A new Flight Centre Canada national YouGov survey suggests the shift away from U.S. travel for Canadians isn’t going away. It also says three times as many Canadians are interested in a Europe trip as they are in a visit to the States.
The study found that 62% of Canadians say they are less likely to visit the U.S. in 2026 compared to last year. The U.S. also placed fifth on the list of where Canadians would like to go this year, finishing far behind trips within Canada and trips to Europe and slightly behind visits to Mexico and Asia.
The Flight Centre study found that 37% of Canadians put a Canada trip at the top of their travel wish list for this year. Next in line was Europe, at 25%, followed by Asia at nine per cent and Mexico at nine per cent. Only eight per cent of Canadians surveyed listed a U.S. trip as their top travel desire for 2026.
“If sustained, that could redirect billions in Canadian travel spending toward domestic and other international destinations,” Flight Centre officials said.
When asked to identify the main factors influencing U.S. travel decisions, Canadians cited the political or cultural climate (57%), border hassles or travel restrictions (53%), safety or security concerns (46%), exchange rates and overall costs (44%).
Given U.S. President Donald Trump’s wild accusations against Canada and general hostility to a once cherished ally, it’s hard to see anything changing soon.
Statistics Canada this week said the number of Canadian residents returning from the U.S. by car fell 26.8% in January from last year, marking the 12th straight month of declines. Canadian-resident return trips by air from the U.S. dropped 17.8%.
Canadian airlines have been slashing routes from Canada to the States. Air Transat last week said it would stop flying to Florida in the spring; leaving the Montreal-based airline without a single flight to the States.
Transat recently announced flights to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from Canada. Air Canada and WestJet have been beefing up domestic routes and flights to such European destinations as the Azores, Sicily and the United Kingdom. Porter Airlines has been expanding flights to the Caribbean and adding domestic flights within Canada, but also recently announced new routes from Canada to Arizona and Florida, which suggests at least some airline executives expect an easing of anti-U.S. sentiment by Canadian travellers.
The U.S. Travel Association has said that even a 10% drop in Canadian visits to the U.S. could mean 2.0 million fewer visits, $2.1 billion in lost spending and 14,000 job losses.
It’s not just Canadians who are skipping U.S. visits. The Washington Post and the Financial Times say the Trump administration’s strict visa policies have led to a significant increase in entry denials, even for minor offenses committed decades ago.
This approach has affected even corporate executives and law-abiding foreigners. The Post said the policy has contributed to a six per cent drop in foreign visitors last year, harming the U.S. tourism economy and its international image.
Blue Rocks is a lovely village just outside of Lunenburg. Nova Scotia. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Getting back to the Flight Centre study, the survey found that Atlantic Canada was the leading Canadian choice for domestic travel (16%) followed by British Columbia (12%). I’m especially fond of Atlantic Canada, which has some of the most beautiful scenery and nicest people on earth.
Atlantic Canada continues to perform strongly, with Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island drawing interest.
Banff and Lake Louise remain top domestic choices, particularly in August, supported by incentives like free national park access and discounted VIA Rail travel.
Destinations in the north, including Whitehorse (Yukon) and Yellowknife (Northern Territories), are increasingly being chosen over Alaska for northern lights and winter experiences. I haven’t been to Yellowknife but I love Whitehorse and Dawson City, Yukon. Kluane National Park is a top nature spot in Yukon.
