Canadian return trips from U.S. tank nearly 30% in October: StatCan
Canadian residents continued to take fewer trips to the United States in October, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.
globalnews.caHere are the latest trends on Canadians avoiding U.S. travel, based on recent reporting up to 2026.
Overview
- Canadians are continuing to travel to the U.S. at substantially lower levels than before, with persistent declines in both land and air trips through late 2025 and into 2026. This trend has been observed across multiple sources and data releases, indicating a sustained shift rather than a short-term fluctuation.[1][2][4]
- Analysts and travel researchers flag a mix of factors driving the boycott, including political tensions, tariff rhetoric, and perceptions of higher travel costs or scrutiny at the border, contributing to a broader shift toward domestic or non-U.S. destinations.[2][3][1]
Key data points
- Monthly and year-over-year declines: Canadian return trips to the U.S. (by air and by road) have shown pronounced declines for many months in 2024–2025, with reports noting around a 25–32% drop in several periods compared with the prior year.[4][1][2]
- By mode: Automobile cross-border trips have fallen sharply (often cited around 30% or more in recent months), while air-bound travel has also declined but sometimes to a lesser extent depending on month and airline capacity.[2][4]
- Public sentiment and behavior: Surveys and media coverage in Canada have highlighted lingering public unease about U.S. travel amid political rhetoric and tariff actions, with a notable share of Canadians indicating they would choose destinations other than the U.S. for vacations.[3][2]
What travelers are doing instead
- Increased domestic and international travel within Canada and to non-U.S. destinations appears to be offsetting some of the U.S. travel decline, with travel agencies and tourism boards noting shifts in demand toward local and alternative international trips.[5][2]
- Some regions in Canada have seen localized responses, including promotional push to support domestic tourism and regional travel experiences as uncertainties about U.S. travel persist.[5][2]
Implications for travelers
- If you’re weighing a trip to the U.S., expect potentially higher wait times or increased border scrutiny in some corridors, and consider booking well in advance to secure seats and favorable pricing given tighter U.S.-bound capacity reported in some periods.[3][4]
- For those flexible with destinations, Canada’s own regions and other international options may offer more opportunities and potentially better value given the current travel landscape.[2][5]
Illustrative snapshot
- In late 2025 and early 2026, a broad set of sources consistently reported that Canadians were booking fewer return trips to the U.S., with multi-month declines and indications the trend would persist into 2026 unless policy or economic conditions shifted.[1][2]
Would you like a short, cited brief tailored to a specific trip window (e.g., summer 2026) or a quick comparison of Canadian vs. U.S. border travel by month? I can pull the most recent monthly figures and provide a compact chart.[4][1][2]