Air Canada cancels five U.S. routes amid declining travel demand

Air Canada has announced the cancellation of five routes to United States destinations starting in 2027 in response to weakening demand. The affected routes include service between Montreal and Seattle, Vancouver and Nashville, Vancouver and Raleigh-Durham, Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport and Boston, and Toronto Pearson and Charleston.

The cancellation of the Toronto to Charleston flight is particularly notable as it was the only direct service between Canada and South Carolina, a region traditionally popular with Canadian travelers.

This shift in service follows a decline in Canadian travel to the United States compared to 2024 levels. Recent data indicates that while air travel trips rose 11.6 per cent year-over-year in September, they remained 18.7 per cent below 2024 levels. Analysts attribute the drop in travel to changing attitudes among Canadians fueled by trade tensions and tariff threats from the U.S. administration.