Halifax Stanfield International Airport recorded a 6.1% year-over-year rise in passengers traveling to U.S. destinations in 2025, defying a nationwide decline observed at Canada’s other seven largest airports.
Strong Performance Amid Broader Trends
This uptick occurs as many Canadians reduce U.S. travel amid tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump and associated geopolitical concerns. The airport stands out as the sole major hub showing growth in transborder traffic.
“Our strong results from 2025 highlight Halifax Stanfield’s growing role as a Canadian gateway, not only for Atlantic Canadians but also for global travellers,” stated Joyce Carter, president and CEO of the Halifax International Airport Authority.
Travel Industry Insights
Amra Durakovic, head of communications for Flight Centre Travel Group, expressed initial surprise at the increase. A recent Flight Centre survey with YouGov found 62% of Canadians unlikely to fly to the U.S., rising to 64% in Atlantic Canada.
“Everything I’ve been told by our travel advisers in Halifax is that Canadians aren’t actually travelling widely to different locations across the U.S. unless it’s either business-specific or cruising,” Durakovic noted. She highlighted cruising as a key opportunity, bolstered by the airport’s U.S. pre-clearance facilities, which provide travelers with a sense of safety, ease, and predictability.
Popular spots include Florida for cruises, alongside business hubs like California, the Pacific Northwest (often via Toronto), New York, Texas, Las Vegas, Arizona, and Atlanta.
Airport Achievements and Outlook
The U.S. Consulate General in Halifax congratulated the airport on its success. “Our regional ties run incredibly deep and travel remains smooth and efficient for the hundreds of thousands of people who cross our shared border every day,” the consulate stated.
Halifax Stanfield handled over 4.1 million passengers in 2025, a 4% increase from the prior year. International arrivals exceeded 525,000, up 19.3% from 440,000 in 2024. Domestic traffic led with more than 3.27 million passengers, growing 1.5%.
Recognized as North America’s most internationally connected airport of its size, Halifax Stanfield plans 57 non-stop services in 2026, including 15 to Europe and strong links across North America and the Caribbean.
