Canada’s Air Passenger Numbers Doubled After Restrictions Eased, Increasing Airport Flight Delays

Luggage bags are amassed in the bag claim area at Toronto Pearson International Airport, as a major winter storm disrupts flights in and out of the airport, in Toronto, Dec. 24, 2022. The Canadian Press/Cole Burston

Following the abatement of travel restrictions, 100 million travellers traversed Canada’s airports in 2022, exacerbating unprecedented levels of flight disruption and lengthy line-ups that frustrated passengers across the nation.

On July 28, Statistics Canada (StatCan) data revealed that in 2023, air passenger numbers climbed to a total of 117.3 million—approximately two-and-a-half times the number of travellers in 2022.