Aircraft movement statistics: Major and select small airports, May 2023
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Released: 2023-07-25
552,493
May 2023
8.0% 
(12-month change)
Highlights
In May, aircraft movements at Canada's major and select small airports totalled 552,493, up 8.0% from May 2022, albeit 7.5% lower than in May 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of movements to and from the United States was up 17.9% year over year in May 2023, while other international traffic increased 19.9%. Total domestic movements increased 10.4% from May 2022, with those from smaller carriers (Level IV to VI) rising 12.5%.
Aircraft support for wildfires
In May, wildfires raged in parts of Canada, with many of them deemed out of control. Evacuation orders were put in place in some areas of Western Canada, while new fires emerged in Eastern Canada. The number of domestic aircraft movements increased year over year in both British Columbia and Alberta. Traffic at Whitecourt in Alberta recorded an additional 956 movements (+45.1%) compared with May 2022, with much of this growth coming from Level IV to VI carriers battling wildfires.
Total aircraft movements up in May
Total aircraft movements (take-offs and landings) at the 90 airports with NAV CANADA towers and flight service stations, combined with 33 select small airports, totalled 552,493 in May, 8.0% higher than in May 2022.
In May 2023, the number of itinerant movements (from one airport to another) was up 11.4% year over year to reach 382,150, and the number of local movements (within the vicinity of the airport) rose 1.2% to 170,343.
Total aircraft movements in May were 7.5% below the pre-pandemic May 2019 level. Itinerant movements were down 6.1%, while local movements were 10.6% lower.
Chart 1
Total aircraft movements at major and select small airports, by class of operation
Increased activity in all sectors
In May, transborder movements (to and from the United States) increased 17.9% year over year to 35,328. While this represents the highest number of transborder movements since the start of the pandemic, it was 15.4% lower than that reported in May 2019. Other international traffic (outside the United States) rose 19.9% from May 2022 to 13,813 but was 5.6% below the May 2019 level.
Total domestic movements (within Canada) were up 10.4% year over year to 333,009 in May 2023. Movements conducted by Level I to III carriers increased 2.2% to 152,508, while Level IV to VI carriers were up 12.5% to 83,100.
Chart 2
Transborder and other international aircraft movements in May, 2019 to 2023
Largest provincial gains from British Columbia and Ontario
In May, Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International remained the busiest Canadian airport, with 32,977 movements, a year-over-year increase of 8.0%. Boundary Bay recorded the largest year-over-year increase, with an additional 6,216 movements from May 2022. Combined, airports in Ontario and British Columbia accounted for more than half of all aircraft movements in May 2023, totalling 302,500.
Chart 3
Total aircraft movements at the top five Canadian airports in May 2019, 2022 and 2023
Note to readers
An aircraft movement is defined as a take-off, landing or simulated approach by an aircraft, as defined by NAV CANADA.
Starting with the October 2022 release, the "Aircraft Movement Statistics: Major airports" series has been replaced by "Aircraft Movement Statistics: Major and select small airports." This series collects data on itinerant and local aircraft movements from both major airports (those with towers and flight service stations operated by NAV CANADA) as well as a selection of airports previously available in the small airport data series. This enhancement improves the overall coverage of aircraft movement statistics in Canada.
Data for previous months 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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