YYZ–YVR Named North America’s Busiest Domestic Air Route Again

The air corridor between Toronto and Vancouver has once again claimed the top spot as North America’s busiest domestic air travel route, underscoring the scale and resilience of Canada’s transcontinental aviation market.

According to data from OAG, the route linking Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR) recorded 3,655,423 scheduled seats, making it the busiest domestic route in North America for the second consecutive year. The figure places it ahead of the most heavily traveled domestic route in the United States, between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which saw 3,431,159 scheduled seats.

The YYZ–YVR route connects Canada’s largest city with its West Coast gateway, serving a mix of business travelers, leisure passengers, and connecting traffic moving onward to Asia-Pacific and Europe. Its consistent dominance reflects both the geographic scale of Canada and the limited alternatives for long-distance domestic travel between the country’s eastern and western economic hubs.

Multiple daily frequencies offered by Air Canada and WestJet have helped sustain high capacity on the route. Widebody aircraft are regularly deployed alongside narrowbody jets, particularly during peak travel periods, to accommodate demand while maintaining competitive schedules. The route is also a key battleground for premium passengers, with airlines offering enhanced onboard products and frequent flyer incentives.

In contrast, the JFK–LAX corridor—long considered the benchmark for high-volume, high-yield domestic travel—continues to see strong demand but faces growing competition from alternative airports in the New York and Los Angeles metro areas, as well as shifting corporate travel patterns. The Canadian route’s ability to surpass it highlights how concentrated traffic flows can be in markets with fewer viable substitutes.

OAG noted that scheduled seat capacity, rather than passenger counts, provides a clear view of airline intent and network priorities. The continued strength of YYZ–YVR capacity signals airline confidence in sustained demand, even as inflation, fare sensitivity, and evolving work habits reshape travel behavior across North America.

The ranking also reflects Canada’s broader aviation recovery, which has benefited from stable domestic demand and strong immigration-driven population growth in major urban centers. Vancouver and Toronto both serve as primary international gateways, and the air bridge between them remains essential for connectivity, commerce, and tourism.

As airlines finalize schedules for the year ahead, industry analysts expect the YYZ–YVR route to remain a cornerstone of North American domestic aviation. Its scale, frequency, and strategic importance suggest it will continue to outperform even the most iconic U.S. domestic corridors for the foreseeable future.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com