While Canadians stay away, American visits to Canada edge higher
Canadian travellers are increasingly avoiding trips to the United States, with travel data showing a sharp decline in cross-border visits as political tensions and economic concerns reshape vacation plans.
Statistics Canada reported that Canadian-resident return trips from the United States totalled 2,336,872 in October, down 26.3% from 3,170,986 in the same month in 2024. The decline marked a second consecutive month of similar drops, as Canadians continued to avoid their southern neighbour heading into colder weather.
Return trips from the US by automobile fell 30.2% to 1.6 million in October, while return trips by air declined 15.1% to 685,100 compared with a year earlier, the data showed.
Reasons behind the shift
“There’s a lot of hesitation around travelling to the US,” Amra Durakovic, head of communications at Flight Centre Travel Group Canada, told The Canadian Press.
Political tension over Trump’s tariffs, shifting immigration and border policies, and an unfavourable exchange rate, with the loonie trading around 72¢ US, continue to discourage many Canadians from travelling stateside.
“Being uncertain whether or not you’ll be stopped at the border, I think, just creates a lot of stress,” Durakovic said. “Let’s face it, a vacation is meant to be stress-free.”
Flight Centre reported that travel to US destinations was down 40% year over year in 2025, CTV News noted.
Alternative destinations grow in popularity
Instead, Canadians are opting for destinations further afield. Canadian residents returning from overseas totalled 998,197 in October, up from 914,950 in October 2024, Statistics Canada reported.
Flight Centre identified several destinations with strong year-over-year growth: Turks and Caicos rose 350%, Saint Lucia 116%, Japan 88%, Colombia 75%, and Switzerland 64%.
Airlines including Air Canada and WestJet have expanded service to destinations in Europe, South America, and Asia as travellers seek alternatives to the US.
“(Canadian travellers’) confidence has eroded when it comes to US travel, but they’re definitely exploring more widely,” Durakovic said.
Americans head North
Meanwhile, trips to Canada by US residents totalled 1,814,406 in October, up 3% from 1,760,987 in the same month in 2024. The increase marked the first rise after eight consecutive months of year-over-year declines.
Arrivals from overseas residents also rose 11.7% in October. European arrivals increased 10.5% from a year earlier, while arrivals from Asia climbed 14.9%.
