Air Canada cuts five U.S. routes for 2027, ends its only South Carolina flight, adds $30 phone fee

Air Canada is pulling back from more U.S. cities. Canada’s largest airline will drop five routes to American destinations starting in 2027, including its only direct service to South Carolina, Global News reported on Thursday, Oct. 22. Separately, the carrier has started charging $30 per passenger to book flights over the phone.

Which Air Canada flights are being cut?

According to Global News, the five routes ending in 2027 are:

• Montreal - Seattle
• Vancouver - Nashville
• Vancouver - Raleigh-Durham
• Toronto (Billy Bishop) - Boston
• Toronto (Pearson) - Charleston, South Carolina

Toronto-Charleston was Air Canada’s only direct flight between Canada and South Carolina, so dropping it ends the airline’s service to the state. The seasonal route first launched in 2001 and returned for summer 2024 after a pandemic pause, TheStreet reported. Global News said Air Canada had announced in May that it would end some seasonal flights early, Toronto-Charleston among them, because of soaring jet fuel prices; the airline has now cancelled the route indefinitely.

“Air Canada regularly reviews its schedule to ensure capacity is aligned with customer demand and travel patterns,” an airline spokesperson told Charleston’s Post and Courier, as quoted by TheStreet. “As part of that process, we have made the decision to discontinue our summer 2027 Charleston-Toronto seasonal route for these commercial reasons.”

Why is Air Canada cutting U.S. routes?

The cuts follow a sharp drop in Canadian travel to the United States. Both outlets tie the decline to President Donald Trump’s tariffs and repeated talk of annexing Canada, though Air Canada itself has pointed only to demand.

• Statistics Canada data cited by Global News show Canadians made 1.9 million return trips from the U.S. in September, up 6.8% from a year earlier, but air trips were still 18.7% below 2024 levels.
• TheStreet, using the same agency’s data, said September trips were down 29% from 2024.
• A University of Toronto School of Cities report found Canadian trips to Myrtle Beach fell more than 65% between 2024/25 and 2025/26, the steepest drop of any U.S. city, Global News said.
• On Toronto-Charleston specifically, TheStreet cited Simple Flying data showing 200 departures and 15,200 seats in 2024, falling to 92 departures and 6,992 seats after the tariffs and annexation remarks in 2025.

In July, Air Canada also said it would end winter service between Montreal and Detroit, Montreal and Minneapolis, and Toronto and Indianapolis. Rival WestJet has cut a number of U.S. routes too.

Any new Air Canada U.S. flights?

Yes. Global News reported the airline plans new summer 2027 service between Toronto and Louisville, Montreal and Indianapolis, and Edmonton and Newark.

Air Canada’s new $30 phone booking fee

Customers who book an Air Canada flight by phone now pay a $30 non-refundable fee per passenger, The Canadian Press reported via CBC News. The policy took effect Oct. 15. For a family of four, that adds $120.

Air Canada said the fee puts it in line with WestJet, United Airlines and many low-cost carriers. Delta and Southwest still take phone bookings without a surcharge, according to the report. The airline said customers who need specialized support, including those with accessibility needs, are exempt, and the fee won’t apply if a trip is affected by a delay, cancellation or other disruption.

Andrew D’Amours, co-founder of the deal site Flytrippers, told The Canadian Press the change could hit seniors hardest, since many prefer to book by phone rather than online.

What travelers should know

• If you had planned a summer 2027 trip on one of the five routes, check other carriers or connecting options; the cuts begin with that schedule.
• Book on Air Canada’s website or app to avoid the phone fee, unless you qualify for an exemption.
• The route cuts are tied to the 2027 schedule, according to the reports, so check your booking directly with the airline if you are unsure.