Spring Break Travel Surge Intensifies Traffic Woes at Montréal–Trudeau Airport Amid Major Overhauls

Travellers heading to Montréal–Trudeau International Airport this spring break are being urged to plan ahead as ongoing construction and the demolition of a key parking facility add to mounting traffic congestion around the terminal.

Airport officials say roughly 58,000 passengers are expected to pass through the airport each day over the next 10 days, marking one of the busiest stretches of the season. Although slightly fewer than last year largely due to suspended flights to Cuba linked to fuel shortages the volume remains high enough to strain already overburdened infrastructure.

Anne-Sophie Hamel, spokesperson for the airport authority, acknowledged that getting to the terminal has become increasingly difficult. She advised travellers to leave extra time for their journeys, reserve parking in advance, and arrive at least three hours before departure to avoid missing flights.

The congestion comes at a challenging time. A multi-level parking garage is currently being demolished to make way for a larger replacement facility, temporarily eliminating thousands of parking spots. As a result, more vehicles are funneling into the airport’s main drop-off zones, which were never designed to accommodate today’s passenger numbers.

“Our primary drop-off area was built for far fewer travellers than we now receive daily,” Hamel said, noting that the airport’s growth has outpaced its original design capacity.

To ease the immediate strain, the airport has introduced two alternative pickup and drop-off locations, complete with shuttle service to the terminal. Officials hope these measures will help redistribute traffic during peak travel days.

The current disruption is part of a sweeping 10-year, $10-billion modernization project aimed at expanding passenger capacity and transforming how people access the airport. Plans include a full reconfiguration of the surrounding road network, construction of a new and larger parking structure, and the addition of permanent drop-off zones scheduled to open by 2028.

Another major component of the overhaul is a future light-rail connection. A new building will link the terminal to the planned rail station, expected to begin operations in 2027. The airport authority secured a $1-billion loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank last year to support the ambitious redevelopment.

Hamel explained that while renovation plans predate the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport’s funding model delayed construction. With revenues largely dependent on passenger traffic, officials had to wait for travel volumes to rebound before launching large-scale upgrades.

“It would have been easier to start when flights were nearly empty,” she said. “But without passengers, there was no revenue to finance the work.”

For now, the airport faces the complex task of upgrading critical infrastructure while operating as a round-the-clock travel hub. Hamel compared the situation to hosting dozens of guests while simultaneously renovating a home a delicate balancing act that demands patience from everyone involved.

Despite the short-term inconvenience, airport authorities insist the long-term benefits will be significant. When completed, the new drop-off areas are expected to triple current capacity, and the redesigned road system combined with rail access is projected to dramatically reduce traffic bottlenecks.

Until then, travellers are advised to budget extra time and brace for delays as Montréal–Trudeau navigates one of the busiest and most transformative periods in its history.