What travel ‘boom?’ Bay Area flights nowhere near pre-pandemic levels

Flights out of the Bay Area might seem pretty full, even approaching pre-pandemic levels.
Flights out of the Bay Area might seem pretty full, even approaching pre-pandemic levels. Photo credit Justin Sullivan/ Getty Images

Flights out of the Bay Area might seem pretty full, even approaching pre-pandemic levels.

But that is due, in part, to far fewer flights being scheduled than there used to be.

Oakland International, San Jose International and San Francisco International airports are all way below pre-pandemic flight schedules.

Oakland is still reporting 33% fewer flights than a year ago, with San Jose down 46% and 59% fewer flights at SFO. That has everything to do with international flights not coming back.

"You have to remember SFO has so many international passengers coming through in pre-pandemic times," Erin Francis-Cummings, President and CEO of Destination Analyst told KCBS Radio on Monday. "Those travelers are largely not allowed in the United Sates right now."

Which, in turn, is having an effect on who’s visiting San Francisco.

"(You) look at what their tourism looked like pre-pandemic, it was a big really, important percentage of them (who) were international," she explained.

The surge of COVID-19's delta variant has also had a big impact on people traveling to and from the Bay Area. That's especially true among the latter group, who are especially cautious toward COVID-19.

"We have already seen people say that the delta variant has caused them to postpone and even cancel trips that they were considering," she said.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Justin Sullivan/ Getty Images