New geopolitical events around Venezuela and Greenland pushed President Donald Trump’s references to Canada as “51 states” and targeting Canada with tariffs somewhat in the background.
Still, Canadians continue to protest the current administration’s hostile stance toward their country with much lower travel numbers.
In November 2025, the latest month for which travel numbers have been released so far, the number of Canadians returning home from trips to the United States by plane fell by 19.3%. Car journey returns also fell by 28.6% in the 11th consecutive month of such decline.
A recent report from the US Travel Association now predicts that the decline in both Canadian and Mexican visitors will cost the US travel industry more than $5.7 billion.
This reduction is already showing in regards to the routes Canadian airlines choose to fly and how many seats they cut. According to flight log data from OAG Aviation, cited by The Travel, Canadian airlines are operating 10% fewer seats on flights to the United States for the first quarter of 2026 compared to the previous year.
This average includes a 19% flight capacity reduction by Calgary-based WestJet, a 7% reduction for flag carrier Air Canada, and a 58% reduction for Edmonton-based low-cost carrier Flair Airlines. The total results in more than 450,000 fewer passengers flying, or about 5,000 seats cut per day.
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In exchange, airlines are increasing flights to other destinations such as Mexico, Costa Rica, and major European cities to which there has been an influx of Canadians directing their travel dollars.
“If we can risk this a bit and move and be a bit proactive and move the capacity to other sectors [where] we see strength, I think that’s the right move right now in this context,” Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s executive vice president, revenue and network planning, told investors at a press conference in March 2025.
WestJet issued a similar statement saying it “continually evaluates and adjusts its schedule to meet demand.” Cities like Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Newark have seen some of the biggest airline seat cuts.
While many of the same airlines anticipate an eventual rebound and launch flights to other US cities where demand has remained strong, the travel slump has disproportionately hit cities that rely on tourism.