'It's just not worth it': The US travellers afraid to travel abroad right now

Declining trust in airline safety, a rise in US citizens being detained when reentering the country and growing anti-American sentiment abroad have some rethinking their summer travels.

Travelling abroad used to barely phase Mary S. The American marketing professional estimates she would cross the border twice a year from her southern Arizona home to visit Los Algodones, Mexico nearby. She was also planning on attending a conference this summer in Canada to escape the Southwest US's sweltering heat. But after watching the sweeping new policies enacted by US President Donald Trump over the last three months and a notable rise in US citizens and permanent residents being detained when attempting to re-enter the country, she's having second thoughts. 

"There's no way I'm going anywhere near an airport or border crossing," she said.

While Mary said that some of her trepidation is about the recent spate of air control tower staffing issues and near-misses, she's more worried about potential retaliation from her social media posts criticising the Trump administration, and is afraid of being harassed at border crossings. (She requested we not use her full name for the same reasons.)

These worries might have once seemed outlandish, but last week Twitch streamer Hasan Piker – who is 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. Though eventually released, Piker said he was questioned about his views on the Middle East in an interrogation room and asked "Do you like Donald Trump?"

In response, Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security posted a statement on social media saying that the interaction was "a routine, lawful process that occurs daily, and can apply for any traveler". 

Other high-profile incidents involving the detention of US citizens have some people "freaked out" by the idea of international travel. Pair that with many Americans losing faith in air travel safety following a spate of recent airplane crashes and anti-American sentiment rising in Europe and Canada, and some Americans are putting their international travel plans on hold – if not outright cancelling their trips.

While she says the majority of her clients continue to book and take trips as usual, travel advisor Tamara Lidbom of Anytime Travel Agency has seen some changes. "Lawful permanent residents who are worried they will not be allowed to re-enter the United States based on changing immigration enforcement are just cancelling trips," she said. "They have decided it is safer to vacation in the United States and avoid the potential risks associated with leaving the country and attempting to re-enter."

Boutique tour operator JayWay Travel has also seen a noticeable slowdown in demand from American travellers compared to last year, but the decline isn't only about flight safety or detention fears. "Economic uncertainty and the declining US dollar [which hit a three-year low against the euro last month following Trump's tariff rollout] are definitely factors," says Charlie Neville, the company's marketing director.

Still, airplane safety is top of mind for many travellers, as Newark Airport in New Jersey, in particular, has faced mounting problems. Last week, the airport experienced its third system outage in less than two weeks, leaving controllers unable to communicate with pilots for up to 30 seconds, and reports continue to flood in that the control room is severely understaffed. Though the airport has a target of 14 controllers, only three were monitoring airspace last Monday.

Despite recent headlines, air travel in the US continues to be one of the safest modes of transportation. National Transportation Safety Board data shows fatal aviation accidents in 2025 to be below the three-year average for the same period. Yet, conversations about aviation safety have been widely covered in US media, adding to the perceived threat. According to news and intelligence agency Storyful, aviation incident discussions on social media have skyrocketed, up 243% on X accounts based in the US and 71% on Reddit compared to early 2024. That has also translated to more posts about flying anxiety, up 72% on X accounts based in the US and 22% on Reddit compared to early 2024.

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"Safety in travel has become a daily conversation lately, as a travel advisor specialising in European travel and a wife to a commercial airline pilot," said Sarah Magnoni, owner of Harmony Travel Collective. "Nearly all of my clients have inquired about safety. In 2024, I received virtually no questions on airline safety." While Magnoni has advised her clients to avoid Newark airport in the near future if possible to avoid delays and cancellations, overall she feels confident about airline safety. 

"Commercial airline pilots aren't striking or refusing to fly at this time. That tells us everything we need to know about aviation safety right now," she said.

Andrew Coggins, a clinical professor of management at Pace University in New York who specialises in the travel industry, also thinks Americans won't necessarily skip out on flights due to safety, even if they end up routing domestically versus internationally. "The FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] woes are discounted by Americans booking flights since [US travellers don't] have much choice outside of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor if one wants to get somewhere fast," he said. "Newark's woes will have a greater effect on future bookings than near-term reservations, since changing airports/flights might involve considerable additional expense." 

