Centennial Period International Air Mail Rates

Dozens of posts dealing with the Canadian Centennial definitive issue (1967 - 1973) have been published in the nearly four years Postal History Corner has been on-line. The original post dealing with international air mail letter rates was published on June 10, 2010.

[Note: U.S. rates are not included in this article]

At the start of the Centennial period, February 8, 1967, there were three international air mail rate destinations in effect (excluding the United States). The rates were simplified during the period and on July 1, 1971 a 15 cent (1st ounce) letter rate to all destinations was introduced.

 The post is organized as follows:

A. Air Mail Rates to June 30, 1971
1. Destination : Bermuda, Mexico, Central and South America and the West Indies
a) To May 31, 1967
b) June 1, 1967 to June 30, 1967
2. Destination : Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland,  Europe
3. Destination : Africa, Asia and Oceania

B. Air Mail Rates from July 1, 1971

C. Insufficiently Prepaid Air Mail Letters
1.To June 30, 1971
2. From July 1 1971

A. AIR MAIL RATES TO JUNE 30, 1971

1. Destination : Bermuda, Mexico, Central and South America and the West Indies

a) To May 31, 1967

The air mail letter rate to destinations in the Western hemisphere was 10 cents for each half ounce, and was in effect from April 1, 1954 to May 30, 1967.

Jamaica

 Vancouver to Linstead, April 18, 1967

10 cent air mail letter rate to the West Indies

Chile

Toronto to Santiago, April 5, 1967

10 cents air mail letter rate to South America

 Argentina

Beauharnois to Cordoba, February 16, 1967

10 cents air mail letter rate

b) June 1, 1967 - June 30, 1971

The air mail letter rate to destinations in the Western Hemisphere was increased to 15 cents for each half ounce.

Trinidad

North Surrey to Port of Spain, August 9, 1967

15 cents air mail letter rate

Mexico

Victoria to Mexico City, July 22, 1969

15 cents air mail letter rate

Argentina

Windsor to Cordoba, August 22, 1968

15 cents air mail letter rate

2. Destination : Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Europe

To June 30, 1970

Great Britain

 Victoria to Old Windsor, December 14, 1967

15 cents air mail letter rate to Great Britain

Saskatoon to Lundy via Bideford, England, May 5, 1969

15 cents air mail letter rate to Great Britain

Lundy 2 puffin local stamp cancelled May 8, 1969

Vancouver to Whitchurch, June 10, 1970

15 cents air mail letter rate to Great Britain

Ottawa to Cumberland, Scotland, September 30, 1969

45 cents paying the 1 1/2 ounce air mail letter rate to Great Britain

German Federal Republic

Vancouver to Munich, July 31, 1967

15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe

 German Democratic Republic

Levis to Treuen, May 12, 1968

15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe

France

Montreal to Paris, June 22, 1967

15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe

Netherlands

Windsor to Hilversum, December 18, 1867

15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe

Finland

Scarborough to Helsinki, December 10, 1968

15 cents air mail letter rate to Finland

 Switzerland

Montreal to Nietikon, June 15, 1967

15 cents air mail letter rate to Switzerland

Iceland

Toronto to Icelnad, December 16, 1969

15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe

Liechtenstein

Toronto to Vaduz, February 16, 1971

45 cents paying the 1 1/2 ounce air mail letter rate

Denmark

Hamilton to Copenhagen, December 10, 1969

15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe

Italy

Toronto to Rome, December 28, 1967

15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe

Sweden

Moncton to Gotheburg, March 15, 1968

75 cents paying the 2 1/2 ounce air mail letter rate to Europe

3. Destination : Africa, Asia and Oceania

To June 30, 1970

The air mail letter rate to destinations in Africa, Asia and Oceania was 25 cents for each half ounce.

Kenya

Victoria to Ugunja, Kenya, February 25, 1967

25 cents air mail letter rate

Rhodesia

Aldergrove to Salisbury, August 8, 1967

25 cents air mail letter rate

Bahrain

New Westminster to Awali, December 7, 1968

25 cents air mail letter rate

India

Islington to Amristsar, December 18, 1970

25 cents air mail letter rate

South Africa

 Vernon to Johannesburg, May 25, 1971

25 cents air mail letter rate

Ottawa to Kloof, Natal, February 24, 1967

25 cents air mail letter rate

 Egypt

 Montreal to Alexandria, April 7, 1970

25 cents air mail letter rate

 Australia

Victoria to Melbourne, January 2, 1969

25 cents air mail letter rate

Nepal

Prince George to Kathmandu, June 26, 1970

25 cents air mail letter rate

 Cameroun

Quebec to Yaounde, July 14, 1968

25 cents air mail letter rate

Uganda

 Toronto to Kilembe, October 21, 1970

25 cents air mail letter rate

 Singapore

Montreal to Singapore, February 24, 1971

25 cents air mail letter rate

Philippines

 Saskatoon to Makati, June 10, 1968

25 cents air mail letter rate

 Iran

Ottawa to Tehran, July 18, 1969

25 cents air mail letter rate

Saudi Arabia

Toronto to Dhahran, October 11, 1968

50 cents paying the 1 ounce air mail letter rate

Japan

 Amherst to Tokyo, July 4, 1967

25 cents air mail letter rate

AIR MAIL RATES FROM JULY 1, 1971

On July 1 1971, the international air mail letter rate to all countries (excluding the U.S.) was set at 15 cents per ounce. More significantly, the surface and air mail rates for items up to 8 ounces to all destinations were the same, effectively eliminating the surface letter rate for items weighing up to 8 ounces.

