International air arrivals to the United States declined 6.1% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, despite an influx of visitors attending the FIFA World Cup, according to newly released data from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO).
The findings highlight continued weakness in international inbound travel during a period when the World Cup was expected to generate additional demand for U.S. hotels, airlines, and tourism businesses.
The NTTO’s Survey of International Air Travelers (SIAT) recorded 10.3 million international air visitors during April–June, compared with about 11 million in the same quarter of 2025.
The decline was particularly pronounced among visitors from overseas markets, where arrivals fell 8.0%. Canadian air arrivals decreased 0.9%, while arrivals from Mexico declined 0.5%.
For the U.S. hospitality industry, the results underscore the importance of distinguishing between demand generated by major international events and broader trends in international travel.
World Cup Attracts Nearly Half a Million International Air Visitors
The FIFA World Cup, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, generated an estimated 471,000 international air visitors to the United States during the second quarter.
According to NTTO estimates, these visitors included:
- 341,000 from overseas markets
- 91,000 from Mexico
- 38,000 from Canada
World Cup-related visitors represented 4.6% of overseas air arrivals, 10.3% of Mexican air arrivals, and 1.9% of Canadian air arrivals.
The relatively high proportion of World Cup-related visitors from Mexico reflects the tournament’s regional significance and the participation of all three North American host countries.
NTTO also estimated that about 374,000 overseas visitors traveled to the United States for the tournament using all modes of transportation, including air, land, and sea.
Although the event generated substantial international travel, the overall decline in inbound arrivals indicates that tournament-related demand did not offset weakness in other international travel segments during the quarter.
The second-quarter figures capture only the tournament’s opening portion, which began June 11 and continued into July. Consequently, the results do not represent the full impact of the World Cup on international travel or U.S. hotel demand.
Florida, New York, and California Lead International Visitation
International visitors remained heavily concentrated in established U.S. tourism and hospitality markets.
Florida received approximately 2.7 million international air visitors during the quarter, followed by New York with 2.6 million and California with 2.2 million.
Texas attracted 924,000 international visitors, while Nevada welcomed approximately 846,000.
Together, these five states accounted for visits equivalent to 85% of total international air arrivals, although individual travelers may have visited multiple states.
At the city level, New York City remained the most visited destination, attracting approximately 2.6 million international air travelers.
Miami followed with 1.3 million, while Los Angeles and Orlando each received approximately 1.2 million visitors. Las Vegas welcomed 829,000.
These five destinations represented visits equivalent to 64% of international air arrivals.
The geographic concentration illustrates the importance of international travel to hotel markets with substantial exposure to overseas leisure travelers, international business visitors, and major events.
However, visitor arrivals alone do not establish hotel room demand, as international travelers may use different accommodation types or visit multiple destinations during a single trip.
United Kingdom Remains Largest Overseas Source Market
The United Kingdom was the largest overseas source market for U.S. travel during the second quarter, accounting for approximately 1 million visitors.
India ranked second with 602,000 visitors, followed by Brazil with 461,000, Japan with 423,000, and Germany with 368,000.
Together, these five countries accounted for approximately 35% of overseas visitation.
The findings illustrate the importance of both established European markets and major long-haul markets in Asia and South America.
For hotel operators, differences in traveler origin can influence booking patterns, length of stay, distribution strategies, and demand for particular accommodation categories.
Overseas Visitors Stay Longer and Spend More
The survey also provides insight into international visitor spending and trip duration.
Overseas visitors spent an average of $1,938 per trip in the United States and stayed an average of 17.5 nights.
Canadian visitors reported average expenditures of $1,129 per trip and an average stay of 9.4 nights.
Mexican visitors spent an average of $1,537 per trip, with an average stay of 9.5 nights.
The differences reflect the varying characteristics of long-haul and regional travel markets.
For the hospitality industry, longer international trips can support demand across multiple destinations and accommodation categories, although the reported expenditures include travel-related spending beyond hotels.
The figures also demonstrate why changes in overseas visitation can have broader economic implications than arrival counts alone suggest.
U.S. Residents Made 20.7 Million International Air Trips
The survey also examined outbound travel by U.S. residents.
Approximately 20.7 million U.S. residents traveled internationally by air during the second quarter, representing a 2.0% decline compared with the same period in 2025.
Of those departures, 15.9 million were to overseas destinations, 3.1 million to Mexico, and 1.6 million to Canada.
Travel to overseas destinations was largely unchanged, declining 0.1% year over year.
Departures to Canada increased 3.0%, while air travel to Mexico declined 12.2%.
Italy was the most visited overseas destination among U.S. residents, receiving approximately 1.8 million travelers.
The United Kingdom followed with 1.7 million, France with 1.4 million, Spain with 1.1 million, and the Dominican Republic with 937,000.
These five destinations represented visits equivalent to 43% of U.S. outbound overseas departures, with some travelers visiting multiple countries.
U.S. residents traveling to overseas destinations reported average expenditures of $2,120 per trip and stayed an average of 13.9 nights.
Average spending was $1,273 for trips to Canada and $1,101 for trips to Mexico.
Implications for U.S. Hotel Demand
The second-quarter results point to several considerations for the U.S. lodging industry.
First, the decline in international arrivals despite World Cup-related travel suggests that major events can generate localized demand without necessarily reversing broader market trends.
Second, the 8.0% decline in overseas arrivals is particularly relevant for gateway destinations and hotel properties that depend heavily on long-haul international travelers.
Third, differences in visitor spending and length of stay highlight the importance of international market composition rather than arrival volumes alone.
Finally, the concentration of international travel in Florida, New York, California, Texas, and Nevada reinforces the exposure of major hotel markets to changes in international travel patterns.
The results provide a useful benchmark for evaluating international demand during the World Cup period. However, a more complete assessment of the tournament’s impact will require third-quarter arrival data, hotel performance statistics, and information about visitor spending across the host markets.
The NTTO has conducted the Survey of International Air Travelers continuously since 1983. Its findings provide information on international travel patterns, trip planning, demographics, and expenditures.
Additional data, including interactive visualizations and downloadable reports, is available through the NTTO Survey of International Air Travelers.