As Canadians prepare to vote in a forthcoming federal election, the National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC), is calling on all political parties to address the affordability and sustainability of air travel in Canada.
“In a country as vast as Canada, air travel is a not a luxury – it is a crucial mode of transport for people and goods. Canadians expect an air travel system that is affordable, sustainable, and modern. The federal government has the power to make this a reality,” said Jeff Morrison, President of NACC.
A 2025 survey conducted by Nanos Research found that 72% of respondents indicated that cost was the first or second most important consideration when booking air travel. The same survey indicated that 63% of respondents were concerned or somewhat concerned that the rising costs of air travel costs is impacting the ability of airlines to provide service to remote and rural regions throughout Canada.
High federal fees, taxes and charges are the primary cause of the comparatively high cost of air travel in Canada, representing up to one third the cost of a plane ticket. Aviation also faces significant costs associated with complying with outdated, duplicative, or overly punitive regulatory frameworks – regulations that have not been modernized, or that treat airlines as ‘cash cows’.
Canada’s airports currently pay about 12% of their revenues on Crown rent to the federal government; airports pay over $480 million more annually to the federal government than they receive in benefits.
In the 2025 federal election, political parties must commit to making air travel more affordable, which includes freezing and ultimately lowering federal fees and charges, and modernizing Canada’s burdensome regulatory regime. Further, NACC is calling on political parties to commit to fully reinvest airport rent into airport infrastructure, so that airports can grow and become more accessible, efficient, and secure.
Furthermore, as airlines worldwide seek reliable sources of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) to meet decarbonization goals, Canada has a unique opportunity to become a global leader in SAF production. Domestic SAF production represents a significant economic opportunity for Canada and represents the best option for Canada’s airlines – and airlines globally – to achieve full decarbonization. NACC calls on political parties to commit to SAF incentive policies that will stimulate and catalyze a domestic SAF market.
“We call on all political parties to champion policies that will lower costs and promote sustainability, benefiting communities across the country and the tens of millions of passengers who fly within, to and from Canada each year,” concluded Morrison.
