Canadian air travel to the U.S. drops for the 11th straight month
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Passenger counts from Canada to the U.S. were 12.4 per cent below the pre-pandemic level from 2019. Photo by Chris Young/The Canadian Press filesArticle contentTransborder air traffic to the United States dropped again in December, marking 11 consecutive months of year-over-year declines, according to monthly airport screening data from Statistics Canada.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentStatcan said travel to the U.S. was down 12.5 per cent in December 2025 compared to 2024, with 1.1 million screened passengers at Canadian airports. All eight of Canada’s largest airports posted double-digit declines for the month.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentArticle contentPassenger counts from Canada to the U.S. were 12.4 per cent below the pre-pandemic level from 2019.Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentDecember is usually a busy time for travel with the holiday season. StatCan said more than 90 per cent of transborder traffic that month was concentrated at the four largest Canadian airports, all of which recorded year-over-year decreases in screened passenger counts for flights to the United States.Article contentToronto/Lester B. Pearson International airport recorded an 11.3 per cent decline in passengers to the U.S., Vancouver International a 14.1 per cent decline, Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International a 10.5 per cent decline and Calgary International a 13.6 per cent decline.Article contentIn the month of December, air travel to the U.S. accounted for 23.2 per cent of the total number of screened passengers, down from 26.6 per cent in December 2024.Article contentMeanwhile, outside of the U.S., the number of passengers screened for international flights was 1.7 million in December. Non-U.S. international air travel was up 8.7 per cent compared to the same month in 2024 and significantly exceeded the 2019 level by 21 per cent.Article contentArticle contentDomestic passenger traffic, on the other hand, was up 2.8 per cent to 2.1 million, which is five per cent above the passenger counts recorded in December 2019.Article contentRead More Bombardier warns of 'significant impact' to air traffic if Trump carries out threat to decertify Canadian planes 'Heightened level of anxiety’ as some Canadians reconsider trips to the Caribbean over U.S. military action in Venezuela Article contentOverall, 4.9 million passengers were screened in December at Canada’s eight largest airports, up 0.6 per cent from 2024 and 4.9 per cent above the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level in 2019.Article contentYear in reviewArticle contentStatistics Canada said a total of 58.2 million passengers were screened at the eight airports in 2025. This means 2.1 per cent more passengers than in 2024 and 4.8 per cent more than the level reported in 2019.Article contentOn an annual basis, air passenger traffic to the U.S. dropped 7.5 per cent from 2024, with seven of the eight largest airports recording declines.Article contentTotal transborder passenger counts for the eight largest airports were down 6.5 per cent from the pre-pandemic level in 2019.Article contentThe U.S. aside, international screened passenger counts in 2025 were six per cent higher than in 2024, with all eight largest airports posting year-over-year increases.Article contentStatCan said the international sector led the post-pandemic recovery in passenger traffic, with volumes rising 14.6 per cent compared with 2019.Article contentDomestic traffic in 2025 also grew year over year by 5.4 per cent and surpassed the level recorded in 2019 by 5.9 per cent. The eight largest airports all reported higher domestic volumes compared with 2024.Article content• Email: dpaglinawan@postmedia.comArticle contentTrending FAA backs Trump’s attacks on Canada over airplane certifications Airlines Subscriber only. In Canadian real estate's longest winter, buyers hold the power as sellers face reality Subscriber only Real Estate TFSA vs. RRSP: How Canadians from gen Z to the baby boomers can get the most out of their savings Personal Finance Posthaste: Buy or bail? What you should know about gold's most 'brutal' selloff in 40 years News A tidal wave of business exits is coming, with $300 billion in revenue up for grabs, says BDC Economy Share this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. 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