Travel Statistics 2026
This page collects 55 figures on travel: international tourist arrivals and receipts worldwide, global and U.S. air passenger traffic, U.S. travel spending and international visitors, how Americans plan trips, online booking, and travel insurance. Most figures describe 2025 and 2026, with a few 2024 insurance figures and one 2019 baseline. Sources are UN Tourism, IATA, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TSA, the U.S. Travel Association, the National Travel and Tourism Office, Deloitte, AAA, Phocuswright, Booking Holdings, Eurostat, the U.S. Travel Insurance Association and Squaremouth. Global figures cover all countries; spending, air, planning and insurance figures are mostly for the United States, and the platform booking figures cover the EU.
By the Comredix review desk · Updated November 13, 2026 · 55 numbers drawn from 20 publishers and reports
59 of 59 quotes matched to the publisher's page by our checker on November 13, 2026
Short answer
International travel set a record of about 1.52 billion tourist arrivals in 2025 (UN Tourism), but growth slowed to 0.4% in the first half of 2026 and the 2026 forecast was cut to 1% to 2%. IATA expects 5.1 billion airline passengers in 2026. In the U.S., Americans are taking a record 2.44 billion domestic trips, yet total travel spending is projected to slip 0.7% to $1.35 trillion and international visitor spending to fall 6.3% to $163 billion (U.S. Travel Association). Online travel agencies took $100.3 billion of U.S. bookings in 2025 (Phocuswright), and U.S. travelers spent $5.56 billion on travel insurance in 2024 (USTIA).
Headline numbers
- 1.52 billionUN Tourism estimates that 1.52 billion international tourists (overnight visitors) were recorded worldwide in 2025, almost 60 million more than in 2024.UN Tourism
- 1% to 2%UN Tourism now expects international arrivals to grow between 1% and 2% in 2026, down from its January forecast of 3% to 4%.UN Tourism
- 5.1 billionIATA expects airline passenger numbers to reach 5.1 billion in 2026, up 2.4% on 2025.International Air Transport Association (IATA)
- $1.35 trillionTotal inflation-adjusted U.S. travel spending is projected to fall 0.7% to $1.35 trillion in 2026, according to the U.S. Travel Association.U.S. Travel Association
- $163 billionInflation-adjusted international visitor spending in the U.S. is projected to fall nearly $11 billion in 2026, a 6.3% drop to $163 billion.U.S. Travel Association
- 45%45% of Americans planned a summer 2026 vacation with a stay in paid lodging, the lowest share in six years, Deloitte found.Deloitte
- $100.3 billionU.S. online travel agency gross bookings rose 4% in 2025 to $100.3 billion, according to Phocuswright.Phocuswright
- $5.56 billionU.S. travelers spent $5.56 billion on travel insurance in 2024, according to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association.U.S. Travel Insurance Association
Reading the numbers
Global travel demand peaked in 2025 and then stalled. UN Tourism counted about 1.52 billion international tourist arrivals in 2025, up 4%, with receipts of USD 1.9 trillion. IATA reported that air passenger demand rose 5.3% and that planes flew a record 83.6% full. In the first half of 2026 arrivals rose only 0.4%, as the Middle East conflict cut that region's arrivals by 22% and raised fuel prices, and UN Tourism lowered its 2026 growth forecast to between 1% and 2%.
Higher costs are passing through to travelers. IATA's June 2026 outlook halved airline profits to $4.50 per passenger and expects ticket yields to rise 7%. The U.S. Travel Association projects travel prices up 7.2% in 2026, more than twice general inflation. Deloitte found that only 45% of Americans planned a paid-lodging summer trip, the lowest share in six years, while those who did travel budgeted 17% more, and Squaremouth customers' insured trip costs rose 24%.
The United States is losing international visitors while domestic trips hold up. NTTO counted 68.29 million international visitors in 2025, and U.S. Travel projects inbound spending to fall 6.3% to $163 billion in 2026, with the U.S. share of long-haul arrivals down from 10.3% in 2019 to 7.7%. Americans still take a record 2.44 billion domestic trips. BTS data show U.S. airline passenger counts running 1.8% to 3.7% below a year earlier in July and August 2026.
