Land border crossings into the United States down by hundreds of thousands, data shows

According to U.S. Customs data, the number of travelers entering the country through the Canadian land border has decreased significantly compared to the previous year. In March 2025, only 3,183,009 people crossed the Canada-U.S. land border, compared to 4,093,973 in March 2024, a decrease of more than 900,000 people.

The number of private vehicles and pedestrians crossing the border decreased by about 26%, while the number of trucks crossing the border increased by 6% compared to March 2024.

This is the lowest number of border crossings recorded since 2022 (during the COVID-19 restrictions).

Political tensions and their impact on travel

The decrease occurred at a time when Canada-U.S. relations have reached a critical stage. US President Donald Trump launched a “trade war” earlier this year by imposing sweeping tariffs on Canadian products, and even made controversial statements calling for Canada to become the “51st state” of the US and referring to former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor”!

On the other hand, the tightening of US immigration policies has caused concerns. Reports indicate that travelers, including at least one Canadian citizen, have been detained by US border agents for days or even weeks. The Canadian government has also warned in its travel advice (last updated: April 4): “Travelers should expect thorough inspections, including checks of electronic devices at the border. If you are denied entry, you may be detained.”

Canada’s response and changing travel patterns

In response to the US tariffs, Canada has imposed reciprocal tariffs. As tensions have escalated, Canadian citizens have preferred to turn to domestic businesses, including in the tourism sector, more than before.

According to Statistics Canada, return trips from the United States by private vehicle were down more than 30% in March 2025 compared to the previous year.
A US tourism industry watchdog also shows that bookings for flights from Canada to the United States for this spring and summer season are down more than 70% compared to last year.
The director of a US travel company described the situation as “catastrophic”.

This decline is not limited to the northern border of the United States. Crossing the country’s southern border (with Mexico) is also down about 5% in March 2025.