A reasonable answer is that about 48% of U.S. adults have been abroad at least once , based on a 2021 Pew survey that found 71% had traveled internationally at some point, though that broader figure may include more than one trip and is not limited to a single lifetime visit.

Why the number varies

  • A 2025 report cited by Time Out said 42% of Americans had never been abroad , which would imply 58% had been at least once, but that comes from a different survey and wording.
  • Some viral posts online claim figures like 52% or 63% have never left the country, but those are not as reliable as Pew or similar survey-based reporting.

Best plain-English takeaway

If you want one simple estimate, say roughly half of Americans have left the country at least once.

Note on interpretation

Your question can mean either:

  • “Have ever been outside the U.S. at least once,” or
  • “How many have traveled abroad only once.”

The sources I found speak to the first meaning, not the exact “only once” count.