Booking keeps moving online, mostly through hotels. Phocuswright puts U.S. OTA gross bookings at $100.3 billion in 2025, about a fifth of the market, with hotels making up 63% of OTA sales while only 13% of airlines' online revenue passes through OTAs. Booking Holdings sold 345 million room nights in the third quarter of 2026, and Eurostat counted 951.6 million EU short-stay nights booked through platforms in 2025. More travelers are also protecting trips: USTIA puts 2024 U.S. travel insurance spending at $5.56 billion, and CFAR upgrades among Squaremouth customers nearly doubled in 2026.
International tourist arrivals worldwide
- 1.
UN Tourism estimates that 1.52 billion international tourists (overnight visitors) were recorded worldwide in 2025, almost 60 million more than in 2024.
UN Tourism, International tourist arrivals up 4% in 2025 reflecting strong travel demand around the world (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
According to the first World Tourism Barometer of the year, an estimated 1.52 billion international tourists were recorded globally in 2025, almost 60 million more than in 2024.
- 2.
International tourist arrivals grew 4% in 2025, after increases of 34% in 2023 and 11% in 2024, according to UN Tourism.
UN Tourism, International tourist arrivals up 4% in 2025 reflecting strong travel demand around the world (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
UN Tourism’s prospects for 2026 reflect a normalization of growth rates after a strong rebound in international arrivals in 2023 (+34%) and 2024 (+11%) and a 4% increase in 2025.
- 3.
Europe received 793 million international tourists in 2025, 4% more than in 2024 and 6% more than in 2019.
UN Tourism, International tourist arrivals up 4% in 2025 reflecting strong travel demand around the world (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Europe , the world’s largest destination region, recorded 793 million international tourists in 2025, a 4% increase from 2024 and 6% more than in 2019.
- 4.
Asia and the Pacific received 331 million international arrivals in 2025, up 6% on 2024 but still 9% below 2019.
UN Tourism, International tourist arrivals up 4% in 2025 reflecting strong travel demand around the world (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Arrivals in Asia and the Pacific (331 million) grew 6% last year but are still 9% below 2019 levels as the region continued to rebound.
- 5.
Africa received 81 million international arrivals in 2025, an 8% rise and the strongest growth of any region.
UN Tourism, International tourist arrivals up 4% in 2025 reflecting strong travel demand around the world (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Africa (81 million) saw an 8% increase in arrivals in 2025, with particularly strong results in North Africa (+11%).
- 6.
International tourism receipts reached a preliminary USD 1.9 trillion worldwide in 2025, up 5% on 2024.
UN Tourism, International tourist arrivals up 4% in 2025 reflecting strong travel demand around the world (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Monthly data show strong visitor spending throughout 2025, with preliminary estimates pointing at USD 1.9 trillion in international tourism receipts globally, a 5% increase from 2024.
- 7.
Counting passenger transport as well as visitor receipts, tourism export revenues were an estimated USD 2.2 trillion in 2025.
UN Tourism, International tourist arrivals up 4% in 2025 reflecting strong travel demand around the world (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Total export revenues from tourism (including receipts and passenger transport) are estimated at USD 2.2 trillion in 2025 based on available data.
- 8.
About 690 million tourists traveled internationally from January to June 2026, roughly 3 million more than a year earlier, a 0.4% rise.
UN Tourism, International tourism holds steady with 0.4% growth in first half of 2026 as Middle East conflict and rising costs weigh on momentum (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
According to the latest World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism, an estimated 690 million tourists travelled internationally between January and June 2026, some 3 million more than the same period last year.
- 9.
International arrivals in the Middle East fell 22% in the first half of 2026 as the region was directly hit by conflict.
UN Tourism, International tourism holds steady with 0.4% growth in first half of 2026 as Middle East conflict and rising costs weigh on momentum (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The Middle East saw a 22% drop over this period, as it was directly impacted by the conflict.
