Unlike major airports in Toronto and Montreal, the Ottawa airport has something many airlines are looking for: vacant land.
In its new strategic plan, the Ottawa International Airport Authority said it’s looking to capitalize on that space to attract new tenants and frame itself as an appealing location for expansion.
“Unlike most airports in the northeastern part of North America, we have room to grow,” Susan Margles, president and CEO of the authority, said at the organization’s annual public meeting on Wednesday.
The 2026-2030 strategic plan includes priorities such as air service and business growth, improving guest experience, and striving for “operational excellence.”
“The plan is anchored in a bold new vision for YOW to be the North American hub of choice,” Margles said. “It’s ambitious and it will take time. But YOW is well-positioned. We are within a two-hour flight of more than 150 million people.
“Our vision isn’t to be the biggest or busiest hub. It’s to be the airport that airlines choose as they look for new ways to meet growing demand.”
Over the past seven years, the airport has made multiple investments to improve its infrastructure, including opening a station connecting YOW with Line 2 of the O-Train network, renovating its north-end check-in counters and adding concessions such as Starbucks, Urban Crave and Zak’s Diner.
Last month also saw the opening of the Alt Hotel, which is connected to the YOW terminal.
To attract airlines, Margles said the airport is working to increase capacity until the terminal can be expanded. Gates, for example, are being modified to accommodate more aircraft, with remote stands and buses introduced in some areas as alternatives to boarding bridges.
According to Margles, some airlines have already begun viewing Ottawa as a key part of their operations. For example, last year Air Canada relaunched its year-round London-Heathrow flight, while Air Transat will begin service on another London route to Gatwick Airport next week. Porter Airlines has become the airport’s largest carrier, with a total of 27 routes as of 2025.
It was also announced Wednesday that Kanata-based airline Canadian North is establishing a new cargo facility at YOW to carry goods into the eastern Arctic. Cargo is an increasingly important part of operations, with 29,000 metric tonnes shipped through the airport each year.
And, as Ottawa stakeholders push for the city to become a defence hub, Margles said the airport is looking at partnership opportunities.
“We already have a lot of DND activity on campus and we’re actively engaged with them,” said Margles, who sits on the city’s defence innovation task force. “We’ve got 90 acres of land on our north field for development and we’re hoping that DND will be one of those tenants, if not a key tenant on the property in the future.”
In March, the Department of National Defence opened its Ottawa facility, Hangar 14, following extensive renovations.
Domestic, international travel rises as U.S. tourism falls
According to the airport’s annual report, 4.9 million passengers travelled through YOW during the year, an increase of six per cent over 2024. By segment, 3.7 million passengers flew within Canada, 0.7 million passengers travelled to/from the U.S., and 0.5 million passengers travelled internationally.
International traffic saw the largest increase in 2025, rising 12 per cent from the previous year. But tensions with the U.S., the report said, had a significant impact on transborder travel. While the first half of the year saw increased passenger volume to cities such as Chicago, Orlando and Tampa, there was a 12 per cent decline in the last six months of the year, leading to a two per cent decrease in transborder traffic in 2025 compared to 2024.
Porter’s decision to cancel its service to Las Vegas and reduce flights to Tampa, Newark and Fort Myers was noted as a major contributor.
Revenues remained steady at $162.1 million. Earnings before depreciation totalled $39.9 million and after depreciation were $8.9 million, down from $45.8 million and $16 million in 2024.
