Travel Blog

Discussions in the administration over potential travel restrictions do not target a specific state but focus on how to prevent the spread of variants that appear to be surging in a number of states, including Florida and California.

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian has joined the chorus of travel-industry executives coming out strongly against a government proposal to require mandatory COVID-19 tests for passengers on flights within the United States.

"I think it'd be a horrible idea for a lot of reasons,'' Bastian said Tuesday in an interview with CNN's Poppy Harlow.

International travel is likely to remain subdued until the end of the year as countries reintroduce tough restrictions to control COVID-19 infections, the head of Dubai-based airline Emirates said on Wednesday.

For flyers who decide not to wear a face covering at the airport, the Transportation Security Administration announced how much of a fine they could face. First-time offenders are subject to a $250 penalty, while repeat offenders could see fines of $1,500.

TSA checkpoint travel numbers

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday night that mask-wearing will be required on all on all public transportation beginning Monday night.

The order applies to planes, trains, buses, boats, terminals, train stations, seaports and Uber and Lyft rides.

"Canada is taking some drastic measures to restrict international travel. In addition to the current pre-travel testing requirement and 14 day self-quarantine, the country will also require testing upon arrival, and a hotel quarantine of up to three days, which could cost 2,000 CAD."

JetBlue President Joanna Geraghty said COVID-19 testing slots in many parts of the country are scarce and results can take days.

"When you start thinking about a framework that‘s already overburdened and you add domestic travel into that, this puts a ton of pressure on an already fragile system.''

USTA officials believe additional testing requirements for travelers within the U.S. would be “problematic.”

Tori Emerson Barnes, USTA’s executive vice president of public affairs and policy, said testing for domestic flights would be difficult to implement and enforce. The organization estimates that such a requirement would necessitate a 42 percent increase in the nation’s daily testing capacity.

Southwest CEO Gary Kelly argued that the U.S. has limited testing capacity and should focus its virus-control efforts on vaccinating people faster.

“Why pick on air travel?” Kelly said. “If you want to test people, test them — but test them before they go to the grocery store, test them before they go to a restaurant.”