US travelers are afraid to travel abroad now

The decline in trust in airline safety, the detention of an increase in US citizens as they re-enter the country and increase anti-American sentiment overseas, is rethinking summer travel.

Travel abroad used to be a little bit more phased Mary S. American marketing professionals estimate that they will cross the border twice a year from their home in southern Arizona to visit nearby Los Argodons in Mexico. She also planned to attend a conference in Canada this summer. But after seeing the drastic new policies enacted by US President Donald Trump in the past three months and seeing the notable increase in detention when US citizens and permanent residents try to re-enter the country, she has a second thought.

“There's no way to get close to airports or border intersections,” she said.

Mary said some of her fears were almost like mistakes with recent air control tower staffing issues, but she is more concerned about possible retaliation from social media posts criticizing the Trump administration, and fears she is being harassed at border crossings. (She requested not to use her full name for the same reasons.)

These concerns may have been once thought to be quirky, but last week, Hasan Piker of Twitch Streamer, known for his criticism of Trump and his pro-Gaza policies, was reportedly detained for hours by federal agents at Chicago O'Hare International Airport after returning from France. Although he was eventually released, Piker said he was asked in the interrogation room about his views on the Middle East, asking, “Do you like Donald Trump?”

In response, Tricia McLaughlin, deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, posted a statement on social media, saying that the interaction is “a daily and legitimate process that occurs every day and can be applied to any traveler.”

She says that the majority of her clients continue to travel by booking as usual, but at any time, travel agent travel advisor Tamara Lidbom has seen some changes. “Legal permanent residents who are worried about not being allowed to re-enter the United States under changes to immigration enforcement will simply cancel their trip,” she said. “They decide that it's safer to take vacations in the US and avoid the potential risks associated with leaving the country and trying to re-enter the country.”

Boutique tour operator Jayway Travel also saw a noticeable slowdown in demand from American travellers compared to last year, but the decline isn't just about flight safety and fear of detention. “Economic uncertainty and a decline in the US dollar (this is the lowest in three years compared to the euro in three years last month after Trump's tariff rollout) are undoubtedly factors,” said Charlie Neville, the company's marketing director.

Still, Newark Airport, New Jersey, is the best for many travelers, especially for many travelers. Last week, the airport experienced a third system outage in less than two weeks, causing the controller to be unable to communicate with the pilot for up to 30 seconds, and reports continue to be on the rise of a severe shortage of staff in the control room. The airport has 14 controller targets, but only three were monitoring the airspace last Monday.

Despite recent headlines, air travel in the US continues to be one of the safest modes of transportation. Data from the National Transportation Safety Board shows that fatal aviation accidents in 2025 are below the average for the three-year period for the same period. However, conversations about aviation safety have been widely covered in the US media, increasing the perceived threat. According to Storyful from the News and Intelligence Agency, the aviation incident debate on social media has skyrocketed, up 243% on US-based X accounts and 71% on Reddit compared to early 2024. This has also been translated into more posts about anxiety, which is increasing by 22% on the US-based X account, Reddit, compared to early 2024.

Sarah Magnoni, owner of Harmony Travel Collective, said: “Almost all of my clients have asked about safety. In 2024, I was virtually not asked about airline safety.” Magnoni advises clients to avoid Newark Airport if possible, if not close to avoid delays or cancellations, but overall I am confident in the safety of the airline.

“Commercial airline pilots are not refusing to attack at this time. It tells you everything you need to know about aviation safety right now,” she said.

Andrew Coggins, a clinical professor at the management team at Pace University in New York, who specializes in the travel industry, believes that even if Americans are to route domestically and internationally, they don't necessarily skip flights for safety. “The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is discounted when Americans book flights (no US travelers). “Newark's struggle will have a greater impact on future bookings than near term bookings, as airport/flight changes can come with substantial additional costs.”

Coggins recently booked a flight to the UK and was surprised that the flight was completely full. He has been flying to the UK since 1969, but the country's new visa requirements came as a shock (even if he said it was easy to do online). Frequently US travelers complain that changes in visa requirements in foreign countries have led them to rethink international travel during the already unsettling summer travel season.

For Magnoni, many of her American clients have also asked how they are perceived overseas in light of more countries warnings for travel to the US and a bigger call for boycott trips to the US. In the country she specializes in Ireland and Scotland, Magnoni says Americans should be perfectly fine. “They are extremely welcoming to Americans and take pride in showing them their country, history and culture,” she said. “Their Tourism Bureau is very welcoming and ready for American travelers.”

In fact, those looking for bargains may be a good fit to keep up with their European holiday plans this summer. “This may be one of the best times of many years to visit Europe, especially from European cities, with fewer deals with crowds, more availability and better airfares,” Neville said. “Without Rome, we expect large crowds to be significantly lighter across Europe this summer. We don't see any major cancellations, but we've seen little research and notice indecisiveness.

The Coggins are still looking forward to a busy summer travel season, but as it's just the beginning of the season, a story of cross-border misery may have begun. That said, he believes the greatest impact of changing policies and fears of crossing borders will affect international visitors here, rather than going abroad. “I think the story of tourist encounters with homeland security could have a greater impact on summer inbound tourism than Americans' worries about FAA security or border crossings,” he said.

So far, that belief has been supported by data. According to the US International Trade Agency, overnight visitors from Western Europe fell 17% in March 2025 compared to the same period last year. Overall foreign arrivals fell by 12%, according to Jayway. Perhaps most importantly, according to a report released last week by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the US is on track to lose $12.5 billion (£9.4 billion) in international travel spending this year.

“This is a call for awakening for the US government,” WTTC president and CEO Julia Simpson said in the report. “The world's largest travel and tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction, not because of lack of demand, but because we were unable to act.

Skift's recent Reservach Report, The Trump Effect: Skift Travel Health Index market analysis, further quantifying the delay. The report found that the entire trip fell 2% in March, particularly 2% from Canada. In Canada, flight bookings fell 22% and hotel bookings fell 34% following a surge in bilateral tensions. France, Italy, Mexico and Brazil are also seeing declines.

Americans who are at home this summer may provide a buffer to the travel and tourism sector. Skift's report found that domestic travel activities in the US remained roughly flat compared to the previous year. The report theorizes that weakening of the dollar can also keep Americans home, particularly with the rise to drive to destinations.

Many US destinations are paying attention. One of the most popular ski resorts in the United States, Bale, Colorado, is home to a Tyrol-style village and currently markets visitors as offering the charm of a European holiday without crossing the pond. And even between federal government budgets and staffing cuts, it promotes support for public lands. Jesse Neugarten, founder and CEO of Dollar Flight Club, has proposed dupets like Santa Fe, New Mexico as a substitute for the Spanish state. Sedona, Arizona, Morocco. And Florida keys instead of international beach vacations. “These destinations offer a similar vibe without long-haul flights or price tags,” he said.

According to Alex Arioto, the head of the vacation rental company, many US tourists seem keen to stay in the US this summer and explore relatively nearby destinations. “We've seen bookings for a lot of internal states in the US, so that's why people in California travel within California, they travel within Texas.

One such person is American traveler Emily Drayrich. She had her heart set on traveling to Bolivia this summer, but she decided to cancel and maintain the state.

“The combination of increased reporting of flight destruction, unpredictability of border control and this general tension in the air right now really stops me and rethinks,” Drayrich said. “When that anxiety gets high enough to ruin your trip from day one, it's not worth it, especially if the holidays are short. When you travel only once a year, you're not paranoid to want a smooth entry and exit.”