Each of the last two months has seen more travellers pass through airport checkpoints than the same period prior to the outbreak, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
According to TSA officials, the total number of travellers screened each month from March 2020 to December 2022 never exceeded the same month in 2019. But the tide is turning due to a return to normalcy and pent-up demand.
The number of travellers screened for air travel surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first time in January. The number hit 60.5 million, up from 58.6 million in January 2019.
With 58.1 million passengers screened in February, compared to 57.9 million in 2019, it was the second time since the pandemic and the second month in a row that air travel levels exceeded pre-coronavirus totals.
Expedia data from February showed a double-digit rise in interest in international destinations like Tokyo, Paris, and Punta Cana compared to 2022’s spring break. And flight searches for March and April increased by 40% than 2022 levels.
Many tourists are keen to return to their preferred Mexican and Caribbean beaches. There’s a double-digit year-over-year increase in searches for these destinations, thanks to the lack of COVID-19 testing restrictions.
Airports Council International (ACI) officials stated that North American and European airlines are better prepared for the demand surge due to improved staffing. However, concerns about delayed flights and long lines during peak times are still there.