Frustrated Canadians skipping U.S. border mess for new non-stop Caribbean options
· Toronto Sun
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OTTAWA — With Canadians now seeking vacation options outside the United States, a boutique Caribbean airline is offering easier access to some fun in the sun.
BermudAir, founded in 2023, announced a slate of new routes on Wednesday — including direct service from Toronto Pearson to Turks and Caicos, with a seamless connecting route to the exclusive enclave of Anguilla, which is normally difficult to access by air.
“We’ve seen incredible demand from Canada and we’ll always add service, whether it’s new routes or additional frequencies to meet that rising demand,” BermudAir Founder and CEO Adam Scott told the Toronto Sun.
“And Turks and Caicos and Anguilla are very desirable destinations for Canadians.”
More Canadians choosing overseas destinations over the U.S. for the first time
Numbers released in March by Statistics Canada show Canadian resident return trips from the U.S. fell 6.4% year over year, representing the 15th straight month of declines in Canadians crossing the border.
While much of this sentiment stems from U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and his frequent “51st state” goading, the weak loonie is also prompting Canadians to seek vacation destinations that can stretch their travel budgets.
While trips to the U.S. are down, Canadian trips to non-U.S. overseas destinations saw a 3.5% jump, with the numbers of Canadians returning from overseas trips outpacing those returning from the U.S. — the first time this has happened since record-keeping began in 1972.
Anguilla flights a rarity
A British overseas territory located in the Lesser Antilles, Anguilla has long been known as an exclusive enclave .
Lacking international fast-food outlets, cruise ship anchorages, casinos or chain resorts, the small clutch of islands is a breath of fresh air for those seeking a quiet, exclusive vacation destination far removed from the tourist hustle and bustle.
A main disadvantage was getting there — its single airport is unable to handle large airliners, so travellers normally fly into St. Maarten and take a short boat ride north to Anguilla.
“The E190 is perfectly suited to Anguilla airport,” Scott told the Sun.
“So now you don’t need to take the boat!”
BemudAir is in the process of transitioning its fleet from leased Embraer E175s to the larger E190s — Brazilian-built aircraft with enough range to fly from Toronto to sun destinations.
Announced on Wednesday, BermudAir’s new weekly non-stop service to Turks and Caicos, with continuing service to Anguilla, is set to begin this winter, operating on Saturdays from Dec. 19 until May 1, 2027.