Travelers step through the international arrivals area at Toronto’s Pearson Airport on Wednesday, November 16, 2022. The Canadian Press
Travel between Canada and the United States has dropped sharply this summer. New data shows that fewer Canadians are visiting the U.S., especially by car. In June, only 1.66 million Canadian residents returned from trips to the U.S. That’s a 22% drop for air travel and a 33% fall for car travel compared to June 2024.
Canadians Choosing Other Destinations
While travel to the U.S. is falling, more Canadians are heading overseas. Travel to other international locations increased by 7% this June compared to the same time last year. This suggests Canadians are looking beyond the U.S. for their summer trips.
U.S. Visitors to Canada Also Decline
The number of people entering Canada from the U.S. by car has also gone down. In fact, this is the fifth month in a row where fewer visitors have crossed the border by road. While air travel into Canada has stayed about the same, border crossings by car have dropped by 10%.
Unclear If Trend Will Continue
Experts say this could mark a bigger change in how Canadians travel. A recent report noted the “abrupt and steep declines” that began in early 2025. But it’s too soon to tell if this shift will last or if travel patterns will return to normal.
Post-Election Travel Drop
The largest drop in car travel began soon after the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Same-day trips and overnight visits to the U.S. have both decreased. In May alone, same-day return trips were down 40% from the previous year. That’s a bigger drop than after major past events like the 9/11 attacks (31%) or the 2008 financial crisis (23%).
Border Towns See Big Drops
Some of the busiest land crossings have seen the largest declines. Traffic at the Niagara Falls, Ontario, crossing dropped by 45%. The Douglas crossing in British Columbia dropped 53%, and the Pacific Highway crossing fell by 58%.
Why Canadians Are Staying Home
Experts say land travel is more affected by how Canadians feel. Because driving to the U.S. doesn’t require much planning or cost, people tend to cancel these trips more easily when uncertain or uneasy about cross-border conditions.
U.S. Still Most Popular Destination
Despite the recent decline, the United States remains the top destination for Canadians. Last year, Canadians made around 38 million international trips. Of those, about 26 million were to the U.S.
