Is it worth four more hours of your time to save $500 on a business-class fare to Beijing by connecting in a U.S. hub?
Maybe you’re cost sensitive. Maybe you’re time sensitive. Maybe you only want to fly with certain carriers and airline alliances because of the reward program.
Whatever the circumstances, you need choice. The route to a given destination that’s best for you may be a non-stop flight, or it may be a one-stop flight through a major Canadian, U.S. or other international hub.
The Ottawa International Airport is part of a vast global network in which just about every major destination is reachable with a one-stop flight, if not a direct one. Having the larger Toronto and Montreal airports nearby helps with connecting options, but their close proximity also hampers YOW’s ability to secure non-stop routes of its own.
“When planning your foreign travel, consider all possibilities out of the Ottawa International Airport,” said Mark Laroche, YOW’s President and CEO. “The more passenger volume we have out of Ottawa to airports further afield, the greater the likelihood that we can secure additional non-stop service to popular destinations.”
He suggests starting with aggregator sites like google.ca/flights, or Expedia.ca.
This way, you can search the full range of air travel options for destinations that are reachable from Ottawa with non-stop or one-stop service, to find the option that’s best for you.
These foreign hubs are reachable non-stop from Ottawa:
Frankfurt – FRA
Airline: Air Canada, which easily connects to Lufthansa’s extensive European, South Asia/India, Middle Eastern and African networks. Currently operates from YOW, summer only, starting May 19 to Oct. 28.
London Heathrow – LHR
Airline: Air Canada, which connects to other Star Alliance carriers such as Austrian, Brussels, Lufthansa, Scandinavian, South African, Swiss, and Turkish Airlines. Operates from YOW daily, year-round.
Chicago O’Hare – ORD
Airline: United, which connects to an extensive worldwide network. (Star Alliance). Operates from YOW with multiple daily flights.
Washington Dulles – IAD
Airline: United, which connects to an extensive eastern U.S. and Caribbean network. Operates from YOW with multiple daily flights.
Philadelphia – PHL
Airline: American, which connects to an extensive U.S. and European network. (Oneworld Alliance). Operates from YOW with multiple daily flights.
Detroit – DTW
Airline: Delta, which connects to an extensive U.S. and European network. (SkyTeam Alliance). Operates from YOW with multiple daily flights.
“Ottawa has plentiful air access to numerous major hubs,” Laroche said. “This choice provides options and competitive pricing. Like most airports, growing our number of non-stop routes remains a priority, and the more locals and visitors use our airport, the better we can lure new service.”
