Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Kitchen & Dining Tech Style & Beauty Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Amazon Prime Day Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsCanadaIs the U.S. travel boycott over? More Canadians journey south of the border for the second month in a row1.9 million Canadian residents travelled to the U.S. in May, up 9.5 per cent from the same month in 2025Last updated 34 minutes ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.A sign marking the international border between the United States and Canada at Peace Arch Historical State Park in Blaine, Washington. Photo by JASON REDMOND /AFP via Getty ImagesAfter 15 months of declines in Canadians travelling to the United States, new Statistics Canada data suggests the U.S. travel boycott is coming to an end.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorIn May, Canadian return trips from the U.S. totalled 1.9 million, up 9.5 per cent from the same month in 2025 and the second consecutive month of year-over-year growth.The increase was driven by a rise in return trips by automobile (+15.1 per cent), while return trips from the U.S. by air in May remained below levels from the year before, falling 5.5 per cent last month.Canadian travel to the U.S. first began to rebound in April 2026, when return trips by automobile rose by 5.8 per cent compared to a year earlier. Though return trips by air had fallen 8.1 per cent, the figures meant overall Canadian-resident return trips from the U.S. rose by 1.4 per cent that month compared to April 2025.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againApril marked the first year-over-year increase in overall return trips from the United States since December 2024. Taken together, the April and May figures suggest that the 15-month boycott of travel to the U.S. by Canadians is starting to turn around.Political tensions between Canada and the U.S. contributed to the drop in travel in early 2025, following punishing tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump and his repeated suggestions that Canada could become the 51st state. Meanwhile, heightened security at the border also discouraged many from travelling south.Meanwhile, a survey from March 2026 suggested that one demographic group in Canada is embracing U.S. travel this year.The 2026 Smart Traveller Survey, which was run by The Harris Poll in March on behalf of Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada (THIA), found that 45 per cent of Gen Z Canadians (born between 1997 and 2012) say they’re likely to travel to the U.S. next year, compared to just 8 per cent of Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964).Among Canadians who are travelling this year, nearly two‑thirds (61 per cent) of Gen Z respondents said the U.S. is on their itinerary, compared to 48 per cent of Millennials (born 1981-1996), 28 per cent of Gen X (1965-1980), and 14 per cent of Boomers.That said, the survey also found that 36 per cent of Canadians are choosing domestic destinations over international travel, while Europe has overtaken the U.S. as the top international destination.And though Gen Z said the biggest barriers to travel to the U.S. were cost (36 per cent) and a lack of paid time off (22 per cent), the majority of Boomers (51 per cent) cited political tensions as the biggest deterrent to cross-border travel.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.