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Domestic air travel is 55% below pre-pandemic levels

Data: TSA; Chart: Axios Visuals

Passenger traffic at U.S. airports remains far below normal, but growing vaccination rates and an improving economy are leading to pent-up demand for travel, experts say.

Where it stands: A year into the pandemic, domestic air travel is 55% below pre-pandemic levels, while international travel is down 71%.


  • Delta Air Lines is the only U.S. carrier still blocking middle seats as a way to limit capacity (through April).
  • Meanwhile, Emirates Air now lets Economy Class customers pay $55 per empty seat to avoid sitting next to a stranger.

What to watch: Surveys show there's a growing willingness to travel once the virus is contained, according to the International Air Transport Association.

  • But government quarantines are "a showstopper," says the group's CEO, Alexandre de Juniac.
  • Global airlines are pushing for countries to enact a standardized digital health pass that would allow travelers to present their vaccine or COVID-19 testing status before boarding.
  • Over 130 countries today require a negative COVID test to fly.

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School board recalls in 2021 skyrocket amid organized campaigns for critical race theory bans

Efforts to recall school board members are surging around the U.S. — and especially in California — amid Republican efforts to quash teaching about institutional racism.

Why it matters: Coordinated efforts by conservative groups are shaping public education, fueled by controversies over race as as well as backlash to COVID-19 closures.

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New York City E-Race Grand Prix shows potential of electric vehicles

BMW's Maximilian Günther and Jaguar's Sam Bird captured the checkered flags at the thrilling New York City E-Prix racing doubleheader in Brooklyn over the weekend. But the real winners, race organizers hope, are electric vehicles themselves.

Why it matters: ABB FIA Formula E's all-electric street racing series, held in some of the world's most iconic cities, is meant to showcase EV technology in the very places electric cars are likely to have the biggest impact.

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Israel becomes first country to offer COVID-19 vaccine booster shot

Israel on Monday will begin offering a third dose of Pfizer and BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine as a booster shot for people with weakened immune systems, according to the Times of Israel.

Why it matters: It's the first country to offer booster shots to bolster protection against the rapidly spreading Delta variant. The Israeli Health Ministry is still determining whether an extra shot should be offered to the general public.

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CIA director secretly met with Taliban leader

CIA Director William Burns secretly met with Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's de-facto leader, in Kabul on Monday, the Washington Post first reported.

Why it matters: Though the contents of the meeting are not known, Burns is the highest-ranking Biden administration official to meet with Taliban leadership as the U.S. races to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies from the country before the official withdrawal date of Aug. 31.

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