Prepare for take-off | half term family holidays
It's time to jump back in and start exploring again, so here are the rules for five of the most popular half-term holiday destinations this February.
Holidays are easy again!
If you��re taking the kids away for half-term, here's the rules for getting in and moving around in the top holiday destinations this year.
1. USA
Great for: theme parks, citybreaks or the great ourdoors, America's got it all
USA is one of the simplest destinations for a family holiday. Vaccinated adults can enter by proving their vaccination status; children 17 and under don't need to (so long as they're travelling with a vaccinated adult). If you want a family holiday with minimal restrictions this half-term, the USA is our top pick.
Rules on the ground vary by state, and some states may have mask mandates or test requirements that do extend to children, so please check the state you're visiting before you fly.
Getting away for half term
How to start preparing now for a half-term break with the kids
2. Spain
Great for: younger families and adults trips only, for the moment
For a lot of families, Spain may not be viable for a half-term holiday with the kids this February. At time of writing the Spanish entry rules require everyone 12 and over to be fully-vaccinated to enter the country, with no option to use a test instead, so unless your children are all undwe 12 or have had both jabs by February you won't get in.
Don't forget! We have loads of handy travel guides for Spain, including Barcelona, the Balearics and the Canary Islands.
3. France
Great for: half-term skiing
France just changed its rules to allow non-essential travel, so half-term holidays are back on. Good news if you're taking the kids skiing! Everyone will need a negative test to get into France; once in, everyone needs a health pass to access almost any hospitality or public facilities, which for adults and fully-vaccinated children means showing their vaccination status and for 12-17-year-olds without that option a recent negative test.
Skiing for beginners
Hitting the slopes for the very first time? Let us help!
4. Portugal
Great for: family beach holidays
If you're taking the family, Portugal is a great choice. Everyone 12 and over needs to present a negative PCR test, but there's no vaccination requirement for entry. Once you're in, to access leisure and hospitality everyone 12 and over will regularly need to either prove their vaccination status or present a negative test result, so if you're travelling with kids 12+ but too young to be fully-vaccinated you'll need to get them tested regularly while you're there.
Watch our Algarve video guide or read about Madeira in the link below
5. Greece
Great for: an unforgettable week of lazy island-hopping
Getting into Greece is a Passenger Locator form and a negative test for anyone 5 and over. Once you're in, there are fairly strict rules on accessing hospitality and services. Children 4-18 can move around with a self-adminstered test. From Feb 2022 "fully-vaccinated" for adults means either having received a second jab or recovery within the last seven months, or if it's more than 7 months since your second, a third jab. Fully-vaccinated adults can access hospitality etc by proving their vaccine status; anyone without will need a recent negative test.
6. Mexico
Great for: a longer adventure with no Covid checks at all
If you want an absolutely zero-admin holiday, Mexico has absolutely no restrictions coming in. Masks in public places is pretty much it, so you don't need to worry about vaccine passports or different rules for you and the kids.
There's no hiding the fact that it's a long way - 11 hours direct from London to Cancun. But once you're there...the beaches are idyllic, the ruins just down the coast at Coba and Chichen Itza some of the most remarkable in the world and if you want to spend your holiday snorkelling the Yucatan Peninsula has the world's second largest barrier reef.
