Canadians Are Travelling to the U.S. Again, Ending 15-Month Slump – Data Shows 

June 24, 2026 Team Contributor

After a prolonged 15-month decline, Canadians are once again travelling to the United States. The earlier slowdown was driven by political and economic tensions, including trade disputes and strong rhetoric from U.S. leadership that affected travel sentiment. 

New data shows Canadian travel to the United States has picked up for the first time since early 2025. It signals that confidence may slowly be returning among cross-border travellers. 

Key Highlights 

• Canadian trips to the United States rose 1.8% year over year in April 2026, marking the first increase since early 2025  

• Total return trips from the U.S. reached 2.4 million, driven largely by automobile travel 

• Travel by Canadians abroad overall increased 2.1% compared with April 2025  

[Source: Statistics Canada (StatCan)] 

This shift signals a turning point in cross-border movement, especially after the prolonged slowdown highlighted in earlier coverage of declining travel patterns. That earlier trend, shaped by political tensions and changing travel preferences, had kept numbers suppressed for months. 

Now, the latest data suggests that Canadians are cautiously returning to the U.S., with road travel leading the rebound. Nearly 65% of car trips were same-day returns, pointing to short and practical visits rather than extended stays. 

A Gradual Shift in Momentum 

The recovery remains uneven. While vehicle travel is rising, air travel from Canada to the U.S. fell 7.1% year over year, indicating lingering hesitation among some travellers. Cruise travel also dropped sharply.  

Still, the broader trend suggests renewed confidence. The overall rise in outbound travel marks the first year-over-year monthly increase since February 2025, reinforcing the sense that travel behaviour is stabilizing.  

According to Statistics Canada, “Canadians’ reluctance to visit the U.S. over the past 18 months turned a bit in April, with the number of cross-border trips ticking up for the first time since January 2025.” 

Cross-Border Travel Still Below Past Levels 

Although travel volumes have started to recover, they remain significantly below earlier highs. Canadian return trips from the United States in April 2026 were 26.7% lower than in April 2024. 

StatCan data underscore the sharp decline experienced over the past 15 months. At the same time, travel in the opposite direction is gaining strength. U.S. visits to Canada reached about 1.5 million in April, marking a 6.9% increase from the previous year. 

What This Means for Canadians 

The shift in travel trends also comes at a time when cross-border access remains a key issue for many Canadians. Earlier developments around border operations, including updates related to crossing Chief Mountain Port of Entry, had already highlighted how mobility and access continue to shape travel decisions.  

Against this backdrop, the latest rise in U.S.-bound trips suggests that Canadians are beginning to move past earlier disruptions and uncertainties. 

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