June 03, 2026
Total flights in and out of Canadian airports were down 4.4% in March
Statistics Canada reports that aircraft movements at Canada's major and select small airports totalled 436,682 in March 2026, down 4.4% from the same month in the previous year. Local movements declined 11.6% year over year, while itinerant movements were down 0.8%.
In March, transborder aircraft movements (to and from the United States) declined 4.6% year over year, falling to 33,987. This marked the 12th consecutive month of year-over-year decline. Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International, Ontario (-690 movements), Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International, Quebec (-354) and Toronto/Billy Bishop Toronto City, Ontario (-270) accounted for 80.8% of the total decrease.
Domestic itinerant movements also fell in March, edging down 0.8% from the same month the previous year to 244,023. The decrease was largely driven by smaller airports, with Oshawa, Ontario (-1,615 movements), Winnipeg/St. Andrews, Manitoba (-712) and Calgary/Springbank, Alberta (-683) recording the biggest declines. In contrast, the three largest airports in terms of screened passenger trafficToronto/Lester B. Pearson International (+584 movements), Vancouver International, British Columbia (+389), and Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International (+300)each recorded increases in domestic itinerant movements.
Other international movements (outside the United States) were up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis to 20,891 in Marchthe 13th consecutive month of year-over-year gains. Flights to Cuba by Canadian airlines continued to be on pause in March, with some carriers announcing they would not restart until the fall.