Canadian Airport Passenger Numbers Double in 2022, Yet Remain Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

The number of passengers passing through Canadian airports doubled between 2021 and 2022 but still lagged behind pre-pandemic levels, Statistics Canada data indicates. The 117.3 million travelers who boarded planes in 2022 represented only 72% of the 162.9 million who flew in 2019.

The increase in air travel in 2022 was mainly driven by domestic passengers, who accounted for 67.7 million or 57.7% of the total. Domestic traffic rose by 18.3% from 2021, as vaccination rates improved and some provinces eased interprovincial travel restrictions.

However, international travel remained subdued, as border measures and testing requirements continued to limit the demand for overseas and transborder flights. Overseas passengers totaled 19.5 million in 2022, down by 31.9% from 2021, while transborder passengers numbered 30.1 million, down by 31.7%.

Among Canada’s four largest airports, Calgary was the only one to see an increase in passenger traffic in 2022, up by 11% to 10.8 million. Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal all experienced declines of around 3% to 4%, as they handled more international passengers who were affected by travel restrictions.

The recovery of air travel in Canada also faced challenges from flight delays and cancellations, which plagued some airports in late 2022 due to bad weather, staff shortages and labor disputes. According to FlightAware, a flight tracking service, more than 10,000 flights were delayed or canceled at Canadian airports in December alone.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, 150.statcan.gc.ca, globalnews.ca, statista.com