- 10.
UN Tourism now expects international arrivals to grow between 1% and 2% in 2026, down from its January forecast of 3% to 4%.
UN Tourism, International tourism holds steady with 0.4% growth in first half of 2026 as Middle East conflict and rising costs weigh on momentum (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In view of the latest data and current geopolitical volatility, international tourist arrivals are now expected to grow by between 1% and 2% globally in 2026, compared to UN Tourism’s January forecast of 3% to 4%.
Chart
International tourist arrivals by region, 2025
International overnight arrivals in millions, preliminary UN Tourism estimates published January 2026. The Middle East, near 100 million, is not shown because UN Tourism gave no exact figure.
- Europe (millions)793
- Asia and the Pacific (millions)331
- Americas (millions)218
- Africa (millions)81
Source: UN Tourism, International tourist arrivals up 4% in 2025 reflecting strong travel demand around the world
Global air travel demand
- 11.
Global air passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers, rose 5.3% in 2025 compared with 2024, according to IATA.
International Air Transport Association (IATA), Strong 2025 Passenger Demand Masks Ongoing Capacity Constraints (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Total full-year demand in 2025 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 5.3% compared to 2024.
- 12.
Airlines filled an average of 83.6% of seats in 2025, a record for full-year traffic.
International Air Transport Association (IATA), Strong 2025 Passenger Demand Masks Ongoing Capacity Constraints (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The overall passenger load factor (PLF) reached 83.6%, up 0.1 ppt and a record for full-year traffic.
- 13.
International air passenger demand grew 7.1% in 2025, while capacity rose 6.8%.
International Air Transport Association (IATA), Strong 2025 Passenger Demand Masks Ongoing Capacity Constraints (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
International full-year demand in 2025 increased 7.1% compared to 2024, and capacity rose 6.8%.
- 14.
IATA expects airline passenger numbers to reach 5.1 billion in 2026, up 2.4% on 2025.
International Air Transport Association (IATA), Middle East Disruptions and High Fuel Prices Halve Airline Industry Profitability (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Passenger numbers are expected to reach 5.1 billion in 2026 (up 2.4% on 2025).
- 15.
Airlines are expected to earn a net profit of $4.50 per passenger in 2026, half the $9.10 earned in 2025, mostly because of higher fuel costs.
International Air Transport Association (IATA), Middle East Disruptions and High Fuel Prices Halve Airline Industry Profitability (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Net profit per passenger transported is expected to be $4.50, half the $9.10 achieved in 2025.
- 16.
IATA expects passenger ticket yields, a proxy for average fares, to grow 7% in 2026.
International Air Transport Association (IATA), Middle East Disruptions and High Fuel Prices Halve Airline Industry Profitability (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Passenger ticket yields are expected to grow by 7% and load factors are expected to set a new record high of 84.0%.
- 17.
Airline ancillary and other revenues are projected to rise 12.6% to $165 billion in 2026.
International Air Transport Association (IATA), Middle East Disruptions and High Fuel Prices Halve Airline Industry Profitability (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Ancillary and other revenues are projected to rise by 12.6%, reaching $165 billion.
Chart
Growth in air passenger demand, 2025
Change in revenue passenger kilometers versus 2024, all IATA-tracked airlines worldwide.
- Total5.3%
- International7.1%
- Domestic2.4%
Source: International Air Transport Association (IATA), Strong 2025 Passenger Demand Masks Ongoing Capacity Constraints
U.S. air passengers
- 18.
U.S. airlines carried 81.2 million domestic and international scheduled passengers in December 2025, according to BTS.
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, December 2025 U.S. Airline Traffic Data Down 2.6% from the Same Month Last Year (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
U.S. airlines carried 81.2 million systemwide (domestic and international) scheduled service passengers in December 2025, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
- 19.
U.S. airlines carried 90.5 million scheduled passengers in July 2026, 1.8% fewer than in July 2025.
