The US State Department has announced that it will continue to allow American citizens with expired passports to return from abroad through March 31, 2022, reports Travel Weekly. The temporary measure had been set to expire on December 31. As part of the announcement, the State Department cautioned that the measure does not apply to travel from the US to another country. In addition, American citizens who are abroad are not permitted to use an expired passport to travel to another country for any length of stay longer than an airport connection en route to the US or a US territory. Travelers should confirm their eligibility for traveling on an expired passport prior to finalizing travel arrangements, the State Department added.

The Biden administration has announced that the US will lift its temporary travel restrictions on eight southern African countries on December 31, reports USA Today. Restrictions were put in place last month in an attempt to slow the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. "Having learned more about the omicron variant in the past several weeks, the CDC now recommends lifting the travel restrictions," President Joe Biden said in a proclamation, adding that the restrictions "are no longer necessary to protect the public health." The CDC's travel ban affects Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Most noncitizens who have been in those countries within the past 14 days are not allowed to enter the US. While the travel ban will be lifted, the CDC advises against travel to the eight countries since they are considered to have "very high" COVID-19 risk.

American Airlines and JetBlue have announced that they will add new destinations and increase frequencies on existing routes in New York and Boston in 2022. Nine new routes are schedule to go on sale this week across both airlines in New York and Boston. At New York's John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), the carriers will offer up to 300 daily departures, including JetBlue's new JFK-Vancouver service, and added frequencies to destinations including Atlanta, GA; Detroit, MI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN; and Raleigh-Durham, NC. At New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA), the carriers will offer nearly 200 daily departures, including JetBlue's new Portland, ME, service. The airline is also adding frequencies on destinations including Boston, MA; Charleston, SC; Jacksonville, FL; Nashville, TN; New Orleans, LA; Orlando, FL; Tampa, FL; and Savannah, GA. American has added new routes to Houston, TX; Kansas City, MO; Oklahoma City, OK; and Omaha, NE. The carriers also announced six new US domestic routes from Boston and two new options to Canada, enabling them to serve 46 of the top 50 US domestic mainland markets from the city, according to the airlines.

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is set to break ground on its new $9.5 billion international terminal project next year after facing a delay due to COVID-19, reports Airport Technology. This new infrastructure will be established in place of the existing outdated Terminal 1, the ageing 59-year-old Terminal 2, and the former Terminal 3, which was knocked down in 2013. The new terminal will be built in phases, with construction slated to start mid-2022. Under the first stage, the terminal will feature the new arrivals and departures hall and the first set of new gates, which is projected to open in 2026. The project is expected to be completed by 2030. After completion, the new terminal will comprise 23 gates, check-in halls and arrival spaces, dining and retail amenities, and more. Additionally, it will integrate modern capabilities in both sustainability and security.