Edmonton airport passenger numbers nearly at 2019 levels

The Edmonton International Airport says it's close to reaching pre-pandemic terminal traffic levels after seeing an increase in passengers last year.

The Edmonton International Airport (YEG) saw an increase in passenger numbers last year, bringing it nearly to pre-pandemic levels.

In 2025, 8.14 million passengers went through YEG, a 2.8 per cent increase from 2024. This is just under the 8.15 million passengers YEG saw in 2019.

“This achievement reflects not only sustained demand and disciplined growth, but a resilient strategy rooted in long-term partnerships, infrastructure investment and a commitment to the region’s economic future,” YEG said in a news release.

Airport recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic has been, and remains, “uneven” on a global scale, with “robust” domestic travel demand being cited as the backbone of YEG’s recovery.

Domestic passenger volumes increased by 6.2 per cent in 2025.

Total seat capacity grew 6.9 per cent, with “notable growth” in domestic routes, such as new flights to Kamloops and Hamilton, YEG said.

In January, WestJet announced it would be decreasing flights from Edmonton to the U.S. as demand for travel to the states declined through 2025.

• Reduction in U.S. flights from Edmonton a reflection of demand: WestJet

Data from last year showed Canadians were choosing to travel within the country more or choosing farther destinations than the U.S., including Mexico, Japan and France.

• Here’s where Canadians are travelling as they continue to avoid the U.S.

“While transborder traffic experienced a decrease of 15 per cent amid broader cross-border travel headwinds, YEG maintained important U.S. connections and welcomed new service to Houston, Chicago and Salt Lake City,” YEG said.

Internationally, travel numbers grew by 1.1 per cent year over year.

A number of airlines, WestJet, Flair, United Airlines, KLM, Porter Airlines, Air North and Air Tindi, also expanded their presence at the airport in the last year.

“This progress comes as YEG continues to generate significant economic value, supporting $5.4 billion in total economic output and 22,690 jobs in 2025,” according to YEG.