NTTO Reports: International Visitor Spending and International Air Travel To and From the U.S.

The National Travel and Tourism Office released two data reports this week: International Visitor Spending for May and Air Travel To and From the U.S. in June. 

Record-setting International Visitor Spending in May:

• International visitors spent a record-setting $21.6 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of May, an increase of more than 16 percent compared to May 2023 and surpassing pre-COVID records set in March 2018; in fact, monthly U.S. travel and tourism exports have never been higher.
• Conversely, Americans spent nearly $20.5 billion traveling abroad during May, yielding a balance of trade surplus of more than $1.1 billion for travel and tourism-related goods and services.
• International visitors have spent nearly $104.9 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services year to date (January through May), an increase of more than 17 percent when compared 2023; international visitors have injected, on average, nearly $695 million a day into the U.S. economy year to date.
• U.S. travel and tourism exports accounted for 23.4 percent of U.S. services exports during May 2024 and 8.2 percent of all U.S. exports, goods and services alike.

U.S.-International Air Travel To and From the U.S. in June:

Non-U.S. citizen air arrivals from foreign countries totaled:

• • 4.682 million in June, up 10.5% compared to June 2023.
  • This represents 88.8% of pre-pandemic June 2019 volume.

On a related note, overseas visitor arrivals totaled 2.9 million in June.  June overseas visitor arrivals reached 83.3% of pre-pandemic June 2019 volume, down from 86.5% in May 2024. 

U.S. citizen air departures to foreign countries totaled:

• • 8.246 million in June, up 9.3% compared to June 2023.
  • This exceeded June 2019 volume by 19.7%.

World Region Highlights in June 2024 (APIS/I-92 arrivals + departures)

• Total air passenger travel (arrivals and departures) between the United States and other countries were led by Mexico 3.526 million, Canada 2.949 million, the United Kingdom 2.137 million, Germany 1.128 million, and the Dominican Republic 1.094 million.
• International regional air travel to/from the United States:
  • Europe totaled 8.093 million passengers, up 7.7% over June 2023, and up only (+1.4%) compared to June 2019.
    • (U.S citizen departures were up +15.4% compared to June 2019, while European citizen arrivals were down -22.1%).
  • South/Central America/Caribbean totaled 6.001 million, up 13.2% over June 2023, and 17.4% compared to June 2019.
  • Asia totaled 2.665 million passengers, up 23.1% over June 2023, but down (-20.3%) compared to June 2019.
    • (Asian citizen arrivals to the U.S. were down -36% compared to June 2019, and U.S. citizen departures were up +12.4%.)
• Top U.S. Ports serving international locations were New York (JFK) 3.375 million, Los Angeles (LAX) 2.245 million, Miami (MIA) 2.133 million, San Francisco (SFO) 1.555 million, Chicago (ORD) 1.513 million.
• Top Foreign Ports serving U.S. locations were London Heathrow (LHR) 1.763 million, Cancun (CUN) 1.159 million, Toronto (YYZ) 1.127 million, Paris (CDG) 911,000, and Frankfurt (FRA) 742,000.