I'm ecstatic that we're starting to fly again. The travel industry has taken a beating, and it's nice to hear optimism in conversations once more. As travel returns, so too have delays, cancellations, missed connections, and more, so I thought I'd give you a sense for what the recovery looks like, and remind you of why you still need Lumo when you fly. If you are a data nerd like me, read on. For the rest of you, here's the highlight: travel is growing but is still down 40%, even in the US where the vaccine rollout has been robust, but delays are back to 2018 levels.

We're excited to announce we've added three new data feeds to the Lumo API, just in time for the recovery. Lumo's API now includes TSA security wait times, CBP immigration wait times, and CO2 emissions estimates along with flight delay predictions, travel advisories, COVID stats, real-time flight data (from OAG), and more to create the most comprehensive flights API in the business. One step closer to our vision of being the only flights API you'll ever need.

Deciding whether to travel these days is hard enough without having to read through complicated travel rules. Whether you're a traveler, a travel agent, or a travel manager, keeping up with the latest quarantine rules and travel restrictions can be daunting. That's where we come in – Lumo's algorithms automatically keep track of regulations, using AI to summarize rules so you have a sense for restrictions before you book a flight or travel. 

At the core of what we do is synthesizing complex data sets, which means we rely on high-quality data to drive our business. OAG is an industry leader in all things airline-data related and their historical, real-time, schedule, and connection time data are key inputs to our algorithms.

We released the Lumo map last year, but it's worth re-upping given all the delays we've been having globally. From winter delays in Chicago to  disruptions caused by volcano Taal in the Phillippines to delays caused by the fires in Australia, it's hard to keep up with all global events that could delay your flight. Luckily, you've got Lumo – a quick look at the Lumo map tells you the state of delays right now, as well as delays expected over the next 48 hours. Just click on the map icon on the top right of the page and view the Lumo Index by airport to help you plan your trip better. We keep track of everything from weather disruptions to airline waivers to Air Traffic Control restrictions to keep you updated on what to expect.

The negative impacts of flight delays and disruptions are well documented. Globally, flight delays are estimated to cost over 60 billion USD, and in the U.S. two out of every three flight delays are caused by somewhat predictable events, such as weather, air traffic control restrictions, or another forecastable cause. Most critical for travel agencies and travel management companies (TMCs) is the personal impact on the traveler: over half of all business travelers list delays and cancellations as the most frustrating part of travel.

While we can't give away all the details of our secret sauce, here's an outline of the basic ingredients. Our predictions are based on a combination of machine learning models that analyze vast amounts of historical and forecast data, and a super-fast simulation that is able to simulate the impact of projected constraints on all flights in the world rapidly (in a few minutes).