11 American Presidents Who Traveled the Most During Their Presidency

Traveling is a key part of the U.S. presidency, enabling leaders to engage in face-to-face diplomacy and address global issues firsthand. However, some presidents have taken international travel to new heights, logging extensive miles on Air Force One. Using data from the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Historian, which has tracked presidential travel since 1901, and insights from Pew Research Center’s analysis of modern presidential travel, we’ve ranked the 11 U.S. presidents who visited the most countries during their terms. This list excludes presidents before 1900, as international travel was rare and frowned upon due to social conventions of the time. Here are the presidents who traveled the globe most extensively.

1. George W. Bush (2001–2009) – 73 Countries

During his eight-year presidency, George W. Bush visited more countries than any other U.S. president, with a total of 73 nations across 48 international trips. His first trip was to Mexico, and he went on to visit every continent except Antarctica. Notably, Bush made the third round-the-world flight by a U.S. president, with stops in Russia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. His travels included a historic visit to Iraq in 2003, surprising U.S. troops on Thanksgiving, marking the first presidential visit to the country. Bush also visited Russia seven times, his most frequent destination, reflecting his focus on strengthening ties with key allies and addressing global security issues.

2. Barack Obama (2009–2017) – 58 Countries

Barack Obama set a record for the most-traveled U.S. president in their first year, making 10 trips to 21 countries and spending 37 days abroad. Over his two terms, he made 52 trips to 58 countries. A landmark trip was his 2016 visit to Cuba, the first by a sitting U.S. president since Calvin Coolidge in 1928, marking the renewal of diplomatic relations after 54 years of tension. Obama frequently visited Germany (13 times) and France (6 times), emphasizing strong ties with European allies. His extensive travels underscored his administration’s focus on global engagement and diplomacy.

3. George H.W. Bush (1989–1993) – 58 Countries

George H.W. Bush set the standard for frequent international travel, making 26 trips to 58 countries during his single term, averaging 9.5 countries per year. He initiated the tradition of surprise Thanksgiving visits to U.S. troops abroad, starting with a 1990 trip to Saudi Arabia. A significant diplomatic milestone was his 1991 trip to Moscow and Kyiv, where he signed the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with the Soviet Union. His travels reflected the U.S.’s role as a global superpower during the end of the Cold War.

4. Bill Clinton (1993–2001) – 54 Countries

Bill Clinton made 133 visits to 54 countries during his eight years in office, holding the record for the most foreign visits until surpassed by George W. Bush. His frequent trips to Italy (7 times) and Germany highlighted his focus on strengthening NATO and European partnerships. Clinton’s travels were instrumental in promoting U.S. trade and diplomacy, particularly in the post-Cold War era, as he worked to foster global economic integration and peacekeeping efforts.

5. Ronald Reagan (1981–1989) – 26 Countries

Ronald Reagan made 25 trips to 26 countries during his presidency. His administration is notable for ordering two new military aircraft that became the modern Air Force One, equipped with amenities like showers, bedrooms, and advanced communication systems for a traveling head of state. Reagan’s most iconic trip was his 1987 speech at the Berlin Wall, urging Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” He also visited Germany for the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II and the country’s 750th-anniversary celebrations, reinforcing U.S.-German relations.

6. Jimmy Carter (1977–1981) – 25 Countries

During his single term, Jimmy Carter made 12 international trips to 25 countries, with a focus on the Middle East to broker peace talks. His efforts culminated in the Camp David Accords, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Carter’s travels emphasized diplomacy and conflict resolution, particularly in regions critical to U.S. foreign policy during the late 1970s.

7. Donald Trump (2017–2021) – 25 Countries

Donald Trump made 39 visits to 25 countries during his presidency, a pace similar to his predecessors until the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed travel in his final year. His most historic trips included the 2018 Singapore Summit, where he became the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korean leader, and a 2019 visit where he became the first U.S. president to enter North Korea. Trump’s travels focused on high-profile diplomatic engagements, though his overall country count was lower due to the pandemic.

8. Richard Nixon (1969–1974) – 24 Countries

Richard Nixon made significant diplomatic strides, visiting 24 countries during his presidency. His 1972 visit to China was a historic first, paving the way for improved U.S.-China relations. Nixon also visited the Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries like Romania, Yugoslavia, and Poland during the Cold War, emphasizing détente and strategic diplomacy. His travels included the first round-the-world trip by a president after Lyndon B. Johnson.

9. Joe Biden (2021–2025) – 19 Countries

Joe Biden made 17 trips to 19 countries in his first two years in office, a lower count than some predecessors due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. His trips included a notable surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, in February 2023 to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion. Biden’s travels focused on reinforcing alliances, particularly in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, with frequent visits to the UK and Belgium. A non-diplomatic trip to the UK for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral is not included in this count.

10. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945) – 17 Countries

Franklin D. Roosevelt made 20 international trips to 17 countries during his unprecedented four terms. His early travels were by ship, often for fishing vacations to the Bahamas$,