Aircraft movement statistics: Major airports, April 2021
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Released: 2021-06-30
344,098
April 2021
+167.1% 
(year-over-year change)
Highlights
In April, total air traffic was more than two and a half times that of April 2020, but was 29.0% below the pre-pandemic levels recorded in April 2019. Itinerant movements declined 41.1% compared with April 2019 (before the pandemic), while local movements, down 4.7%, were back in line with historical trends.
Compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019, total domestic activity fell by almost one-third (-32.1%) in April, while flights to and from the United States decreased 84.7% and other international movements declined by 79.5%.
Canada's three busiest airports in April were all located in British Columbia, led by Boundary Bay (19,848 movements).
Traffic up from the steep decline last April, but low historically
There was a total of 344,098 aircraft movements (take-offs and landings) in April, more than two and a half times the traffic recorded in April 2020. Itinerant movements (from one airport to another) increased 113.8%, and local movements (in the vicinity of the airport) jumped 287.6%.
Air traffic bottomed out in April 2020 to levels not seen in more than 50 years, as the country experienced its first full month of travel restrictions and other measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Compared with pre-pandemic activity in April 2019, total air traffic was down 29.0% in April 2021, with itinerant movements down 41.1% and local movements more or less back to historic levels, down 4.7%.
Chart 1
Total aircraft movements at major airports, by class of operation
On March 11, 2020, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. In the months that followed, total aircraft movements remained well below historical norms. For this reason, unless otherwise specified, comparisons in this release will be made with the same month of 2019 (also referred to as "pre-pandemic"), when aircraft movement levels were in line with historical trends.
A glimpse by sector: Domestic, transborder and other international movements
Total domestic movements (within Canada) in April declined by almost one-third (-32.1%) from pre-pandemic levels in 2019. However, movements at 21 of the 90 major airports were up, mostly driven by non-passenger operations such as flight training. Of these, the largest increase in movements occurred at Oshawa, Ontario, where domestic movements rose by 1,857 movements or by 53.3% compared with April 2019.
However, domestic movements made by level I to III carriers and foreign carriers, which accounted for just over one-third of all domestic movements, remained well below (-55.7%) those in April 2019. In April 2021, the country was gripped by a third wave of COVID-19 as new cases peaked and demand for travel remained low.
Chart 2
Domestic movements at major airports, 2019 to 2021
International traffic remained depressed as travel restrictions stayed in place and others were introduced. For example, flights to and from Mexico and the Caribbean by Canadian carriers continued to be on hold through April, while flight activity from India and Pakistan was suspended to manage new variants of concern.
In April 2021, transborder movements (flights to and from the United States) declined 84.7% from April 2019, while other international traffic was down 79.5% from pre-pandemic levels.
Infographic 1
Transborder aircraft movements at major airports, 2019 to 2021
Infographic 2
Other international aircraft movements at major airports, 2019 to 2021
Canada's busiest airports
In April, Canada's three busiest airports were all located in British Columbia, les by Boundary Bay, with 19,848 movements, followed by Abbotsford (15,902 movements) and Pitt Meadows (12,849 movements).
Looking back to April 2019, the top three airports were Toronto/Lester B. Pearson, Ontario (37,406 movements), Vancouver International, British Columbia (26,242), and Calgary International, Alberta (19,486).
Chart 3
Total aircraft movements at top 10 Canadian airports in April, 2019 to 2021
Looking ahead
Weekly aircraft movements for May indicated a continued slump for international air traffic. In fact, one leisure airline announced it was further extending its flight suspension until July 29, 2021. Within Canada, several carriers have announced new and reinstated domestic routes—many commencing in June—pointing to some cautious optimism for some recovery of domestic travel heading into the typically busy summer travel season.
Note to readers
The Aircraft Movement Statistics: Major Airports Survey collects data on itinerant and local aircraft movements at major airports in Canada.
Major airports include all airports with either a NAV CANADA air traffic control tower or a NAV CANADA flight service station.
On November 5, 2020, NAV CANADA recognized the increase in air traffic at Red Deer Regional Airport in Alberta before the COVID-19 pandemic and changed its status from a flight service station to offer air traffic control service at the airport for 16 hours per day. As a result, effective November 1, 2020, monthly aircraft movement data for the airport are available in tables 23-10-0002-01 to 23-10-0008-01 (airports with NAV CANADA towers). Data prior to November 2020 remain available in tables 23-10-0009-01 to 23-10-0015-01 (airports with NAV CANADA flight service stations).
An aircraft movement is defined as a take-off, landing or simulated approach by an aircraft, as defined by NAV CANADA.
Data for the same month in the previous year may have been revised.
The data in this monthly release are not seasonally adjusted.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).
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