by Mell P
Forget Florida this spring—Canadians are crossing America off their vacation lists in droves, and airlines are scrambling to keep up. What started as quiet grumbling about weak exchange rates and Trump’s “annexation” jokes has exploded into a full-blown travel boycott, with flight schedules slashed and border crossings plummeting. But here’s the twist: Canada’s just the tip of the iceberg. From Amsterdam to London, travelers are giving the U.S. the cold shoulder—and the tourism industry is sweating.
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The Canadian Snowball Effect By the Numbers:
- 70% drop in Canadian advance flight bookings to the U.S. (y/y)
- 300,000 fewer road trips across the border in February 2025 (a 13% nosedive)
- 25% of flights axed by a budget Canadian airline (cough, Flair) and 7% fewer seats on major carriers like WestJet
“Why pay in USD when pesos go further in Mexico?”
Europe’s “Hard Pass”
It’s not just Canadians voting with their wallets. Europeans are also rethinking Stateside trips, with:
- 15% fewer hotel bookings by EU travelers
- Updated travel advisories from 7+ countries warning LGBTQ+ travelers about border risks
- Airlines quietly boosting transatlantic flights to anywhere but America (think: Caribbean all-inclusives)
“Between detention horror stories and weak exchange rates, the math just doesn’t math,” admits a Brussels-based travel agent.
The Domino Effect
With Canadians making up 28% of foreign visitors (and Europeans another 25%), the U.S. travel sector’s $52B deficit could soon look like chump change. The real question? Whether Biden’s team can flip the script before:
- Hotels start shuttering in Orlando and NYC
- Airlines permanently reroute planes to “friendlier” skies
- Local economies from Niagara Falls to Miami Beach feel the pinch
The world’s travelers have options—and right now, America’s not making the cut. Cue the resort deals in Mexico and Costa Rica.
