This summer was supposed to be a record-breaking period for international travel to the United States.
Events such as the FIFA World Cup, America’s 250th birthday, and the 100th anniversary of Route 66 were projected to bring tourists from around the globe to the U.S.
However, international tourist arrivals for one of the most popular summer travel months—July—actually show a decrease in foreign visitors to the U.S.
Foreign international air passenger arrivals to the U.S. decreased 3% in July 2026 to 5.1 million, according to the International Trade Administration.
International air passenger enplanements to and from the U.S. also dropped 2.4% year over year to 26.4 million, according to the data.
In July, the number of overseas arrivals to the U.S. totaled 3.1 million, a significant 7% drop from July 2025.
The number of U.S. travelers departing to international destinations also decreased in July 2026 to 7.9 million, down 2.2% from July 2025.
The decrease in visitors comes as several headwinds have buffeted the global travel industry in 2026, including an ongoing war with Iran, elevated oil prices, rising travel costs and U.S. immigration and other policies that have deterred some travelers.
The U.S. did see an increase in air passengers from Canada in July 2026. A total of 3.1 million Canadian air passengers came to the U.S. during the month, an increase of 1.5% year over year.
Otherwise, the number of air passengers from the top countries visiting the U.S. all decreased compared to July 2025. Air passenger arrivals were led by:
- Mexico (3.7 million passengers, -5.4% YOY)
- The United Kingdom (2 million passengers, -6.5% YOY)
- The Dominican Republic (1.2 million passengers, -1.9% YOY)
- Germany (1.1 million passengers, -3.5% YOY)
The top international ports serving the U.S. were:
- London Heathrow (LHR): 1.7 million
- Toronto (YYZ): 1.1 million
- Cancun (CUN): 1 million
- Paris (CDG): 920,000
- Mexico City (MEX): 880,000
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