Flights within Canada are getting more expensive in 2026, except for one destination

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Flights between Canadian destinations have jumped by an average of $158 so far this year, an increase of 70 per cent.

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That's according to new data from travel search engine KAYAK, which has launched a new Airfare Trends Dashboard offering Canada‑specific insights into fluctuating flight prices.

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The steepest increase is for domestic flights to Vancouver, where average fares rose from $191 to $413, or 116 per cent.

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Elsewhere, flights to Calgary have climbed from an average of $212 to $361 since January, while airfares to Montreal have increased to $489 and Toronto-bound flights to $366 (increases of 29 per cent and 74 per cent respectively).

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Meanwhile, international flights from Canada have also gone up, from an average of $1,052 in January to $1,173 in April (an increase of 12 per cent).

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KAYAK compiled the data by comparing flight searches made on the platform on a weekly basis and calculating average prices for economy, round-trip tickets.

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While an increase in price between the start of the year and spring is not unusual, as travellers plan for summer getaways, KAYAK's year-on-year comparisons suggest additional factors might be driving the surge.

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Airfares have risen sharply compared to 2025, with the average cost of a domestic flight in Canada up 26 per cent in April 2026 compared to the same time period last year.

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International flights have seen a more modest year-over-year increase of three per cent.

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In recent weeks, airlines around the world have adjusted prices as a result of the war in Iran, as rising oil prices and reduced capacity on some routes due to instability in the Middle East drive costs up.

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In Canada, WestJet, Porter Airlines, Air Transat and Air Canada Vacations (a subsidiary of Air Canada) have all announced new surcharges.

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Other global carriers, including Qantas, SAS and Air New Zealand, have also increased airfares.

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Anita Emilio, executive vice president of Flight Centre Canada, previously told National Post in an interview: "One of the greatest costs for an airline is the fuel that's required to transport travellers to destinations. When you have the price of fuel being pressured, the airlines have almost no other recourse but to introduce a fuel surcharge."

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However, there may soon be some relief for travellers.

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U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is "fully open" to all commercial ships for the remainder of the ceasefire.

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Oil prices have plunged since Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi first announced the news, with Brent crude dropping 11 per cent to around US$88 a barrel.

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Meanwhile, not every Canadian location has seen flight prices increase.

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Airfares to Halifax are an average of 10 per cent cheaper this year, down from $350 last April to $315 this month.

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Kayla DeLoache, KAYAK travel trends expert, said in a press release on Thursday: "Airfare trends are evolving differently across routes. While some are getting more expensive, others are seeing prices decline.

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"For example, flights to destinations like Halifax, Nova Scotia and Paris, France are down as much as 10 per cent. Looking at how prices are changing week to week can help travellers make more informed decisions about when and where to travel."

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