Fewer Canadians are heading to the United States, and the slowdown has lasted long enough that it no longer looks temporary. Border traffic is down, flights are getting cut, and travel companies say interest in US trips keeps fading.
We all know that tariffs are the main reasons for this situation.
Canadians are still traveling. They are just choosing different places.
Quick Facts
- Canada-US car trips fell sharply in December 2025 to about 1.3 million return trips, a 30.7 percent drop from one year earlier.
- Air travel also declined, with about 470,700 Canadian return trips from the United States by plane, down 18.7 percent year over year.
- The pullback lasted most of the year, with car travel posting a twelfth straight month of year-over-year declines.
- Canadians kept traveling, but changed destinations, as overseas return trips rose to about 1.1 million in December, up 10.4 percent from a year earlier.
- Travel companies reported weaker demand, with leisure bookings from Canada to the United States down about 40 percent year over year.
- The slowdown carries economic impact, since Canadian tourism supported roughly 140,000 US jobs and more than 20 billion dollars in spending in 2024.
Here Is What The Numbers Say
The clearest picture comes from the border itself. In December 2025, Canadians made about 1.3 million return trips from the United States by car, a drop of 30.7 percent compared with the same month a year earlier. Air returns from the US also fell, down 18.7 percent, while trips from overseas climbed.
All of those figures come from the December travel release published by Statistics Canada.
One slow month can happen for many reasons. What stands out here is the streak. The agency noted that car travel from the United States has now declined year over year for twelve straight months.
Driving To The US Is Down A Lot
Fewer cars at border crossings usually mean fewer day trips, fewer shopping runs, and fewer short weekend stays.
The same pattern showed up earlier in the fall. The data from October 2025 showed Canadian return trips from the United States down more than 26 percent from the year before.
@todayinbc Travel between Canada and the United States continues to decline, with new federal data showing fewer cross-border trips by both Canadians and Americans. December marked the 12th consecutive month of reduced travel south by Canadian residents, whether by car or plane. The sustained downturn suggests more than a seasonal dip, pointing instead to broader economic and political factors shaping travel decisions. Analysts note the trend coincides with ongoing trade tensions and shifting cross-border dynamics. #CanadaUSBorder #CrossBorderTravel #TravelTrends #CanadaUS #BorderCrossing #CanadianTravel #USTravel #StatsCanada #EconomicImpact #NorthAmerica #TravelNews #BCNews #TodayInBC #RCMP #BreakingNews #LowerMainland #BCPolitics #LocalNews #CanadianPolitics #PoliticalNews ♬ original sound – Today In BC
People Are Going Elsewhere Instead
The decline in US travel does not mean Canadians stopped traveling. It means they changed destinations.
A breakdown of the same December numbers shows overseas trips moving in the opposite direction, with air returns from countries outside the United States rising more than 10 percent.
In simple terms, vacation money is still being spent. It is just being spent somewhere else.
Flights And Bookings Are Down Too
Travel companies say demand for US trips is weaker than it was a year ago. Flight Centre reported that leisure bookings from Canada to the United States were down about 40 percent, and a poll linked to that report found most Canadians say they are less likely to travel south in the coming year. Those findings were reported by Reuters.
Airlines have responded by cutting capacity. An aviation market update from OAG shows fewer seats and fewer flights scheduled on Canada–US routes, a sign that carriers expect demand to stay soft.
Border Towns Are Feeling It
Fewer Canadian visitors hit border communities first. Hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and outlet malls depend heavily on short trips and weekend traffic.
A report from the Joint Economic Committee Minority Office estimates that Canadian tourism added $20.5 billion to the US economy in 2024 and supported about 140,000 jobs.
The report warns that sustained declines in Canadian visits can quickly affect local businesses, especially near the border.
Why Some People Call It A Boycott
Public figures in Canada have openly talked about skipping the United States, and some have tied that choice to tariffs and politics. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, for example, said he would not take his usual winter trip to Florida.
The message also spread through travel behavior, not just comments. Travel agencies have described a clear drop in demand for US trips during the same period, alongside the wider boycott mood.
Some calls have been more direct. The Canadian Association of University Teachers urged members to avoid nonessential travel to the United States, pointing to concerns about the political climate and border experiences.
Put together, that mix of public statements and measurable travel changes explains why the boycott has become the shorthand. People might have different reasons, yet the outcome looks the same: fewer trips south.
Final Thoughts
No one can say for sure what travel will look like next year. What can be said is that the trend heading into 2026 is clear. Border crossings are down. Flights are fewer. Overseas travel is up.
The current pattern suggests Canadians will remain less likely to visit the United States in 2026 than they were before the situation with tariffs and political tension.
