Canada Dumps US Travel as Air Canada, WestJet, Porter Shift Focus to Europe and Caribbean with New Routes to France, Germany, Italy, UK, Bermuda, Cayman Island, St. Lucia and More: What You Need to Know – Travel And Tour World

Canada abandons US travel as Air Canada, WestJet, and Porter look to Europe and Caribbean in switching focus to new France, Germany, Italy, UK, US Virgin Islands, Bermuda, St. Lucia, and other routes—a drastic summer turnaround based on declining travel demand, diplomatic tensions, and growing interest in transatlantic and tropical getaways. With Canadian travel to the US down by more than 70 percent, the country’s main airlines are scrapping more than 20 US routes and diverting their fleets towards high-demand spots throughout Europe and the Caribbean, in a long-term strategic turnaround in travel directions.

A Precipitous Decline in American Demand

About-face comes after Canadian travel to America wanes. Booking decreased by more than 70 percent for summer 2025 compared to this year, Business Insider noted, April down 75.7 percent, March down 71 percent. Even until June, the fall remained sharp, year-over-year bookings still down 35 percent. Reasons for withdrawal are numerous: trade tensions, vituperative American leadership oratory, and Canadian dollar depreciation all have served to diminish interest in vacations across the border.

Political tumult has also played a part. Repeated squabbles over digital services taxes and offhand remarks likening Canada to a “51st state” have marred spirits. Such references, combined with long lines and perceivedelligerence at borders, have persuaded most Canadian visitors that they had better think twice about where they spend their summers.

Airlines Cut Over 20 American Routes

There are no holds back when it comes to Canadian carriers. They have bitten off their tarifers sooner. Over 20 American routes have already been cancelled this year 2025:

Air Canada will reduce five U.S. routes for Winter 2025-26 and seasonally close services, including Toronto–Jacksonville, at least until November.

WestJet explained that its transborder bookings have decreased by between 15 percent and 20 percent, and it has shifted planes away from slower-performing routes already.

Porter Air scaled back routes such as Ottawa–Las Vegas and will shutter one other unidentified United States route temporarily this summer.

Flair Airlines also gradually diminishes its American presence, but there are individual reductions yet to be made.

They are part of a broader readjustment. Rather than wait for a U.S. comeback that never materializes, Canada’s carriers are shifting their assets where demand is surging.

Skyward towards Europe: New Lines and Growth

Europe came to center stage in this rethought summer strategy. Airlines are busily increasing transatlantic frequencies and introducing new city pairs to meet travel thirst for overseas vacations.

Air Canada leads the pack in Europe with:

• New Montreal–Naples routes started May 16
• Montreal-Porto services commence June 4
• Expanded services to Rome, Milan, Venice, Paris, and Edinburgh

WestJet grew its transatlantic footprint by nearly 27 percent. It initiated new services to:

• Dublin
• London Gatwick
• Edinburgh
• Reyk

Porter Airline, besides re-focusing domestically, has also shown tentative signs of international growth, most likely signalling future potential beyond North America.

Collectively, they are now flying in major European capitals such as France, Germany, Italy, Britain, and Czech Republic, and other countries are also planned for reassignment of crew and aircraft.

The Caribbean Boom

It’s not only Europe that’s benefiting. There’s a simultaneous surge in Canadian interest in the Caribbean, too. Canadian search traffic to the Caribbean soared by 22 percent during July to September 2025, PAX News said. A staggering 62 percent increase in search interest in the Caribbean was recorded by the city of Montreal alone. These are the largest gainers:

• U.S. Virgin Islands: +193% search growth
• British Virgin Islands: +124%
• Puerto Rico: +121
• St. Kitts & Nevis: +92
• Antigua & Barbuda, Bermuda, St. Lucia: Major increases

People are skipping American shipping routes and shipping directly to sunny islands where demand has surged.

Seat Occupancy Also Transcends Interest

Airlines are not just riding this trend — they are contributing to it. Winter seat capacity in Latin America and the Caribbean has been increased by 6 percent by WestJet. It will fly 1,993 times to the Caribbean and Mexico in Q3 2025, which will put more than 341,000 seats out there.

Air Canada does one better. As part of a future Winter 2025–26 schedule, 52 airports across Latin America and the Caribbean will have available more than 80,000 seats per week — peak winter season capacity to the region in airline history.

Despite all of these additions, demand is outpacing supply. Travel interest to the Caribbean jumped 22 percent while seat capacity rose just 16 percent. The mismatch implies the necessity with which operators will have to grow further to capitalize on the growing market.

Strategic Realignment, not Reactive Thinking

It’s not merely patchwork for now — it’s a long-term reconsideration of Canada’s international air strategy. The airlines are rebalancing entire networks, rethinking aircraft leasing, adjusting their marketing, and, in some cases, enhancing international alliances.

Air Canada, despite a mid-teens-percentage fall in American bookings, is upbeat. It’s taking advantage of strong sales to sun spots and executing share buybacks to sustain shareholder value while readjusting its route network.

WestJet has also reinforced its overseas intentions with strengthened alliances. Delta, Korean Air, and Air France–KLM alliances are aimed at preparing the ground for broader overseas reach, enhancing everything from codeshare networks to cargo connections.

Canada dumps US travel as Air Canada, WestJet, and Porter pivot to Europe and the Caribbean with new routes to France, Germany, Italy, the UK, US Virgin Islands, Bermuda, St. Lucia, and more—driven by a sharp 70% drop in US demand, political tensions, and soaring interest in transatlantic and tropical destinations.

What It Means for Canadian Travelers

There’s one message for Canadian travelers here: American travel, once the summer default option, no longer comes automatically. Costs accrue, politics create headwinds, and a numbing sheen of glamour dulls, and Americans are relinquishing their grip on transborder travel leadership.

Instead, Canadians are increasingly choosing vibrant culture centers in Europe and warm Caribbean paradises. If it’s a boat ride through a canal in Venice, tapas in Madrid, or beach relaxation in St. Lucia, airline route networks are now accommodating the priorities of the new Canadian traveler. This season of travel isn’t merely unlike others — it’s rewriting the post-pandemic playbook.