New research has revealed the U.S. cities and states driving business travel into the U.S., welcoming the highest share of overseas inbound business visitors.
This comes as a recent GBTA poll found that 59% of business travel professionals are optimistic about the industry’s prospects this year, with 84% expecting their organization’s spending to increase in 2026.1
Booking.com for Business has analyzed the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration data to reveal the top cities and states driving business travel to the US.
You can view the report in full here: Business Travelers to the US.
Most visited U.S cities for international business travel:
|
Rank |
Port of Entry City |
State |
Share of Overseas Inbound Air Business Visitors to the US |
|
1 |
New York City |
New York |
17% |
|
2 |
Los Angeles |
California |
13.8% |
|
3 |
San Francisco |
California |
10.8% |
|
4 |
Miami |
Florida |
10.2% |
|
5 |
Atlanta |
Georgia |
7% |
|
6 |
Chicago |
Illinois |
6.3% |
|
7 |
Newark |
New Jersey |
5.8% |
|
8 |
Houston |
Texas |
4.7% |
|
9 |
Dallas/Fort Worth |
Texas |
3.9% |
|
10 |
Washington |
District of Columbia |
3.6% |
Source: US Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
1. New York City, New York
New York City accounts for 17% of all overseas inbound business visitors to the US, making it the largest single entry point for international corporate travel. Its role as a major center for finance, legal services, and professional industries supports consistent inbound travel across a wide range of sectors.
With several international airports serving the city and surrounding area, New York City has the capacity to handle high volumes of business travel, supporting frequent, short-notice trips linked to meetings, client work, and day-to-day operations.
2. Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles accounts for 13.8% of overseas inbound business visits to the US. Its position as a primary gateway between the US and Asia-Pacific markets supports a high volume of long-haul corporate travel linked to trade and logistics.
This is supported by the city’s transport infrastructure. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and one of the largest port networks in the country make LA a frequent entry point for international business teams arriving from overseas markets.
3. San Francisco, California
San Francisco accounts for 10.8% of international business travel to the US. Its position in the Bay Area, near Silicon Valley, places it close to a high concentration of technology companies and international businesses with global operations.
This concentration supports regular inbound corporate travel linked to meetings, partnerships, and day-to-day operational coordination between US-based teams and international offices.
The most visited US states for international business travelers:
|
Rank |
Main Destination State |
Share of Overseas Inbound Air Business Visitors to the US |
|
1 |
California |
17.9% |
|
2 |
New York |
16.4% |
|
3 |
Florida |
12.6% |
|
4 |
Texas |
6.7% |
|
5 |
Georgia |
3.7% |
|
6 |
Illinois |
3.2% |
|
7 |
Washington |
2.8% |
|
8 |
New Jersey |
2.6% |
|
8 |
Nevada |
2.6% |
|
10 |
Tennessee |
2% |
California and New York together account for more than a third of all international business travel to the US, with shares of 17.9% and 16.4%, respectively.
This reflects the presence of multiple high-volume business cities within each state, alongside extensive international flight connectivity and a high concentration of corporate activity across finance, technology, professional services, and manufacturing.
Florida receives 12.6% of international business travelers to the US, placing it third overall. Miami accounts for the largest share of this activity, representing 10.6% of all overseas inbound business visits. Other cities, including Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, also attract meaningful volumes of international business travel, at 2.1% and 1.7% respectively.
Texas accounts for 6.7% of overseas inbound business travel. Business travel to Texas is distributed across multiple metropolitan areas, including Austin, Dallas, and Houston.
Georgia receives 3.7% of international business travelers, making it the only Deep South state to appear in the top ten. Much of this activity is concentrated in Atlanta, which functions as a major center for corporate activity, logistics, and transportation.
This role is reinforced by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest airport in the US by passenger volume, which serves as a key entry point for international business travel to the region.
Joshua Wood, Director of Business Travel at Booking.com for Business, shares his perspective:
“With almost two-thirds of inbound US business travel coming from just ten countries and arriving in a handful of key cities, the data highlights where international travel demand is most predictable.
“For businesses, knowing which routes and cities carry the highest volumes of inbound trips is more than a nice‑to‑know statistic – it points SMEs to the corridors with the best connections, backup options, and on‑the‑ground facilities, and the ones where they can often secure better fares and rates.
“When you fold those insights into a simple travel policy and manage trips through a tool like Booking.com for Business, you can help your business travelers have easier, less stressful journeys while controlling your travel budget and benefiting from exclusive rates.”