New geopolitical events surrounding Venezuela and Greenland have pushed President Donald Trump somewhat into the background, calling Canada the “51st country” and targeting it with tariffs.
Still, Canadians are protesting the current government’s hostile stance toward their country with significantly reduced travel numbers.
In November 2025, the last month for which travel data is released to date, the number of Canadians flying home to the United States fell by 19.3 per cent. The rate of return on car travel also fell by 28.6% for the 11th consecutive month.
A recent report from the U.S. Travel Association predicted that declining arrivals from Canada and Mexico will cost the U.S. tourism industry more than $5.7 billion.
These declines are already reflected in the routes Air Canada chooses to operate and the number of seats it cuts. The Travel cited OAG Aviation flight log data showing that Air Canada’s number of seats on flights to the United States in the first quarter of 2026 was 10% lower than last year.
That average includes a 19 per cent reduction in flight capacity at Calgary-based WestJet, a 7 per cent reduction at Air Canada and a 58 per cent reduction at Edmonton-based low-cost carrier Flair Air. In total, this resulted in a loss of more than 450,000 passengers, or approximately 5,000 seats per day.
RELATED: Canada toughens U.S. travel warning for second time in a month
In exchange, airlines are increasing flights to other destinations such as Mexico, Costa Rica and major European cities, where Canadians are flocking to move their travel dollars.
“If we can reduce the risk a little bit and take proactive action and move capacity to other areas [where] We see the strength and I think it’s the right move at this time under the circumstances,” Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s executive vice president of revenue and network planning, told investors at a March 2025 news conference.
WestJet issued a similar statement, saying it “continuously evaluates and adjusts its flight schedule to meet demand.” Cities such as Los Angeles, Atlanta and Newark have seen the biggest airline seat cuts.
Visitors from Canadian cities such as Toronto and Montreal are increasingly looking for destinations outside the United States for their vacations.Image source &col; Shutterstock
While many airlines expect to eventually rebound and launch flights to other U.S. cities where demand remains strong, the drop in tourism has disproportionately hit cities that rely on it.
