Aircraft movement statistics: Major and select small airports, October 2023
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Released: 2023-12-19
474,837
October 2023
-1.6% 
(12-month change)
Highlights
In October, Canada's major and select small airports recorded a total of 474,837 aircraft movements. This was down 1.6% from October 2022, representing the fourth year-over-year decline in the last five months.
Total domestic movements declined 2.3% from October 2022. The number of international movements between Canada and countries other than the United States was up 10.8% year over year in October 2023, while movements to and from the United States increased 7.6%.
Total aircraft movements lower in October
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 474,837 in October, down 1.6% from October 2022.
Local movements (within the vicinity of the airport) were down 5,089 compared with October 2022 to 146,216 in October 2023, while itinerant movements (from one airport to another) declined 2,865 to 328,621. Each of these classes of operation was 11.9% below the pre-COVID-19 pandemic October 2019 level.
Chart 1
Total aircraft movements at major and select small airports, by class of operation
Domestic movements down
In October 2023, total domestic movements (within Canada) were down 2.3% from October 2022 to 279,414. Domestic movements conducted by Level I to III and foreign carriers decreased 1.5% over this period to 145,495, which was 18.8% below the pre-pandemic October 2019 level.
In contrast, other international traffic (outside the United States) increased 10.8% year over year to 13,777 in October 2023, while the number of transborder movements (to and from the United States) was up 7.6% to 35,430.
Chart 2
Transborder and other international aircraft movements in October, 2019 to 2023
Airports in British Columbia remain busiest
Total movements from airports in British Columbia in October (124,941) were the highest in Canada, for the sixth consecutive month. This was followed by airports in Ontario with 119,070 movements. Together, these two provinces accounted for more than half of total aircraft movements in October.
Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International remained the busiest airport in Canada with 32,924 movements in October. The airport with the largest year-over-year decline was Québec/Jean Lesage International (-4,786 movements).
Chart 3
Total aircraft movements at the top five Canadian airports in October 2019, 2022 and 2023
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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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