International travel reached a broad level of activity in the latest figures. The United States issued 27,348,416 passports in fiscal year (FY) 2025, while 107.7 million international outbound travelers departed the country during 2024. These figures describe different measures and periods: passport activity is recorded by fiscal year, while most visitor and departure statistics use calendar year or quarter data.
Contents
- U.S. passport activity
- Valid passports and applications
- International visitors to the United States
- Who visited and what they did
- Americans traveling abroad
- Quarterly travel patterns
U.S. passport activity
The U.S. Department of State Reports and Statistics recorded 27,348,416 passports issued in FY 2025. That total included 4,544,022 passport cards. Passport issuance was 24,515,786 in FY 2024, including 3,737,228 cards, and 24,021,257 in FY 2023, including 3,559,364 cards.
The recent annual series shows a clear difference between the pandemic-period low and later activity. Issuance totaled 21,995,760 in FY 2022 and 15,496,590 in FY 2021. FY 2020 recorded 11,711,945 passports, including 1,741,527 cards. For context, FY 2019 recorded 20,690,491 passports, including 2,895,514 cards.
Earlier figures from the U.S. Department of State Reports and Statistics include 21,103,475 passports in FY 2018, 21,378,994 in FY 2017, and 18,676,547 in FY 2016. Issuance was 15,556,216 in FY 2015, 14,087,341 in FY 2014, and 13,529,757 in FY 2013. These are reported historical figures; they are not presented here as independently verified legacy estimates.
| Fiscal year | Passports issued | Passport cards included |
|---|---|---|
| FY 2025 | 27,348,416 | 4,544,022 |
| FY 2024 | 24,515,786 | 3,737,228 |
| FY 2023 | 24,021,257 | 3,559,364 |
| FY 2022 | 21,995,760 | 3,361,037 |
| FY 2021 | 15,496,590 | 2,497,708 |
| FY 2020 | 11,711,945 | 1,741,527 |
| FY 2019 | 20,690,491 | 2,895,514 |
The longer historical record extends to FY 1996. The Department reported 12,613,153 passports in FY 2011, 14,794,604 in FY 2010, 14,170,171 in FY 2009, and 16,132,536 in FY 2008. Issuance was 18,382,798 in FY 2007, 12,133,537 in FY 2006, 10,123,424 in FY 2005, and 8,825,410 in FY 2004. The series reached 7,300,667 in FY 2003, 7,001,482 in FY 2002, and 7,119,506 in FY 2001. FY 2000 recorded 7,292,182, followed by 6,722,198 in FY 1999, 6,539,864 in FY 1998, 6,295,003 in FY 1997, and 5,547,693 in FY 1996.
Valid passports and applications
The number of valid U.S. passports in circulation reached 183,170,240 in FY 2025, according to the U.S. Department of State Reports and Statistics. The comparable totals were 169,915,821 in FY 2024, 160,668,889 in FY 2023, and 151,814,305 in FY 2022.
The reported total was 145,028,408 in FY 2021 and 143,116,633 in FY 2020. It was 146,775,089 in FY 2019, 137,588,631 in FY 2018, 136,114,038 in FY 2017, and 131,841,062 in FY 2016. Valid passports in circulation measure documents available for use, not the number of trips taken.
Passport applications received also varied by fiscal year. The Department recorded 23,308,976 applications in FY 2025 and 20,437,207 in FY 2024. Applications totaled 21,577,377 in FY 2023, 18,693,257 in FY 2022, and 14,263,338 in FY 2021. FY 2020 recorded 11,533,128 applications, while FY 2019 recorded 18,578,593 and FY 2018 recorded 19,108,577. The FY 2017 and FY 2016 totals were 19,603,630 and 16,838,457, respectively.
International visitors to the United States
The NTTO Survey of International Air Travelers Results 2024 counted 48.3 million international inbound air travelers from Canada, Mexico, and overseas markets visiting the United States in 2024. Of those, 35.2 million were overseas visitor arrivals. The 2024 overseas visitors had an average household income of $88,319, stayed an average of 17.5 nights, and spent $1,802 in the United States.
The United Kingdom was the leading overseas source market in 2024, with 4.037 million visitor arrivals. India followed with 2.190 million, Germany with 1.995 million, Brazil with 1.910 million, and Japan with 1.844 million.
New York was the most visited U.S. state among overseas visitors, with 9.832 million arrivals. Florida received 8.916 million, California 6.730 million, Nevada 2.525 million, and Texas 2.144 million.
