11 ways 2020 changed flying for better and for worse

LaGuardia Airport.AP Photo/John Minchillo

• The coronavirus pandemic has changed life as we know it this year, though few things have been as affected as travel.
• While the number of air travelers has increased slightly since the start of the pandemic, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recorded some of the lowest passenger numbers of the past decade.
• Masks are now required on all flights.
• Buying plane tickets is more flexible than ever and might stay that way for the near future.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that "travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19."

The last nine months have been anything but ordinary, as the global coronavirus pandemic affected practically every aspect of our lives.

However, few things were as affected as the travel industry, which has been all but devastated.

Amid bankruptcies, layoffs, and furloughs, airlines are scrambling to get travelers flying again, and both airlines and airports have had to completely rethink their safety and health regulations to earn passengers' trust and avoid the virus' spread.

Much has changed when it comes to air travel in 2020: some good, some bad, some temporary, some possibly here to stay.

Keep scrolling to see the 11 ways in which flying has changed amid the pandemic.