US Joins Canada, Mexico, Israel, Sweden and Others as American, Delta, Air Canada, United, Alaska, WestJet, and More Axe New Routes in 2026: Everything You Need to Know

Published on December 23, 2025

By: Rana Pratap

As we approach 2026, the US joins Canada, Mexico, Israel, Sweden, and others, as American Airlines, Delta, Air Canada, United, Alaska, WestJet, and more axe new routes due to rising operational costs, shifting consumer demand, fleet constraints, and geopolitical factors. These cuts reflect a combination of economic pressures, geopolitical factors, and operational challenges, including fleet constraints and rising taxes in certain markets. Airlines are increasingly focusing on high-yield, profitable routes and shifting away from underperforming destinations. The result is a year of significant route reductions, particularly to secondary markets, as carriers prioritize efficiency and profitability. Travelers will face fewer options for certain routes, while airlines redirect resources to more lucrative leisure and business destinations. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming route changes and what they mean for the future of air travel.

While these route cuts may disappoint travelers who had previously planned to fly these routes, they also reflect the broader trends in the industry. Airlines are focusing more on profitable, high-demand markets, especially leisure destinations and key international hubs. Below, we look at the details behind these cuts and what travelers can expect moving forward.

Air Canada: Major Route Suspensions

Air Canada has been forced to scale back its operations, with several key routes suspended for the 2026 season. These cuts are largely driven by shifting commercial demand, particularly from the business sector, and operational considerations.

Affected Routes (Winter 2025-2026 Season):

• Montreal (YUL) to Tel Aviv (TLV): This route will be suspended for the Summer 2026 season due to security concerns and low commercial demand.
• Montreal (YUL) to Detroit (DTW): Cancelled due to decreased demand, especially from the automotive sector, which traditionally used this route for business purposes.
• Montreal (YUL) to Minneapolis (MSP): Canceled for similar reasons, with low business demand failing to justify the route.
• Toronto (YYZ) to Indianapolis (IND): Discontinued as a result of lower demand for short-haul business travel between the US and Canada.
• Vancouver (YVR) to Nashville (BNA): Cancelled due to low demand, particularly in the business sector.
• Vancouver (YVR) to Tampa (TPA): This popular route for Canadian “snowbirds” heading to Florida is being axed as demand from Canadians appears to be dwindling.

WestJet: Retrenching from Marginal US Markets

WestJet, Canada’s second-largest carrier, is making strategic decisions to scale back its US operations in favor of strengthening its position in Caribbean, Latin American, and European markets. The airline is pulling out of several secondary US cities as part of a shift toward more profitable leisure destinations.

Affected Routes (2025-2026 Season):

• Vancouver (YVR) to Tampa (TPA): Similar to Air Canada, WestJet has decided to cancel this route due to declining demand from Canadian travelers heading to Florida.
• Winnipeg (YWG) to Atlanta (ATL): The attempt to link the Canadian prairies to Delta’s Atlanta hub failed due to insufficient demand.
• Winnipeg (YWG) to Los Angeles (LAX): The route was not sustainable, and WestJet chose to discontinue it to focus on more profitable routes.
• Victoria (YYJ) to Las Vegas (LAS): Discontinued due to low passenger numbers.
• Ottawa (YOW) to Fort Myers (RSW): This seasonal route to Florida was also cancelled as demand for Canadian leisure travel to the US declines.

United Airlines: Scaling Back Long-Haul and International Routes

United Airlines, too, is making cuts to its international network, particularly in Europe and Africa. The airline is struggling with an aging fleet of Boeing 757s, which it has been retiring without immediate replacements. As a result, the airline is adjusting its transatlantic routes to focus on more profitable destinations.

Affected Routes (Summer 2026):

• Newark (EWR) to Stockholm (ARN): The cancellation of this route is largely due to the retirement of the Boeing 757 and a shift in alliance dynamics, particularly United’s loss of key feeder traffic from SAS.
• Washington Dulles (IAD) to Dakar (DSS): United is ending service to Dakar due to low demand, especially from diplomatic and NGO sectors.

Alaska Airlines: Cutting California Routes

Alaska Airlines is undergoing a significant reshuffling, with several key routes in California being cut. The airline is focusing on its core markets in the Pacific Northwest and reducing its footprint in California due to fierce competition and fleet constraints.

Affected Routes (2026):

• San Francisco (SFO) to Boston (BOS)
• San Francisco (SFO) to Newark (EWR)
• Los Angeles (LAX) to Las Vegas (LAS)
• San Jose (SJC) to Los Angeles (LAX)
• San Jose (SJC) to Guadalajara (GDL)
• San Jose (SJC) to Los Cabos (SJD)
• San Jose (SJC) to Puerto Vallarta (PVR)
• San Diego (SAN) to Atlanta (ATL)
• Anchorage (ANC) to Detroit (DTW)

Alaska Airlines is making these cuts to focus on more profitable markets like Seattle, Portland, and its expanding international network.

Southwest Airlines: Efficiency Cuts in Specific Markets

Southwest Airlines, known for its efficiency, is making smaller cuts in 2026. However, these reductions reflect a broader industry trend of consolidating operations to focus on high-demand routes with more profitable yields.

Affected Routes (2026):

• Baltimore/Washington (BWI) to Ontario, California (ONT): Southwest has decided to end this route due to insufficient demand for long-haul service between secondary airports.
• Burbank (BUR) to St. Louis (STL): Weekend service on this route will be discontinued due to low passenger demand.

Ryanair and Lufthansa: Major European Cuts

Ryanair and Lufthansa are scaling back significantly in Europe due to rising taxes and increased costs. Both airlines are focusing on maintaining profitability by reducing their exposure to high-tax markets.

Ryanair (2026):

• 20 routes ex-Belgium: Ryanair is cutting 1 million seats and 20 routes from its Belgian network due to increasing aviation taxes.
• All Azores routes from France: The airline is halting its services to the Azores as a result of rising airport fees.
• 24 routes ex-Germany: Ryanair is cutting back its capacity in Germany as taxes continue to rise.

Lufthansa (2026):

• 50 weekly domestic flights: Lufthansa is pulling back on domestic services, particularly those between smaller cities in Germany, due to high taxes and competition from rail services.

Wizz Air: Discontinuing Routes to Slovakia

Wizz Air has announced the cancellation of its Rome (FCO) to Kosice (KSC) route due to commercial viability concerns. This decision highlights the challenges faced by low-cost carriers operating in markets with increasing operational costs.

As we approach 2026, the US joins Canada, Mexico, Israel, Sweden, and others as major airlines like American, Delta, Air Canada, United, Alaska, and WestJet axe new routes due to economic pressures, rising operational costs, and fleet constraints.

Conclusion

The aviation industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation in 2026, with major airlines focusing on more profitable routes and markets. For travelers, this means fewer options for certain destinations, particularly in secondary cities. Airlines like American, Delta, Air Canada, United, Alaska, WestJet, and others are making tough decisions to streamline their operations, focusing on high-margin, high-demand routes and abandoning underperforming markets.

While these changes may lead to reduced connectivity in certain regions, they also highlight the industry’s push for profitability and efficiency in an increasingly complex global environment. Travelers can expect more focus on key leisure destinations and major international hubs, but the era of direct flights to every corner of the world may be on pause. Keeping track of these changes will be crucial for anyone planning air travel in 2026.