Play is Iceland’s newest low-cost airline, and it’s kicking off U.S. service with a mega sale, offering flights to Europe for under $150.  

The airline will offer Boston and the Washington, D.C. area to 11 European destinations, including Berlin, Copenhagen, London, Paris, and Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city. Though the flights won’t launch until the spring, travelers can start booking now through December 24 to take advantage of Play’s sale, with prices starting at $109 for a round-trip ticket, including taxes and fees. 

There is a bit of a catch to the ultra-low prices. Travelers purchasing flights at these bargain rates will have to lose onboard Wi-Fi and curated in-flight entertainment—a small trade-off for these unbelievably low prices for European spring and summer travel. 

Play’s first U.S. flights will take off from Baltimore to Washington International Airport on April 20 and Boston Logan International Airport on May 11.  

Like all other budget airlines, Play plans to charge its passengers for checking a bag or bringing a carry-on suitcase that requires overhead bin space. Carry-on bags will cost anywhere from $26 to $37 if purchased at the time of booking or between $30 and $43 if bought later. Pricing for checked bags varies widely—from $32 to $93—depending on the size of your bag and the timing of your booking. 

Even after the sale ends, travelers can still expect to find relatively low prices with this new carrier. Play’s regular fares for transatlantic flights will be around $300 to $400. Play already launched its services in Europe in June, with the airline’s CEO, Birgir Jónsson, telling Travel + Leisure that numbers were substantial despite challenges posed by COVID-19. 

For more information about Play and to book your next flight to Europe, check out the airline’s official website. 

Countries worldwide are reevaluating their travel regulations amid the rise in the cases of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19. On December 2, a day after they detected the Omicron variant in the U.S., President Joe Biden announced stricter rules for all travelers regardless of vaccination status.

Effective as of December 6, all international travelers and U.S. citizens returning from a trip abroad will be required to test for COVID-19 within 24 hours of departure. Previously, only unvaccinated travelers had to test within a day of departure, while vaccinated travelers were allowed a three-day window for testing. Now, everyone will be subjected to the same rules. Travelers who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the country must also be vaccinated to visit the U.S.

“A month ago, we announced requirements that they must vaccinate travelers if entering the United States. This week, I announced an additional action to strengthen international travel rules to give us more time to stop the spread and study a new variant,” the president said during his announcement.

President Biden is also working towards requiring insurance companies to cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests. He’s setting up family vaccination clinics across the country with the goal of these sites making it easier for Americans to have all their vaccination needs to be met in one place — from first doses to boosters.

President Biden is also working towards requiring insurance companies to cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests. He’s setting up family vaccination clinics across the country with the goal of these sites making it easier for Americans to have all their vaccination needs to be met in one place — from first doses to boosters.

The current administration also announced that it would extend the federal requirement that passengers wear face masks on airplanes and all forms of public transportation. It would have expired in January but will be enforced through March 18.

Update: The CDC issued a statement advising that the Omicron variant doesn’t appear to be as severe as the strain of the Delta variant. However, the government is also warning Americans not to let their guards down, as it has detected the Omicron variant in 18 states in the U.S. and 50 countries worldwide.   

In October 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) implemented a strict set of guidelines for the cruise industry known as the Conditional Sail Order (CSO). Despite cries of unfair treatment from the travel industry, joined by a lawsuit from the state of Florida, the CDC has continued to extend the order. The CDC order allows some modifications as we make progress in the fight against COVID-19.

Last week, the CDC extended the Conditional Sail Order one last time, with plans to move to a voluntary program after that. Now, the CSO will be in effect through Jan. 15. A press release made this extension in response to the spread of the delta variant of COVID-19, which is much more contagious than previous strands.  

“The procedures put in place to resume passenger operations have successfully averted overwhelming onboard medical facilities and burdening shore-side hospital resources,” the CDC wrote in a statement. 

The order required all cruise ships in the United States to complete simulated test cruises unless 98% of crew and 95% of passengers were fully vaccinated. The declaration is nonbinding in Florida, though this has changed multiple times throughout the state’s lawsuit case against the CDC. 

When the order expires, the CDC said it plans “to transition to a voluntary program, in coordination with the cruise ship operators and other stakeholders, to assist the cruise industry in detecting, mitigating, and controlling the spread of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships.” 

“This transition will continue strong measures to detect, mitigate, and control the spread of COVID, and it will align with other travel orders, including the global contract tracing and global testing orders,” the CDC added. 

For now, they require cruise ships to follow a particular set of guidelines set forth by the CDC. The government agency also recommends that both cruise passengers and crew be vaccinated. In response, several cruise lines have vaccinated all of their onboard employees, with some — such as Virgin Voyages and Norwegian Cruise Line — also requiring proof of vaccination for passengers.