Why Don't Americans Carry Passports?

According to Census and State Department data, 21.4 million passports were issued in 2016, which is the most ever. That means 42 percent of Americans hold a passport, a growth of 15 percent since 2007. In 1990, only four percent of Americans had one.

Although the number of Americans with passports is reaching record highs and still growing, foreigners still tend to look at Americans as selfish, close-minded individuals who don't care to learn about the rest of the world. It may seem this way but the lack of U.S. citizens with passports compared to the rest of the world is completely explainable. The utility of obtaining a passport is very low, most Americans will never need a passport in their lifetime. You can, with exception to some rules, travel the entire continent of North America with just your driver's license.

One major concept that most inhabitants of the other side of the world can't fathom is the vast reach of America's borders. Many don't realize how large the U.S. is as a country and even when realized the proportion is unimaginable when compared. Of those well traveled countries in the European Union, voyagers don't need to drive or fly far to reach their neighbor country. This gives more utility to have a passport for citizens of those countries.

The true size of the US when compared to the EU:

Despite the myth that Americans don't travel, Americans are actually well traveled individuals. Alongside International travel, Americans also have this concept of traveling Nationally. Yes, Americans do travel internationally as well but it's usually by a long flight. It's not a bus ride or a train ride away. Not all Americans can afford a 10 hour flight to Germany in addition to a return flight back. Just to give an example of how different the travel is let's say you're in Amsterdam; if you drive Southwest for just 6 hours you have passed through 2 countries and you should be in Paris, France by now. Compare that to the US. From Jasper, Texas, if you drive 6 hours West, you haven't even made it to the other side of Texas yet. It isn't possible to see New York, The Grand Canyon, and California all in one day. There are Large States in the US, every State is different with different tourist attractions and different ways of life. A traveler can experience a -12°C winter day in New York or a 21°C winter day in California, there's plenty diversity in the US to explore for a lifetime. For this reason the U.S. has the largest domestic travel market in the world. Americans travel just as much as anyone else. It's not close-mindedness that keeps most Americans from getting a passport. It's the vast diversity and size of the country that does.