You will find it a little easier to travel about the country as the effects of the pandemic begin to wane. Travel + Leisure Magazine found that over 670 million flew on U.S. carriers in 2021, which still trails pre-pandemic levels but was 83 percent more than 2020. While a large amount of that uptick is due to the return of more business travel, trips for leisure are also picking up steam as millions of people have stuck closer to home since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago. Austin Straubel Airport in Green Bay added direct flights to Las Vegas through Sun Country Airlines just in time for the start of the NCAA Tournament, which will have one of its regional sites in Milwaukee. That was on top of last fall’s announcement of Frontier Airlines adding direct flights to Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to their departures from Green Bay. Airport Director Marty Piette said last week that there is a lot of interest in traveling right now.

Fuel prices and the ongoing mask mandate are two items travelers might be wary of before booking their flights. Piette added that the increase in jet fuel prices likely would not be felt by travelers for a while. As for the mask mandate, it was extended last week to April 18th.