Travel

RIYADH — King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh reopened Sunday after Houthi attacks forced it to close, but many foreign airlines have yet to restart service, according to The National. The State Department issued a Level 3 "Reconsider Travel" advisory for Saudi Arabia on Oct. 12, with areas near the Yemen border at Level 4, Do Not Travel. It cites missile and drone attacks, terrorism, exit bans and arrests over social media activity. Americans have been detained for photographing interceptions or impact sites. Fox News reported the attacks on Saudi airports killed at least 14 people, including an American. Cirium data cited by Gulf News showed 552 of 1,178 scheduled Saudi departures cancelled or grounded on Oct. 15, with Riyadh worst hit. Lufthansa has suspended Riyadh flights until Nov. 18, KLM until Oct. 31, and Air France and Air India until Oct. 24. Travelers should confirm status with their airline.

MEMPHIS — Southwest Airlines began nonstop service between Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM) and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Oct. 1, according to the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority. The flight runs Sunday through Friday. The airport's release lists a 11:50 a.m. Central departure from Memphis, arriving at 1:45 p.m. The return leaves Austin at 2:45 p.m. and lands at 4:35 p.m. Southwest now serves 11 destinations from Memphis. Authority chairman Michael Keeney said the route gives local passengers more options. The airport itself was renamed for the late FedEx founder on Aug. 11, though its MEM code is unchanged. Breeze Airways also began Memphis-San Antonio service on May 8, flying twice weekly. The airport said it served 4.8 million passengers in 2025.

CABO SAN LUCAS — The Revillagigedo Archipelago, known as Socorro, begins its liveaboard season in November. Operators run trips through May. The islands lie roughly 250 miles off Baja California and can be dived only from a boat. The crossing takes about 24 hours from the Los Cabos area, and trips usually last 8 to 10 days. Operators describe November and December as the warmest water, at about 24 to 27C, with good visibility and active giant oceanic mantas and hammerheads. They also describe it as peak whale shark time. Humpback whales are the draw from January to March. Visibility is typically 15 to 30 metres. Operators require Open Water certification and advise at least 50 logged dives because of currents and open-ocean conditions. One operator lists a Nov. 25 to Dec. 4 trip at $4,195, plus a park fee of about $1,084. Memphis divers should price connecting flights to Los Cabos (SJD). The most sought-after cabins are booked many months ahead.

COZUMEL, Mexico — Mexico's national protected-areas commission, CONANP, closed four sites in Cozumel's reef national park to divers and snorkelers from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30. The sites are San Francisco, San Francisco Bajo, Santa Rosa and the Santa Rosa Wall. They are four of the park's 34 reefs. The rotation began in 2019, after white syndrome coral disease was detected in 2018 and bleaching followed. The agency's Cozumel director says recovery cannot be measured precisely. She says reef health has improved where visits are suspended. Sites that rested in August and September have reopened, among them Palancar Caves, Palancar Bricks and the Colombia reefs. Cozumel remains a common choice for newer divers because it offers warm water and well-developed dive services. Memphis divers should plan on connecting flights. The airport's own nonstop Cancun service has been a summer-only charter. Local coverage also describes Quintana Roo's hurricane season as critical until November.

SOUTH CAICOS — BermudAir will start twice-weekly Newark to South Caicos service on December 20. Flights run Thursdays and Sundays through April 25, take about 3.5 hours, and use Embraer E190 jets. Introductory fares start at $347 one way and $773 round trip. The airline says the flights will double scheduled international frequency on the island from two a week to four. Caribbean Journal notes the service still needs government approval. Until now, American's Miami flight was the island's only nonstop link to the U.S. mainland. There is no Memphis service. Memphis travelers would connect through a hub such as Miami or Newark. The island is known for historic salt flats, fishing boats and bonefishing. Resorts include Salterra and Sailrock. The State Department rates Turks and Caicos Level 2, citing crime, which it says is concentrated on Providenciales. Visitors are warned that even stray ammunition in a bag can bring arrest.

MAHÉ, SEYCHELLES — Starting December 1, Ethiopian Airlines plans double-daily Addis Ababa to Seychelles flights. That adds more than 1,000 weekly seats and links the islands to Europe, Asia and the Americas. Emirates also serves the islands through Dubai. Memphis has no direct service, so the trip requires at least two connections, typically through Addis Ababa or Dubai. Once on Mahé, domestic flights and ferries reach Praslin and La Digue. The State Department rates Seychelles Level 1, 'generally safe', but Level 2 for Praslin, La Digue and the outer islands because medical care there is thin. Serious cases must go to Mahé by boat or plane, so evacuation insurance is advised. Entry is visa-free, but a paid online Travel Authorization is required within 30 days of travel. Applicants must show onward travel and confirmed lodging, which includes a boat charter name. Credit cards are not widely accepted outside resorts. Marine hazards include rip currents and venomous stonefish. The U.S. has no consular post there. The nearest is the embassy in Port Louis, Mauritius.