Americans are traveling abroad in droves.
The number of Americans flying to overseas destinations reached nearly 6.5 million in March, according to the International Trade Administration. This is the highest March total in more than five years and shows that the post-pandemic “revenge travel” trend is the new normal.
Normally, March was not the only month when there was a sharp increase in international flight departures in the run-up to spring break. So far, in each month of 2024, more Americans have left the country than last year and in 2019. These trends indicate that international travel will be in full swing this summer.
Nearly half (45%) of Americans plan to travel by air or stay in a hotel this summer, according to an online survey of 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by Harris Poll and Harris Poll. Expect it to cost an average of $3,594. Commissioned by NerdWallet.
This is despite the fact that soaring travel prices are causing some hesitation among those looking to travel. About 22% of people who decided not to travel this summer cited inflation making travel too expensive as a reason for staying home, according to the poll.
So where do traveling Americans go? And what does that mean for people who want to avoid tourist crowds and soaring travel prices?
new travel pattern
In nearly every region of the world, the number of U.S. visitors increased in March 2024 compared to March 2023, according to data from the International Trade Administration. Only the Middle East saw a 9% decline. However, not all regions saw year-over-year increases. American travelers to Asia increased by 33%, while Oceania and Central America each increased by 30%.
However, comparing 2024 and 2023 is only part of the story. When comparing international travel trends to 2019, a new pattern really emerges. For example, Central America had 50% more American visitors in March 2024 compared to March 2019. Nearly 1.5 million Americans visited Mexico, a 39% increase from before the pandemic. This is roughly the same as the number of visitors across continental Europe, but since 2019 it has only increased modestly by 10%.
Only Canada and Oceania had lower visitor numbers in March 2024 than in 2019, suggesting that interest in these locations has not recovered. In fact, the trend is indicative of a kind of tourism inertia due to lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Destinations that were open to U.S. travelers during the pandemic, such as Mexico, remain popular, while destinations that were closed, such as Australia, remain popular. It has fallen off the tourist radar.
price pressure
How these trends play out throughout the rest of the year will depend on many factors. But perhaps nothing is more important than affordability. After several months of stability, travel costs, including flights, hotels and rental cars, are starting to rise again.
About 45% of U.S. travelers say cost is the main consideration when planning a summer vacation, according to a survey of 2,000 Americans by travel booking platform Skyscanner.
While encouraging travel to budget-friendly countries, this could further weigh on U.S. travelers' desire to visit expensive destinations such as Europe. Overall international travel may also be down, although Americans appear to be traveling more for now.
For those looking to avoid the crowds while staying on a budget, Skyscanner's travel trends expert Laura Lindsay offers advice that many people need help finding on a map.
“Albania is attracting a lot of attention from travelers looking for something different,” Lindsay says. “Although most people still don't know it exists, the airline and tourism infrastructure is good and it's less crowded compared to popular European destinations such as Italy, Greece and Portugal.”
Conversely, American travelers who want to avoid the crowds of their fellow countrymen would do well to avoid Japan, which saw a staggering 50% increase in American tourists between March 2019 and 2024.
The article “Where Americans Will Travel in 2024: By the Numbers” originally appeared on NerdWallet.
