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How future tropical cyclone (TC) activity could change under global warming is enormously important to society, which has been widely assessed using state‐of‐the‐art climate models. However, these models were predominantly based on projection of an El Niño‐like warming pattern. Recent studies suggested that a La Niña‐like warming pattern is also possible. Here we compare the responses of TC track density (TCTD) over the western North Pacific and North Atlantic to the two distinct global warming patterns. We find that the La Niña‐like warming pattern reduces western North Pacific TCTD except in the South China Sea and along China coast and increases NA TCTD, while the El Niño‐like warming pattern generally reduces TCTD in both basins. This is due to different responses of large‐scale dynamic/thermodynamic conditions to the distinct zonal sea surface temperature gradients associated with the two warming patterns. These results help better understand potential future change in TC tracks. Key Points: The La Niña‐like warming reduces (increases) TC track density in the main WNP (NA), while the El Niño‐like warming reduces it in two basinsThe different responses are due to the different tropical zonal SST gradients associated with the two warming patternsChina and North America would experience more landfalling TCs in La Niña‐like warming pattern than in El Niño‐like warming pattern [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]