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, July 2026 U.S. Airline Traffic Data Down 1.8% from the Same Month Last Year (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
U.S. airlines carried 90.5 million systemwide (domestic and international) scheduled service passengers in July 2026, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
- 20.
U.S. airlines carried 83.5 million scheduled passengers in August 2026, down 3.7% from August 2025.
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, August 2026 U.S. Airline Traffic Data Down 3.7% from the Same Month Last Year (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
U.S. airlines carried 83.5 million systemwide (domestic and international) scheduled service passengers in August 2026, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
- 21.
Of those August 2026 passengers, 72 million flew domestically and 11.5 million internationally on U.S. airlines.
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, August 2026 U.S. Airline Traffic Data Down 3.7% from the Same Month Last Year (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
BTS reported 72 million domestic passengers and 11.5 million international passengers on U.S. airlines flights in August, not adjusting for seasonality.
- 22.
TSA expected to screen nearly 18.7 million travelers at U.S. airport checkpoints from June 30 to July 6, 2026.
Transportation Security Administration, TSA prepared to screen nearly 18.7 million air travelers this Fourth of July holiday (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The agency is well prepared for the heavy volume over the Fourth of July holiday period, expecting to screen nearly 18.7 million travelers at U.S. airport security checkpoints between Tuesday, June 30, and Monday, July 6.
- 23.
For the 2025 to 2026 year-end holidays, TSA projected 44.3 million travelers at checkpoints between December 19, 2025 and January 4, 2026.
Transportation Security Administration, TSA prepares for holiday travel season to cap record year (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
TSA is fully staffed and ready to screen a projected 44.3 million travelers at the nation’s airport security checkpoints between Friday, Dec 19, 2025, through Sunday, Jan 4, 2026.
U.S. travel spending and international visitors
- 24.
Total inflation-adjusted U.S. travel spending is projected to fall 0.7% to $1.35 trillion in 2026, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
U.S. Travel Association, New Forecast: $11 Billion Drop in International Visitor Spending Raises Stakes for Congress After Midterms (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Despite a record 2.44 billion domestic trips, total inflation-adjusted travel spending is projected to decline 0.7% to $1.35 trillion.
- 25.
Americans are projected to take a record 2.44 billion domestic trips in 2026.
U.S. Travel Association, New Forecast: $11 Billion Drop in International Visitor Spending Raises Stakes for Congress After Midterms (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Despite a record 2.44 billion domestic trips, total inflation-adjusted travel spending is projected to decline 0.7% to $1.35 trillion.
- 26.
Inflation-adjusted international visitor spending in the U.S. is projected to fall nearly $11 billion in 2026, a 6.3% drop to $163 billion.
U.S. Travel Association, New Forecast: $11 Billion Drop in International Visitor Spending Raises Stakes for Congress After Midterms (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
WASHINGTON - Two days after the midterms, a new U.S. Travel Association forecast puts a price on America’s travel slowdown: inflation-adjusted international visitor spending is projected to fall nearly $11 billion in 2026, a 6.3% drop to $163 billion.
- 27.
U.S. travel prices are projected to rise 7.2% in 2026, more than twice the 3.4% overall inflation rate.
U.S. Travel Association, New Forecast: $11 Billion Drop in International Visitor Spending Raises Stakes for Congress After Midterms (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Travel prices are projected to rise 7.2% in 2026, more than twice overall inflation of 3.4%.
- 28.
The U.S. share of global long-haul arrivals fell from 10.3% in 2019 to 7.7% in 2026, and is projected to slip to 7.1% by 2030.
U.S. Travel Association, New Forecast: $11 Billion Drop in International Visitor Spending Raises Stakes for Congress After Midterms (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
U.S. international arrivals are not forecast to recover to 2019 levels until 2030, and the U.S. share of global long-haul arrivals has fallen from 10.3% in 2019 to 7.7% in 2026 and is projected to slip to 7.1% by 2030.
- 29.
The United States received 68.29 million international visitors in 2025, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office.
