Although you might be hoping to travel out of state this holiday season, you may also be wondering: Is it honestly safe to fly? How do you gauge the risks you’re taking?

The good news is that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), airplanes are mostly safe. Viruses have a hard time circulating in airplanes due to how their air ventilation and filtration works. Also, with new regulations enforced at most airports (and hand sanitizer usually within easy reach), your check-in and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) experience will occur at a safe distance.

However, on a crowded flight, you’re likely to be within 6 feet of others for a prolonged amount of time, so your risk goes up. Also, airports are still enclosed public spaces, and not all surfaces are sanitized after every single contact.

For these reasons, it’s incredibly important to wear a mask at all times and constantly wash your hands at airports and during flights. You can also call your airline ahead of time to find out how full the flight is and whether or not it will be socially distanced. It can be tough to remain conscious of all the risks you take while traveling, but you can certainly take these precautions to protect yourself and others whenever possible.

Luckily for AFEUSA members, if you get sick or injured while traveling abroad, you can protect yourself and your loved ones with SkyMed, a membership company specializing in 18 emergency travel services. They have organized air evacuations literally all over the world under almost every kind of circumstance! If a member sustains a critical illness or injury while traveling in one of the 32 countries that make up the SkyMed network, they will be repatriated back to their home hospital of choice. You’ll never have greater peace of mind about your health during these uncertain times.