The number of people flying in the United States has eclipsed the year-ago level for the first time in the pandemic period, although travel remains deeply depressed from 2019.
The Transportation Security Administration said 1.34 million people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints on Sunday, topping the 1.26 million people that TSA screened on the comparable Sunday a year ago.
It marked the fourth straight day that TSA saw more than 1 million people pass through its checkpoints — Friday was a new peak, nearly 1.36 million. The seven-day moving average of TSA traffic hit its highest level since March 2020, when travel was collapsing as COVID-19 spread rapidly.
However, Sunday's screenings were still 45% lower than on the comparable day in 2019, and screenings in March are running 53% lower than the same period two years ago.
Several airlines report that after dismal sales in January and February, more people have bought tickets to travel in spring or summer as infection rates decline and more people get vaccinated against COVID-19 — about 70 million Americans have received at least one dose and 37 million have completed their vaccination, according to government figures.
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said Monday that bookings began picking up five or six weeks ago.
Since the pandemic hit, air travel has picked up a few times — mostly around holidays — only to drop back down. This time, the recovery “seems like it's real,” Bastian said on a J.P. Morgan investor conference.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said his airline will generate “core” cash instead of burning cash for March, and he expects the positive trend to continue in the months ahead.
Southwest Airlines said revenue for March and April will be better than expected as passenger traffic and fares rise. The airline said people are booking leisure trips to beach and mountain destinations but business travel is still lagging.
Airline stocks rose in late-morning trading. United and American Airlines rose about 9%, Delta gained more than 4% and Southwest Airlines added 1%.
James Gallagher, CEO and Co-Founder of GreenLite, discusses the challenges of rebuilding the fire-affected LA area and how permitting complicates the process.
Super Bowl Champion, Julian Edelman, talks Chiefs' conspiracies, his fave TSwift song and his bet for Super Bowl LIX. Plus, the best time for a bathroom break.
Ron Hammond, Sr. Director of Government Relations at the Blockchain Association, breaks down Trump’s plan to strengthen U.S. leadership in financial technology.
BiggerPockets Money podcast is now available on Cheddar Wednesdays at 10am ET! Mindy Jensen shares how her podcast is helping people gain financial freedom.
The social video platform's future remains in doubt, as players scramble to profit from the chaos. Plus: Big oil gets bigger, DOGE downsizes, and tariffs!
Ty Young, CEO of Ty J. Young Wealth Management, joins Cheddar to discuss Trump's moves as he returns to Washington D.C. and how it may affect the U.S. economy.
Starbucks’ decision to restrict its restrooms to paying customers has flushed out a wider problem: a patchwork of restroom use policies that varies by state and city. Starbucks announced last week a new code of conduct that says people need to make a purchase if they want to hang out or use the restroom. The coffee chain's policy change for bathroom privileges has left Americans confused and divided over who gets to go and when. The American Restroom Association, a public toilet advocacy group, was among the critics. Rules about restroom access in restaurants vary by state, city and county. The National Retail Federation says private businesses have a right to limit restroom use.
President Donald Trump is talking up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum. While Trump has seized on similar announcements to show that his presidency is boosting the economy, there were already expectations of a massive buildout of data centers and electricity plants needed for the development of AI.