National Travel and Tourism Office, U.S. Travel and Tourism Fast Facts (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
International Visitors to the U.S. (2025) Total1: 68.29 million
- 30.
International visitors spent $248.8 billion in the U.S. in 2025, counting travel and air passenger fares as tourism exports.
National Travel and Tourism Office, U.S. Travel and Tourism Fast Facts (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
$248.8 billion international spending in U.S. (Exports)
- 31.
Each international visitor to the U.S. spent an average of $3,643 in 2025, according to NTTO.
National Travel and Tourism Office, U.S. Travel and Tourism Fast Facts (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Average spending per international visitor: $3,643
Chart
Top source countries for visitors to the U.S., 2025
International visitor arrivals to the United States in millions, National Travel and Tourism Office fact sheet, November 2026.
- Mexico (millions)18
- Canada (millions)16
- United Kingdom (millions)4.06
- India (millions)2.06
- Japan (millions)1.97
- Brazil (millions)1.92
Source: National Travel and Tourism Office, U.S. Travel and Tourism Fast Facts
How Americans plan and pay for trips
- 32.
45% of Americans planned a summer 2026 vacation with a stay in paid lodging, the lowest share in six years, Deloitte found.
Deloitte, Deloitte: As Rising Costs Slow Summer Travel to Six-Year Low, Travelers Plan to Spend More (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
45% of Americans plan to take a summer vacation with a stay in paid lodging, the lowest figure in six years.
- 33.
U.S. summer travelers expected to spend an average of $4,069 on their longest trip in 2026, up 17% from 2025.
Deloitte, Deloitte: As Rising Costs Slow Summer Travel to Six-Year Low, Travelers Plan to Spend More (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Travelers expect to spend an average of $4,069 on their longest summer trip, up 17% from last year .
- 34.
25% of U.S. summer travelers used generative AI to plan travel in 2026, up from 15% in 2025.
Deloitte, Deloitte: As Rising Costs Slow Summer Travel to Six-Year Low, Travelers Plan to Spend More (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Overall adoption of GenAI to plan travel is up year-over-year (25% in 2026 vs. 15% in 2025), and millennials plan to use the technology (36%) more than other generations.
- 35.
34% of U.S. summer travelers planned to work during their longest trip in 2026, up from 23% in 2025.
Deloitte, Deloitte: As Rising Costs Slow Summer Travel to Six-Year Low, Travelers Plan to Spend More (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Laptop lugging continues to redefine travel plans, as one-third (34%) of travelers surveyed plan to work during their longest summer trip , up from 23% in 2025.
- 36.
AAA projects 22.4 million people in the U.S. will take ocean cruises in 2027, a 3.6% increase over 2026.
AAA, Record Number of Americans Planning Cruise Vacations in 2027 (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
AAA projects 22.4 million people in the U.S. will go on domestic and international ocean cruises in 2027, a 3.6% increase over 2026.
- 37.
In 2019, 14.2 million Americans took ocean cruises, so AAA's 2027 projection would be 57% higher.
AAA, Record Number of Americans Planning Cruise Vacations in 2027 (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In 2019, 14.2 million Americans went on ocean cruises, and that number is projected to be 22.4 million in 2027, a 57% increase.
Chart
Where U.S. summer travelers put a bigger budget, 2026
Share of U.S. summer travelers planning each upgrade, Deloitte 2026 Summer Travel Survey of 4,003 consumers.
- Longer trips40%
- Better lodging location29%
- More luxurious lodging26%
- Upgraded airfare class23%
Source: Deloitte, Deloitte: As Rising Costs Slow Summer Travel to Six-Year Low, Travelers Plan to Spend More
Online travel booking
- 38.
U.S. online travel agency gross bookings rose 4% in 2025 to $100.3 billion, according to Phocuswright.
