Orlando or Bust?
There was an article in The Globe and Mail last month with this title: "Canada's Great American Breakup: Most Now See U.S. As a Risk, Not an Ally, Poll Finds," Steven Chase, Feb. 23, 2026. "The poll, by Nanos Research took stock of deteriorating Canadian opinions of the United States after U.S. President Donald Trump’s first year back in office.The findings suggest a profound level of distrust and a significant recasting of how Canadians see the United States."
“The environment now in Canada is very emotionally charged,” Mr. Nanos said." While some Canadians are putting elbows up, many are not putting sandals on unless they are heading to Punta Canta or Cancun.
There have been many articles indicating that travel to the U.S. by Canadians is down to a significant degree. Next week is "March Break" for many and it will be interesting to see if many chose not to seek the sun, just south of our border.
You Can't Get There From Here
Post Script:
There are other reasons not to fly -- to anywhere. If you are over 5 tall, on WestJet, is one of them. Also the mid-air tussles have increased along with the turbulence. With regard to the fisticuffs, I have yet to see any example when the "Plane Police" happened to be on board when problems with passengers developed: see, Air Marshals. For the rough flights read: "Buckle Up: Why Is Turbulence Getting Worse?" Burkhard Bilger, The New Yorker, March 9, 2026.
You Can't Get There From Here
One used to be able to fly from London "International" Airport directly to some U.S. locations. That is now not the case. Also, some airlines are reducing routes.
Air Transat has decided to cut its flights to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.
WestJet is also dropping many flights. Here are some examples:
WestJet's cancelled U.S. routes include:
Atlanta (ATL) – Edmonton (YEG)
Boston (BOS) – Vancouver (YVR)
Chicago (ORD) – Edmonton (YEG)
Las Vegas (LAS) – Toronto (YYZ)
Las Vegas (LAS) – Winnipeg (YWG)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Toronto (YYZ)
Nashville (BNA) – Vancouver (YVR)
Nashville (BNA) – Winnipeg (YWG)
Orlando (MCO) – Vancouver (YVR)
Raleigh-Durham (RDU) – Calgary (YYC)
San Diego (SAN) – Vancouver (YVR)
San Francisco (SFO) – Edmonton (YEG)
San Francisco (SFO) – Vancouver (YVR)
Seattle (SEA) – Edmonton (YEG)
Seattle (SEA) – Kelowna (YLW)
I suppose this also means there won't be as many options from those locations for Americans who might want to visit Canada.
One notices the changes in Canadian magazines and travel sites. The Canadian Snowbird Association's winter issue is "The Captivating Canary Islands."
They are even noticed in RV publications, where the marketing people must be having a hard time: "Winter Magic in Ontario Parks: Firelight Hikes, Family Fun, and Frozen Trails" and "Winter Road Trips in Canada: What You Should Know Before You Go."
Sources: The West Jet cancellations are found in: "WestJet Removes 15 Transborder Routes, Cuts Summer Capacity by 19.6%," Global Media, Feb. 20, 2026. "WestJet is cutting 15 several Canada–U.S. routes as transborder demand continues to soften, leading to a significant capacity reduction for Summer 2026....
As reported, softer demand from both Canadian and U.S. travellers has dampened transborder traffic flows."
A sample of an article discussing this downward trend is found in The Toronto Star: "Canadian Snowbirds are Avoiding the U.S. in Greater Numbers; Anger at Trump, Poor Exchange Rate Spark Big Drop for Southwest Florida," Francine Kopun, Jan.25, 2026.
One notices the changes in Canadian magazines and travel sites. The Canadian Snowbird Association's winter issue is "The Captivating Canary Islands."
They are even noticed in RV publications, where the marketing people must be having a hard time: "Winter Magic in Ontario Parks: Firelight Hikes, Family Fun, and Frozen Trails" and "Winter Road Trips in Canada: What You Should Know Before You Go."
Sources: The West Jet cancellations are found in: "WestJet Removes 15 Transborder Routes, Cuts Summer Capacity by 19.6%," Global Media, Feb. 20, 2026. "WestJet is cutting 15 several Canada–U.S. routes as transborder demand continues to soften, leading to a significant capacity reduction for Summer 2026....
As reported, softer demand from both Canadian and U.S. travellers has dampened transborder traffic flows."
A sample of an article discussing this downward trend is found in The Toronto Star: "Canadian Snowbirds are Avoiding the U.S. in Greater Numbers; Anger at Trump, Poor Exchange Rate Spark Big Drop for Southwest Florida," Francine Kopun, Jan.25, 2026.
Post Script:
There are other reasons not to fly -- to anywhere. If you are over 5 tall, on WestJet, is one of them. Also the mid-air tussles have increased along with the turbulence. With regard to the fisticuffs, I have yet to see any example when the "Plane Police" happened to be on board when problems with passengers developed: see, Air Marshals. For the rough flights read: "Buckle Up: Why Is Turbulence Getting Worse?" Burkhard Bilger, The New Yorker, March 9, 2026.
