International air travel has made a remarkable comeback in May 2024, according to data released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). The latest statistics show a significant surge in air passenger enplanements, marking a critical milestone in the recovery of the global tourism industry. This resurgence is a testament to international travel’s resilience and enduring appeal.

Dramatic Growth in Air Passenger Enplanements

In May 2024, the total number of U.S.-international air traffic passenger enplanements reached 23.045 million, reflecting an impressive 11% increase compared to May 2023. This volume represents 104.7% of the enplanements recorded in May 2019, before the pandemic drastically curtailed global travel. The steady rise in passenger numbers underscores the successful efforts to restore confidence in air travel and the growing demand for international journeys.

“This significant uptick in air travel is a positive indicator of the global tourism sector’s recovery,” remarked a spokesperson from the NTTO. “The continued growth signals a strong rebound and a renewed eagerness among travelers to explore international destinations.”

Surge in Non-U.S. Citizen Arrivals

Non-U.S. citizen air passenger arrivals to the United States also saw a notable increase, totalling 4.973 million in May 2024. This figure is up 12.9% from May 2023 and represents 90.7% of the pre-pandemic volume in May 2019. Overseas visitor arrivals, in particular, showed a significant recovery, with 3.042 million visitors marking an 86.5% return to pre-pandemic levels, up from 79.3% in May 2023.

For more detailed information, refer to the May I-94 Advance Release.

U.S. Citizen Departures Exceed Pre-Pandemic Levels

U.S. citizens have also demonstrated a strong desire to travel abroad. Departures to foreign countries totalled 6.677 million in May 2024, an 11.1% increase from May 2023. Notably, this volume exceeded the May 2019 figures by 20.2%, highlighting a robust recovery in outbound travel.

Regional Highlights: Europe, Asia, and the Americas

• Europe: Air travel between the U.S. and Europe reached 7.113 million passengers, up 8.2% year-over-year. This volume is on par with May 2019 levels, with U.S. citizen departures up 13.5% and European citizen arrivals down 17.8%.
• South/Central America and the Caribbean: Passenger traffic in this region totalled 5.494 million, a 13.6% increase over May 2023 and a 14.7% rise compared to May 2019.
• Asia: Although air travel to and from Asia saw a 21.6% year-over-year increase, the total of 2.546 million passengers is still 22.5% below May 2019 levels. Asian citizen arrivals to the U.S. were down 33.4%, while U.S. citizen departures to Asia increased by 5.5%.

Leading U.S. and Foreign Airports

Top U.S. airports for international travel in May 2024 included New York’s JFK with 3.133 million passengers, Los Angeles’ LAX with 2.093 million, and Miami’s MIA with 2.083 million. London Heathrow led with 1.683 million passengers in foreign airports, followed by Toronto’s YYZ at 1.113 million and Cancun’s CUN at 1.039 million.

April 2024: Setting the Stage for May’s Success

The growth observed in May builds on the positive trends from April 2024. International visitor arrivals to the U.S. in April totalled 5,889,335, a 5.2% increase from April 2023. U.S. citizen outbound travel also rose, with 8,072,519 departures, up 8% year-over-year. These figures represented 83.6% and 106.3% of the respective pre-pandemic volumes for April 2019.

Conclusion

The data for May 2024 reflects a significant recovery in international air travel, indicating a return to pre-pandemic levels and an increasing trend towards higher passenger volumes. As global travel continues to rebound, the tourism and aviation industries can look forward to a period of growth and renewed enthusiasm for international exploration.

Written by: Soo James

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