The Delta Skymiles Savings or Cash Costs to IRELAND are NOW (not post vaccine "back to normal")

Yes, I think if you are willing to be flexible, and maybe accept that you will have to cancel, then now is a good time to look for deals.

We are pushing it a bit and used Delta miles to get tickets to Rome for April of 2021 at 50,000 miles RT. Will it happen? Who knows, the miles are fully refundable, though if we change dates, a new ticket will likely be much more. Will we be able to get vaccines by then?, maybe, maybe not; Will they allow travel?, don't know. We just figured that for little financial risk, it was worth what might be a great reward.

Edit: By the way, I do agree that once everything clears up, travel demand will hit like an avalanche. There may be some deals, but places will try to capitalize on demand to make up losses, meaning that bargains may be few. If demand is just a bubble, then maybe some deals will come back. It may pay to commit early and maybe take some risk.

I actually have a Delta ticket reserved on miles for May and another one for late August. We’ll see if either trip goes. I have some hotel rooms booked with Marriott points to, but everything is fully cancelable so if the situation has not improved then I guess I can cancel.

I figured it didn’t hurt to plan and we’ll see what happens

I think you two are wise, especially using your miles and points with their built-in flexibility. And the dates might fly for you. Fingers crossed.

To Carol's point, yep, we are also looking for a deal for sometime in September as a backup for April...or what the heck, maybe go both times

Back in September, I used all of my Delta points to buy two round trips tickets at 50,000 each from STL to LHR for June 2021. (Delta/Virgin). They are now at 70,000 each and I am sure they will go higher if US tourists get a green light for Europe this summer. I am a US/UK passport holder and the purpose of my trip is to visit family (so less risk in my situation). Typically over the summer period, Economy to London is usually over 100,000 points each but If I was a regular tourist, I am not sure I would be quite ready to buy yet.

I also used my travel guard insurance e-voucher within the 14-day time frame.

Margaret

As far as insurance goes, I recently went to Mexico. I realized about a week before I went I had no insurance. So I went to insuremytrip I put in my information and I bought insurance that covered Covid. It covered broken legs and other things too. Now it would not have covered me if I had decided not to go because of Covid or because I was going to be quarantined when I got home or anything like that but if cover me if I got sick there. Now I was only buying medical, but if all you’re buying is medical you do not have to buy it within 14 days of paying for your flight. And I never ever pay for anything but medical. (And yes I’ve worked in healthcare administration a long time I know how to read an insurance policy so I was covered:))

I posted the original comment on this Thread. I booked the Ireland trip as described shortly after. I try to stay abreast with Irish media. The 26 Counties government is quoted in today's IT as suggesting that the Tourism sector will be good to go "mid-summer" whatever that means. I'm still waiting for definitive guidance for the 6 Counties ("Northern Ireland").