Aircraft movement statistics: Major airports, September 2021
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Released: 2021-11-25
420,153
September 2021
18.0% 
(year-over-year change)
Highlights
In September, there were 420,153 aircraft movements at Canada's major airports. While this was an increase of 18.0% from September 2020, it represents just over four-fifths (82.5%) of the level observed in September 2019, before the pandemic.
International traffic continued to rise in September, with movements to and from the United States at 17,457 and other international movements at 6,430. While these levels were the highest they have been since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, they represented 42.1% and 44.2%, respectively, of the September 2019 levels.
For the first time since March 2020, Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International was Canada's busiest airport, and Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International landed in the top 10.
September ushers in more air travel
As of September 7, 2021, fully vaccinated foreign nationals have been eligible to enter Canada for non-essential purposes, provided they have received a vaccine accepted by the Government of Canada. This followed the easing of restrictions for fully vaccinated US citizens in August and for fully vaccinated Canadians in July.
Air Canada Rouge and Porter Airlines—the only Level I carriers still grounded as a result of the pandemic—resumed service in early September. This marked the end of an almost 18-month suspension for Porter Airlines.
Total movements up but remain below pre-pandemic levels
In September, there were a total of 420,153 aircraft movements (take-offs and landings) at the 90 Canadian airports equipped with NAV CANADA towers and flight service stations, an 18.0% increase from September 2020. Itinerant movements (flights from one airport to another) grew 28.8% to reach 279,047, and local movements (in the vicinity of the airport) edged up 1.4% to 141,106.
Compared with September 2019, before the pandemic, total air traffic in September was down 17.5%. Itinerant movements declined by 22.5%, while local movements fell 5.6%.
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 and, in the months that followed, total aircraft movements remained well below historical levels. Unless otherwise specified, comparisons are made with the same month of 2019 (also referred to as "pre-pandemic"), when aircraft movement levels were in line with historical trends.
International traffic continues to climb
Total domestic traffic (within Canada) in September stood at 255,160 movements, or 83.9% of the level from September 2019.
Domestic movements by Level I to III carriers and foreign carriers edged closer to pre-pandemic levels for the fourth consecutive month, sitting at almost three-quarters (74.6%) of the amount from September 2019.
Typically, aircraft movements experience a seasonal decline at the end of the summer travel season. On a monthly basis, total domestic movements posted a modest 4.0% decrease from August to September, smaller than the average between 2015 and 2019 (-10.0%). Domestic movements by Level I to III carriers and foreign carriers edged up 0.7% from August; historically (between 2015 and 2019), they declined by an average of 8.0%.
Chart 2
Domestic movements at major airports, 2019 to 2021
International traffic also saw growth from August to September, in contrast to the usual seasonal decline. As air carriers restored more international services, movements to and from the United States and other countries saw significant increases of 19.5% and 9.1%, respectively.
Transborder traffic (flights to and from the United States) reached 17,457 movements in September. This was a decrease of 57.9% compared with September 2019, but an improvement from the 67.6% decline in August (compared with August 2019).
Infographic 1
Transborder movements at major airports, 2019 to 2021
Other international traffic was at 6,430 movements in September, representing a 55.8% decline from September 2019. This was also an improvement from the 64.4% decline observed in August (compared with August 2019).
Infographic 2
Other international movements at major airports, 2019 to 2021
Pearson back on top
At 21,396 movements, Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International was the busiest airport in Canada for the first time since March 2020. Domestic take-offs and landings averaged 388.1 per day in September, while transborder and other international movements averaged 218.6 and 104.1, respectively. This compares with the average daily movements of 203.8, 59.1 and 51.7, respectively, in September 2020, when COVID-19 cases were climbing during the second wave of the pandemic.
Vancouver International was the second most active airport, with 18,835 movements, followed by Boundary Bay, with 16,376. Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International landed in the top 10 for the first time since March 2020, with 11,473 movements.
Chart 3
Total aircraft movements at the top 10 Canadian airports in September, 2019 to 2021
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 services 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 September 2020 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; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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