.
I love visiting Chicago but now isn’t the right time for us…and like you mention, Chicago will always be there and we still be visiting when the time is right.
Enjoy your time in Savannah!
@2808 Heavy I’m glad you enjoyed Savannah! It has been on my to-do list for years, so hopefully, we get to finally go in October. I like city parks and Tybee island is nearby. Georgia is just a beautiful state, with so much variety.
This is actually the second time I’ve cancelled a trip to Chicago. One of these days things will line up.
Where is the chat function located to cancel with lifemiles?
@BJ For me, it popped up on the right when I logged into my Lifemiles account. It doesn’t always work, though. You can also send them a DM via Twitter. And emailing support@lifemiles.com ( I think that’s correct?) might work as well.