$2.45 billion: that is the total amount Brazilian travelers spent overseas in July 2026, according to Central Bank data published on Thursday. For ordinary households, a weaker US dollar made flight tickets and hotel bookings more affordable during the mid-year school holidays.

The total exceeds 12.4 billion reais, equivalent to over eight million monthly Brazilian minimum wages. The spending marks the highest level for any July since the Central Bank began tracking records in 1995, surpassing the previous record of $2.41 billion set in July 2014.

With the dollar ending July at 5.06 reais, down 7.64% this year, international credit card bills and foreign currency purchases became noticeably cheaper than last year. Over the first seven months of 2026, overseas expenses totaled $15.1 billion, also an all-time record for the period.

Understand: travel expenses are part of the current account, the official ledger tracking all money moving into and out of Brazil through trade, services, and financial remittances. When Brazilian tourists spend abroad, the country registers a net outflow of foreign currency, directly affecting national external accounts.

Despite increased travel outlays, Brazil's overall current account deficit fell 9.6% from January to July, totaling $35.97 billion. Meanwhile, foreign direct investment reached $54.44 billion over the same period, more than enough to finance that shortfall.