by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 8:20 AM ET, Fri August 7, 2026
Canada’s two largest eastern gateways handled more than 34 million passengers combined during the first six months of 2026.
Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Canada’s busiest airport, recorded 12.4 million passengers during the second quarter, up 3.3% from the same period last year, according to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA).
For the first six months of the year, passenger volumes reached 23.5 million, an increase of 3.5%, or roughly 800,000 passengers, compared with the first half of 2025.
Domestic traffic was particularly strong, climbing 7.4% year over year to 8.3 million passengers during the first half. International traffic, which includes transborder passengers, increased 1.5% to 15.2 million.
The GTAA said international results continued to be affected by declining travel volumes to the United States, while domestic demand and other international markets drove overall growth.
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“Toronto Pearson delivered steady growth in the second quarter of 2026, supported by domestic demand, international passenger growth and smooth, efficient ecosystem operations during the FIFA World Cup," said Deborah Flint, President and CEO.
With passenger volumes up over 3% for the quarter and year-to-date, alongside growth in revenue and EBITDA, these results reflect the competitive position of our airport and the advancement of our strategic priorities."
Toronto Pearson International Airport (Photo Credit: GTAA)
YUL Traffic Holds Steady as U.S. Travel Falls
The picture was similar at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), although overall growth was slower.
YUL handled 5.7 million pax during the second quarter, essentially flat from the same period in 2025, with traffic down 0.1%.
For the first half of 2026, however, 10.8 million passengers travelled through the airport, representing an increase of 1.2%.
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As at Pearson, domestic travel helped drive the gains. YUL's domestic passenger traffic increased 4% during the first six months of the year, while international traffic rose 2.4%.
Transborder traffic, meanwhile, fell 5.2%.
“Despite a geopolitical situation still marked by uncertainty surrounding the United States, and which continues to influence travel decisions in this market, our results demonstrate the strength and resilience of our organization,” said Yves Beauchamp, President and CEO of ADM Aéroports de Montréal.
Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock)
A Similar Pattern at YVR
While Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has not released comparable second-quarter results, recent airport data points to strong overall demand alongside similar weakness in U.S. travel.
YVR, Canada's second-busiest airport, entered the summer expecting 2.7 million passengers between June 8 and July 12, an average of nearly 88,000 travellers per day. The airport said that would represent a 5% to 10% increase over the same period last year, helped by FIFA World Cup traffic and the summer cruise season.
YVR is currently forecasting approximately 27.1 million passengers for 2026, following a record 26.9 million in 2025.
RELATED: 2025 One for YVR Record Books
The airport has also previously identified domestic and international markets, particularly Asia-Pacific, as areas of strength while transborder traffic has weakened.
Aerial view of city of Vancouver, Canada (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock)
Canadians Keep Looking Beyond the U.S.
The results from Canada's busiest airports reinforce a travel pattern that has emerged throughout 2026: Canadians are still travelling, but where they are going continues to shift.
At both YYZ and YUL, domestic passenger growth outpaced overall traffic during the first half of the year. Montréal also recorded growth in its international segment even as transborder traffic dropped more than 5%.
Pearson did not provide a separate first-half percentage for its U.S. sector in its latest results, but specifically pointed to declining U.S. volumes as a drag on international traffic.
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