Phocuswright, 13% is the number that explains why OTAs need hotels to keep working (Jul 2026)
Exact wording at the source
It is easy to miss inside a report that opens with steadier numbers: U.S. OTA gross bookings rose 4% in 2025 to $100.3 billion, OTAs now represent one fifth of all U.S. travel gross bookings, and that share is projected to reach 21% by 2028.
- 39.
OTAs account for about one fifth of all U.S. travel gross bookings, a share Phocuswright projects will reach 21% by 2028.
Phocuswright, 13% is the number that explains why OTAs need hotels to keep working (Jul 2026)
Exact wording at the source
It is easy to miss inside a report that opens with steadier numbers: U.S. OTA gross bookings rose 4% in 2025 to $100.3 billion, OTAs now represent one fifth of all U.S. travel gross bookings, and that share is projected to reach 21% by 2028.
- 40.
Only 13% of U.S. airlines' online passenger revenue flows through online travel agencies.
Phocuswright, 13% is the number that explains why OTAs need hotels to keep working (Jul 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Only 13% of what airlines earn online passes through an OTA at all.
- 41.
Hotel bookings make up 63% of U.S. OTA gross bookings.
Phocuswright, 13% is the number that explains why OTAs need hotels to keep working (Jul 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Hotel bookings represent 63% of OTA gross bookings, and even there growth has slowed as overall U.S. hotel room revenue growth cools.
- 42.
Within U.S. online hotel sales, OTAs hold 52% and hotel websites and apps 48%, a split Phocuswright expects to hold through 2029.
Phocuswright, U.S. hotel and lodging 2026: Slow growth, a stable split and AI waiting at the door (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Within online, the split between online travel agencies (OTAs) and hotel websites and apps sits at 52%/48% respectively and is expected to hold steady through 2029.
- 43.
Hotels account for 41% of U.S. travel gross bookings and airlines for 42%.
Phocuswright, U.S. hotel and lodging 2026: Slow growth, a stable split and AI waiting at the door (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Hotels now account for 41% of U.S. travel gross bookings, just behind airlines at 42%.
- 44.
U.S. hotel room revenue rose 1% to $207.9 billion in 2025, and occupancy fell to 62.3%, the first decline since 2020.
Phocuswright, U.S. hotel and lodging 2026: Slow growth, a stable split and AI waiting at the door (2026)
Exact wording at the source
According to Phocuswright's report U.S. Hotel & Lodging Travel Market Essentials 2026, room revenue rose 1% to $207.9 billion in 2025, with average daily rates (ADR) up just 1% and occupancy falling to 62.3% — the first decline since 2020.
- 45.
Booking Holdings, parent of Booking.com, Priceline and Agoda, sold 345 million room nights in the third quarter of 2026, up 7% year over year.
Booking Holdings, Booking Holdings Reports Financial Results for 3rd Quarter 2026 (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1) (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Q3 2026 (#) (Δ Y/Y) Room Nights 345M 7% Gross Bookings $54.5B 10%
- 46.
Booking Holdings' gross bookings reached $54.5 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up 10% on a year earlier.
Booking Holdings, Booking Holdings Reports Financial Results for 3rd Quarter 2026 (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1) (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Q3 2026 (#) (Δ Y/Y) Room Nights 345M 7% Gross Bookings $54.5B 10%
- 47.
Guests spent 951.6 million nights in EU short-stay accommodation booked through Airbnb, Booking and Expedia in 2025, up 11.4% on 2024.
Eurostat, Tourism nights booked via platforms (full year 2025) (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Looking at the whole of 2025, guests spent a total of 951.6 million nights in short-stay accommodations booked online, indicating a 11.4% increase compared with 2024 and a 32.4% jump from 2023.
- 48.
In the July to September 2025 quarter alone, platform-booked short-stay nights in the EU reached 398.1 million.
Eurostat, Tourism bookings via platforms grew in summer of 2025 (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Between July and September 2025, guests spent 398.1 million nights in short-term rental accommodation in the EU , booked through Airbnb, Booking or Expedia.
Travel insurance
- 49.
U.S. travelers spent $5.56 billion on travel insurance in 2024, according to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association.
