NTTO: May 2026 International Air Passenger Travel to/from the U.S.

International Air Passenger Enplanements To/From the U.S. Down 1.2 percent Year Over Year in May 2026

Overseas Visitation to the U.S. Down 6.5 percent Year Over Year in May 2026

Data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in May 2026:

U.S.-international air traffic passenger enplanements¹ totaled:

• 22.7 million in May 2026, down 1.2 percent compared to May 2025, with enplanements reaching 103.3 percent of pre-pandemic May 2019 volume. 

Originating Non-Stop Air Travel in May 2026

• Non-U.S. citizen air passenger arrivals  to the United States from foreign countries totaled:
  
  • 4.5 million in May 2026, down 4.5 percent compared to May 2025.
  • This represents 82.4 percent of pre-pandemic May 2019 volume.

On a related note, overseas visitor arrivals² totaled 2.8 million in May 2026, down 6.5 percent from May 2025 and reached 78.6 percent of pre-pandemic May 2019 volume, up from 73.5 percent in April 2026.  Year-to-date through May, total overseas visitation was down 4.8 percent compared to the same period last year. (See May I-94 Advance Release https://www.trade.gov/i-94-arrivals-program)

• U.S. citizen air passenger departures from the United States to foreign countries totaled:
  • 6.8 million in May 2026, down 0.5 percent from May 2025.
  • This exceeded May 2019 volume by 22.7 percent.

World Region Highlights in May 2026 (APIS/I-92 arrivals + departures)

• Total air passenger travel (arrivals and departures) between the United States and other countries were led by Mexico (3 million, -6.7 percent Year- Over- Year (YOY)), Canada (2.5 million, -0.7 percent YOY), the United Kingdom (1.9 million, -2.3 percent YOY), Germany (966,000, -7.4 percent YOY), and Japan (930,000, +2.7 percent YOY).
  
  
• International regional air travel to/from the United States:  
  • Europe totaled 7.5 million passengers, up 0.2 percent from May 2025, and up 5.4 percent compared to May 2019.
  • South/Central America/Caribbean totaled 5.4 million, up 2.2 percent from May 2025, and up 12.8 percent compared to May 2019.
  • Asia totaled 2.8 million passengers, up 3.9 percent over May 2025, but down 15.9 percent compared to May 2019.  
  • Middle East totaled 937,000 passengers, down 23.1 percent from May 2025, and up 2.6 percent compared to May 2019. 
    
    
• Top U.S. ports serving international locations were New York (JFK) 2.9 million, Miami (MIA) 2.1 million, Los Angeles (LAX) 2 million, Chicago (ORD) 1.4 million, and San Francisco (SFO) 1.4 million.
  
  
• Top foreign ports serving U.S. locations were London Heathrow (LHR) 1.7 million, Toronto (YYZ) 1 million, Cancun (CUN) 818,000, Paris (CDG) 790,000, and Mexico City (MEX) 733,000. 

¹ APIS/ “I-92” (arrivals + departures)

² ADIS/I-94 (with stays of 1-night or more in the United States and visiting under certain visa types)

Interested in an interactive data visualization of these statistics? Please visit our APIS/I-92 International Air Passenger Monitor for a more comprehensive and customizable experience.

APIS/I-92 International Air Passenger Monitor