The travellers we serve are globally connected and eager to expand their horizons. Meanwhile, our carriers are flying larger aircraft over longer distances, with higher fuel efficiency and at a lower cost. As we help more and more people reach more places more often, the world has never been so close.
To the Ends of the Earth (and Back)
Toronto Pearson ranks second among North American airports for direct connections to global destinations, as well as for the total number of international travellers we serve each year. In 2017, international traffic through our airport grew by eight per cent to 29.6 million passengers. This represents nearly 63 per cent of total volume. (By comparison, growth in the number of domestic travellers, while still significant, was just over three per cent.)
Our carrier partners offer direct flights to more than 150 international cities. The top 10 destinations by passenger volume are (in descending order) London, Cancun, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Montego Bay, Punta Cana, Paris, Beijing and Shanghai. In 2017, we saw a marked increase in demand on many established routes, notably to Amsterdam, Chicago, Los Angeles and Mexico City. We also added new or expanded services to Lisbon, Guangzhou and San Antonio, Texas.
Outbound international travellers are heading off to explore new places, visit family and friends, and pursue business and professional opportunities. People who arrive from abroad are likewise coming to explore Canada on holiday, renew personal connections, conduct business and invest in new ventures. Coming or going, they’re part of the constant flow of people, goods, capital and ideas that drives the global economy – and creates jobs and prosperity in our country.
The Value of Connecting
While most of our traffic represents what we call origin-and-destination travellers – that is, people who are flying to or from our region – 30 per cent are connecting passengers. Last year some 14 million travellers, both domestic and international, passed through our terminals en route to their ultimate destinations.
The value of connecting traffic is not always understood: Why should we enhance our airport to accommodate people who are just passing through? First of all, when more people fly in and out of Toronto Pearson, it boosts both aeronautical revenue and the returns generated by passenger services and amenities; this helps to support a vital piece of infrastructure, benefiting our region and all of Canada. But the impact of connecting traffic extends even further: higher passenger volumes enable carriers to deploy larger aircraft, increase the frequency of flights and add new routes – to the advantage of everyone who travels to and from our airport. This is one more dimension of how a global hub creates positive local impact.
And then, of course, there are travellers who book layovers in Toronto, whether for business meetings or brief sightseeing visits. While more than simply passengers in transit, who generally remain within our terminals, many wouldn’t arrange a stopover were it not for the convenient connections that Toronto Pearson provides. This brings a further economic stimulus to our region.
30% connecting passengers The number of air travellers connecting through Toronto Pearson has doubled in the past decade, from just under seven million in 2007 to 14 million last year. Connecting passengers now account for 30 per cent of all traffic.
185 direct destinations Airlines flying into and out of Toronto Pearson offer regular non-stop service to 34 Canadian cities and 151 destinations around the globe.
Photo: Andy Cline
Flying Around Our Backyard
An international airport also enables quick, efficient connections closer to home. Toronto Pearson is the hub for Canada’s two major domestic carriers, Air Canada and WestJet, which together provide direct service between Toronto and 34 cities from coast to coast to coast. National air traffic data from mid-2017 shows more than 40 per cent of all flights within Canada passing through our airport. By year-end, we’d helped 17.5 million passengers crisscross the nation.
Going forward, as services expand to match the patterns of economic growth – and as carriers continue to increase aircraft capacity – the domestic side of our operation will only continue to grow.
Learn more about how we connect Canada to the rest of the globe
Adding destinations. Opening up new markets. Attracting tourism and investment. Supporting travellers from their homes, around the globe and back again. And always keeping an eye on the horizon.