 Slogan cancellation to advise mailers of the change in international postal rates. Surface letter rates were no longer in effect.

Rates per item:

i)1 oz. or less------------------------ .15
ii) more than 1 oz. but
not more than 2 oz.------------------.30
iii)more than 2 oz. but
not more than 4 oz.------------------.40
iv) more than 4 oz. but
no more than 8 oz.-------------------.90

For air mail letters weighing more than 8 ounces there were two rate destinations (excluding the USA):

• Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Europe, Bermuda, Mexico, Central and South America, West Indies:

v) more than 8 oz. but
not more than 12 oz.----------------2.00
vi)more than 12 oz. but
not more than 1 lb.------------------2.80
vi) each additional 4 oz.
or fraction thereof--------------------.80

• All other countries

v) more than 8 oz. but
not more than 12 oz.----------------3.50
vi)more than 12 oz. but
not more than 1 lb.------------------4.50
vi) each additional 4 oz.
or fraction thereof-------------------1.40

Great Britain

  Whitehorse to Westminster, August 1971

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

 

Sweden

 Kitchener-Waterloo to Stockholm, December 13, 1971

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

 India

Toronto to Delhi, December 17, 1971

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Japan

 Ottawa to Tokyo, March 5, 1973

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Netherlands

Calgary to Santpoort, March 2, 1972

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Hungary

Sarnia to Budapest, March 23, 1972

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

 Lebanon

Vancouver to Beirut, December 18, 1972

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Jugoslavia

 Victoria to Belgrade, December 27, 1973

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Australia

Bleinheim to New Lambton, September 22, 1972

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Czechoslovakia

 Victoria to Prague, May 6, 1972

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Switzerland

 Sudbury to Bern, January 10, 1972

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Pakistan

Ponte Claire to Karachi, December 1971

 15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Israel

Willowdale to Tel-Aviv, September 12, 1971

 15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Bahamas

Toronto to Nassau, September 29, 1971

 15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

 Antarctica

 Weston to Hailley Bay, Antarctica (Via Port Stanley, Falkland Islands), August 6, 1973

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

C. Insufficiently Paid Letters

1. To June 30, 1971

Insufficiently prepaid air mail letters were charged postage due and forwarded by air if 75% of the air mail fee was prepaid, otherwise the letter was sent by surface mail. The examples shown below were prepaid less than 75% of the air mail rate and were conveyed by surface mail as a result.

Streetsville to Salisbury Rhodesia, November 3, 1969
25 cents air mail letter rate
Prepaid 15 cents and sent by surface mail

 
 SHORT PAID FOR AIR CONVEYANCE
PORT INSUFFISANT POUR AVION

Toronto to Parkville, Augsut 30, 1968
25 cents air mail letter rate
Shortpaid 10 cents
"Shortpaid for air conveyance" handstamp

 Niagara Falls to Israel, April 17, 1969
Non-standard size postcard treated as a letter
25 cents air mail letter rate, shortpaid 10 cents

 INSUFFICIENTLY PREPAID
FOR AIR TRANSMISSION

 2. From July 1, 1971

Since the international surface letter rate (up to 8 oz.) was abolished, insufficiently prepaid letters were charged postage due and conveyed by air.

a) Advanced Postage

In some cases, the post office would advance short paid postage in order to avoid delay and postage due charges to the addressee. The sender would receive a card advising that postage was advanced and requesting that postage on the amount due be affixed to the card and mailed to the post office. Advanced postage was payable at single deficiency.

Notice of Advance Payment Card from Markham advising the sender of a letter to Spain that the letter was shortpaid 5 cents and that the postage was advanced to avoid delay.

5 cents Canadian postage affixed and cancelled Markham, August 23, 1973

(The British stamp was unnecessary)

The Notice card shown below advised the sender of 7 letters that 49 cents postage had been advanced.

Port Rowan to Brantford, December 6, 1972

49 cents paying advanced postage

 Advance Postage Marking

Handstamp indicating the postage was advanced by Canada Post Office

 London to St. David's House, Bermuda, May 6, 1972
15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce
Shortpaid 7 cents which was advanced by Canada Post Office

b) Postage Due

Portugal

 St. Janvier to Azores, October 2, 1972

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Shortpaid 7 cents : Canada Tax fraction 14/15

 Great Britain

 Stephenville to Bradford, England, November 3, 1971

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Shortpaid 1 cent : Canada Tax fraction 2/15

2p was the minimum amount collected by the British Post Office

Vancouver to Westcliff on Sea, England, November 29, 1971

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Shortpaid 8 cents : Canada Tax fraction 2/15

5p collected by British Post Office

Sweden

Lethbridge to Stockholme, May 5, 1972

15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Shortpaid 7 cents : Canada Tax fraction 14/15

Swedish due label : 80 ore