If there's one place Canadians seem to agree, it's that we all have a favourite airport — and one we'd happily avoid for the rest of our lives.
After nearly a decade of flying back and forth between Canada and the U.S., I've spent more time in Canadian airports than I'd care to admit. Some somehow make the stress of travel feel almost enjoyable. Others have you questioning your life choices before you've even made it through security.
Of course, no airport is perfect, and every traveller has their own horror story. But after plenty of flights (and falling down more Reddit rabbit holes than I'd like to admit), I decided to hand out report cards to Canada's four biggest airports.
Here's how they scored.
Vancouver International Airport (YVR): A+
Some airports make you feel like you're about to survive an ordeal. YVR makes you feel like you're starting a vacation.
As someone who grew up in Vancouver, I admittedly have a soft spot for it. But after flying through airports all over North America, I genuinely think it's one of the best on the continent.
For starters, it's beautiful. Massive windows let in natural light, Indigenous artwork is everywhere, there are water features, and mountain views that somehow make waiting for your delayed boarding group feel less soul-crushing.
More importantly, it just works. Security usually moves quickly, customs is surprisingly painless, and you rarely feel like you're being herded through a maze of bottlenecks.
I'm clearly not alone. YVR has been named North America's Best Airport at the SkyTrax World Airport Awards for 15 consecutive years.
🏆 Best for: Long layovers and the lounge.
👎 Worst for: Coffee. There's one Starbucks, and it's always a 40+ minute wait. And if you think mobile order is a clever workaround — well, we all thought that, so think again!
🍎 Grade: A+
Calgary International Airport (YYC): A-
Calgary isn't flashy. Nobody is booking flights just to admire the architecture or take selfies beside an aquarium. But if your only goal is getting from curb to gate with as little stress as possible, YYC quietly does one of the best jobs in the country.
You can expect to get through security and arrive at your gate in record time here.
The biggest complaint? Walking. Depending on your airline and gate, you might have to trek a little farther than expected. But honestly, after spending hours folded into an economy seat, I don't mind getting a few extra steps in.
Compared with Pearson or Montreal, Calgary feels refreshingly straightforward. It isn't trying to impress you — it just gets you where you're going. And sometimes that's exactly what you want from an airport.
🏆 Best for: A no-frills travel day.
👎 Worst for: Finding love in the middle seat.
🍎 Grade: A-
Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL): C-
Montreal is one of my favourite cities in Canada. Its airport... not so much. The biggest problem isn't that YUL is terrible —it's that it feels like it belongs to a much smaller city. Basically, it's cramped, dated, and overcrowded.
The domestic terminal can feel claustrophobic, getting to the airport often involves sitting in frustrating traffic, and the airport's layout doesn't always seem equipped for the number of passengers moving through it.
Even many Montrealers admit it's overdue for a serious upgrade. To be fair, there are bright spots. The international terminal is decent, and the long-awaited REM rail connection should improve getting to and from the airport.
Still, Canada's second-largest city deserves an airport that feels comfortable handling its status. Right now, it doesn't (IMO).
🏆 Best for: International departures.
👎 Worst for: Anyone who hates crowds (so everyone?).
🍎 Grade: C-
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ): D
Pearson isn't just Canada's busiest airport. It's also Canada's favourite airport to complain about. Ask almost anyone who's flown through it, and you'll probably hear the same words: delays, crowds, long walks, missed connections and stress.
On the SkyTrax global ranking, it landed in 55th place (YVR is in 9th... so yeah). It's not hard to understand why. The airport simply feels overwhelmed. Everything takes longer than you want it to. Security can be a slog, baggage claim feels like a waiting game, and somehow you're always walking another kilometre to your gate.
That's not to say Pearson never works well. Millions of people successfully pass through it every year, and the airport is currently undergoing major renovations that should improve the experience over time.
But today? If someone told me I could connect through almost any other major Canadian airport instead, I'd probably take it.
🏆 Best for: Direct flight options.
👎 Worst for: Connecting flights.
🍎 Grade: D
Final Report Card
Vancouver (YVR): A+ — Canada's gold standard.
Calgary (YYC): A- — Efficient, underrated and refreshingly painless.
Montreal (YUL): C- — A great city that deserves a better airport.
Toronto Pearson (YYZ): D — Canada's busiest airport is also its most exhausting.
Airports are one of those things everyone has an opinion about, so I'm sure plenty of people will disagree with these grades. But if I had to choose just one airport to start every trip from (and one to avoid whenever possible) I don't think I'd change a single mark.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
