Globetrotter-in-Chief: Obama Outpaces Previous Presidents in World Travel
Rob Bluey /
Photo credit: Pete Souza
A new report from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation reveals that President Obama outpaces his predecessors in world travel.
Through the first five years of their presidencies, here’s how Obama compares to our previous six commanders-in-chief, according to the report:
| Presidents’ International Travel After Five Years | ||||
| President | Trips | Visits | Days | Average Days Abroad per Trip |
| Eisenhower | 8 | 8 | 31 | 3.9 |
| Johnson | 10 | 21 | 34 | 3.4 |
| Nixon | 12 | 32 | 60 | 5.0 |
| Reagan | 14 | 30 | 73 | 5.2 |
| Clinton | 27 | 68 | 113 | 4.2 |
| Bush, G.W. | 28 | 76 | 116 | 4.1 |
| Obama | 31 | 63 | 119 | 3.8 |
“The most internationally well-traveled President, through five years, is also flying the most expensive-to-operate Air Force One to date,” the foundation wrote in the study, first reported by Breitbart News.
In 2013, the cost of operating Air Force One was about $228,288 per flight hour, according to information obtained by The Washington Examiner via a Freedom of Information Act request.
Obama departed yesterday for the Netherlands to attend a G-7 meeting. The National Taxpayers Union’s Michael Tasselmyer estimates the cost of the trip will be upwards of $6,620,352.