Canadians fly out of U.S. border airports in record numbers
Earlier this year, we reported on the staggering number of Canadian who are turning their backs on domestic airports and crossing the border to take advantage of the gap between Canadian and U.S. airfares.
With three-quarters of this country's population living within roughly 160 kilometres of the Canada-U.S. border, Canadians regularly nip across to save money and avoid hassles with airport security since they’re flying domestically inside the U.S. instead of coming from abroad.
But the extent of the current exodus is unprecedented. The number of one-way trips made by Canadians at 14 key U.S. airports hit a record 4.6 million in 2009, according to a recent study by the Globe and Mail.
The major factors driving Canada's sky-high fares are the direct and indirect charges the government levies on airports and their customers.
Ottawa charges millions of dollars in rent on the federally owned land that major airports operate on; it also imposes security charges, fuel excise taxes and sales taxes. The various levies and charges have steadily risen in recent years and now account for up to 70 per cent of the total fare on domestic flights, according to the Globe.
Low-cost carriers such as JetBlue of New York and Denver-based Frontier Airlines say they will consider entering Canada if Ottawa were to scrap airport rent, allowing airports to lower landing fees. But that doesn’t seem to be on anybody’s to-do list just now.
Until then, it seems trips to Buffalo, Bellingham and Burlington will continue to be the norm for many travellers.
Have you flown out of a U.S. airport recently? Was it worthwhile? How do you need to save before you’ll make the cross-border trip?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
Posted by: M Newhouse MD | Dec 1, 2021 12:33:43 AM
Of course more of us are flying out of Buffalo etc since the ticket cost out of Pearson due to ludicrous taxes almost doubles the cost of flying to NYC or Florida, for example. It takes less time overall from Hamilton and the rest of the Golden Horseshoe since you cross in your car in a few minutes most of the time. Buffalo airport is small and easily negotiated (unlike the Zoo at Pearson) and the ground and airline personnel tend to to be friendlier! Perhaps our tax and spend governments might learn a thing or two about letting the airlines run successful businesses rather than tax them and us to death! We must reduce our civil service and other expenses of government or go broke like the Brits, Greeks, Portugese and Italians. You cannot have almost half the working population employed by the taxpayer and busily taking in one anothers washing whilepoliticians pander to the civil service unions with ever increasing pay and benefits that are not affordable by the shrinking private sector. All departments should be reduced 15% and they should all have "sunsets" every 5 years and justify their numbers of employees and overhead! The post office is a good example of the need to reduce the numbers as fewer letters are written due to email and poor service! Cheers, M Newhouse
Posted by: RHM | Dec 1, 2021 2:29:23 AM
As far back as the 80's I used to go to Buffalo airport because of the cost of airfare from Pearson.
It was just under $300 to fly from Toronto to NYC.
For about $20 at the time I could catch a bus from downtown Toronto that took me directly to the Buffalo airport.
For $29 I could catch a flight to Newark NJ....it was about a 20-30 minute ride into Grand Central Station. If I did it at night I could catch a red eye for $19. A savings of $250 - $260 for an extra couple of hours travel.
Well worth it as far as I'm concerned.
The taxes charged here are outrageous and I wouldn't think twice about hopping down to Buffalo again.
Our government needs to take a reality check.
Posted by: Big J | Dec 1, 2021 3:12:57 AM
Oh yeah! When you're a family of six, it's well worth a four hour drive to Seattle or Spokane to catch the bird to Hawaii. The savings on airfares almost pays for the accomodations. With a strong loonie, this trend is sure to continue.
Posted by: D.Durette | Dec 1, 2021 7:22:06 AM
Of course I cross over! For little more than the price of one fare from Canada, I can take my family of 5 to Florida. It's sad but true. Our government discourages us from visiting our own country because of the high cost of travel within our own country. I live in the maritimes and to visit out west it cost well over $1000 each just for flight! My money goes much farther flying via US.
Posted by: Peter M | Dec 1, 2021 7:37:31 AM
I flew from Bangor Maine to Atlanta Georgia for $600 US roundtrip for two people. It was a 4 hour drive to Bangor. The same two tickets leaving from Fredericton N.B. was $1800 C. It was a no brainer even though we had to pay for one checked bag and the gas back and forth.
Posted by: Permod Goyal | Dec 1, 2021 8:51:05 AM
It makes perfect sense to fly from US airports. Airport fees are less and more convenient for parking and congestion. It is way cheaper to fly from USA>
The incoming traffic is also coming thru US as it cheaper for the airlines to land. In paris it cost $2500.00 for a plane to Land where as in Toronto it cost $12000.00 to land.
Even the businesses are effected as Taxis food court, and Duty free business.
Posted by: Krista Bartels | Dec 1, 2021 8:59:32 AM
It is a no brainer when it comes to where to fly from! Canada makes the cost of flying from our own country unaffordable for most. Especially when you are flying with a family. Most times it is half the cost of flying from Vancouver. I would gladly fly from Canada but not until they lower the taxes on the flights. In this day and age we have to count all the pennies we spend. And in true Canadian fashion they continue to lose the business instead of revamping the system. The US appreciates our business I am sure!!!
Posted by: J Dysart | Dec 1, 2021 9:03:25 AM
I drive six and a half hours every year to Portland Maine just to save money. It is outrageous the prices we would have to pay for three of us to fly out of Atlantic Canada. My husband doesn't mind the drive and we don't have to deal with Pearson. Until Canada stops charging so much tax on airline tickets I will be making a trip to Portland a couple of times a year to save the money.
Posted by: Jamie Kitchen | Dec 6, 2021 4:24:25 PM
Oh yeah.. At least twice a month. There are 3-4 direct flights a day to the most frequent destinations I need to travel to for business and I fly from Buffalo. From Pearson it is frequently the case where I end up on turbo props or regional jets. In Buffalo, it is usually 737's.
Half the cost and the travel time is the same when you figure in lay overs and slow turbo props. Not to mention, zero over head space on the small planes out of Pearson.
Posted by: Coach | Dec 6, 2021 4:25:14 PM
If you fly out of Pearson and think its bad..........Try Winnipeg or Regina most people out of the 'peg drive to Minn-St.paul and fly from there. Not only is it a great shopping trip but a direct route to where ever you're flying to. Fly out of Winnipeg and get re-routed through Calgary or Toronto then get a layover before you even try to start your Vacation.