International arrivals to Canada by air and automobile rose 9.5 per cent year over year in September to 5.3 million, driven by increases in travel by U.S. residents, Canadian travellers returning from abroad and overseas visitors, according to preliminary data from Statistics Canada.
The increase included 1.8 million trips by U.S. residents, up 17.2 per cent from September 2025, while Canadian-resident return trips from abroad climbed 5.6 per cent to 2.9 million. Trips by overseas residents also increased, rising 7.3 per cent year over year.
U.S. travel to Canada records eighth consecutive monthly increase
Trips to Canada by U.S. residents travelling by air and automobile increased for an eighth consecutive month on a year-over-year basis in September, reaching 1.8 million, Statistics Canada said. The agency attributed the sharp increase partly to a calendar effect, as the Labour Day weekend fell one week later in 2026 than in 2025.
Automobile travel accounted for 1.3 million trips by U.S. residents, an increase of 19.5 per cent compared with September last year. Air travel rose 12.2 per cent to 537,400 trips over the same period.
The highest number of daily arrivals by U.S. residents in September was recorded on Friday, Sept. 4, when 124,200 trips were reported ahead of the Labour Day long weekend in Canada and the United States. The lowest daily total was 37,800 on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
The monthly increase adds to a pattern of year-over-year growth in U.S. visits to Canada that Statistics Canada has recorded since February.
Canadian residents continue to return from abroad
Canadian-resident return trips from the United States and overseas countries by air and automobile totalled 2.9 million in September, up 5.6 per cent from the same month in 2025.
Return trips from the United States accounted for 1.9 million of those journeys, increasing 6.8 per cent year over year. The figure marked the sixth consecutive month of growth compared with the corresponding month a year earlier.
Despite the recent increases, Canadian-resident travel to the United States remained below September 2024 levels. Return trips by automobile were down 31.1 per cent compared with that month, while return trips by air were 18.7 per cent lower.
On a year-over-year basis, automobile return trips from the United States increased 5.6 per cent in September 2026, while air travel rose 11.6 per cent.
Canadian residents returning from overseas countries by air totalled 1.0 million in September, an increase of 3.2 per cent compared with September 2025.
The daily figures showed that the highest number of Canadian-resident return trips from abroad occurred on Labour Day, Monday, Sept. 7, when 195,100 trips were recorded. The lowest daily total was 69,200 on Wednesday, Sept. 23.
Statistics Canada provides additional analysis of changes in Canadian travel to the United States in its article, Canadian-resident travel to the United States: A year in review.
Overseas visitors increase travel to Canada
Trips to Canada by overseas residents travelling by air and automobile increased 7.3 per cent in September compared with the same month a year earlier, according to the preliminary figures.
Air travel remained the larger mode of arrival for overseas residents, accounting for 555,500 trips, up 7.5 per cent year over year. Arrivals by automobile totalled 56,200, an increase of 6.0 per cent.
Daily arrival figures varied throughout the month. The highest number of overseas-resident arrivals was recorded on Friday, Sept. 18, at 24,500, while the lowest was reported on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 14,700.
The September figures cover international arrivals by air and automobile, combining Canadian-resident return trips with arrivals by U.S. and overseas residents. Statistics Canada said the totals are preliminary.