The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened over 1 million travelers for four straight days from March 11-14, marking the highest levels of passenger traffic in nearly a year, reports USA Today. Starting Thursday, March 11, TSA screened 1.28 million travelers, followed by 1.35 million Friday, 1.22 million Saturday and 1.34 million on Sunday. With a little less than half the month to go, March is shaping up to be a strong one for airlines, with traveler counts topping 1 million on nine days so far. Friday's numbers are the highest of the year, surpassing the Sunday after New Year's when 1,327,289 travelers were screened.

The European Union's (EU) executive body has proposed issuing travel certificates that would allow EU residents to travel freely across the 27-nation bloc by the summer as long as they have been vaccinated, tested negative for COVID-19 or recovered from the disease, reports BBC. A digital certificate to kick-start foreign travel should be given to citizens across the EU "without discrimination," officials say. The 27 member states will decide how to use the new digital certificate. Ahead of the EU's announcement, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that it was working to "create an international trusted framework" for safe travel, but that vaccinations should not be a condition.

American Airlines has announced that it is adding service out of Austin, Texas, in anticipation of increased business travel this summer. The carrier is adding 10 new, returning and seasonal routes to Texas' capital city, while also introducing four new codeshare routes with West Coast International Alliance partner Alaska Airlines for flights beginning May 6. The new Austin service and new codeshare routes are currently available for purchase. With the anticipated increase in business travel this summer, American is adding twice-daily service from Austin to Las Vegas (LAS); Nashville, Tennessee (BNA); Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (RDU) and Washington Dulles (IAD). The airline is also adding daily service from Austin to popular destinations including New Orleans (MSY); Orlando, Florida (MCO) and Tampa, Florida (TPA). Additionally, new seasonal routes will connect Austin with Aspen, Colorado (ASE); Los Cabos, Mexico (SJD) and Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida (VPS) this summer.

Delta SkyMiles loyalty program members could soon be able to redeem points for private flights on Wheels Up, reports Travel Weekly. The integration would be the latest between Delta and the private airline, of which Delta has been a minority owner since early last year. Wheels Up members already accrue SkyMiles status and mileage points to spend on the private carrier. Wheels Up acquired Delta Private Jets in January 2020 in the same deal that made Delta a shareholder of the charter carrier.

Amtrak has announced full restoration of daily service for 12 long distance routes as part of its COVID-19 recovery efforts following pandemic-related schedule reductions in 2020. The returning routes include the California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco, the Capitol Limited from Washington, DC to Chicago, the Coast Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles, and the City of New Orleans from Chicago to New Orleans. Due to COVID-19 relief funding, Amtrak will sustain and restore operations and recall more than 1,200 furloughed employees through the remainder of the 2021 and 2022 fiscal years. “Offering daily long distance service represents a vital step in our road to recovery,” said Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn. “Recognizing the immense value of our employees, we’d like to thank Congress for enabling service restoration and helping us recall furloughed employees.”