Montreal Gets a Second Commercial Airport: How the Launch of MET and 11 Porter Routes Changes Travel in Canada

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Marta Skylar
Aviation News Editor
28.07.2026 04:12

Montreal Gets a Second Commercial Airport: How the Launch of MET and 11 Porter Routes Changes Travel in Canada

Montreal entered the summer season with a notable change for air travel: on June 15, 2026, the new MET passenger terminal – Montreal Metropolitan Airport in Longueuil – opened for commercial flights, and Porter Airlines began launching 11 destinations across Canada. For tourists, this means not just another departure point, but the emergence of a second airport option for Greater Montreal, which can reduce the load on the traditional Montreal-Trudeau hub and make domestic travel within Canada more flexible.

The news is important not only for local passengers. Montreal is one of Canada's main urban destinations, a major center for business travel, events, student mobility, and international tourism. When a city like this gets a second commercial airport with a regular network of flights, it changes airline behavior, affects competition for passengers and creates new scenarios for travelers planning routes between Quebec, Atlantic Canada, Ontario, and the western provinces.

According to official data from Porter Airlines, the first flights from MET started to Vancouver, Toronto Pearson, Toronto City, and St. John's. During the first week, Edmonton, Calgary, Halifax, Charlottetown, Winnipeg, Moncton, and Hamilton were added. The official airport code is YHU, and MET itself is located in Longueuil on the south shore of Montreal, approximately 15 km from the city center.

What Exactly Opened in Montreal

MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport is positioned as a new passenger gateway for travel within Canada. This is not about a full replacement of the Montreal-Trudeau Airport (YUL), but an addition to the city's existing aviation system. This model is well-known to large metropolitan areas: the main international airport retains its role for long-haul and global transfers, while a more compact second airport can concentrate on faster domestic flights, regional connections and more convenient access for part of the city.

The MET operator emphasizes proximity to downtown Montreal, a modern terminal and simpler passenger logistics. The official airport website states that the new terminal has been welcoming travelers since June 15, 2026, and lists Porter Airlines and Pascan Aviation as carriers. For passengers, this is important because the launch is not a symbolic opening with a single flight, but a real network with several Canadian destinations already in the first days of operation.

After years when Montreal's air traffic for most tourists was associated primarily with YUL, the appearance of MET brings the format of choice back to the city. For residents of the south shore, this can shorten the trip to the airport. For travelers from other provinces, it creates an additional way to get to Montreal or transfer to domestic flights without going through the most congested routes of the main airport.

Which Routes Porter Launched

Porter Airlines began operations at MET with four destinations on June 15: Vancouver, Toronto Pearson, Toronto City, and St. John's. Subsequently, the carrier added flights to Edmonton, Calgary, Halifax, Charlottetown, Winnipeg, Moncton, and Hamilton. According to the official release, the highest frequencies at the start are for Toronto City, Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, and Halifax.

For tourists, this has practical significance. Frequent flights to Toronto provide Montreal with more options for trips between Canada's two largest business and cultural centers. Flights to Vancouver (YVR), Calgary (YYC) and Edmonton (YEG) support travel to the west of the country, including routes to British Columbia, Alberta, the Rocky Mountains and large national parks. Destinations to Halifax (YHZ), St. John's, Charlottetown, and Moncton strengthen the connection with Atlantic Canada, which remains important for summer vacations, cruise routes, nature tourism and visiting family.

Porter uses two types of aircraft on these flights: the De Havilland Dash 8-400 with 78 seats and the Embraer E195-E2 with 132 seats. Both types have a two-by-two layout, without middle seats. This does not guarantee lower fares, but it affects the carrier's positioning: Porter tries to combine regional accessibility with comfort, which can be important for passengers on routes lasting several hours.

Why This Is Important for the Tourism Market

The launch of MET shows that demand for domestic travel in Canada remains strong enough to support a new airport project. In Porter's release, it is noted that MET's passenger traffic could reach one million passengers in the first year, and at full capacity – four million per year. This is a forecast, not a guaranteed result, so it should be taken with caution. At the same time, the scale of the starting network indicates that the carrier sees room for growth in Montreal.

