Montreal's Main Airport: Everything You Need To Know

Montreal's main airport is the Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, formerly known as the Montréal–Dorval International Airport. It is located in Dorval, Quebec, Canada, 20km west of Downtown Montreal. It is the third-largest airport in Canada and the busiest airport in the province of Quebec. The airport is named after Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the 15th Prime Minister of Canada and father of the current Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

Location and transport links

Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (IATA: YUL, ICAO: CYUL) is located in Dorval, 20km (12 miles) west of Downtown Montreal. The airport is accessible by road from Highway 20 or Highway 520, a spur off Highway 40 that leads directly towards the airport. Eastbound on Highway 20, drivers should take the Dorval interchange exit. Côte-Vertu Boulevard, which runs parallel to runways 24L and 24R, provides access to the Air Canada Base and hangars, Air Transat hangars, Air Inuit hangars, Bombardier Aerospace assembly facility and the deicing facility.

Montréal–Trudeau is accessible by six bus routes operated by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM). The 747 shuttle service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and offers transportation between the airport and downtown, with ample space for luggage. Two route options are available: the short route, which is direct and offers a single stop at Lionel-Groulx Métro station, and the long route, which offers 11 stops, including Lionel-Groulx and Berri-UQAM Métro stations, plus stops at hotels on René-Lévesque Boulevard. The 747 shuttle bus can be caught a few metres from the exit at Door 28. Tickets can be purchased at the airport from one of the four vending machines in the international arrivals area, or in advance via the Chrono or Transit apps.

Montréal–Trudeau is also accessible by the 204 Cardinal and 209 Des Sources routes, which operate every day, while the 356 Lachine/YUL Aéroport/Des Sources and 378 Sauvé/YUL Aéroport routes serve the airport during night service hours. It is also accessible by the 460 Express Métropolitaine, which runs during rush hours. These routes provide service to the Dorval bus terminus and train station, which is within walking distance of Via's Dorval station.

An airport shuttle bus to Dorval station is available for passengers connecting to Via Rail, Canada's national train operator. The shuttle is free of charge for Via Rail passengers and runs every 45-60 minutes during station opening hours, taking around five minutes to reach its destination.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines operates an airport bus service from Trudeau Airport to Ottawa Railway Station for Air France-KLM customers. Air France also operates an airport bus from Trudeau to Sainte-Foy in Quebec City for its customers.

Other Airports

There are several other airports in the Montreal area, including Montréal Saint-Hubert Longueuil Airport (formerly Montreal's only airport), Montréal–Mirabel International Airport, and Plattsburgh International Airport, which markets itself as "Montreal's U.S. airport". However, Montréal–Trudeau is Montreal's main airport and the only Transport Canada-designated international airport serving the city.

History

Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, formerly known as Montréal–Dorval International Airport, is the main airport in Montreal, Canada. It is located in Dorval, Quebec, 20km west of Downtown Montreal. The airport is named after Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the 15th Prime Minister of Canada and father of the current Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

Montréal–Trudeau is the third-largest airport in Canada and the busiest in the province of Quebec. It is one of eight Canadian airports with United States border preclearance and is one of the main gateways into Canada, with 71% of its passengers on non-domestic flights. The airport is one of two managed and operated by Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), a not-for-profit corporation; the other is Montréal–Mirabel, which now deals almost solely with cargo and private flights. Montréal–Trudeau is owned by Transport Canada, which has a 60-year lease with Aéroports de Montréal, in line with Canada's National Airport Policy of 1994.

Montréal–Trudeau opened on 1 September 1941 as Dorval Airport, replacing Montreal's original airport, Saint-Hubert Airport, which had been in operation since 1927 but was no longer adequate for the city's needs. By 1946, the new airport was hosting more than a quarter of a million passengers a year, a figure that rose to over a million in the mid-1950s. During World War II, thousands of Allied aircraft passed through Dorval on their way to England. At one time, it was the major transatlantic hub for commercial aviation and the busiest airport in Canada.

In November 1960, the airport was renamed Montreal–Dorval International Airport, and a new terminal was inaugurated. At the time, it was the largest terminal in Canada and one of the biggest in the world, serving more than two million passengers per year. In 1975, a new airport, Montréal–Mirabel International, was opened to handle expected growth in international traffic and eventually to replace Dorval. However, this did not happen, as Mirabel's traffic decreased due to the advent of longer-range jets, and Montreal's economic decline in the late 1970s and 1980s. Dorval resumed handling international flights in 1997 and was renamed Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in 2004.

