PARIS/LONDON – Travellers around the world are ready to see their families in the United States Monday. There were restrictions lifted that allowed non-American citizens to fly to the United States, but they must be vaccinated.

Travel restrictions by the United States were first implemented in 2020 in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. They had banned access for non-U.S. citizens, who had been within 14 days in Britain and the 26 Schengen European countries without border control, Ireland, China India, South Africa, Iran, South Africa, Brazil, or any other country.

U.S. Travel, a trade group, stated that 53% of overseas Americans visited the United States from these countries in 2019.

It had a devastating effect on tourism and also stopped friends from going to weddings, funerals, and meeting new families.

Travellers who have been certified vaccinated and have had a negative virus test in the last 12 months can travel to the United States starting Monday. Many are also flying to London and Paris airports.

Jerome Thomann of Paris’ Jetset Voyages, a travel agency that specializes in North American trips, said, “We went to zero activity to one similar to October 2019 levels so before COVID.”

Many international flights will have few empty seats, if any, on Monday. The passenger traffic is likely to continue to rise in the coming weeks.

The reopening of the United States to British travellers will help all airlines operating between the two countries, but for UK-based trans-Atlantic-focused Virgin Atlantic, it means “the world”, its chief executive said.

Shai Weiss, CEO of Xiagen said that this market is central to everything he does.

Delta stated that in six weeks after the U.S. reopening announcement, it had seen an increase of 450% in international point-of sale bookings in comparison to six weeks before.

According to airlines, there may be long lines at the airports, so they will verify international travel documents, just like they do with COVID-19 results.

On Monday, Mexico’s border with the United States of America will be reopened. It spans nearly 2,000 miles (3,200 km). Many migrants arrived in Tijuana and other border towns to seek asylum.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection asks for proof of vaccination at land crossings.

The new vaccination requirements do not apply to children under 18. Exemption is also available for non-tourist travelers from almost 50 countries that have a nationwide vaccination rate of less than 10%.