After nearly two years of closed borders and travel restrictions, the United States re-opened to fully vaccinated travelers on Monday. It has been a long wait for many travelers needing to get to the US.
Full flights into the US on Monday
The absence of international travelers has cost the US around US$300 billion, says Roger Dow, President and CEO of the US Travel Association. That dollar amount does not take into account the human and social cost of the closed border.
"If you're vaccinated, it is going to be very easy to travel to the United States," Mr Dow says. Gone overnight are entry restrictions on travelers from 33 countries who accounted for 53% of all travelers to the US in 2019.
On Monday, planes are coming in full to the US, with bookings running at six or seven times their normal rate. Late last week, Delta Air Lines confirmed international bookings were up 450% compared to six weeks ago. British Airways has reported a 900% rise on flight and holidays packages to the US.
The New York Port Authority says some 250 international flights will touch down at its New York airports on Monday and expects international flights numbers to be at 75% of 2019 levels by the end of this year.
Airline industry group Airlines for America calls Monday a significant milestone in the recovery from COVID-19.
"US airlines have been preparing for weeks, if not months, to implement the new global framework and are eager to welcome back travelers from across the globe," said a statement from Airlines for America.
US airlines build international capacity back towards 2019 levels
Delta Air Lines expects to fly in around 25,000 passengers on Monday on 139 flights. Like the Port Authority, Delta expects its international flying to be back to 75% of 2019 levels by the end of the year.
Chicago-based United Airlines expects to fly in 30,000 people on Monday. Before COVID-19, United had a significant international network, gaining around 50% of its overall revenue from international ops.
Now, United's November bookings on their all-important transatlantic flights are exceeding comparable 2019 levels. Across its wider international network, United expects to operate around 70% of its 2019 capacity by the end of the year.
It took a border reopening to bring together cutthroat rivals Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. Normally ferocious competitors, the two airlines staged a dual take-off of their first flights from London Heathrow to New York, JFK.
“Today is a time for celebration, not rivalry. Together with British Airways, we are delighted to mark today’s important milestone," said Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss. "The US has been our heartland for more than 37 years, and we are simply not Virgin without the Atlantic."
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American Airlines expects to double international flights into the US by year's end
American Airlines expects to see 150 international flights land in the US on Monday, including 20 transatlantic flights. This will climb to around 300 daily flights by the end of the year. From their UK, Spanish, and Brazilian strongholds, American Airlines is seeing strong demand and a big uptick in ticket sales.
“As restrictions give way to new frameworks for safe and healthy travel, the American Airlines team is looking forward to flexing our international network and welcoming our customers back onboard as they fly to the destinations they’ve long-awaited," says American's Chief Revenue Officer,  Vasu Raja.
While the US is open again, it isn't quite business as usual. With very limited exceptions, non-citizens will need to prove their fully vaccinated status before boarding any US-bound flight. This is a global requirement. In-bound travelers will also need to show the results of a COVID-19 test taken with three days of flying.