U.S. Travel Insurance Association, U.S. Travel Insurance Spend Hits $5.56 Billion in 2024 (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
U.S. travelers spent $5.56 billion on travel insurance in 2024, according to the newly released 2022–2024 Travel Protection Market Study from the U.S. Travel Insurance Association (USTIA).
- 50.
U.S. travel insurance spending in 2024 was 46% higher than the $3.81 billion spent in 2019.
U.S. Travel Insurance Association, U.S. Travel Insurance Spend Hits $5.56 Billion in 2024 (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
This represents a 46% increase from 2019, when total consumer spend was $3.81 billion, and reflects a stabilized, post-pandemic baseline for the industry.
- 51.
USTIA members' plans protected 86.97 million people in 2024, through 54.87 million plans.
U.S. Travel Insurance Association, U.S. Travel Insurance Spend Hits $5.56 Billion in 2024 (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In 2024, 86.97 million people were protected by 54.87 million plans provided by USTIA members.
- 52.
Among Squaremouth customers, the average insured summer trip cost rose 24% year over year, from $7,794 to $9,668 in 2026.
Squaremouth, Summer 2026 Travel Outlook: Where Americans Are Going, What They're Spending, and How They're Protecting Themselves (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Among Squaremouth customers, the average trip cost rose 24% year-over-year, from $7,794 to $9,668.
- 53.
The share of Squaremouth summer customers buying Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage nearly doubled, from 6.9% in 2025 to 13.5% in 2026.
Squaremouth, Summer 2026 Travel Outlook: Where Americans Are Going, What They're Spending, and How They're Protecting Themselves (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage purchases have nearly doubled, increasing from 6.9% last summer to 13.5% this year.
- 54.
Squaremouth customers bought travel insurance an average of 62 days after their trip deposit in 2026, down from 71 days in 2025.
Squaremouth, Summer 2026 Travel Outlook: Where Americans Are Going, What They're Spending, and How They're Protecting Themselves (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The average number of days between trip deposit and insurance purchase has dropped to 62 days this year from 71 in 2025.
- 55.
53% of Americans surveyed by Squaremouth said they were cutting back on other spending, such as dining out or shopping, to pay for travel in 2026.
Squaremouth, Summer 2026 Travel Outlook: Where Americans Are Going, What They're Spending, and How They're Protecting Themselves (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
53% of Americans are cutting back on other expenses, like dining out, shopping, home improvements, or investing, to fund travel this year, with shopping and retail being the highest area of cutback at 19%.
Questions readers ask
- How many international tourists traveled in 2025?
- About 1.52 billion international tourist arrivals were recorded in 2025, according to UN Tourism, a 4% rise on 2024 and a record. Europe received 793 million of them. In the first half of 2026 arrivals grew only 0.4%, to about 690 million.
- How much do people spend on travel in the U.S.?
- The U.S. Travel Association projects total inflation-adjusted U.S. travel spending of $1.35 trillion in 2026, down 0.7%, even as Americans take a record 2.44 billion domestic trips. International visitor spending is projected to fall 6.3% to $163 billion.
- How many people fly each year?
- IATA expects 5.1 billion airline passengers worldwide in 2026, up 2.4% on 2025. In the U.S., BTS reports that U.S. airlines carried 90.5 million passengers in July 2026 and 83.5 million in August 2026, both below 2025 levels.
- What share of travel is booked online through OTAs?
- Phocuswright estimates that online travel agencies handled $100.3 billion of U.S. travel gross bookings in 2025, about one fifth of the market, rising to 21% by 2028. OTAs are strongest in hotels, where they hold 52% of online sales, and weakest in air, where only 13% of airlines' online revenue goes through them.
- How much do Americans spend on travel insurance?
- U.S. travelers spent $5.56 billion on travel insurance in 2024, 46% more than in 2019, according to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association. USTIA members' plans covered 86.97 million people that year.
- Is international travel to the U.S. growing?