Today, Montréal–Trudeau is a major international airport, serving nearly 22.4 million passengers in 2024. It offers year-round non-stop flights to five continents and is a hub for several major airlines, including Air Canada, Air Inuit, and Air Transat. The airport has undergone several expansions and modernisations over the years to accommodate increasing passenger volume and enhance the level of service. It is accessible by bus, shuttle, taxi, and limousine, and a rapid transit network connecting the airport to central Montreal is currently under construction.

Airlines and destinations

Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (IATA: YUL, ICAO: CYUL) is the main airport serving Montreal, Canada. It is located in Dorval, Quebec, 20km (12mi) west of Downtown Montreal. The airport is named after Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the 15th Prime Minister of Canada and father of the current Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

Montréal–Trudeau International Airport is served by a variety of airlines, including Air Canada, Air France, Air Transat, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, KLM, Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, United, and WestJet.

The airport offers year-round, non-stop flights to destinations across five continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Some of the popular routes include:

• Barcelona, Spain
• Bogotá, Colombia
• Boston, USA
• Brussels, Belgium
• Calgary, Canada
• Casablanca, Morocco
• Chicago, USA
• Delhi, India
• Denver, USA
• Edmonton, Canada
• Frankfurt, Germany
• Geneva, Switzerland
• Halifax, Canada
• Houston, USA
• London, United Kingdom
• Los Angeles, USA
• Madrid, Spain
• Mexico City, Mexico
• Paris, France
• Rome, Italy
• San Francisco, USA
• Toronto, Canada
• Vancouver, Canada
• Winnipeg, Canada

In addition to these year-round destinations, the airport also offers seasonal flights to various cities, including Algiers, Athens, Cancún, Copenhagen, Dublin, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Montego Bay, New York, Philadelphia, Puerto Vallarta, Punta Cana, Reykjavík, Seattle, Tel Aviv, Venice, and many others.

The airport is a major gateway to Canada, with a significant proportion of its passengers travelling on non-domestic flights. It is one of the busiest airports in the country and serves as a hub for several airlines, including Air Canada, Air Inuit, and Air Transat.

Facilities and amenities

Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL) is the main airport serving Montreal, Canada. It is located in Dorval, 20km west of Downtown Montreal, and is the third-largest airport in Canada by passenger traffic. The airport consists of a two-storey terminal divided into four zones: the public area (departures and arrivals level), the domestic jetty, the international jetty, and the transborder jetty.

The public area of the airport has self-service check-in kiosks, a prayer area, shops, and cafes. Upon arriving at YUL from an international destination, passengers enter a large and bright arrival complex before proceeding through customs inspection, baggage claim, and the international arrivals public area. The airport offers currency exchange, VIP lounges, a multi-faith area for prayer and reflection, breastfeeding rooms, self-service strollers, dog relief areas, and free Wi-Fi.

The domestic jetty is accessible via security checkpoint A and is divided into two parts: a satellite jetty connected to the main terminal by a tunnel and a wing attached to the main terminal building. The main jetty holds 16 gates, while the satellite jetty holds another 10 gates.

The international jetty, also accessible via security checkpoint A, is dedicated to flights outside of Canada and the United States. This area features a wide variety of boutiques, restaurants, cafes, spa facilities, and one of the largest duty-free shops in Canada. There is a large open space with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows and a skylight in the roof. The masterpiece of the jetty is a work of art called "Veil of Glass," composed of coloured glass triangles illuminated by spotlights.

The transborder jetty serves all U.S.-bound flights and has 18 gates. Passengers travelling through this jetty must go through security checkpoint C, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the duty-free shop before reaching their gates. This area offers the same services as the other parts of the airport, including shops, restaurants, rest zones, and cafes.

YUL also has several airline lounges, including the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (Star Alliance), Air France KLM Lounge (SkyTeam), and three "Pay-In" lounges open to all passengers.

The airport provides ground transportation options, including bus services, an airport shuttle to Dorval station for connections to intercity rail, and taxi services.

Hotels near the airport

Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL) is the main airport in Montreal. It is located 20km west of Downtown Montreal and is the third-largest airport in Canada.

Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel is located in the U.S. terminal at the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport. The hotel offers a spa, a pool, a 24-hour fitness centre, and rooms with soundproof windows. It also has two restaurants: Café Illy and Bijou Resto Bar.

There are several other hotels close to the airport, including:

• Beausejour Apartments - Hotel Dorval
• Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Montreal Airport
• Quality Hotel Dorval Airport
• Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Airport
• Baymont by Wyndham Montreal Airport
• Hotel Armon Plaza Montreal Airport Hotel Trademark Collection by Wyndham
• Quality Inn & Suites P.E. Trudeau Airport
• Comfort Inn Montreal Aeroport

The Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott is one of the most popular and highly-rated hotels near YUL Airport. It is a good choice for travellers looking for parking as well as accommodation.

Frequently asked questions