United Airlines will halt flights to 11 small cities across the U.S. in response to the demands of the coronavirus pandemic, according to reports.
The 11 regional routes around hubs like Chicago, Houston and Denver have shown to be "unsustainable" as COVID-19 heavily impacted travel plans over the past year, Business Insider reported.
Here are the locations where United will cut flight indefinitely:
- Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Lansing, Michigan
- Evansville, Indiana
- Mosinee, Wisconsin
- Columbia, Missouri
- College Station, Texas
- Killeen-Fort Hood, Texas
- Monroe, Louisiana
- Pierre, South Dakota
- Watertown, South Dakota
- Twin Falls, Idaho
After the U.S. lifted travel restrictions earlier this week from a long list of countries, Chicago airports are expected to see the return of international tourists for the first time since the pandemic began.
The lifting of the travel ban includes certain tourists from place like Mexico, Canada and most of Europe, allowing tourists to make long-delayed trips and family members to reconnect with loved ones after more than a year and a half apart because of the pandemic.
The rules that went into effect Monday allow air travel from a series of countries from which it has been restricted since the early days of the pandemic — as long as the traveler has proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test. Those crossing a land border from Mexico or Canada will require proof of vaccination but no test.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.