With the U.S. and Canada engaged in often ugly disputes over potential tariffs, Porter Airlines says it has stopped marketing U.S. destinations to Canadians and also has reduced fares for U.S. flights.
“Canadian consumers have made it clear to us that they don't believe that we should be promoting travel to the United States,” Porter Airlines President Kevin Jackson told Open Jaw.
Porter expressed concern that some Canadians may view promoting travel to the U.S. right now as "tone deaf."
Porter told Skift it has maintained demand for U.S. routes throughout February, "but anticipates that overall bookings may be lower than initially expected in 2025 due to the rising tensions. The carrier said it has had to lower fares to keep bookings steady."
“Canadian consumers are still willing to travel to the United States, if the price is right,” Jackson told Skift.
"We've only made modest changes in U.S. capacity, for example day-of-week adjustments, such is in-line with adjustments we would normally make during seasonal changes (aka moving from winter to summer schedules)," Jackson said in an email to Open Jaw. "We continue to monitor demand levels."
As first reported by Open Jaw, Air Canada said it will scale back flights to Florida, Las Vegas and Arizona this month. WestJet has said interest in Canadians flying to the U.S. has dropped 25%, and that such a drop was "unsustainable."
WestJet has not made any official announcement about reducing U.S. routes.
Flair Airlines recently launched a limited-time promotion called "Tariffic Flight Deals," offering a 25% discount on domestic flights and routes to Mexico and the Caribbean. "Nothing trumps this deal," Flair stated in its cheeky ad.
There are reports Flair has begun reducing capacity on specific U.S. routes, including flights from Calgary and Edmonton to Las Vegas, which will cease on April 7, as well as earlier-than-expected cancellations for seasonal services to Phoenix, Palm Springs, and Fort Lauderdale.
Skift reports the promotion comes as Flair "is making capacity cuts to some U.S. destinations. Flair's flights from Calgary and Edmonton to Las Vegas will end April 7. Some seasonal services to Phoenix, Palm Springs and Fort Lauderdale are also ending earlier than previously scheduled. Flair did not confirm to Skift if the changes were a direct response to the geopolitical fallout."
