Canadians Shun U.S. Travel as Border Crossings Hit New Lows
Canadian travel to the United States has plunged in 2025, with new data showing a steep and sustained decline in both car and air trips. According to Statistics Canada, March saw a 14.9% drop in Canadians returning from abroad compared to last year, marking the third straight month of year-over-year declines.
Land Border Crossings See Steepest Decline
The most dramatic fall has been in car trips over the Canada-U.S. land border, which dropped 31.4% to 1.7 million trips in March alone. Air travel to the U.S. also continues to slide, with an average monthly decrease of about 8% in the first quarter of 20251. Overall, Canadians made 2.7 million return trips from the U.S. in March—a 24% decrease from last year1.
Political Tensions and Safety Concerns Drive the Trend
Surveys reveal that political friction and safety worries are keeping Canadians away. A majority now say they feel unwelcome or unsafe traveling south of the border, citing trade disputes, new tariffs, and divisive rhetoric from U.S. leadership as major deterrents46. In fact, 60% of Canadians report they are less likely to visit the U.S. this year, and over a third have canceled plans altogether.
U.S. Tourism Industry Feels the Impact
This sharp decline is hitting the U.S. tourism sector hard. With Canadians making up the largest group of international visitors, a drop of over 30% could cost the U.S. economy up to $6 billion in 2025, threatening jobs and revenue in border states and popular destinations.
Canadians Choose Domestic and Global Destinations
Instead of heading south, Canadians are embracing local getaways and exploring other international options. Domestic travel is booming, with Airbnb reporting a record surge in bookings for Canadian stays—up over 40% from 2019. Popular summer destinations now include Europe, Asia, Latin America, and North Africa, with few Canadians choosing U.S. cities for their vacations.
U.S. Visits to Canada Also Decline
The trend goes both ways: U.S. visits to Canada fell 6.6% in March, led by an 8.7% drop in car arrivals. Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia saw the largest decreases in American visitors.
With border crossings and flight bookings at record lows, 2025 marks a turning point in North American travel—driven by politics, safety concerns, and a renewed love for homegrown adventures.
