In a significant sign of the global travel recovery, U.S. international air traffic surged in September 2024, reaching new heights as it surpassed pre-pandemic levels. According to data released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), air passenger enplanements rose by 4.6% year-over-year, signalling a robust resurgence in global travel demand.
In September 2024, 21.144 million passengers boarded international flights to and from the United States, marking 105.4% of September 2019 volumes. This increase highlights a milestone in the recovery of air travel, solidifying the resilience of the U.S. travel industry and global tourism markets.
U.S. Air Travel: A Steady Climb
Non-U.S. citizen arrivals to the United States saw a 3.0% increase compared to September 2023, reaching 4.876 million passengers. This represents 91.1% of the corresponding 2019 levels, underscoring a steady recovery in inbound tourism. However, overseas visitor arrivals, though robust at 3.061 million, slightly dipped compared to August 2024, marking a minor decline from 88.5% in August to 87.9% in September, relative to pre-pandemic figures. The slight variance indicates that, while recovery is ongoing, certain regions are experiencing uneven rebounds, particularly Asia.
Outbound travel continued to exceed pre-pandemic levels for U.S. citizens, with 5.493 million U.S. residents travelling abroad in September 2024—an impressive 22.2% increase from September 2019. This trend reflects growing confidence in international travel, driven by pent-up demand and the relaxation of travel restrictions in key markets.
Europe Leads the Charge in Regional Air Travel
When examining the international regions, Europe was pivotal in driving U.S. air travel recovery. Air passenger traffic between the U.S. and Europe totalled 7.597 million passengers in September 2024, marking a 5.3% year-over-year increase. Notably, the volume surpassed 2019 by 3.3%, showcasing Europe’s strong recovery in transatlantic travel. U.S. citizen departures to Europe surged 20.3% compared to September 2019, while European arrivals into the U.S. saw a decline of 15.5%, reflecting lingering travel hesitancies in specific European markets.
Despite the overall strength in Europe-U.S. travel, the South and Central America/Caribbean regions recorded a slight decline in traffic, down by 0.8% from September 2023. However, the area still showed a 15.2% increase from September 2019, suggesting a stable, if slightly fluctuating, recovery trajectory.
Asia’s Recovery Lags Behind but Gains Momentum
Asia showed a more complex picture of recovery. U.S.-Asia air traffic hit 2.390 million passengers in September 2024, representing an 11.8% increase year-over-year. However, the region’s overall traffic volume remains 21.4% below 2019, with Asian citizen arrivals to the U.S. down 30.8%. While Asia continues to face hurdles in full recovery, the 2.9% increase in U.S. citizen departures to the region signals growing optimism and movement toward stabilization.
Top Airports Show Increased Traffic
Major U.S. airports, the gateways to international destinations, experienced significant traffic growth in September. New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) led the pack, serving over 3.075 million passengers. Other top airports included Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with 2.002 million passengers, Miami International Airport (MIA) with 1.695 million, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) with 1.352 million, and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) with 1.314 million.
On the international side, London Heathrow (LHR) remained the top foreign airport serving U.S. travellers, with 1.640 million passengers. Other leading foreign hubs included Toronto Pearson (YYZ) with 1.031 million passengers, Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) with 778,000, Frankfurt (FRA) with 706,000, and Mexico City (MEX) with 641,000 passengers.
The Road Ahead: Sustainable Growth in Air Travel
As international air travel to and from the U.S. continues its upward trajectory, the latest NTTO data offers a clear picture of a post-pandemic recovery marked by resilience and fluctuating regional rebounds. Europe and North America remain pillars of recovery, while Asia presents a promising, though still lagging, growth opportunity. As global economies strengthen and travel confidence increases, industry experts remain optimistic that these trends will solidify further in the coming months.
This resurgence is more than just a return to pre-pandemic volumes—it signifies a new chapter in global mobility. With the gradual return of Asian travellers and the sustained strength of European and Latin American markets, U.S. international air travel is poised for continued growth well into 2025.
Written by: Anne Keam
