Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The number of Irish passengers travelling to the United States has dropped by 10% in the first quarter of this year, new figures show. The fall comes amid a broader transatlantic cooling-off, with a string of countries also reporting a decline in visitor traffic to the US. Statistics from the US Customs and Border Protection show 142,782 Irish passport holders went through US pre-clearance at Dublin and Shannon airports between January and March 2025, compared to 158,494 in the same period last year – a drop of 15,712. During the last year of the Biden presidency, the quarterly numbers had risen to a high of 176,240 Irish passport holders passing through the Clare and Dublin airports in the final three months of 2024. The drop in Irish travel across the Atlantic is thought to reflect not just cost of living pressures but a shift in sentiment around the US as a destination, with growing concern over a political climate seen as increasingly hostile. Wicklow-based US lecturer Patti Shields, who is Chair of Democrats Abroad Ireland, said she has been hearing from Irish people who have changed plans to travel to the US. “A lot of people who have travelled to and from the US quite readily and easily throughout their whole lives are now worried about what devices and phones they’re taking in or what could be on their person that could raise suspicion. “People are just looking to spend their money and time going to a destination where they’re not going to have problems.” The Irish Travel Agents Association has reported a small drop in holidaymakers travelling to Orlando and the West Coast. Visitors from Ireland who stayed at least one night in the US fell by 26% in March from a year ago, according to the International Trade Administration. Clare Dunne, CEO of ITAA, said it is worth noting that Easter is almost a month later this year, so families would be travelling for the school holiday in April this year. She added: “The Easter effect is part of it. There’s so much in the ether at the moment, it can feed a little bit of nervousness.” Meanwhile, ITAA corporate travel agents say they have experienced a drop in corporate travel to the US. But Dunne said corporate travel through Ireland could be unexpectedly boosted as some companies with a European base are requesting employees to travel via Ireland because of the advantages of US pre-clearance. Paul Hackett, CEO of Click&Go, said he is seeing no sign of cancellations yet. He stressed that US bucket-list trips to the likes of Disney theme parks in Orlando or trips to Vegas or New York aren’t easily substituted. Travelling to Miami through London, he reported a smooth travel experience. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.