APIS/I-92 Program | January 18, 2024

Air Passenger Enplanements Up 15.4% Year Over Year in December 2023

Air Passenger Travel Between the United States and Europe Up 9.9% in December 2023

Data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in December 2023:

U.S.-international air traffic passenger enplanements1 totaled:

  • 21.630 million in December 2023, up 15.4% compared to December 2022, with enplanements reaching 102.5% of pre-pandemic December 2019 volume.

Originating Non-Stop Air Travel in December 2023

  • Non-U.S. citizen air passenger arrivals to the United States from foreign countries totaled:
    • 5.201 million in December 2023, up 19% compared to December 2022.
    • This represents 92.4% of pre-pandemic December 2019 volume.

On a related note, overseas visitor arrivals2 totaled 3.071 million in December 2023, the 10th consecutive month overseas visitor arrivals exceeded 2.0 million. December overseas visitor arrivals reached 88.1% of pre-pandemic December 2019 volume, up from 82.8% in November 2023. (See December I-94 Advance Release  https://www.trade.gov/i-94-arrivals-program)

  • U.S. citizen air passenger departures from the United States to foreign countries totaled:
    • 6.130 million in December 2023, up 12.6% compared to December 2022 and exceeding December 2019 volume by 16.6%.

World Region Highlights in October 2023 (APIS/I-92 arrivals + departures)

  • Total air passenger travel (arrivals and departures) between the United States and other countries were led by Mexico 3.830 million, Canada 2.565 million, the United Kingdom 1.595 million, the Dominican Republic 922,000, and Germany 807,000.
  • International regional air travel to/from the United States:
    • Europe totaled 5.179 million passengers, up 9.9% over December 2022, and down only (-4.1%) compared to December 2019.
      • (U.S citizen departures were up 7.4% compared to December 2019, while European citizen arrivals were down -11.9%.)
    • South/Central America/Caribbean totaled 5.932 million, up 19.0% over December 2022, and 17.3% compared to December 2019.
    • Asia totaled 2.335 million passengers, up 38.5% over December 2022, but down (-29.8%) compared to December 2019.
  • Top U.S. Ports serving international locations were New York (JFK) 2.865 million, Miami (MIA) 2.222 million, Los Angeles (LAX) 1.999 million, San Francisco (SFO) 1.227 million, and Newark (EWR) 1.221 million.
  • Top Foreign Ports serving U.S. locations were London Heathrow (LHR) 1.418 million, Cancun (CUN) 1.211 million, Toronto (YYZ) 1.066 million, Mexico (MEX) 795,000, and Paris (CDG) 662,000.

1 APIS/ “I-92” (arrivals + departures)

2 ADIS/I-94 (with stays of 1-night or more in the United States and visiting under certain visa types)