Second Commercial Airport Opens in Montreal: How MET Will Change Travel in Canada

Lead. On June 15, 2026, a new commercial passenger terminal, MET - Montréal Metropolitan Airport in Longueuil, based on the historic Saint-Hubert airfield, is set to begin operations in the Greater Montreal area. For tourists, this is not just another departure point: Porter Airlines is launching a network of domestic flights across Canada from here, and Montreal effectively gains a second commercial aviation gateway alongside Montréal-Trudeau. This could change airport choice, transfer logic, and trip planning to Quebec, Ontario, Atlantic Canada, and Western Canada as early as this summer.

Information about the opening is confirmed by the official MET website, a Porter Airlines press release, and a recent publication by Time Out Montréal dated June 12. According to the airport, the new terminal is located approximately 15 kilometers from downtown Montreal and is positioned as a more compact, fast, and accessible alternative for some residents and guests of the region. For travelers, it is important to understand: MET does not replace Montréal-Trudeau Airport (YUL), but complements it. Therefore, when booking tickets, it is now especially important to look not only at the destination city but also at the specific airport code.

What Exactly Opens on June 15

MET is a new passenger terminal in Longueuil, on the south shore of Montreal. The airport has the historic name Saint-Hubert and the code YHU, but for passengers, it is promoted under the Montréal Metropolitan Airport brand. The project aims to return regular commercial passenger transport to this site and create a second departure center for the agglomeration, where a significant portion of the population lives not near the main international airport, but on the south shore or in the suburbs.

According to MET, the terminal is designed with a focus on a shorter passenger path from entrance to boarding, a modern waiting area, convenient transport access, and the METbus shuttle to the Longueuil-Université-de-Sherbrooke metro station. Time Out Montréal also indicates that the terminal covers an area of 21,000 square meters with nine boarding gates, 900 seats in the waiting hall and two baggage carousels. For a tourist, these details are practically important: the new airport focuses not on the scale of a large international hub, but on a simpler domestic experience.

The first operators are expected to be Porter Airlines and Pascan Aviation. Porter is taking on the most visible part of the launch: 12 non-stop destinations across Canada will start within the first week of the terminal's operation. Pascan is expected to strengthen regional connectivity, particularly across Quebec and Atlantic Canada. For the market, this is important because the new terminal is not launched as empty infrastructure, but immediately receives a network that can be booked.

Which Routes Porter is Launching

Porter Airlines announced that flights to Quebec City, St. John's, Toronto City, Toronto Pearson, and Vancouver will begin from MET on June 15. Over the following week, Edmonton, Calgary, Halifax, Charlottetown, Winnipeg, Moncton, and Hamilton will be added. Some routes will be seasonal, but the general signal to the market is clear: the carrier is not limiting itself to a short regional bridge to Toronto, but is attempting to immediately create a full-fledged Canadian network from MET.

The highest frequency at the start is announced for Toronto destinations: up to 27 flights per week to Toronto City and 20 flights per week to Toronto Pearson. For passengers, this means more options for short business and tourist trips between Canada's two largest urban markets. For those flying via Toronto Pearson (YYZ), it is useful to additionally check the YYZ online board, especially if the ticket includes a connection or a subsequent international flight.

The Western Canadian block also looks significant. From June 15, Vancouver is on the schedule, from June 16 - Edmonton, and from June 17 - Calgary. This opens direct options for residents of Montreal's south shore to large western cities without the mandatory trip to YUL. For tourists planning a trip to British Columbia or Alberta, the pages for Vancouver Airport (YVR), Edmonton Airport (YEG), and Calgary Airport (YYC) may be useful to verify basic destination information.

Atlantic Canada also deserves separate mention. The starting network includes Halifax, St. John's, Charlottetown, and Moncton, meaning MET immediately gains a useful role for summer trips to eastern Canada. For passengers flying to Nova Scotia, it may be appropriate to check Halifax Airport (YHZ) or hotels near YHZ if the arrival is late or the route continues further into the region.

Why This Is Important for Tourists, Not Just the Aviation Market

The opening of a second commercial airport in Montreal changes traveler behavior in several scenarios. First - local and regional trips. If a passenger lives on the south shore, in Montérégie or the Eastern Townships, a trip to MET may be shorter and simpler than to Montréal-Trudeau. This is especially noticeable for early morning departures, families with luggage, or short weekend trips, where an extra hour of travel to the airport significantly affects the entire plan.

Second scenario - tourists arriving in Montreal or planning a combined route through Canada. If they fly into the city via YUL, and then have a domestic flight from MET, they need to allow time for travel between different airports. This is not a transfer within a single terminal. In such cases, it is important to check the address, transport, baggage rules, and time buffer, especially if tickets were bought separately. For arrivals via YUL, it is worth checking the Montréal-Trudeau online board, and if necessary, evaluate transfers and taxis from YUL in advance.

Third scenario - competition and prices. The new terminal does not guarantee an automatic reduction in ticket prices, but it increases market capacity and adds another platform for Porter. According to the carrier, the opening of MET allows Porter to increase its peak summer capacity in Montreal by 91%, and overall in the city, there could be up to 244 weekly Porter departures: 138 from MET and 106 from YUL. For passengers, this creates more time slots and more options, but the best price will still depend on the date, demand, baggage, fare, and specific airport.

What to Look for When Booking

The most important rule for the summer of 2026 is not to book a flight to Montreal automatically without checking the airport code. YUL and YHU may look like one city destination, but they are different points, with different logistics and different experiences. If a passenger lives or stays in downtown Montreal, they should compare travel time to both airports. If a traveler arrives on an international flight, they will most likely arrive at Montréal-Trudeau, not MET, so a connection with a domestic Porter flight from YHU will require a separate transfer.

It is also worth checking if the route is seasonal. In Porter's starting schedule, St. John's, Charlottetown, Winnipeg, and Moncton are marked as seasonal. This means that a return flight on other dates or travel outside the peak period may require a different route. If the trip is tied to an event, cruise, conference, or hotel booking, it is better not to leave the transfer time to a minimum.

Baggage deserves separate attention. Porter states that both Embraer E195-E2 and De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft will operate at MET. These are different types of aircraft, and therefore, the boarding experience, carry-on luggage placement, and exit time may differ. Before flying, it is worth checking the fare, baggage allowance, seat selection possibility, and the actual aircraft type in the booking.

What This Means for Montreal and Canada's Domestic Tourism

For Montreal, MET can become a way to offload some of the domestic demand without shifting the international role of Montréal-Trudeau. The new terminal is focused on Canadian destinations, a shorter passenger path, and convenience for a large part of the agglomeration. In a tourist sense, this helps the city operate as a double gateway: YUL remains the main international hub, and MET adds domestic flexibility.

For Canada overall, this is another example of how airlines and regions are trying to rethink domestic travel after a period of high demand, more expensive fares, and overcrowded large airports. If MET shows stable operation, other cities may look more closely at secondary airports as a real tool for tourism development, rather than just as auxiliary infrastructure.

Conclusion

The opening of the Montréal Metropolitan Airport on June 15 is a significant event for the summer season in Canada. It adds a second commercial aviation point to Montreal, gives Porter room for rapid expansion, and provides passengers with more options for domestic travel. But the benefit of the new airport will depend on careful planning: check the airport code, travel time, seasonality of the route, baggage rules, and flight status. For the tourist, the main change is simple: Montreal should now be perceived not as one airport, but as a market with two different travel scenarios.