Canadian airlines are probably hoping that the “Buy Canadian” movement includes travel.
Driving the news: WestJet is increasing its flights within Canada by 10% this summer, launching 11 new routes and boosting the volume of its existing flights — betting that a surge in domestic vacations is on the horizon.
- Porter, which has tripled its share of the domestic flight market over the past 18 months, is also launching routes from Hamilton to Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Halifax in June.
Why it’s happening: Canadians made 20 million visits to the U.S. last year — more than any other international travellers — but thanks to a weak loonie and tensions running a little high with the Americans, more people are likely to explore their own backyard this year.
- A recent Ipsos survey showed that domestic trips are expected to be more popular in 2025, with 30% of Canadian travellers set to vacation within the country.
Why it matters: As more Canadians stay put and extra domestic flights are added, fares for popular routes could become more affordable. As of last September, domestic airfare prices were 20% lower than the year before, thanks, in part, to airlines' added flight capacity.—LA