In Brief: Data from March 2026 indicates a significant increase in international travel to and from the U.S., nearing the volume seen before the global health crisis.
-
International Travel to and from U.S. Grows in March 2026, Approaches Pre-Pandemic Levels – Image Credit Unsplash
Overview of International Arrivals
Data released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in March 2026, the United States recorded 5,537,310 international visitor arrivals. This figure represents a 2 percent increase compared to March 2025. The current arrival volume is 88.5 percent of the total seen in March 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global travel.
Among all arrivals, overseas visitors (excluding Canada and Mexico) numbered 2,476,428, up 3.6 percent from March 2025. The largest sources of international arrivals were Canada (1,533,003), Mexico (1,527,879), the United Kingdom (330,242), Japan (175,226), and Germany (148,281). Combined, these five countries accounted for 67.1 percent of all international arrivals to the U.S. in March 2026.
Breakdown by Visitor Purpose and Origin
For overseas tourism arrivals, the top five countries were the United Kingdom (270,435), Japan (143,153), Brazil (126,845), Germany (117,687), and Colombia (90,803). In the business travel segment, the leading countries were the United Kingdom (56,993), India (35,340), Japan (29,549), Germany (28,926), and China (25,133).
Student arrivals from overseas were led by China (23,978), followed by India (11,986), South Korea (4,672), Brazil (3,540), and Taiwan (2,984). These figures indicate continued interest in the United States as a destination for both tourism and education.
International Departures by U.S. Citizens
Outbound travel by U.S. citizens also increased in March 2026. A total of 9,308,594 U.S. citizens traveled internationally, a 5.2 percent rise compared to March 2025. This number is 111.2 percent of the departures recorded in March 2019, showing that outbound travel has not only recovered but surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
Of these departures, 51 percent were to North America (Mexico and Canada), while 49 percent were to overseas destinations. Mexico remained the most popular destination, with 3,731,180 U.S. travelers, accounting for 40.1 percent of all departures in March. Canada also saw a 4.2 percent year-over-year increase in U.S. visitors.
Regional Trends in Outbound Travel
Year-to-date, Mexico (10,498,488) and the Caribbean (2,954,688) together made up 54.8 percent of all international departures by U.S. citizens. Europe was the second largest region for outbound travel, with 1,636,773 U.S. departures in March 2026. This accounted for 17.6 percent of all departures and represented a 2.8 percent increase over March 2025.
Summary and Context
The data from March 2026 shows that both inbound and outbound international travel involving the United States continue to recover, with some segments exceeding pre-pandemic volumes. The majority of inbound travelers came from neighboring countries and key overseas markets, while U.S. citizens favored destinations in North America, the Caribbean, and Europe. The figures suggest ongoing normalization and growth in international travel patterns following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
