The White House has released details of its new international air travel system for foreign nationals traveling to the United States, which is scheduled to take effect on November 8. The upcoming policy change was first announced back on September 20, though no specific details were given at that time. Starting on November 8, non-citizen, non-immigrant air travelers to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to fly to the US, with only limited exceptions. These include children under the age of 18, those arriving from countries with less than a 10 percent vaccination rate due to lack of availability, and those with medical conditions that prevent them from receiving vaccines.

To prove vaccination status, travelers must provide evidence from an official source (e.g., public health agency, government agency) in the country where the vaccine was given, with receipt of the last dose at least two weeks prior to departure; this includes any vaccines approved by US health regulators. Vaccinated travelers will also be required to have a negative COVID-19 test result within three days of departure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said the test must be a "viral test that could be either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test," such as a PCR or LAMP test.

Additionally, returning US residents who are unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated will be subject to stricter requirements recommended by the CDC, and will need to produce a negative test taken no more than 24 hours before boarding their flight. The CDC also announced that it’s introducing new contact-tracing practices and will rely on airlines to collect inbound international travelers’ basic contact information before they board their US-bound flights. Click "Read More" for additional details from the White House's press release.

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian has said that he believes the travel industry will emerge with a greater sense of purpose because of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports Travel Pulse. “It’s been rough, and it doesn’t matter what industry. Our collective industry (travel) was probably one of the hardest hit of any industry. And I think we’re going to come out of it better for having gone through it,” Bastian said, speaking at the US Travel Association's "The Future of Travel Mobility" conference in Washington, DC. “It’s gotten us focused on the future and the changes we have implemented. People have found a much greater sense of purpose as to why they travel.” Bastian’s optimism for the future of the industry was supported by the return of business travel. “Business travel is coming back a lot faster. You can almost mark it to when the White House announced the lifting of international restrictions,” he said. “That really was what jumpstarted a lot of business travel, not just for international but for domestic. At Delta we have 50 percent of our domestic business volume back, and that number was in the 30s in August. So we’ve seen a big pick-up. Every large company we know is telling us we’re coming back.”

American Airlines has announced that it is redesigning its AAdvantage loyalty program by simplifying the requirements for reaching elite tiers. Beginning in 2022, AAdvantage members can earn 'Loyalty Points' where one qualifying AAdvantage mile earned equals one Loyalty Point. AAdvantage members can earn status by flying, using an AAdvantage credit card for purchases, or spending with an AAdvantage partner. “Loyalty should be simple, and we have reimagined our AAdvantage program to a single point system that provides a clear path to earning status for our members,” said Chief Customer Officer Alison Taylor. “For our loyal members, the message is simple: Earn AAdvantage miles, earn status — whether that’s by flying on American or by spending on everyday activities. We thank our members for their continued loyalty and look forward to this renewed relationship as we enter 2022.”

United Airlines has announced that it will launch new, nearly hourly shuttle service between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) on October 31, with 18 daily flights between the two airports between 6am and 10pm, seven days per week. Additionally, the carrier is adding five new flights between LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). In total, United will operate about 32 flights each day between the NYC and DC areas, a 78% increase compared with its previous capacity. United is using its new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, which includes 16 First and 54 Economy Plus seats, on 22 daily flights out of the New York area. It also is using its new Bombardier CRJ-550 design, with 50 seats designed to offer more legroom, including 10 First, 20 Economy Plus, and 20 standard Economy seats.

Ovation travel consultants have compiled a list of the 22 best places to travel in 2022. CEO Paul Metselaar says the list reflects a historic desire to cross borders and have a new experience. "We're seeing high levels of pent-up demand for international travel," he says. "Certainly the most since 2019." Each destination includes whom the location would most appeal to as well as highlights that travelers “can’t miss.” Click "Read More" to view the entire list of the top leisure destinations compiled exclusively for Forbes.