What’s worth more than money? For many Canadians, the answer is time.Even as the cost of living climbs, nearly half of Canadians would trade a 10 per cent pay raise in exchange for two extra weeks of vacation — and nearly seven in 10 think doctors should prescribe vacations as medicine. The striking revelations come from Flight Centre Canada’s Passport to Wellbeing: Travel as Medicinereport, which uncovers the ways Canadians are reshaping the meaning of wellness, success and happiness for 2026.
“Travel as medicine isn’t just a metaphor — it’s a mindset,” says Anita Emilio, Executive Vice President of Flight Centre Canada. “We hear it from Canadians every day: they’re not just booking a vacation, they’re choosing to feel better, to reconnect, to come home renewed.”
Report Insights
- TravelRx: A New Type of Prescription for 2026
- Most Canadians (82%) say vacations are essential to their wellbeing, not a luxury.
- Nearly seven in 10 (69%) say doctors should be able to “prescribe” vacations.
- Vacation or Therapy? Canadians Say, “Let’s Fly”
- If they could only afford therapy or a vacation, 87% of Canadians would pack their bags.
- Modern-Day Overload
- Three in 10 Canadians rate their current level of wellbeing as fair (running low and could use a break) or poor (burnt out or exhausted).
- For Gen X, the number climbs to 42%.
- Top stressors are cited as:
- Financial pressure and rising costs (58%)
- News fatigue or global uncertainty (39%)
- Family or caregiving load (30%)
- The Disconnect Dilemma
- One in four (25%) say their workplace makes it difficult to disconnect.
- Over half of Canadians (51%) check email while they’re on vacation.
- Time Over Money: The Wellness Currency
- Half (49%) of Canadian workers would trade a 10% raise for two extra weeks of vacation.
- Redefining Wellness: Beyond the Spa
- Only 10% of Canadian travel intenders would choose an experience focused solely on activities like meditation, yoga and spa treatments.
- Many Canadians are looking for deep connection and restoration during beach vacays (32%), nature exploration (21%) and cultural or heritage trips (19%).
As Canadians plan their 2026 travel with wellbeing in mind, Flight Centre experts predict continued demand for restorative getaways — from slow travel in Costa Rica to multigenerational family escapes in the United Kingdom. For those interested in culture, Flight Centre now offers an exclusive seven-day trip to Japan — from Tokyo to Yakushima, a UNESCO World Heritage Site — with savings of up to $449.
Passport to Wellbeing: Travel as Medicine is a national report commissioned by Flight Centre Canada based on a YouGov survey of more than 1,000 Canadians. It explores emerging travel behaviours for 2026 and the growing link between travel and personal wellbeing.
