Traffic down at Montreal’s Trudeau airport, especially with U.S.

The Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL). (Daniel J. Rowe, CTV News)

The number of passengers at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) declined in the third quarter, mainly due to lower traffic with the United States, the Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) said on Tuesday.

Some 6.5 million people passed through the airport in Dorval during the three-month-long period ending Sept. 30, representing a 2.3 per cent decrease compared to the same quarter in 2024.

Cross-border traffic declined by 12.2 per cent, with traffic “inevitably affected by the current geopolitical context,” according to ADM President and CEO Yves Beauchamp.

Domestic traffic also declined by 0.6 per cent, while international traffic rose by 1.2 per cent.

Beauchamp emphasized that airport teams remain focused on the upcoming development plan and noted that major work is underway, including the reconfiguration of the road network.

On the financial side, ADM’s revenues totalled $266.4 million in the third quarter, up 0.4 per cent from $265.4 million in the same period last year.

The organization attributed this increase to higher airport improvement fees and other aeronautical charges, which offset the decline in traffic.

Net income before net financial expenses, taxes, depreciation and amortization, and share of results of joint ventures (EBITDA) reached $139.4 million in the third quarter, compared to $146.6 million last year.

As of Sept. 30, ADM’s net debt stood at $2.4 billion, the difference between the gross balance payable on long-term bonds and the amount available in cash.

It was $2.1 billion on the same date last year.

Operating expenses rose nine per cent in the third quarter to $199.3 million.

The ADM is the airport authority responsible for the management, operation and development of the Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and the YMX International Aerocity of Mirabel.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 4, 2025.