by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 2:20 PM ET, Mon May 11, 2026
There are more troubling signs of a travel and tourism downturn in the United States, with over 14% decrease in overseas visitor arrivals in April, 2026, according to new data from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO).
The total number of overseas visitor arrivals represented 73.5% of pre-pandemic April, 2019 volume, showing how the nation has not yet recovered its international travel segment from seven years ago—and how the U.S.-Israel war on Iran and other global issues might be further exacerbating the issue, and ahead of major global travel events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
U.S.-international air traffic passenger enplanements, which is the total number of air passengers flying between the U.S. and the rest of the world, also declined 3.5% in April, totaling 21.3 million. This is, however, above pre-pandemic totals, at 101.3%.
Non-U.S. citizen air passenger arrivals to the U.S. from other countries totaled 4.5 million in April, down 9.8% compared to April, 2025.
For the full-year of 2025, international arrivals to the United States dropped 5.5% from 2024, so the new data in April demonstrates a continuing, yet sharpening, trend.
Year-to-date through April, 2026, total overseas visitation decreased 4.3% this year.
Current geopolitical issues and economic pressures also impacted travelers heading abroad from the United States. While the total still exceeds pre-pandemic totals by over 20%, the rate has decreased 2% from April of last year.
Total air travel to and from the U.S. and Mexico decreased 9.2% year-over-year. Travel between the U.S. and Canada was down 3.6%. Travel between the U.S. and the United Kingdom also decreased 3.4% year-over-year. Travel between the U.S. and Europe decreased 1.5 percent. Travel between the U.S. and the Middle East decreased 44.5%.
Travel between the U.S. and the Caribbean, Japan, the Dominican Republic and Asia were all up in April.
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