Air Travel Rebounded in 2023, but Not to Pre-Pandemic Levels: Statistics Canada

People are seen at the Pearson International Airport in Toronto on March 10, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette)

After Canada lifted all COVID-era travel restrictions, air travel saw a significant rebound in 2023, but it did not reach pre-pandemic levels, Statistics Canada says.

In 2023, Canadian airports handled over 150 million passengers, a 26.8 percent increase from the previous year, according to the “Airport Activity” report released on July 4. This volume nears the pre-pandemic levels of roughly 163 million in 2019.

Major airports in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary reported significant passenger traffic growth, each seeing at least a 24 percent increase compared to 2022, according to the report.

“Passengers returned to the skies in 2023, the first full year since 2019 without any pandemic-related government travel restrictions in place. This reflected an easing of both pandemic-induced labour and supply challenges, allowing the passenger airline industry to meet the growing demand for travel,” Statistics Canada says.

During the first two years of the pandemic, air passenger traffic plummeted, with numbers dropping to approximately 46.3 million in 2020 and 2021, according to data from the agency.

In response to the pandemic, the federal government implemented several measures in 2020. These included redirecting all international flights to only four major airports and imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals entering Canada. Additional nationwide border measures were introduced, including mandatory self-isolation upon arrival, the use of the ArriveCan app to submit travel and contact information, and mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

In August 2021, the government announced plans to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for staff in federally regulated transportation sectors and for travellers. The mandate was implemented despite protests, including concerns about potential violations of charter rights and freedoms.

These travel restrictions were lifted in October 2022, with travellers no longer required to show proof of vaccination, and masks became optional on planes and trains.

Decline in Air Cargo Shipment

While air passenger numbers are rebounding, the air cargo sector has faced continued challenges, according to Statistics Canada. Global and Canadian air cargo shipments declined in 2023 due to economic and geopolitical factors, the agency said, citing a report from Airports Council International.

Canadian airports handled a total of 2.6 percent less cargo in 2023 compared to the previous year. Domestic cargo dropped by 4 percent to 690,000 tonnes, while trans-border and international cargo fell by 1.2 percent and 1.5 percent respectively.

Statistics Canada pointed out that this drop in cargo volume moving through Canadian airports also was accompanied by a 15.8 percent decrease in annualized quarterly goods revenue earned by the Canadian airline industry in 2023.