23rd March 2021 – US travelers are returning to the skies in significant numbers this March. TSA passenger numbers have been consistently higher than 50% of 2019 levels for most of the month. It marks an exciting turnaround for the airlines but also causes concern about how the pandemic might spread further with COVID far from beaten across the US and the wider world.

It is thought by many that spring break, plus confidence in the vaccination program is largely responsible for the sharp increase in air passenger numbers this month.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still warning people to “delay travel and stay home” and if people must fly to get tested prior to the trip, wear a man and observe social distancing.

The table below shows the impact on year on year TSA passenger numbers since COVID hit. Year on year equivalent numbers were as low as 4% of normal in April last year.