New York lost 515,879 overseas arrivals in January–September 2026, more than a third of the US decline, while Miami slipped 1.5 per cent, our analysis of NTTO data shows.
Cover image: Travellers in Terminal 5 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (2022 file photo) — photo by Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
New York lost more overseas visitors than any other US gateway in the first nine months of 2026 while Miami held almost level, according to a Travel Market News analysis of port-of-entry data from the US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). Overseas arrivals recorded at the New York port of entry fell 12.0 per cent to 3,796,178 in January–September, a loss of 515,879 visitors. Miami slipped 1.5 per cent to 3,364,861.
New York is still the largest entry point, but its lead over Miami is down to 431,317 arrivals, less than half the 895,063 of a year earlier.
Nationally, overseas arrivals fell 5.7 per cent to 24.11 million. NTTO's tables of US overseas visitors by port of entry for 2026 show where that fall landed: by our calculation, New York accounts for 35.6 per cent of the 1,448,074 arrivals lost.
Which US gateways lost the most overseas visitors in 2026?
After New York, the largest absolute losses were at Los Angeles (down 132,692), Fort Lauderdale (down 113,366, or 19.6 per cent), Guam, listed as Agana (down 106,078, or 22.6 per cent) and Washington (down 99,619). Newark, which NTTO lists separately, lost 84,622. Together New York and Newark are down 600,501, or 41.5 per cent of the national decline.
Only two of the 15 largest named ports grew. Orlando added 73,736 arrivals (5.6 per cent) and Dallas 39,988 (6.8 per cent).
Overseas arrivals by port of entry, all modes of transport (NTTO I-94 data; changes are our calculation):
| Port of entry | Jan–Sep 2025 | Jan–Sep 2026 (preliminary) | Change | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 4,312,057 | 3,796,178 | −515,879 | −12.0% |
| Miami, FL | 3,416,994 | 3,364,861 | −52,133 | −1.5% |
| Los Angeles, CA | 2,462,120 | 2,329,428 | −132,692 | −5.4% |
| San Francisco, CA | 1,517,821 | 1,444,128 | −73,693 | −4.9% |
| Orlando, FL | 1,313,424 | 1,387,160 | +73,736 | +5.6% |
| Newark, NJ | 1,178,450 | 1,093,828 | −84,622 | −7.2% |
| Chicago, IL | 1,008,834 | 975,520 | −33,314 | −3.3% |
| Honolulu, HI | 860,623 | 825,465 | −35,158 | −4.1% |
| Boston, MA | 784,228 | 768,283 | −15,945 | −2.0% |
| Atlanta, GA | 782,430 | 752,120 | −30,310 | −3.9% |
| Washington, DC | 766,487 | 666,868 | −99,619 | −13.0% |
| Dallas, TX | 589,332 | 629,320 | +39,988 | +6.8% |
| Houston, TX | 651,588 | 628,121 | −23,467 | −3.6% |
| Seattle, WA | 558,400 | 537,420 | −20,980 | −3.8% |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | 577,252 | 463,886 | −113,366 | −19.6% |
| All ports of entry | 25,558,823 | 24,110,749 | −1,448,074 | −5.7% |
How close is Miami to New York as the top port of entry?
New York's share of all overseas arrivals fell from 16.9 per cent to 15.7 per cent, while Miami's rose from 13.4 per cent to 14.0 per cent. For the whole of 2025 New York recorded 5,846,403 overseas arrivals and Miami 4,725,981, NTTO's final December 2025 tables show.
On NTTO's air-only table Miami grew 0.6 per cent to 3,167,077, against an 11.7 per cent fall at New York. Miami's overall decline came from arrivals not recorded as air, which dropped from 270,364 to 197,784 by our subtraction of the two tables.
September alone was less one-sided. New York was down 7.1 per cent at 449,970 and Miami down 5.3 per cent at 283,840, against a national fall of 4.3 per cent.
Which visitors stopped arriving through New York?
Mostly Western Europeans. Arrivals from the region through New York fell 18.0 per cent, from 2,123,930 to 1,741,528. That drop of 382,402 is about three-quarters of New York's loss and 46.5 per cent of the national decline in Western European arrivals.
Miami's mix is different. South America supplied 1,558,588 of its arrivals, or 46 per cent, and that flow rose 3.1 per cent. South America was the only overseas region to grow nationally, up 3.9 per cent. We reported in October that Colombian visits to the US reached their highest January–September total in the same NTTO series.
The tables show where arrivals fell and from which regions. They do not show why.
What do the NTTO figures measure, and what are the limits?
NTTO counts I-94 arrival records of non-residents staying one night or more on selected visa types, by country of residence. "Overseas" excludes Canada and Mexico. The port is where US Customs and Border Protection recorded the arrival; NTTO says travellers pre-cleared abroad are re-coded to their first US airport. It is not the visitor's destination, and "New York, NY" is NTTO's port label; the tables do not split it by airport.
The 2026 figures come from NTTO's preliminary September release and may be revised; the 2025 base is its final September 2025 release.
The period ends before the US Ebola attestation rule took effect on 3 November. October's preliminary tables had not been published as of 13 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which US port of entry receives the most overseas visitors?
New York. NTTO's preliminary I-94 tables record 3,796,178 overseas arrivals at the New York port of entry in January–September 2026, ahead of Miami with 3,364,861 and Los Angeles with 2,329,428. New York's lead over Miami shrank from 895,063 to 431,317, by our calculation.
How much did overseas arrivals to the US fall in 2026?
Overseas arrivals, which exclude Canada and Mexico, fell 5.7 per cent to 24,110,749 in January–September 2026 from 25,558,823 a year earlier, according to NTTO's preliminary September release. By our calculation New York accounts for 35.6 per cent of the 1,448,074 arrivals lost.
Did any major US gateways gain overseas visitors in 2026?
Two of the 15 largest named ports of entry did. Orlando's overseas arrivals rose 5.6 per cent to 1,387,160 in January–September 2026 and Dallas's rose 6.8 per cent to 629,320, NTTO's preliminary tables show. Miami fell 1.5 per cent on all modes of transport.
Does port of entry show where visitors stayed?
No. The port of entry is where US Customs and Border Protection recorded the arrival, with travellers pre-cleared abroad assigned to their first US airport, according to NTTO. It does not show where the visitor stayed. NTTO publishes visitors' first intended address by state in separate tables.
