Why Puerto Rico Is the Top Travel Destination This Year

In case you’re into nature, historical past or gastro tourism, Puerto Rico supplies quite a lot of interesting causes to go to any yr. Nevertheless, 2022 is shaping as much as be an particularly good time to journey there — and there is one huge purpose why: It is probably the most vaccinated place within the U.S.

As of February 2022, 81.1% of Puerto Rico’s inhabitants have acquired a full COVID-19 vaccination, in keeping with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. That vaccination charge is among the highest amongst all U.S. states and territories, and forward of the 64.8% vaccination charge for the U.S. as an entire.

Since there’s nonetheless uncertainty about worldwide border openings and COVID testing necessities, worldwide journey has misplaced a few of its attraction. Nevertheless, vacationers can keep away from most of those hassles — and nonetheless take pleasure in a style of worldwide journey — by visiting Puerto Rico as a substitute.

Here is a take a look at different the explanation why Puerto Rico will be the final journey vacation spot in 2022.

Regardless of its small dimension, Puerto Rico provides numerous actions. You’ll be able to discover Previous San Juan in the course of the day, together with visits to the Spanish fort, museums and the second-oldest church in America. As evening falls, enterprise out on a kayak on the brightest bioluminescent bay on this planet. Then, go to sleep to the sound of coquí — Puerto Rico’s native frogs — in a rainforest.

Puerto Rico could also be recognized for its seashores, nevertheless it additionally has mountains, that are greater than the peaks of 24 states. Right here, you’ll be able to go to espresso haciendas, zipline within the forest or tube via caves.

For individuals who take pleasure in a drink, Bacardi’s “Cathedral of Rum” manufacturing facility is the biggest premium rum distillery on this planet. The manufacturing facility is positioned throughout the harbor from Previous San Juan and is open for excursions.

Vaccines have proved to be efficient at stopping extreme sickness from a COVID an infection. Nevertheless, even coping with a minor sickness might hamper your trip. Puerto Rico has applied masks and vaccine necessities to assist preserve individuals wholesome.

Masks are required indoors and at outside gatherings with over 50 individuals, no matter vaccination standing — besides at seashores. In case you plan to go to theaters, sports activities venues or different occasions, you may need to convey proof of your vaccination. That is as a result of these venues are required to examine vaccination standing to function at 100% capability.

As of December 2021, all vacationers returning to the U.S. from a international nation should present a unfavourable COVID-19 take a look at taken no multiple calendar day earlier than departure.

Since Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, vacationers flying again need not present a unfavourable COVID take a look at to board their flight.

U.S. residents and everlasting residents do not want a passport to journey to Puerto Rico, so long as you do not join in Mexico or one other international airport. That makes Puerto Rico an choice for vacationers who haven’t got a passport — or whose passport might have expired in the course of the pandemic.

U.S. passport processing instances are at present round eight to 11 weeks, and even in case you pay additional to expedite processing, it can nonetheless take 5 to seven weeks. And that is not together with mailing instances. So, if you do not have a legitimate passport or an extended lead time till your subsequent break from work, you may need to persist with locations that do not require a passport over the following few months.

One more reason to journey to Puerto Rico in 2022 is how straightforward it’s to get there from the U.S. mainland.

Based on the flight route monitoring web site FlightConnections, eight U.S. airways fly nonstop to San Juan from 28 airports. It takes lower than three hours to fly from Florida to San Juan, or round 4 hours from different components of the East Coast.

For East Coast residents, it’s a shorter flying time to get to Puerto Rico than to the West Coast.

Relying on if you go to, money airfares to Puerto Rico might be fairly reasonably priced. Nevertheless, the easiest way to fly to San Juan is for nearly free utilizing airline miles or bank card factors.

You’ll be able to e book an award flight to San Juan on American Airways utilizing as few as 9,000 factors from Chase, American Categorical or Capital One. Factors switch from every of those packages to British Airways Govt Membership at a 1:1 ratio.

Or fly nonstop to San Juan on Delta for as few as 7,500 SkyMiles every means. You’ll be able to high off your Delta SkyMiles account by transferring factors from American Categorical Membership Rewards at a 1:1 charge.

If you wish to fly in model, search for routes the place American, Delta and United fly wide-body plane to San Juan. On these massive airplanes, just like the Boeing 777 or 737, the enterprise class seats recline into lie-flat beds. Meaning you’ll be able to snag a cushty nap on the flight to Puerto Rico.

Better of all, reserving these premium seats would not need to make you points-broke. You should use as few as 20,000 AAdvantage miles to fly from Miami to San Juan within the airline’s lie-flat enterprise class. Or pay as few as 25,000 Aeroplan factors to fly from Newark or Houston to San Juan in United lie-flat enterprise class.

In case you want Aeroplan factors, you’ll be able to switch factors to Aeroplan from Chase, American Categorical or Capital One.

Puerto Rico’s excessive vaccination charges and relative ease of journey is shaping it as much as be a sizzling journey vacation spot this yr — and that is not only a reference to the beautiful tropical climate.

The island provides many numerous actions and a global aptitude with out the necessity to have a passport or get examined for COVID earlier than returning to the U.S. mainland. It can save you your self from the opposite hassles of COVID-era worldwide journey by visiting Puerto Rico as a substitute.

You need a journey bank card that prioritizes what’s necessary to you. Listed below are our picks for the finest journey bank cards of 2022, together with these finest for: