Canadians Avoiding US: Air Transat & WestJet Cut Flights

Canadian Airlines Scale Back US Flights Amidst Declining Travel Demand

Canadians are increasingly choosing destinations outside the United States, prompting major adjustments from Canadian airlines serving the US market. Air Transat will cease all flights to the US this summer, with its final cross-border flight scheduled for early June. WestJet is also significantly reducing its US routes, suspending 16 pairings including major city connections like Boston to Vancouver and Los Angeles to Toronto.

Air Transat’s decision reflects a “very marginal” presence in the US, with only two of its 67 destinations currently located within the country. A spokesperson for the airline stated the move is a “proactive management of our capacity,” allowing them to focus on markets where Air Transat is best positioned to utilize its resources.

The airline currently operates flights from Montreal to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, and from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale. The winter schedule, according to the spokesperson, “will be determined at a later date.”

WestJet is reducing its overall transborder flying by close to 10% for the summer season. A spokesperson explained the airline observed a “notable decline in transborder travel demand throughout 2025,” leading to a redeployment of its fleet to routes more popular with Canadian travelers.

The shift in travel patterns comes after a period of strained relations between Canada and the US, beginning in early 2025 when the US imposed a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico. This sparked a “Buy Canadian” movement and contributed to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s electoral success last April. Further tensions arose from statements made by President Donald Trump, who referred to Canada as the “51st state” and threatened additional tariffs and the blocking of a Detroit-Ontario border bridge.

Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium indicates that capacity on flights from Canada to the US was down 10% last month compared to the previous year. Statistics Canada reported 1.6 million return trips from the US to Canada last month, a decrease of 24.3% year-over-year.

Despite predictions of a rebound following the imposition of tariffs, Canadian travel to the US remains at record lows. Air Canada has also adjusted its US network, implementing a 7% cut in seats, though the airline’s US presence is considerably larger than WestJet’s.

While Canadian airlines are scaling back US routes, they are simultaneously increasing capacity to Mexico. Air Canada, Air Transat, and Flair have collectively increased flights between Canada and Mexico by 15.7% year-over-year, operating over 22,000 flights.