Ruth Haines
Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport, also known as Ottawa Airport, is an international airport serving Ottawa, the capital of Canada. The airport is located 10 km south of the city centre and registered a total of 2,992,334 passengers during 2022, making it the sixth busiest airport in Canada. The airport's IATA code is YOW, which is said to stand for 'Y-yes, O-Ottawa, W'. The 'Y' is used to indicate that the airport had a weather/radio station on its premises, which was important for safety and landing reasons during the early days of air travel.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the airport | Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport |
| Other names | Ottawa Airport, YOW |
| Location | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Distance from the city centre | 10 km |
| Time to reach the city centre by taxi | 20 minutes |
| Total airport property | 1,686 hectares (4,166 acres) |
| Number of terminals | 2 |
| Number of runways | 3 |
| Number of passengers in 2022 | 2,992,334 |
| Airlines that use the airport as a hub | Porter Airlines, First Air |
| Airlines that use the airport as a focus city | Air Canada, Flair Airlines |
| Facilities | Restaurants, cafeterias, shops, duty-free, Wi-Fi, baggage storage, ATMs, currency exchange |
| Transport options | Bus, taxi, private transfers, car rental |
| US border preclearance facilities | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
The 'Y' in YOW stands for Canada
The Y in YOW does indeed stand for Canada. YOW is the International Air Transport Association (IATA) code for Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport, which serves Ottawa, Canada's capital city. The YOW code is a combination of the letter 'Y' and the first two letters of the city's name, 'OW'.
The letter 'Y' was added to the beginning of Canadian airport codes in the 1930s to indicate that the airport had a weather and radio station on its premises. This was important for safety and landing reasons. According to Air Canada, the 'Y' indicated that the airport was co-located with a weather reporting station.
The YOW code is used to quickly identify the airport in the air travel world. The airport covers 1,686 hectares (4,166 acres) of land and is the sixth busiest airport in Canada. It has one passenger terminal and three runways. The airport is located 10 km south of the city centre and can be reached in 20 minutes by taxi.
Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport was formerly a military base known as CFB Ottawa South/CFB Uplands and is still home to the Royal Canadian Air Force's 412 Transport Squadron. The airport has been serving the city since 1927 and has undergone several expansions to accommodate increasing passenger traffic.
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The 'OW' in YOW stands for Ottawa
The YOW in Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport stands for Ottawa, the city it serves. The airport is located 10 km south of the city centre. It is one of eight Canadian airports that have United States border preclearance facilities.
The YOW acronym is an International Air Transport Association (IATA) code, which is used by those in the air travel world to quickly identify the airport. Canada's codes begin with the letter Y, and the OW in YOW is derived from the word Ottawa.
Before the IATA system spread widely, Canada had two-letter codes for each of its airports. Instead of creating entirely new three-letter codes, Canada simply added a Y in front of the existing ones. Some other Canadian airports that follow this convention include YYC for Calgary and YVR for Vancouver.
Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport covers 1,686 hectares (4,166 acres) of total airport property. It has three runways and is a hub for Porter Airlines, as well as a focus city for Air Canada and Flair Airlines. It is the sixth busiest airport in Canada and registered a total of 2,992,334 passengers in 2022.
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YOW is an International Air Transport Association (IATA) code
The YOW code for Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport doesn't seem to match its name at first glance. The "OW" part of the code comes from "Ottawa," which is self-explanatory. The "Y" that precedes it stands for Canada, and was added to the existing two-letter code when the IATA system was introduced. Before the IATA system spread widely, Canada's airports used two-letter codes, and instead of creating new three-letter codes, Canada simply added a "Y" to the beginning of the existing codes.
The "Y" in airport codes designated that the airport was co-located with a weather reporting station. In the 1930s, as air travel increased, it was important to know whether an airport had a weather/radio station for safety and landing reasons. Codes beginning with "Y" were reserved for Canadian airports. Some Canadian airports add letters from the city's name after the "Y", such as YOW for Ottawa, YYC for Calgary, and YVR for Vancouver.
Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport is located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and is approximately 10 km south of the city centre. It is one of eight Canadian airports with United States border preclearance facilities. The airport has three runways and is a hub for Porter Airlines, as well as a focus city for Air Canada and Flair Airlines. It is the sixth busiest airport in Canada, registering 2,992,334 passengers in 2022.
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Canada's airports used two-letter codes before the IATA system
The Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport, like all other airports, has an International Air Transport Association (IATA) code used by those in the air travel industry to quickly identify it. The airport's IATA code is YOW, which, at first glance, does not seem to match its name. The "OW" part comes from "Ottawa," and the preceding "Y" is for Canada.
Before the widespread adoption of the IATA system, Canada's airports used two-letter codes. Rather than creating entirely new three-letter codes, Canada opted to add a "Y" in front of the existing two-letter codes. This "Y" indicated "yes," signifying that the airport shared its location with a weather reporting station. This practice originated in the 1930s when it was important to know whether an airport had a weather/radio station on its premises for safety and landing reasons.
Canada's use of the letter "Y" in its airport codes is unique. While most Canadian airport codes begin with "Y," there are a few exceptions, such as Shamattawa Airport (ZTM) in Manitoba and Edmonton/Villeneuve Airport (ZVL) in Alberta. Additionally, a few airports outside of Canada also start with the letter "Y," including Yakima, Washington (YKM) and Yuma, Arizona (YUM) in the US.
The Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport is located 10 km south of the city centre and is the sixth busiest airport in Canada. It covers 1,686 hectares (4,166 acres) of total airport property and features three runways. The airport is a hub for Porter Airlines and a focus city for Air Canada and Flair Airlines. It offers various services, including restaurants, shops, duty-free, Wi-Fi access, baggage storage, ATMs, and currency exchange.
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$29.99
YOW covers 1,686 hectares of airport property
YOW, or Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport, covers 1,686 hectares (4,166 acres) of airport property. The airport, located 10 km south of Ottawa, Canada's capital city centre, is one of eight Canadian airports with United States border preclearance facilities. It is also the sixth busiest airport in Canada.
The airport's IATA code, YOW, is derived from Canada and Ottawa. The "Y" represents Canada, as Canadian airports used to have two-letter codes before the IATA system was widely adopted. The "OW" comes from "Ottawa".
Ottawa International Airport Authority has land development opportunities, aiming to attract new tenants to enhance non-aeronautical revenue streams and contribute to the economic growth of Canada's Capital Region. The airport offers up to 37 hectares (92 acres) of land with a range of uses, including potential taxiway access and proximity to federal research institutions and the city's Light Rail Transit (O-Train) network.
The airport has a rich history, initially serving as a military base known as CFB Ottawa South/CFB Uplands. With the growth of civilian air travel, the Canadian government began constructing a new terminal in 1957 to accommodate the increasing number of passengers. The airport has continued to expand, with a second terminal built in 2003 to manage increased traffic.
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Frequently asked questions
The YOW in Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport comes from adding a "Y" in front of the existing radio call sign "OW" derived from "Ottawa". The "Y" was added to indicate that the airport had a weather/radio station on its premises.
The letter "Y" is used to indicate that an airport has a weather/radio station located on its premises. In the case of YOW, the "Y" stands for "yes", indicating that the airport monitors the weather.
The YOW code for the airport was introduced in the 1930s when it was important to identify whether an airport had a weather/radio station on its premises for safety and landing reasons.
The IATA code for Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport is YOW.
