A sharp drop in Canadian travel to the U.S. is disrupting summer plans for airlines that traditionally benefit from trips to Florida and Disneyland. With nearly 900,000 fewer Canadians visiting the U.S. in March alone, carriers are now reshaping their flight strategies.
WestJet is scaling back U.S. routes, shifting focus to stronger markets like Europe and other sun destinations. Air Canada reports a 10% dip in U.S. bookings over the next six months, prompting them to downsize aircraft and reduce flight frequencies. Porter Airlines has also trimmed some U.S. service in favor of domestic routes.
Analyst Mike Arnot of Cirium says the dip in demand is unusually steep, with summer bookings between Canadian and U.S. cities down nearly 20% from last year. In contrast, domestic bookings are up by 11%, reflecting a broader shift in travel behavior.
At Calgary International Airport, travelers are voicing concerns over the U.S. political climate and the weak Canadian dollar. Some are opting to stay local or travel abroad to places like Brazil or Europe instead.
Airlines are capitalizing on this trend. Air Canada added new flights to Paris, Rome, Athens, and Edinburgh, while WestJet introduced routes from Halifax to Barcelona and Amsterdam. Lufthansa-owned Discover Airlines also launched a Munich-Calgary route, banking on transatlantic demand.
However, the challenge lies in aircraft limitations—narrow-body planes used for North American routes can’t fly long-haul, restricting redeployment. Aviation expert John Gradek predicts a possible oversupply of Canadian flights and a fare war starting in May.
Despite economic headwinds, analysts suggest bargain deals on U.S. travel may soon emerge, offering Canadians discounted options for destinations like New York.
Source: Swifteradio.com
