Airfare on the rise as international travel ban lifts, Thanksgiving on the horizon

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Earlier this month, the US lifted its international pandemic travel ban, another sign that COVID concerns are dying down.

“I’m really excited to be with my family and to be going,” Edna Perani told Action News Jax as she was on her way from Jacksonville to Dallas.

Travel agent Scott Lara says travelers can expect higher airfare because of the lifted ban coupled with Thanksgiving travel.

“If you’re going to Cancun, Jamaica, wherever – going to all-inclusive resorts – it is higher now than it was during COVID,” Lara said.

Jacksonville Aviation Authority’s Greg Willis says the airport is close to its 2019 average of around 10,000 travelers a day and expects to be back up to speed by 2022. He says business travel is still lagging, but leisure travel is on the rise.

“Revenge travel – people have been cooped up and they want to get out, and they want to visit family, and I think that’s reflected in a lot of the travel we’re seeing now,” Willis added.

Lar says if you don’t want to break the bank on airfare, you can always opt for a staycation, drive to nearby destinations like Orlando, or take a cruise as they’re now open again. He also suggests getting travel insurance and booking trips early. That’s exactly what Perani did.

“We got these really early so we got good deals,” Perani told Action News Jax.

Willis adds that lines will be longer now than they were during the height of COVID-19, so remember to get to the airport at least 90 minutes before your plane takes off.

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