Major Canadian airports, airlines, and travellers could face financial setbacks if U.S. pre-clearance services are withdrawn, an aviation expert has cautioned.
The warning comes after U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra suggested Washington may need to reassess the program due to falling demand for travel to the U.S. from Canada this year. Speaking at the Global Business Forum in Banff, Hoekstra said, “We’re not sure we can make the numbers work anymore … pre-clearance is something that is done at the expense of the U.S. government.”
Pre-clearance allows travellers to pass through U.S. customs and immigration at Canadian airports before boarding, streamlining arrivals at busy hubs south of the border. The system currently operates in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Halifax.
John Gradek, an aviation management professor at McGill University, said losing the service would be a blow to both travellers and airlines. “Pre-clearance for passengers arriving in congested airports during peak times is a winner,” he explained, noting that carriers like WestJet and Air Canada rely heavily on it to attract cross-border traffic and international connections.
WestJet emphasized the importance of pre-clearance in a statement, calling it “an important element for the facilitation of cross-border travellers for both Canada and the United States, by significantly reducing congestion at points of entry.”
While the U.S. pays the primary cost of staffing pre-clearance, Gradek said the broader benefits are clear: “People are making trips to Vegas, L.A., or New York because of the convenience of pre-clearance.”
Experts warn that removing the service could cut revenues at Canada’s busiest airports, particularly Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, while also discouraging U.S. travel through smaller hubs like Edmonton, Halifax, and Winnipeg.
Although valuable terminal space would be freed for other uses, the overall financial impact on airports, airlines, and tourism could be significant if pre-clearance is discontinued.
