Buffalo Airport seeing strong travel despite decrease in Canadian travel to U.S. [Video]

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — As Canadian travel to the U.S. decreases, the Buffalo Niagara International Airport reported strong passenger traffic over the recent Easter weekend.

Pascal Cohen, NFTA’s Senior Manager of Aviation Marketing, said year‑to‑date numbers are up roughly 5% compared to last year, with more than 30,000 additional travelers passing through the airport. Last year, the airport surpassed 5 million passengers for the second time in about a decade, including nearly one million Canadians.

“They’re not just a very important customer, they’re our neighbors, our friends, our best friends,” Cohen said.

Despite the headlines, Cohen notes Buffalo hasn’t felt a pinch. Airlines have already added 75,000 new seats for the next six months.

“We expect there’s going to be an impact from the geopolitical situation,” Cohen added. “But so far, we’re actually doing really well in ’25.”

Still, local tourism leaders acknowledge the warning signs. Visit Buffalo Niagara reports …