Canada-Mexico Travel Boom: Why Routes Are Soaring

Mexico City — Tensions between the United States and Canada, combined with the immigration policies of U.S. President Donald Trump, have driven an increase of nearly 18 percent in air traffic between Mexico and Canada, according to an analysis by El Financiero.

Between January and September, air travel of passengers between Mexico and Canada grew by 17.9 percent annually, resulting in 666,000 more passengers flying between the two nations compared to the same period in 2024. This shift is attributed to tariff and anti-immigration policies imposed by Donald Trump, as well as his repeated characterization of Canada as the “51st state,” which have prompted Canadian travelers to choose Mexico over the United States for vacations.

Canadian visitors have turned to Mexico as an option for summer and early autumn holidays, a departure from the typical pattern where winter is the season with the highest number of travelers from the ‘Maple Leaf’ country arriving in Mexico.

A clear example is the route connecting Toronto airport with Cancún. This flight, which has traditionally held the ninth position among the most important international routes for Mexico for a decade, climbed to the top spot during the January-September period. It surpassed routes such as Dallas-Cancún, Mexico City-Los Angeles, and even Mexico City-Madrid. Passenger traffic between Toronto and Cancún grew by almost 26 percent in the first nine months of the year, making it the busiest air route.

Furthermore, throughout the year, the dynamism of international routes from Canada to Mexico has waned, with only the Toronto-Cancún route reporting double-digit growth among the ten most important international air routes.

Airport and Airline Executives Note the Trend

Adolfo Castro, Director General of ASUR, the concessionaire for the Cancún airport, highlighted that the positive case in terms of international traffic is the Canadian market, which increased during the third quarter, despite a drop in travelers from the United States.

“In the case of the United States, the figures for the quarter show a decrease of 0.2 percent, which is small, but it is the largest market we have. Let’s see how the winter season arrives. And I hope the winter is very strong in the northern part of America and then they come. The positive side is the case of Canada, which has risen in the quarter, and I hope it continues to rise during the fourth quarter,” Castro stated.

Which Airlines Benefit from the Passenger Flow Between Mexico and Canada?

The increased flow of travelers between Mexico and Canada is being captured primarily by airlines such as WestJet, which holds the largest market share at nearly 40 percent, followed by Air Canada, which transports three out of every ten travelers between the two nations.

Hotel Industry Feels the Impact

The increase in Canadians traveling to Mexican destinations has also been noticed in the hospitality sector. For Claudia García, Regional Commercial Director for Mexico of Royalton, a Canadian firm, the greater influx of travelers from that country has become noticeable.

“Yes, there has been a change in our markets; the Canadian one has always been constant in Cancún, but now we have seen a change. We are talking about a 10, 15 percent increase. Being a Canadian company, we have a sensitivity for that market; it has always been constant. We know that for others, it has been felt more for other hotels,” García remarked.

Cancún is not the only beneficiary. Puerto Vallarta is another beach destination where the flow of Canadians has increased.

“We are reviewing the number of seats coming mainly from Canadian markets and some other international or U.S. routes that are returning with additional seats for this year’s winter season, which will give us a much better first quarter next year in Puerto Vallarta,” said Raúl Revuelta, Director General of GAP.

Canadian Airlines Open New Routes to Mexico

The Canadian airline Flair Airlines began operating two new routes between the Mexican capital and the cities of Vancouver and Toronto at the end of October. With this move, the company, which holds 5 percent of the air market between the two countries, arrived in the capital for the first time.

The Canadian company indicated that takeoff and landing slots at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) are difficult to obtain, so the start of the new routes will provide tourists from both countries with new options for their travels.

Additionally, Air Canada began its direct flight from Toronto to Guadalajara on November 5, with departures on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and returns on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Furthermore, in the coming months, direct routes with Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver from Jalisco will be inaugurated.