As neighbors, Canada and the United States of America have more in common than just a border. While there are some distinct differences (like the languages most frequently spoken and how healthcare works being only two examples), you might expect both passports to stack up rather evenly. It turns out they are close, but there’s also a clear winner.
Here’s what to know about Canadian passports versus American passports, and which one is truly “better” for travel, as of 2024 going into 2025.
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Because the source for passport strength is updated monthly, it’s possible the below information could change after publication. Keep this in mind, and always visit the updated Henley Passport Index for the most current information!
U.S. Passport Holders Can Travel To 186 Countries And Territories Without A Visa
American passports rank 8th worldwide
Individual holding multiple passports
American passports rank 8th worldwide, according to the Henley Passport Index. The Henley Passport Index uses “exclusive” data to rank 199 different passports and hundreds of travel destinations. As of December 2024 (the Index is updated monthly), U.S. passports ranked number eight on the list.
Henley Passport Index rankings don’t rank all the listed countries with an individual number. Rather, the countries are ranked based on how many countries they offer access to. Thus, many passports are ranked together, collectively, as a certain number on the list.
Interestingly, while there are many countries with competing passports ranked at different levels, the U.S. passport holds the sole 8th spot with 186 countries and territories. Travelers with a U.S. passport can visit many visa-free countries in 2024 and beyond, including the Philippines, Honduras, South Africa, and more.
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The U.S.’s Homeland Security website lists 42 countries that participate in a Visa Waiver Program with the U.S. American citizens can travel to those countries without a visa, for business or tourism, and stay up to 90 days.
Notable countries in the program include Australia, France, Germany, Italy, and New Zealand. The newest additions to the program—added since 2010—include Chile, Croatia, Greece, Israel, Poland, Taiwan, and Qatar.
The Henley Passport Index notes that U.S. passport holders can also visit places like Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Colombia, Haiti, and Puerto Rico visa-free. Of course, the list of 186 countries and territories is far too vast to list here!
Canada Passport Holders Can Travel To 187 Countries And Territories Without A Visa
Canadian passports rank 7th worldwide
Canadian passport photograph inside the Toronto Pearson International Airport.
While American passports ranked at an impressive #8 on the Henley Passport Index, Canada beat out its southern neighbor by one ranking and a single travel destination. Canada’s passport ranks 7th on the Index, allowing visa-free access to 187 countries and territories—that’s one more than the U.S. passport.
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It turns out that the Canadian passport outpacing the American one is relatively recent; in 2023, both passports were ranked equally at 7th place. In years prior, the U.S. passport had beat out Canada’s multiple times, as Immigration.ca recapped Henley & Partners’ explanation of the prior year’s rankings.
As far as the list of countries Canadians can visit visa-free, it’s unclear how well the list matches up with the U.S. one. Comparing would require going one-by-one down the list. However, there are some easily notable differences in the lists; American citizens can travel to Belarus visa-free, while Canadians cannot.
Other countries also ranked 7th alongside Canada are:
What if you don’t have a U.S. or Canadian passport?
Other countries have more powerful passports than American or Canadian passports. In fact, the world’s most powerful passports include those of Singapore, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and Spain. If you’re an American or Canadian citizen, it’s possible to pursue dual citizenship to take advantage of visa-free travel, which could save you some money. However, there are countries that do not recognize dual citizenship, so beware when traveling there.
If you’re a U.S. citizen who has yet to travel internationally, it might be time to take the steps toward obtaining your passport. With 187 countries on the visa-free list, there’s no time like the present to start seeing them all! Just make sure to allow for plenty of processing time before your departure date.
References: Henley Passport Index, Immigration.ca