In a surprising reversal of a year-long trend, Statistics Canada has reported that return arrivals by Canadians from the United States and other countries increased in April 2026 compared to the same month in 2025. This marks the first year-over-year increase in over a year, driven primarily by a rise in automobile travel.
Automobile Travel Up, Air Travel Down
Data from Statistics Canada reveals that return trips by Canadians from the U.S. via automobile rose by 5.8 percent in April 2026 compared to April 2025. However, air travel saw a decline of 8.1 percent during the same period. Overall, Canadian-resident return trips from the United States totaled 1.8 million in April, up 1.4 percent from the previous year. This was the first month since December 2024 to record such an increase.
Global Travel Trends
Canadian-resident return trips from abroad, which include the U.S. and overseas countries, reached 3.2 million in April 2026, a three percent increase from April 2025. This was the first gain in this statistic since January 2025. Additionally, return trips from overseas by air totaled 1.3 million, up 5.3 percent year-over-year. The highest number of return trips from abroad occurred on Easter Monday, April 6, with 149,000 trips, while the lowest was on Wednesday, April 22, with 85,600 trips.
U.S. Residents Visiting Canada
Statistics Canada also noted a 7.3 percent increase in U.S.-resident trips to Canada in April 2026, reaching 1.2 million. This marks the third consecutive month of year-over-year growth. Automobile trips accounted for 870,400 (up 6.1 percent), while air travel saw 320,500 trips (up 10.8 percent). The Easter long weekend generated the highest number of U.S. trips to Canada, while the lowest was on Tuesday, April 14.
Overseas Travel to Canada
In contrast, overseas-resident trips to Canada totaled 366,800 in April 2026, a decrease of 3.1 percent compared to the same month in 2025.
These findings highlight shifting travel patterns between Canada and the U.S., with automobile travel gaining popularity despite a decline in air travel. The data suggests that economic factors, border policies, or seasonal events may be influencing these trends.
