Air travel to USA hits new low in December

BY Tom Parkin

February 5th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

Air travel to USA hits new low in December:  161,000 fewer air passengers to the USA in December 2025 than the same month a year before.

December is always a strong month for Canadian travel to international destinations as the snow starts to fly and the holiday season unites families across boarders.

But for those with family in the United States, it may have been a year for them to come north, as Trump’s domestic chaos and violence, his new and invasive border rules and his threats against Canada each month get worse.

And while Canadians escaping the cold may have enjoyed temperatures in Florida or Arizona in the past, Mexico and the Caribbean have the quaint charm of not being ruled by madman.

Passengers traveling within Canada also increase

In December 2025, just 41 per cent of passengers screened for international travel were heading to the United States, the lowest percentage since at least 2019.

Screenings for USA travel was down 161,000 passengers from December 2024. For trips to other international locations, screenings were up 133,000. And screenings for travel inside Canada was also stronger, up 57,000 from December 2024.

Compared to December 2023, domestic screenings were up 267,000 and other international passengers were up 195,000. But passengers to the USA were down by 74,000.

Canadian tourism strong despite fewer US visitors

Previous GDP data has shown strength in the Canadian tourism industry. But that strength is happening despite a decline in incoming travelers, a sign that Canadians discovering their own country is helping offset Trump’s tariffs and threats. Canadians spending their money in Canada on Canadian products made by Canadian workers appears to be making a difference.

The latest data on travel to Canada by residents of other countries, from November, shows about 92,000 fewer people travelling into Canada than November 2024. Travel from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas excluding the USA were all up. Travel from the USA was down 131,000.

In the peak July tourism month, 102,000 fewer US residents visited Canada in 2025 than 2024, but 93,000 more residents of other states visited.

Visits from European states were up by 46,000 people, with visits from UK, France, Italy and Belgium up about 10 per cent from July 2024. Visits from residents of Asian states increased by 26,000 with 19 per cent more visitors from Japan, 28 per cent more from South Korea, and 31 per cent more from China.