Americans' wanderlust hits new heights
Data: International Trade Administration ; Chart: Sara Wise/Axios Even as U.S. policy has walled off Washington, D.C., from friends across the pond, Americans' travel overseas is reaching new heights. Why it matters: Much like the resilient consumer , the American tourist keeps riding the post-COVID travel wave , even as debt delays life milestones and global perceptions of the U.S. slip. Driving…
Americans' wanderlust has reached unprecedented levels, despite U.S. policy keeping Washington, D.C. away from its European counterparts. The surge in overseas travel is a testament to the resilience of the post-COVID consumer market, as debt and global perceptions of the U.S. have impacted life milestones. According to the International Trade Administration's estimate, over 56 million U.S. residents traveled abroad in 2025, a significant increase from 53.7 million in 2024 and around 32.7 million a decade ago.
A record 24 million Americans visited Europe in 2025, with the U.K., Italy, and France being the top destinations. Portugal and Greece witnessed the most significant growth in U.S. visits between 2015 and 2025.
The wealthiest income bracket and those earning between $100,000 and $119,000 are the primary drivers of overseas travel, followed by travelers aged 55 and above, and the youngest jet-setters aged 18 to 24. Rich Harrill, director of the University of South Carolina's International Tourism Research Institute, notes that older and younger generations have contrasting views on travel.
For older generations, travel is a necessity, while younger generations prioritize experiences over traditional life milestones, finding experiential tourism to be more rewarding than purchasing material possessions.
The surge in passport applications is evident, with the U.S. issuing a record 27.3 million passports in FY 2025. However, this trend is not limited to grand European vacations. The summer's higher airfare costs and broader economic concerns have led to a rise in domestic weekend trips, according to Axios Sami Sparber. Despite these challenges, travel remains essential for many, as noted by Harrill, who himself got his PhD in tourism during a time when it was considered somewhat frivolous.
Today, he observes that among his students, travel is a must-have, and being cool is tied to exploring new destinations. However, he emphasizes that travel is about discovering hidden gems, word-of-mouth recommendations, and places that make you envision a new home.
Written by urgent.news from Axios's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