Coggins recently booked a flight to the UK, and was surprised that the flight was completely full. Even though he's been flying to the UK since 1969, the country's new visa requirement came as a shock (even though he said it was easy to do online). Many frequent US travellers also complained that changing visa requirements in foreign countries are causing them to reconsider international trips in an already anxious summer travel season. 

For Magnoni, more of her American clients are also inquiring about how they may be perceived abroad in light of more nations issuing travel warnings to the US and greater calls to boycott travel to the US. For the countries she specialises in – Ireland and Scotland – Magnoni says Americans should have no problems at all. "They're very welcoming to Americans and take pride in showcasing their countries, histories and cultures," she said. "Their tourism boards are very welcoming and ready for American travellers." 

In fact, those looking for a bargain may do well to keep their European holiday plans this summer. "This may be one of the best times in years to visit Europe: fewer crowds, more availability and great airfare deals – especially out of European cities," said Neville. "Other than in Rome, we're expecting significantly lighter crowds across Europe this summer. While we're not seeing mass cancellations, we are noticing fewer inquiries and more indecisiveness. It feels a lot like summer 2022, when international travel was just starting to rebound."

Coggins still expects a busy summer travel season, but since it's just the start of the season, the tales of border crossing woes may just be beginning. That said, he still believes the greatest impact of changing policies and border crossing fears will impact international visitors here, rather than Americans going abroad. "I think the tales of tourists' encounters with Homeland Security may have a greater effect on summer inbound tourism than Americans' worries over FAA safety or border crossing," he said.

So far, that belief is backed up by the data. According to the US International Trade Administration, overnight visitors from Western Europe declined by 17% in March 2025 compared to the same time last year. Overall foreign arrivals were down 12% – the sharpest dip since the pandemic recovery began, according to JayWay. Perhaps most telling: according to a report published last week by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the US is on track to lose $12.5bn (£9.4bn) in international travel spending this year.

"This is a wake-up call for the US government," the WTTC's President and CEO Julia Simpson said in the report. "The world's biggest travel and tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction, not because of a lack of demand, but because of a failure to act. While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the US government is putting up the 'closed' sign."

Skift's recent reserach report, The Trump Effect: Skift Travel Health Index Market Analysis, quantified the lag further. The report found that overall travel dipped 2% in March, particularly from Canada, where flight bookings fell 22% and hotel bookings dropped 34% following a spike in bilateral tensions. France, Italy, Mexico and Brazil are also seeing declines.

Americans staying home this summer may provide a buffer to the travel and tourism sector. Skift's report found that US domestic travel activity has remained nearly flat year-on-year. The report theorises that the weakening dollar may also keep Americans at home, with an uptick in particular to drive-to destinations.

Many US destinations are taking note. Vail, Colorado, one of the US's most popular ski resorts and home to a Tyrolean-style village, is currently marketing itself as providing the charm of a European holiday without visitors having to fly across the pond. It's also promoting its support for public lands even among federal budget and staffing cuts. Jesse Neugarten, founder and CEO of Dollar Flight Club, suggests dupes like Santa Fe, New Mexico as a stateside stand-in for Spain; Sedona, Arizona for Morocco; and the Florida Keys instead of international beach vacations. "These destinations offer similar vibes without the long-haul flights or price tags," he said.

According to Alex Alioto, head of growth at vacation rental firm Whimstay, many US travellers seem keen to stay in the US this summer and explore destinations relatively close to home. "We've been seeing a lot of inner-state bookings in the US, so people from California travelling within California, Texans traveling within Texas. Not only is domestic travel leading over international, but people aren't venturing outside of state lines." 

One such person is American traveller Emily Dreilich. Though she had her heart set on travelling to Bolivia this summer, she decided to cancel and remain stateside.

"The combination of increased reports of flight disruptions, border control unpredictability and just this general tension in the air right now is what really made me stop and rethink," Dreilich said. "When that anxiety gets high enough to mess with your trip from day one, it's just not worth it, especially if your vacation is short. When you only get one trip a year, you're not being paranoid for wanting a smooth entry and exit."

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