Canadian snowbirds plan to ditch wintering in the U.S. over economic tensions: survey

It seems more Canadian snowbirds are deciding to either stay home or fly elsewhere this winter to avoid the United States as their vacation destination.

It seems more Canadian snowbirds are deciding to either stay home or fly the coop elsewhere this winter to avoid the United States as their vacation destination.

While November has traditionally been a month when many snowbirds pack their suitcases for Florida, Arizona and other sunny U.S. states, a new survey finds a massive drop in those planning to cross the border.

The 2025 Winter Smart Traveller Survey by the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada (THIA) found that only 26 per cent of Canadians are likely to go to the U.S., a 37 per cent drop from last year.

The sharpest drop is among baby boomers who are the age group that traditionally spend their winters in the southern U.S. The survey found of those 61 years of age and older, only 10 per cent are likely to go the U.S. That’s a 66 per cent drop from 2024.

“We’ve certainly seen a move by some to get away from ownership or long-term rentals in the U.S. in favour of the Caribbean and Mexico,” said Will McAleer, executive director at THIA.

The survey also found that 41 per cent of Canadians are concerned about rising travel costs, 40 per cent are worried about political tensions with the U.S., 29 per cent are concerned about exchange rates, and 20 per cent are simply just worried about their safety.

The shift comes at a time when the U.S. is introducing new entry requirements which will require Canadians staying for longer than 30 days to register and provide their fingerprints, be photographed and pay a $30 fee.

“Having your photo taken and your fingerprints done feels really wrong to us, but there are really a lot of countries that have been doing this for the past decade,” said travel expert Barry Choi.

Choi said that while travel to the U.S. is down, he believes many families will continue to go to U.S. attractions including amusement parks like Disney World and Disneyland, as well as Las Vegas and other traditional American hot spots.

Choi does add that “some Canadians travelling to the U.S. may decide to keep a lower profile and not post on social media.”

He also said many snowbirds that own property in the U.S. will also find it hard to stay home.

“If someone is a snowbird and they have a home in Florida or Arizona, well of course they are going to go,” said Choi.

However, some Canadians avoiding the U.S. are planning to spend winter months in Europe, including Portugal and Spain, the THIA survey found. Trips to Mexico and the Caribbean are in demand but factors such as the weather and the cost of travel will affect numbers.

McAleer said if American destinations cut prices, some Canadians may decide to re-consider a trip across the U.S. border.

“If some U.S. destinations start to go on sale, maybe that easy trip over the border still prevails,” said McAleer.