Canadians Are Still Boycotting the US: Cross-Border Trips Down 25%
Canadians made 25% fewer US trips and spent $2.4B less in 2025. With tariffs, snowbird season and Brand USA's charm offensive — will the boycott survive…
Canadians Are Still Boycotting the US: Cross-Border Trips Down 25%
The world’s friendliest border has gone frosty. After Donald Trump returned to office musing about making Canada the 51st state, Canadian travelers answered with their wallets: 25% fewer return border crossings and about $2.4 billion (CA$3.3 billion) less spent on US travel in 2025 than the year before, per Statistics Canada. Canada long sent more overnight visitors to the US than any other country — now, analysts describe “a persistent shift away from the United States.”
The trade war poured fuel on it. Talks collapsed last month, Trump slapped import taxes of up to 50% on Canadian goods (autos, alcohol, dairy), Canada retaliated — and, in a flourish, Washington even ordered Lake Ontario renamed “Lake America.” Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed the insults as childish. For many Canadians, the message is simple, in the words of one Calgary traveler: no US trips “while he is in office” — not even layovers.
The Numbers Behind the Boycott
| Indicator | What the data says (Statistics Canada, Visit Florida/California) |
|---|---|
| Border crossings | -25% return trips by Canadian residents in 2025 |
| Spending | -$2.4B on US travel vs 2024 |
| Florida | -7% Canadian visitors in 2025 |
| California | -20% Canadian visitation (Tourism Economics) |
| Air travel | Down year-on-year every month through June 2026 |
A weak loonie, pricier airfares and hotels added economic logic to political anger. The family from Vancouver quoted by AP loved San Diego, Portland and Seattle — this year they chose Mexico instead. “It’s about whether Canadians want to spend their money there,” the father said.
Glimmers of Thaw — Then Fresh Tariffs
May, June and July brought a slight uptick in car crossings — the World Cup effect, with Canada playing group games south of the border and Carney attending the New Jersey final alongside Trump. But air travel never recovered, overnight stays (the high-spending kind) lagged, and a day after the final, Trump announced tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods. The charm offensive now faces its hardest test: snowbird season, when Canadians traditionally flood Florida, Arizona and California.
Related read: How to Find Cheap Flights.
✨ The snowbird test: if Florida condos sit empty this winter, the boycott isn’t a mood — it’s a structural shift in North American travel.
America’s Charm Offensive: Loonies at Par
US destinations aren’t watching passively. New York’s “NY Loves Canada” push offers hotel and attraction discounts; downtown Las Vegas hotels treat the Canadian dollar at par; Graceland courts its loyal Canadian fans; and Brand USA brings its Travel Week to Canada for the first time this October. Whether discounts beat dignity remains the open question — “I was beginning to waver,” one Calgarian told AP, “then the latest tariffs reinforced my decision.”
Related read: Best Travel Credit Cards With No Fees.
Crossing the Border in 2026: What Canadians Should Know
Politics aside, the mechanics of crossing haven’t changed — but scrutiny has. Carry a passport (no exceptions), expect questions about trip purpose and duration, and declare everything: US officers have zero patience for vague answers right now. NEXUS members still glide through in minutes, making the $50 five-year membership the best value in North American travel. Driving? Fill up on the Canadian side, download offline maps, and remember your provincial health card is not travel insurance.
📖 See also: Travel Insurance Explained Simply
💡 Pro tip for Canadians heading south anyway: pay in USD with a 0%-FX-fee card, never accept “pay in CAD” at US terminals, and screenshot every snowbird rental term — winter demand gives landlords leverage.