Travel planning was measured in days as well as arrivals. Overseas visitors made the decision to visit the United States an average of 103.6 days before the trip and booked airline travel 77.7 days before departure. In the same 2024 survey, 71.2 percent rated the U.S. entry experience as good or excellent. Trip expectations were met or exceeded for 96.9 percent, and 96.6 percent said they expected to visit the United States again.
Who visited and what they did
The NTTO Survey of International Air Travelers Results 2024 found that 59.9 percent of overseas visitors traveled alone. Another 20.8 percent traveled with a spouse or partner, while 17.7 percent traveled with family or relatives. The figures describe reported travel-party composition, so the categories should not be treated as a count of individual trips without additional methodology.
Vacation or holiday was the leading trip purpose at 56.5 percent. Visiting friends or relatives accounted for 22.9 percent, and business accounted for 16 percent. Leisure activities were led by shopping, reported by 83.1 percent of overseas visitors, followed by sightseeing at 77.4 percent.
Other reported activities included national parks or monuments at 35.6 percent, art galleries or museums at 29.8 percent, and small towns or countryside at 29.1 percent. Hotels or motels were used by 71.6 percent of overseas visitors. Auto travel was the leading U.S. transportation mode, reported by 36.9 percent.
These measures offer a profile of the 2024 overseas visitor experience: a majority traveled independently, leisure was the main purpose, and shopping and sightseeing were the most frequently reported activities. They do not measure every international traveler entering the United States or every activity performed during a trip.
Americans traveling abroad
The NTTO U.S. Outbound Travelers Characteristics 2024 report recorded 107.7 million total international U.S. outbound travelers in 2024. That was 9.2 percent above 2023 and 8.0 percent above the 2019 pre-pandemic high of 99.7 million.
U.S. visitation to Mexico reached 39.9 million in 2024, up 8.1 percent from 2023. Visitation to Canada reached 14.1 million, up 10.2 percent from 2023 and equal to 94 percent of the 2019 level. U.S. visitation to overseas countries reached 53.8 million, up 9.8 percent from 2023 and 20 percent above the 2019 level. Americans visited 138 countries in 2024.
| 2024 U.S. outbound measure | Travelers or destinations |
|---|---|
| Total international outbound travelers | 107.7 million |
| Visitation to Mexico | 39.9 million |
| Visitation to Canada | 14.1 million |
| Visitation to overseas countries | 53.8 million |
| Countries visited | 138 |
The leading overseas destinations visited by Americans in 2024 were the United Kingdom at 6.0 million, Italy at 4.2 million, France at 4.1 million, the Dominican Republic at 3.7 million, and Spain at 3.1 million. These destination totals describe U.S. visitation, not necessarily unique travelers, because one traveler can make more than one international trip.
Quarterly travel patterns
The NTTO SIAT Results 2024 Q3 counted 13.0 million international visitor arrivals to the United States in the third quarter of 2024, up 5.5 percent from Q3 2023. The total included 2.0 million arrivals from Canada, 950,000 from Mexico, and 10.1 million from overseas markets.
The United Kingdom led overseas source markets in Q3 2024 with 1,163,000 arrivals. India recorded 620,000, Germany 607,000, Japan 559,000, and China 550,000. The five leading overseas source markets accounted for 35 percent of total overseas visitation in that quarter.
New York led the states visited in Q3 2024 with 3.2 million international air arrivals, followed by Florida with 3.1 million, California with 2.7 million, Nevada with 1.2 million, and Texas with 894,000.
Outbound travel was also substantial during the quarter. U.S. resident international air departures reached 19.3 million in Q3 2024, up 6.7 percent from Q3 2023. Departures included 1.9 million to Canada, 2.9 million to Mexico, and 14.6 million to overseas destinations.
California residents recorded 1.9 million outbound travelers in Q3 2024, followed by New York at 1.8 million, Florida at 1.5 million, New Jersey at 963,000, and Texas at 948,000. The top overseas destinations were the United Kingdom at 1.9 million, Italy at 1.5 million, France at 1.4 million, the Dominican Republic at 978,000, and Spain at 905,000. Together, those five destinations accounted for 46 percent of U.S. departures to overseas destinations in Q3 2024.
The Q3 2024 inbound and outbound purpose figures were similar in broad ordering. Vacation or holiday was the top purpose for international visitors at 60 percent, followed by visiting friends and relatives at 23 percent and business at 13 percent. Shopping led leisure activities at 83 percent, followed by sightseeing at 77 percent, national parks or monuments at 36 percent, small towns or countryside at 32 percent, and amusement or theme parks at 31 percent.