Canada Freezes U.S. Air Routes as Airlines Pivot to Europe Amid Rising Tensions

In a dramatic shake-up of North American air travel, Canada’s major airlines—Air Canada, WestJet, Porter, and Flair—are significantly cutting flights to the United States, redirecting capacity toward Europe amid declining demand, diplomatic friction, and stricter U.S. border scrutiny. The move marks a decisive shift in the priorities of Canadian carriers. Once highly reliant on transborder routes to major U.S. cities like San Francisco, Miami, New York, and Washington, these airlines are now tapping into surging demand across the Atlantic, citing more favourable political and consumer conditions in Europe.

Drop in US-Bound Travel

Recent data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection indicates a sharp decline in Canadian entries, down 12.5% in February and 18% in March 2025. Business travel has taken an even harder hit, with Flight Centre Travel Group Canada reporting a staggering 40% drop in corporate trips to the US in early 2025.

Analysts attribute the slump to rising traveller discomfort, stemming from increasingly strict U.S. border inspections, invasive searches of electronic devices, and political rhetoric that portrays Canada as subordinate. A Canadian government advisory now warns travellers of “increased scrutiny” at US entry points, further chilling sentiment.

Airlines Reallocate to Europe

Air Canada has led the charge in scaling back U.S. service. Notably, flights from Montréal to San Francisco will drop from two to one per day, while service from Vancouver to Washington Dulles has been cancelled outright. Executive VP Mark Galardo confirmed the airline is “moving capacity into other sectors where we see strength,” specifically naming European markets.

WestJet, too, is pulling back, cancelling its Vancouver–Austin launch and reducing flights from Calgary and Edmonton to U.S. cities. Instead, the airline is expanding its transatlantic service to London, Dublin, and other European destinations, which are expected to perform strongly during the summer travel season.

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Porter and Flair Follow Suit

Mid-market carrier Porter Airlines is reducing frequency on U.S. routes and redirecting its efforts domestically. While it maintains strategic cross-border flights, Porter has halted U.S.-focused marketing and increased its Canadian capacity to 80%.

Low-cost airline Flair has slashed over one-third of its U.S. services, cancelling routes such as Toronto–Nashville and Edmonton–Las Vegas. Flair executives cite a sharp decline in bookings and are instead focusing on growth opportunities within Canada and potentially beyond North America.

Economic and Strategic Implications

The U.S. Travel Association warns that a 10% decline in Canadian tourism could cost the American economy $2.1 billion and result in the loss of over 140,000 jobs. With popular destinations already seeing fewer Canadian visitors, the economic ripples are spreading to hotels, restaurants, and retail sectors.

While U.S. officials downplay the trend, Canadian airlines are signalling a long-term strategic realignment. The focus is shifting toward European corridors, which offer high yield, low friction, and strong post-pandemic demand. For now, Canadian carriers are betting on Europe—not the U.S.—as the future of international growth.

Unless political tensions ease and traveller confidence rebounds, the freeze in Canada–U.S. air travel could endure well beyond 2025, ushering in a new era of transatlantic connectivity.