Fuel Surcharges in Canada and How to Avoid Them

As the price of jet fuel continues to rise, airlines add and/or increase their fuel surcharges to the cost of flights in order to offset these costs. Paying these fees can be frustrating, but there are a few ways to avoid or minimize them, such as redeeming airline reward points when booking flights.

This article walks you through how fuel surcharges work and what each Canadian airline charges, so you can compare your options when booking your next flight. We'll also share a few tricks for avoiding these charges altogether.

What is a fuel surcharge?

A fuel surcharge is an extra fee an airline may add to your fare when jet fuel prices rise. There's no standard fuel surcharge across airlines, so the amount and when it applies can vary.

This is one reason to check the fine print when comparing flights.

Fuel surcharges can add up fast, and there are ways to avoid them, but in many cases, you won't have a choice but to pay.

Airlines and their fuel surcharges

Since there's no set fee for fuel surcharges across Canadian airlines, it's helpful to look at individual airline policies before booking a flight.

Air Canada fuel surcharge

Air Canada made news in April 2026 when it added a $50 fuel surcharge to Air Canada Vacations. Specifically, it added the surcharge to all SUN destination packages that included a flight component.

However, it looks like that's no longer the case. When we searched for information about this policy, we found that Air Canada had removed all mention of it from its website.

Air Canada does currently have a fuel surcharge on flights departing Japan, applicable to all tickets issued between September 1 and October 31, 2026.

Our best advice when flying Air Canada is to carefully review the specific taxes and fees associated with a flight before booking.

WestJet fuel surcharge

In April 2026, WestJet also placed a temporary $60 fuel surcharge on all bookings made with a companion voucher, which appeared as "Other ATC" on bookings.

WestJet has been very transparent about the surcharge and how it's monitoring fuel prices. You can follow the latest developments on its fuel surcharge page – its most recent update in June stated that the temporary surcharge remains in place and that the airline is reducing its flight capacity going into the fall.

Porter fuel surcharge

In March 2026, Porter Airlines introduced a $40 fuel surcharge for VIPorter reward redemptions. You'll see it listed as a "Peak Surcharge," charged per passenger, per flight, each way.

Porter lowered the surcharge to $20 in June 2026 as fuel costs eased, but has since increased it back to $40.

Air Transat fuel surcharge

Air Transat, a Porter Airlines partner, added a $50 fuel surcharge on flights from Canada to Europe and a €25 equivalent charge on flights from Europe to Canada.

The airline reported a record $105 million increase in jet fuel costs by the end of July 2026 but hasn't updated whether it will remove or adjust the fuel surcharge it added in March.

Flair fuel surcharge

As a discount airline, Flair is sensitive to passing fuel costs on to customers. However, it has stated that it will include variable surcharges to respond to higher fuel costs.

When we checked fares on the Flair site, we found that Canadian flights to and from the U.S. didn't have fuel surcharges, but all other domestic or international flights had a $40 "Carrier Surcharge" added to the fare.

How to avoid fuel surcharges

The best way to avoid fuel surcharges is to shop around for flights and choose ones that don't have this charge. Certain loyalty programs and specific travel credit cards can help, too, since these charges can be waived.

Here are a few ways to skip the added fuel surcharge on your next flight:

Shop around for flights

If you're booking a typical flight and paying as usual, check the fine print and cost breakdowns to see which airlines charge fuel surcharge fees and which don't. Or, at least, see which ones charge lower fees.

Join the right loyalty program

Some airline rewards programs may waive fuel surcharges when you book using points or use a companion voucher.

Here's a look at the top Canadian rewards programs that can help you avoid these surcharge fees:

Aeroplan

The Aeroplan program is one of the best for avoiding fuel surcharges – it waives these fees entirely for its members redeeming points for Air Canada flights. It also waives fuel surcharges for redemption flights with partner airlines like Lufthansa.

