Flights from Canada to these cities drop in price as fuel costs soar

International flights from Canada are definitely getting way more expensive, but surprisingly, fares for some destinations have actually gotten cheaper.

Overall, flights from Canada are up amid the jet fuel shortage crisis. In response, Airlines such as WestJet, Air Canada, and Air Transat have all announced that they’re scaling back operations by reducing flights or even suspending operations to some destinations.

But before you cancel your vacation plans, there are still some popular international destinations where the cost of fares has fallen.

U.S.-based travel search engine Kayak recently launched an airfare trends dashboard. The new feature allows customers to track weekly changes in domestic and international flight prices, and to see how the average cost of airfares has changed over time.

Data from the week of April 13 takes a look at the average price of economy, round-trip flights from Canada, comparing it to the same period the previous year. Surprisingly, the average cost of international flights has only climbed by 1.20 per cent from an average of $1,165 on April 13, 2025, to $1,179 on April 13, 2026.

Although the drops are modest, they’re still noteworthy considering the popularity of these cities. Here’s where prices fell as of April 13, according to data from Kayak:

Tokyo, Japan

If you’re planning a trip to Japan, now seems like the best time to go because the cost of flights has roughly stayed the same. In fact, the cost actually fell by 0.66 per cent this year to $1,658 compared to $1,669 the same time last year.

When travelling to Japan, keep in mind additional costs such as the accommodation tax in Kyoto and the increasing international tourist tax set to kick in this summer.

Cancún, Mexico

If your idea of a vacation is a beach getaway, then in these pricey times, Cancún just might be the way to go.

Last year, an average round-trip from Canada to Cancun cost $647. This year, that average has dropped to $621, marking a four per cent difference.

Istanbul, Turkey

For Canadians who’ve always wanted to see the Hagia Sophia or Topkapı Palace, this is your moment.

According to Kayak, Istanbul saw the most significant price drop in flights from $1,443 last year down to $1,357 this year, which is a difference of nearly six per cent.

Still a good deal

Although flying to some international destinations has definitely gotten more expensive, others are still worth considering due to minimal price increases.

Here are the cities worth a second look:

	April 13, 2025	April 13, 2026	% increase
Rome	$1,093	$1,103	0.91
Manila	$1,821	$1,840	1.04
Paris	$938	$998	6.40
Bangkok	$$1,619	$1,727	6.67
Punta Cana	$679	$725	6.77
Montego Bay	$620	$671	8.23

Of course, not all popular international destinations saw a modest increase, and the biggest increases were for popular U.S. destinations.

The highest jump among international destinations was for flights from Canada to Los Angeles, with a staggering 66 per cent increase (from $326 to $543) compared to the previous year. Las Vegas isn’t far behind with a 64 per cent jump (from $338 to $555), followed by New York with a 38 per cent increase (from $295 to $409).

Check out the airfare trends dashboard on Kayak’s website.

You might also like:
• Canadian travellers could be affected as Air Transat cuts flights
• Canada issues travel advisory for Asian destination after shark attack
• Canadian city named one of the most colourful places in the world