Despite Canadians’ cross-border travel bookings declining in the “mid-to-high-teens percentage points” in the next couple of months compared to last year, WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech says his airline is already seeing signs the U.S. market is picking up a bit.

“What we have seen in the past in our industry is that whenever there’s a change in demand patterns for political reasons, it’s usually transitional and long-term demand trends usually flow back to where they were in the past,” he said. “Whether this is going to happen and when this is going to happen remains to be seen. But we assume that ultimately this will be over and people will continue to come to the U.S.”

U.S. president Donald Trump has in recent weeks tamped down his Canadian annexation talk and he seemed to strike a genial tone during an Oval Office meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier this month.

Last month, the number of Canadians returning home by air from the United States dropped 20% compared with April 2024, according to Statistics Canada. The number of American plane visitors to Canada fell 5.5%.

Air Canada said in an email Monday it will suspend three more U.S.-Canada routes – Toronto-Indianapolis, Montreal-Detroit and Montreal-Minneapolis – starting this fall for “commercial” reasons.

The cuts come after the country’s largest carrier in March reduced flights by 10% to Florida, Las Vegas and Arizona – usually go-to hot spots during spring break season. Competitors Flair Airlines and Air Transat have made similar moves.

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