Carrier surcharges can be high with partner airlines, but Aeroplan doesn't pass them on to you. You'll still pay a $39 booking fee for partner flights, but that's a small price compared with the savings.

American Express Membership Rewards

The American Express Membership Rewards program doesn't waive fuel surcharges entirely, but members can redeem points to cover these costs. As long as you book your flight through the Amex Fixed Points Travel Program, you'll have the option of paying for taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges with points.

Of course, Amex Membership Rewards isn't technically an airline program, but collectors can transfer points to 6 different airline rewards programs, including Aeroplan.

These are the partnering airline programs that accept points transfers, along with the transfer requirements:

Aeroplan transfers at a 1:1 ratio, as does British Airways Executive Club.

British Airways has high taxes and fees, but you can use its points to book flights with American Airlines and other airlines in the oneworld alliance. These partner airlines tend to have lower fees on reward flights.

There's also Delta SkyMiles, which transfers at a 4:3 ratio. The ratio isn't ideal, but Delta has low fees, as do other SkyTeam members, including Air France and KLM.

Marriott Bonvoy to United MileagePlus

Yes, Marriott Bonvoy is a hotel program, but hear us out – you can transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points to United MileagePlus, and United's loyalty program doesn't charge carrier surcharges, regardless of airline.

Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio to MileagePlus. Plus, when you transfer to United, Marriott also gives an additional 10,000 miles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer.

Marriott Bonvoy also has almost 40 airline partners you can transfer points to, many of which have relatively low taxes and fees. These partners include most major U.S. airlines, like Delta, American, and Southwest, as well as international carriers too, like Emirates, Air France, KLM, and Qantas.

If you can't get to the airline you want directly, you should be able to access it through a partner airline rewards program in their alliance.

Best credit cards for avoiding fuel surcharges

Using the right travel credit card can help you earn on your flight, which can help offset fuel surcharges. These are your best options:

Leave directly from a U.S. Airport

Several American airlines don't include fuel surcharges, but things are changing since fuel costs continue to soar. In the past, we've recommended driving down to a border city and flying from there using your rewards.

However, don't automatically assume you're getting a better deal since you're paying less in taxes and fees. U.S. airlines have been raising their baggage fees to offset the steep increase in jet fuel prices.

FAQ

What is a fuel surcharge?

A fuel surcharge is an additional fee that an airline can charge for a flight. It's meant to recoup some of the cost that airlines pay when the price of jet fuel increases. Fuel surcharges can add up quickly, especially if you're flying long distances.

What is the fuel surcharge in Canada?

There's no set fuel surcharge for flights in Canada – it's up to individual airlines to determine if they want to add fuel surcharges or not. If they do, the airline also decides how much to charge and if/when they'll change it.

Can you tell me how to avoid a surcharge on fuel?

To avoid these charges, compare fares across airlines, since fuel surcharges often apply only to specific fares or packages – switching can avoid them entirely. Booking through an airline rewards program can sometimes waive the fee too. If you can't dodge the surcharge, at least put it on a credit card with strong rewards so you earn points on the cost.

How much is the Air Canada fuel surcharge?

Air Canada doesn't charge a flat fuel surcharge. Instead, pricing is dynamic – what you pay toward fuel costs depends on your specific fare and destination. Since fees vary by ticket rather than following a set rate, there's no fixed fuel surcharge amount to point to.

Is there an Amazon Canada fuel surcharge?

Yes, in April 2026, Amazon began charging a 3.5% fuel surcharge for Fulfillment by Amazon program users in Canada and the U.S. This was a company response to the steep increase in fuel costs following the U.S. invasion of Iran.

Which company has the highest carrier surcharges?

At the time of writing, WestJet has the highest fuel surcharge: a $60 fuel surcharge on companion fares. Its other fuel surcharge ($50 on Sunwing Vacations and Vacances WestJet Québec) is similar to what Air Transat adds to its European-Canadian flights.