February 16, 2026 Team Contibutor
Canada’s airlines are adjusting their summer playbook as demand for US travel cools. This signals a structural shift in the Canadian travel market. Air Transat and WestJet have announced significant cutbacks to their US flight programmes, choosing instead to chase sun and adventure farther afield.
Fewer transborder flights from Canada
This week, Montreal-based Air Transat confirmed it will suspend the last of its US services for the summer 2026 season. The airline is gradually winding down its final remaining routes connecting Montreal and Quebec City to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale to better manage resources in a cooling transborder market.
This move follows a similar retreat by WestJet. The airline recently removed 15 city pairs from its US schedule. The Calgary-based carrier notes a decline in demand for traditionally popular hubs such as Nashville, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. Roughly one in four planned US trips is currently being cancelled or avoided by Canadians.
Industry observers say the change is not isolated. According to aviation analysts, airlines are simply responding to the numbers. Low bookings on select routes are the cause. Airlines are concentrating capacity on destinations that continue to perform.
See our other article for a data-based analysis of Canada’s travel reset and shifts in traveller choices.
Shift towards long-haul and sun destinations
Air Transat is ramping up its presence in North and West Africa. New routes to Agadir, Morocco, and Senegal are seeing strong early interest. European vacations in Albania and Iceland are also trending. Travellers want to avoid political friction south of the border and the intensifying summer heatwaves of the southern US.
What’s happening?
We observe the rejig as a supply-side response to evolving traveller behaviour. Canadians are still travelling, but their preferences are shifting. There are fewer quick trips south of the border and more deliberate, longer journeys abroad.
From a passenger perspective, the shift could mean fewer direct options to certain US cities during the summer. There will be more availability on overseas leisure routes. Travellers may also notice schedule consolidation as airlines fine-tune frequencies in line with booking trends.
Looking ahead
For now, the message from the industry is clear: Canadian airlines are not pulling back from travel. They are redirecting it. As consumer preferences evolve, route networks will likely remain fluid. Carriers will balance demand, cost pressures, and traveller confidence as they plan the seasons ahead.
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