The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened over 9,229,145 travelers from September 2 through September 6, slightly less than a million people off from the 10,202,656 travelers who flew during Labor Day weekend of 2019, reports Travel Pulse. Labor Day travel figures showed that airlines drew 90 percent of the capacity they had two years ago for the same holiday. Labor Day weekend air travel volume mirrored the Fourth of July holiday earlier this year which also drew 90 percent capacity as compared to 2019, and was much higher than Memorial Day weekend, which had 7.1 million people screened.

A week after the European Union (EU) council recommended that its 27 nations reintroduce restrictions on travelers from the US, several EU members have already implemented new rules and restrictions, reports USA Today. The EU recommendation is non-binding, so it’s up to each individual country to decide their additional restrictions, which has led to a variety of different rules and restrictions among the nations in the bloc. Countries such as Belgium and Spain are now requiring proof of vaccination, while Italy and the Netherlands are adding testing and self-isolation requirements. Several other EU nations have taken restrictions even further. Denmark is banning unvaccinated US travelers, while Bulgaria, Norway, and Sweden have all decided to ban most US travelers, regardless of vaccination status.

Delta Air Lines has announced its findings from a peer-reviewed study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, showing that the risk of exposure to COVID-19 while traveling after all travelers test negative 72 hours in advance of a flight is less than 0.1 percent. The data was taken from a unique study of nearly 10,000 air travelers examined on Delta’s COVID-tested flight corridors between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Italy’s Fiumicino International Airport. “Air travel risk varies depending on case rates and vaccination rates at the origin and destination, masking, and other factors. But the data collected from this study show that the routine use of a single molecular test within 72 hours before international travel for unvaccinated individuals significantly mitigates the risk of COVID-19 exposure and transmission during airline travel,” said Delta's Chief Health Officer Dr. Henry Ting. Dr. Ting also stated that real-world experience and testing protocol demonstrate that a very low risk of infection transmission is possible, confirming previous simulation models of viral transmission on planes.

Amtrak has announced its latest updates, enhancements, and safety measures in order to make travel as seamless and safe as possible. Amtrak will continue to waive change fees for reservations made through January 4, 2022, as well as removing some restrictions on Multi-Ride tickets on the Northeast Corridor. Travelers also have more time to use Amtrak Guest Reward points and to keep their account active, as Amtrak is continuing to pause the expiration of points through September 15, 2021. Additionally, Amtrak is taking further steps to improve its safety efforts by requiring all employees to be vaccinated beginning November 1.

The Parking Spot, the leading near-airport parking company in the US, is offering Ovation clients double points on travel from September 7 through October 31. To receive this discount, travelers must be a Spot Club Member, register, and make a reservation with a check-in date between 9/7/21 and 10/31/21. Existing Ovation Spot Club Members can enter their email address at https://cloud.email.theparkingspot.com/Fall-2021-2x-points to register for the discount. Those who are not members, can click "Read More" to sign up and create an account. Additionally, travelers can also sign up through the Parking Spot mobile app, available for download on iPhone and Android, using the corporate account code: OVA1760. All new users will automatically be enrolled to earn double points.