Travel

WASHINGTON — A CDC order takes effect at 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, November 3. From then, everyone boarding a flight to the United States must sign a statement that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the previous 21 days. The rule covers U.S. citizens, green card holders and passengers connecting through U.S. airports. The CDC says it applies to all flights from abroad, including cargo and private aircraft. Airlines must refuse boarding to anyone without a signed form and keep each copy for 42 days. The order was issued October 22 and amended October 28. Coverage of the order says it is set to run through December 18. Airline trade groups say the two weeks' notice is too short. IATA called the measure inconsistent with a risk-based approach and Airlines for America asked for a delay.

LONDON — European carriers are returning to Dubai one airline at a time. They are doing so while the EU aviation safety agency's Gulf conflict-zone bulletin remains in force. A monthly digest from The Aviation Hub says EASA extended the bulletin unchanged on September 30, with its next review due November 16. Lufthansa resumed Munich-Dubai flights and Wizz Air returned to Dubai and Abu Dhabi on October 25. Swiss restarted daily Zurich-Dubai service on October 27. British Airways is due to restart Dubai on November 3, and the digest treats that restart as a test of confidence. Qatar Airways has run a near-normal schedule since mid-September. The digest notes a Houthi strike on Riyadh's main airport on October 10 that killed 12 and injured 309. IATA data cited there show Middle East passenger traffic fell 14.6% in August from a year earlier.

HURGHADA, Egypt — Autumn is a favored window for Egypt's northern wreck itineraries out of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. These routes take in the SS Thistlegorm, Abu Nuhas and Ras Mohammed. Trade guides put November water near 26 to 28 C, with visibility often 20 to 30 meters. Egyptian dive-chamber rules bar divers with fewer than 20 logged dives from the Thistlegorm, and the offshore marine parks require 50. Recreational depth is capped at 40 meters, and night dives are banned in the offshore parks. Safety is the caveat. Britain's Marine Accident Investigation Branch has cited poorly built boats, defective lifesaving gear and weak fire protection. It counted 16 liveaboard incidents in five years, and rescue at sea is billed at about $4,000 an hour. Undercurrent reported another Hurghada liveaboard fire in January. From Memphis, expect a connection through a U.S. hub and Cairo or a European gateway, roughly a day of travel.

ROATÁN, Honduras — Roatán sits on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, with walls a short boat ride or swim from shore. Divers' Alert Network's Alert Diver magazine describes Mary's Place, inside the Roatán Marine Park, with visibility around 18 meters. It also cites the small Mr. Buds wreck at about 18 meters and the 230-foot El Aguila freighter. Open Water divers can work reefs at about 12 to 18 meters. The deeper wrecks and wall edges suit Advanced divers. One dive guide says October to January brings more rain and northers, which push operators to south-side sites. Scuba Diving magazine notes that enforcement of the national park's fishing limits is difficult. The nonprofit Roatán Marine Park maintains moorings and patrols. Undercurrent's newest reader report on Anthony's Key Resort, filed October 27, rates it three stars. The reviewer flew Delta direct in about three hours. Memphis travelers typically connect through Atlanta or another hub.

NEWARK — United Airlines will start seasonal Newark–Olbia service to Sardinia on May 27, 2027, three times a week. Newark–Catania, on Sicily's east coast, follows on May 28, four times a week. Both use Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. The Local Italy reported that tickets are on sale and the airline has not said whether the routes are year-round. Delta already flies New York JFK–Olbia, and one specialist guide notes that Olbia is the only Sardinian airport with U.S. nonstops. Olbia is the gateway to the Costa Smeralda and the Gallura coast, a long-established yachting area. Late spring and September are the quieter shoulder months. Memphis has no known nonstop to either island. Travelers would connect to Newark, or to JFK for Delta, then fly overnight. Italy carries a Level 2 State Department advisory, citing terrorism and petty crime. Check travel.state.gov for the current text.

HONG KONG — Cathay Pacific will begin Hong Kong–Almaty service on Jan. 9, 2027, its first destination in Central Asia. Cathay describes it as the only direct passenger link between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan. The South China Morning Post reported three flights a week on an Airbus A330-300. Kazakh outlets list flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and note the schedule is still subject to regulatory approval. Almaty is Kazakhstan's commercial and cultural capital. It sits at the foot of the Tian Shan range, which makes it a base for winter skiing and summer hiking. Nothing in the announcement connects Almaty to the United States. From Memphis, a trip would need at least one connection, whether through Europe, the Gulf or Asia. Travelers should check the State Department's Kazakhstan advisory and current entry rules before booking. The SCMP noted that Hong Kong passport holders currently get 14 days visa-free in Kazakhstan, but that rule does not apply to U.S. citizens.