For Montreal's tourism industry, this could mean three things. First, the city receives more direct domestic flows, which is important for hotels, events, restaurants and local tours. Second, travelers from regions who previously flew via Toronto or YUL may get an alternative entry point to the city. Third, competition between airports and airlines can stimulate better schedules, although an automatic reduction in prices should not be expected.

The role of MET for travel between Canadian regions is particularly interesting. When an airline simultaneously launches flights to western, central and Atlantic destinations, it creates not just a set of separate routes, but a potential internal network. For passengers, this is important if connections are convenient in terms of time and if Porter's service from MET actually proves to be faster than the traditional scenario through a larger airport.

What Will Change for Travelers

The main change for the passenger is the need to look more carefully not only at the destination city, but also at the specific airport. In Montreal, it is now practically important to distinguish between YUL and YHU. If a ticket is purchased for MET, the road to the center, public transport options, transfers, car rentals and arrival time at the terminal may differ from the usual scenario via Trudeau.

MET announces a METbus shuttle between the new terminal and the Longueuil metro station. This is a useful detail for tourists without a car, but before the trip, it is worth checking the current schedule, travel time and payment rules. Those arriving late in the evening or having an early flight need to compare accommodation options in advance. If the flight is connected with YUL, it is appropriate to check hotels near Montreal-Trudeau Airport, but for MET, the logistics will be different, as it is a separate airport on the south shore.

It is also worth considering the seasonality of some routes. In Porter's starting list, some destinations are marked as seasonal, including St. John's, Charlottetown, Winnipeg, and Moncton. This means that such a flight may be convenient for a summer trip, but not necessarily remain available in the same format in winter or next year. For planning complex routes, it is better to check not only the date of the first flight, but also the end date of the season, frequency, ticket change conditions and the possibility of an alternative return via another airport.

How MET Will Coexist with Montreal-Trudeau

In the coming months, MET will not become a direct competitor to YUL for all destinations. Montreal-Trudeau remains the city's main international hub, with a wide network of flights to Europe, the USA, the Caribbean and other regions. Most foreign tourists will continue to enter Montreal via YUL, especially for transatlantic flights or complex international connections.

The role of MET at the start is different: domestic Canadian flights, faster access for part of the metropolitan area and the ability to offload some of the traffic. In this sense, it may resemble a specialized urban gateway rather than a main international airport. For Montreal, this is an interesting strategy, because the city gets more flexibility without the need to move the main aviation center.

At the same time, success will depend on the stability of the schedule, the quality of ground access, punctuality, fares and whether passengers get used to searching for MET as a separate option. The new terminal may be modern and convenient, but travelers' habits are formed not in a week. For the airline, it is important that the initial interest turns into repeat bookings, not just a novelty effect.

What to Note Before Booking

  • Check the airport code. MET has the official code YHU, while Montreal's main international airport is YUL.
  • Compare the road to the terminal. For some passengers, MET may be closer, but for others, Montreal-Trudeau will remain more convenient.
  • Check flight frequency. The most options at the start are for routes to Toronto City, Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, and Halifax.
  • Clarify seasonality. Some destinations in Porter's network from MET are listed as seasonal, so the schedule may change.
  • Plan connections with a buffer. If the trip includes a transfer between YHU and YUL, these are two different airports, and a separate ground transfer is required between them.

Conclusion

The opening of MET and the launch of 11 Porter routes is one of the most notable Canadian aviation events of June for the tourism market. It does not change Montreal instantly, but it adds a second commercial airport scenario to the city, and passengers more options for traveling in Canada. The new terminal can provide the most benefit to those flying between Montreal, Toronto, Western Canada, and the Atlantic provinces, as well as residents of the south shore, for whom MET is potentially closer and simpler.

For the general audience, the main advice is simple: when searching for tickets to Montreal, it is now worth checking not only the price and flight time, but also the arrival airport. If MET confirms the promised advantages in speed, comfort, and access to the internal network, it could become an important addition to Canada's aviation map, especially in summer seasons with high demand for domestic travel.