5 great signs the journey is coming back

He told CNN’s Julia Chatterley earlier this week that people were starting to think about their future trip “very quickly.” Reservations on the travel website for parts of the United States this summer are “all booked” and he expects Europe to follow suit soon as the number of vaccinations increases.

Of course, the “normalcy” of the travel industry is still a long way off due to the lack of business travel and the continued closure of many international borders. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still urges Americans – even those who have been vaccinated – not to travel.

Air transport is booming

“The past three weeks have been the best three since the pandemic hit,” American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said of advanced ticket sales. “We are getting closer to 2019 levels in terms of total bookings.”

JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes echoed the optimism, saying there was “a lot of pent-up demand.” He added: “As people get vaccinated, they jump on planes to see people they haven’t seen in a year.”

In a note to employees Thursday, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said he had “seen positive momentum in recent weeks,” adding that it could soon break even. “It gives me optimism that a return in demand is underway,” he said.

TSA numbers soar

Air travel is up from a year ago for the first time since the start of the pandemic. According to the TSA, about 1.4 million people passed through security checkpoints at US airports on Thursday, compared to 780,000 people who were screened on the same day last year.

More than 8.8 million people have flown in the past seven days, and more than one million people have been tested each of the past eight days – the longest period of this type of the pandemic.

Yet Thursday’s numbers are still at a sharply depressed level, as they account for around 60% of traffic on the same day in 2019 before the pandemic.

The main cities of Airbnb

Reservations for “hot spots, small beach towns, and access to national and state parks” are fueling Airbnb. The home-sharing website said this week it was seeing more bookings due to “pent-up travel dreams.”

Some of the most searched cities and regions on Airbnb include Southern Maine, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Montana. The number of people searching for properties with outdoor space was 35 times higher compared to the same travel period a year ago.

Tips

The budget-conscious chain has approximately 650 hotels across the United States. The company fared better last year compared to its competitors as it was attractive to traveling healthcare professionals and other essential workers who had to work during the pandemic.

Disneyland finally reopens

Disneyland is Disney’s flagship theme park located in Anaheim, California. It has been closed for over a year due to the pandemic.

“This is the latest sign that things are returning to normal for the Disney company,” Robert Niles, editor of ThemeParkInsider.com, told CNN Business of the reopening. “The closure of the original Walt Disney park, even though the others were open, always reminded us that something was wrong.”

At this time, only residents of California can visit the parks due to state health guidelines, the company said. Security measures include mandatory masks for customers over 2, social distancing and the use of a new ticketing system to help manage capacity.

– Chris Isidore and Frank Pallotta of CNN Business contributed to this report.