Two of Canada’s largest carriers are dramatically scaling back service to the United States in response to sliding demand and rising political tension. Business Insider reports that leisure specialist Air Transat will cease all U.S. flying after June 2026, winding down what was once a network of nine routes to just three this winter before shutting the door entirely. WestJet, meanwhile, will suspend 16 routes—roughly 10 % of its transborder capacity—including Vancouver–Boston and Toronto–Los Angeles.
Executives cite a 10 % year-over-year fall in overall Canada–U.S. seat demand and a staggering 24 % drop in return trips by Canadians in January. Analysts link the slump to the Trump administration’s trade-war rhetoric—25 % tariffs on Canadian goods, threats to block cross-border infrastructure, and a broader “Buy Canadian” movement that has made U.S. vacations politically and economically less attractive.
![Air Transat exits U.S. market as WestJet slashes 16 transborder routes]()
For mobility managers the retrenchment complicates employee travel options, especially from secondary Canadian cities that relied on WestJet’s point-to-point links. Companies may need to re-route through hubs, increasing travel time and cost, or shift to Air Canada, which has yet to signal similar cuts. The changes could also ripple into the NEXUS trusted-traveller programme, where appointment availability often tracks airline capacity at joint pre-clearance airports.
Amid these shifting schedules, travelers may find visa and travel-documentation planning more important than ever. VisaHQ’s Canadian portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) lets individuals and corporate travel teams secure U.S. ESTAs, renew NEXUS passes, and arrange visas for onward legs in minutes, with live status tracking and expert support that keeps itineraries on track even as airline networks evolve.
Air-service economists note that abandoning marginal U.S. routes frees aircraft for Latin American and European expansion—markets that are currently outperforming. Still, the retreat underscores how quickly geopolitical friction can reshape North American mobility corridors. Travel buyers should lock in block-seat agreements early and monitor further schedule updates as airlines file their summer timetables in March.
Executives cite a 10 % year-over-year fall in overall Canada–U.S. seat demand and a staggering 24 % drop in return trips by Canadians in January. Analysts link the slump to the Trump administration’s trade-war rhetoric—25 % tariffs on Canadian goods, threats to block cross-border infrastructure, and a broader “Buy Canadian” movement that has made U.S. vacations politically and economically less attractive.
For mobility managers the retrenchment complicates employee travel options, especially from secondary Canadian cities that relied on WestJet’s point-to-point links. Companies may need to re-route through hubs, increasing travel time and cost, or shift to Air Canada, which has yet to signal similar cuts. The changes could also ripple into the NEXUS trusted-traveller programme, where appointment availability often tracks airline capacity at joint pre-clearance airports.
Amid these shifting schedules, travelers may find visa and travel-documentation planning more important than ever. VisaHQ’s Canadian portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) lets individuals and corporate travel teams secure U.S. ESTAs, renew NEXUS passes, and arrange visas for onward legs in minutes, with live status tracking and expert support that keeps itineraries on track even as airline networks evolve.
Air-service economists note that abandoning marginal U.S. routes frees aircraft for Latin American and European expansion—markets that are currently outperforming. Still, the retreat underscores how quickly geopolitical friction can reshape North American mobility corridors. Travel buyers should lock in block-seat agreements early and monitor further schedule updates as airlines file their summer timetables in March.