- No. NTTO counted 68.29 million international visitors in 2025, and the U.S. Travel Association says arrivals will not return to 2019 levels until 2030. The U.S. share of global long-haul arrivals fell from 10.3% in 2019 to 7.7% in 2026.
Where these numbers come from
We chose figures from the organizations that collect or produce the data: UN Tourism and IATA for global arrivals and air traffic, BTS and TSA for U.S. air passengers, NTTO for official U.S. visitor counts, the U.S. Travel Association for spending forecasts, Phocuswright, Booking Holdings and Eurostat for online booking, and USTIA and Squaremouth for travel insurance. Definitions differ. UN Tourism counts overnight international visitors and its 2025 and 2026 numbers are preliminary. IATA measures demand in passenger kilometers. BTS counts passengers on scheduled U.S. airline flights, while TSA counts people screened at checkpoints and its holiday numbers are projections. U.S. Travel figures are inflation-adjusted forecasts built with Tourism Economics, while NTTO export figures include air fares. Phocuswright figures are market estimates from paid reports, cited from its public summaries. Eurostat's platform data are experimental statistics covering Airbnb, Booking and Expedia short-term rentals only. Deloitte and Squaremouth surveys use their own samples, and Squaremouth trip and coverage data describe its own customers. Every figure links to the page it was taken from, and each quote was checked against that page on the date shown. We store the sentence each number appears in, and a script loads the publisher's page again to make sure that sentence is still there. Our methodology has the details.
Sources
- AAA. Record Number of Americans Planning Cruise Vacations in 2027 (Oct 2026).
- Booking Holdings. Booking Holdings Reports Financial Results for 3rd Quarter 2026 (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1) (Nov 2026).
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics. December 2025 U.S. Airline Traffic Data Down 2.6% from the Same Month Last Year (Mar 2026).
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics. July 2026 U.S. Airline Traffic Data Down 1.8% from the Same Month Last Year (Oct 2026).
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics. August 2026 U.S. Airline Traffic Data Down 3.7% from the Same Month Last Year (Nov 2026).
- Deloitte. Deloitte: As Rising Costs Slow Summer Travel to Six-Year Low, Travelers Plan to Spend More (May 2026).
- Eurostat. Tourism nights booked via platforms (full year 2025) (Apr 2026).
- Eurostat. Tourism bookings via platforms grew in summer of 2025 (Jan 2026).
- International Air Transport Association (IATA). Strong 2025 Passenger Demand Masks Ongoing Capacity Constraints (Jan 2026).
- International Air Transport Association (IATA). Middle East Disruptions and High Fuel Prices Halve Airline Industry Profitability (Jun 2026).
- National Travel and Tourism Office. U.S. Travel and Tourism Fast Facts (Nov 2026).
- Phocuswright. 13% is the number that explains why OTAs need hotels to keep working (Jul 2026).
- Phocuswright. U.S. hotel and lodging 2026: Slow growth, a stable split and AI waiting at the door (2026).
- Squaremouth. Summer 2026 Travel Outlook: Where Americans Are Going, What They're Spending, and How They're Protecting Themselves (May 2026).
- Transportation Security Administration. TSA prepared to screen nearly 18.7 million air travelers this Fourth of July holiday (Jun 2026).
- Transportation Security Administration. TSA prepares for holiday travel season to cap record year (Dec 2025).
- U.S. Travel Association. New Forecast: $11 Billion Drop in International Visitor Spending Raises Stakes for Congress After Midterms (Nov 2026).
- U.S. Travel Insurance Association. U.S. Travel Insurance Spend Hits $5.56 Billion in 2024 (Jun 2025).
- UN Tourism. International tourist arrivals up 4% in 2025 reflecting strong travel demand around the world (Jan 2026).
- UN Tourism. International tourism holds steady with 0.4% growth in first half of 2026 as Middle East conflict and rising costs weigh on momentum (Sep 2026).
Citing this page
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Comredix. (2026, November 13). Travel Statistics 2026. https://comredix.com/travel-statistics
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