CHICAGO—United Airlines said on Monday searches for international travel have increased after the United States ended a 17-month-old requirement that air travelers arriving in the country test negative for COVID-19.
Airlines had been lobbying the White House to end the measure, arguing the requirement was holding back a full-scale industry recovery after the pandemic-induced slump.
The United States on Friday rescinded the rule imposed in January 2021.
Analysts expect the change to be a “catalyst” for international travel.
United Airlines, which has the biggest exposure to the international traffic among major U.S. carriers, said it has seen more than 2.4 million searches for international travel in the past 72 hours, a 7 percent increase from the week prior….