Air Canada is reducing flights to the United States due to high jet fuel costs and decreased demand for travel across the border. The airline’s schedule adjustments involve the suspension or postponement of eight transborder routes starting in the upcoming fall season.
For the second consecutive winter, three routes connecting Toronto and Montreal to cities in the American Midwest will be canceled. Additionally, three seasonal routes from Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City to Florida will have delayed starts, commencing in December instead of October. Two previously paused routes from Montreal and Toronto to New York’s JFK airport will also remain inactive this winter.
Earlier this year, Air Canada, WestJet, and Air Transat all reduced their summer flight capacities to the U.S. due to surging jet fuel prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East, leading to the discontinuation of some unprofitable routes.
Statistics Canada’s preliminary data indicates a 28% decline in the number of Canadians returning by air from the U.S., dropping to under 462,000 between May 2024 and May of this year. Air Canada’s spokesperson, Angela Mah, mentioned that the airline constantly evaluates its flight schedule to match customer demand and seasonal travel trends. While the airline plans to resume services to JFK in the future, it intends to enhance its New York presence by offering up to five daily flights between Toronto’s Billy Bishop airport and LaGuardia Airport this winter.
