MxM News

Foreign visitors heading to America’s crown-jewel national parks will soon face a steeper bill, as the Trump administration moves to prioritize U.S. taxpayers who already bankroll the system. The Department of the Interior announced Tuesday that starting in 2026, non-residents will be charged an additional $100 at 11 of the country’s busiest parks — a list that includes the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Acadia, Everglades, and other iconic destinations. The change accompanies a sharp increase in the cost of an annual all-parks pass for foreign tourists, which will jump to $250, more than triple the current rate. Americans and permanent residents will continue paying $80.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum framed the policy as a straightforward matter of fairness. “President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first,” he said, arguing that U.S. households already subsidize the National Park System and deserve affordable access while international tourists contribute “their fair share” to the upkeep and expansion of the park network. It’s a pitch that aligns with Trump’s broader push to restore what he calls a sense of ownership and pride in the country’s natural treasures, and to make sure the burden of maintaining them doesn’t fall solely on American families.

We’re making it easier & more affordable for Americans to experience the beauty & freedom of our public lands!

In 2026, we’re launching:
– America-first pricing 💵
– Digital passes 📱
– Patriotic pass designs 🇺🇸
– Expanded motorcycle access 🏍️
– 5 additional fee-free days 🗓️ pic.twitter.com/a2SvHNBdSP

— Secretary Doug Burgum (@SecretaryBurgum) November 25, 2025

The National Park Service recorded nearly 332 million visits in 2024 across its 63 designated national parks — a staggering figure that has placed heavy pressure on trails, facilities, and staff. While some parks charge per-vehicle fees and others by the individual, the $80 “America the Beautiful” pass covers the holder and all passengers or up to four adults. Under the new rules, foreign visitors who purchase the $250 annual pass will avoid the extra $100 at the 11 high-traffic parks, but all other overseas travelers will pay the surcharge at the gate.

The administration says the approach follows a July executive order from President Trump, aimed at preserving parkland “for American families” by ensuring those who don’t support the system through taxes help shoulder the cost of its growing maintenance needs. Burgum’s department also highlighted that U.S. visitors will continue to enjoy “patriotic fee-free days” tied to national observances — including President’s Day, Veterans Day, and Flag Day, which coincides with Trump’s birthday — while foreign visitors will pay full freight.

The move is expected to generate significant revenue from international tourism while reinforcing a message that has become central to Trump’s agenda: America’s natural wonders belong first to the taxpayers who fund them, and protecting access for those families comes before subsidizing the travel of visitors from abroad.

New passenger compensation rules under review could end up harming passengers as well as the country’s aviation sector by forcing airlines to pay for delays and cancellations beyond their control, warns a new report published this morning by the MEI.

“Air travel in Canada is already unaffordable and inaccessible,” says Gabriel Giguère, senior public policy analyst at the MEI. “New rules that force airlines to cover costs they can’t control would only make a bad situation worse.”

Introduced in 2023 by then-Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, the proposed amendment to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations would make airlines liable for compensation in all cases except those deemed “exceptional.” Under the current rules, compensation applies only when the airline is directly responsible for the disruption.

If adopted, the new framework would require Canadian airlines to pay at least $400 per passenger for any “unexceptional” cancellation or delay exceeding three hours, regardless of fault. Moreover, the definition of “exceptional circumstances” remains vague and incomplete, creating regulatory uncertainty.

“A presumed-guilty approach could upend airline operations,” notes Mr. Giguère. “Reversing the burden of proof introduces another layer of bureaucracy and litigation, which are costs that will inevitably be passed on to consumers.”

The Canadian Transportation Agency estimates that these changes would impose over $512 million in additional costs on the industry over ten years, leading to higher ticket prices and potentially reducing regional air service.

Canadians already pay some of the highest airfares in the world, largely due to government-imposed fees. Passengers directly cover the Air Travellers Security Charge—$9.94 per domestic flight and $34.42 per international flight—and indirectly pay airport rent through Airport Improvement Fees included on every ticket.

In 2024 alone, airport authorities remitted a record $494.8 million in rent to the federal government, $75.6 million more than the previous year and 68 per cent higher than a decade earlier.

“This new regulation risks being the final blow to regional air travel,” warns Mr. Giguère. “Routes connecting smaller communities will be the first to disappear as costs rise and they become less profitable.”

For instance, a three-hour and one minute delay on a Montreal–Saguenay flight with 85 passengers would cost an airline roughly $33,000 in compensation. It would take approximately 61 incident-free return flights to recoup that cost.

Regional air service has already declined by 34 per cent since 2019, and the added burden of this proposed regulation could further reduce connectivity within Canada. It would also hurt Canadian airlines’ competitiveness relative to U.S. carriers operating out of airports just south of the border, whose passengers already enjoy lower fares.

“If the federal government truly wants to make air travel more affordable,” says Mr. Giguère, “it should start by cutting its own excessive fees instead of scapegoating airlines for political gain.”

You can read the Economic Note here.

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The MEI is an independent public policy think tank with offices in Montreal, Ottawa, and Calgary. Through its publications, media appearances, and advisory services to policymakers, the MEI stimulates public policy debate and reforms based on sound economics and entrepreneurship.