The United States recorded a decline in international air arrivals during the first quarter of 2025, according to newly released data from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO).
The Survey of International Air Travelers (SIAT) reported 10.4 million inbound visitors by air, a decrease of 4.8 percent compared with the same period in 2024.
The drop was attributed in part to calendar effects, as Easter occurred in March in 2024 and in April in 2025, impacting travel demand during the comparable quarters. Despite the decline in inbound travel, outbound air departures by U.S. residents rose 2.5 percent year-over-year, totaling 16.3 million trips abroad in Q1 2025.
Inbound Travel Trends
Among the 10.4 million inbound travelers, 652,000 arrived from Mexico, 2.6 million from Canada, and 7.1 million from overseas markets. The top overseas source countries were the United Kingdom with 799,000 visitors, Brazil with 479,000, Japan with 451,000, India with 441,000, and China with 406,000. Combined, these five markets accounted for 36 percent of all overseas arrivals.
Florida, New York, California, Nevada, and Texas were the top destinations, representing 85 percent of inbound visits. Cities most frequently visited included New York City (2.0 million), Miami (1.6 million), Orlando (1.5 million), Los Angeles (1.0 million), and Las Vegas (865,000), which together captured 67 percent of inbound air visitation. Average trip lengths varied by market, with overseas visitors staying an average of 15.25 days, Mexican visitors 9.2 days, and Canadian visitors 7.56 days.
Spending by inbound visitors also differed significantly across source regions. Overseas travelers spent an average of $1,656 per trip, Mexican visitors averaged $1,276, and Canadian visitors $929. These figures highlight the continued economic significance of long-haul overseas markets despite lower visitor numbers.
Outbound Travel Growth
Outbound travel by U.S. residents grew to 16.3 million in Q1 2025, including 803,000 trips to Canada, 3.8 million to Mexico, and 11.7 million to overseas destinations. California, Florida, New York, Texas, and New Jersey were the top states of residence for U.S. residents traveling overseas.
The United Kingdom led overseas destinations with 949,000 U.S. visitors, followed by the Dominican Republic (750,000), Japan (726,000), France (679,000), and Italy (562,000). Together, these markets accounted for 31 percent of all U.S. outbound trips to overseas destinations in the first quarter.
Average trip lengths for U.S. residents were 16.1 days overseas, 7.9 days to Mexico, and 7.7 days to Canada. Spending was highest among overseas travelers at $1,858 per trip, compared with $1,071 for Canada and $1,032 for Mexico.
The SIAT, which has been conducted continuously since 1983, provides insights into passenger trip planning, travel behavior, demographics, and spending patterns. The Q1 2025 results reflect both seasonal calendar shifts and broader global travel dynamics affecting the U.S. travel market.
While inbound visitation slowed in early 2025, strong outbound demand suggests a robust U.S. consumer appetite for international travel. The data underscores the need for destination marketing organizations, airlines, and tourism businesses to closely monitor shifting travel flows and spending behavior as they plan for the remainder of the year.
Photo Credit: phoelixDE / Shutterstock.com
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