Greater Montreal will get a second commercial airport on June 15, when Montreal Metropolitan Airport (MET) opens its new passenger terminal in Longueuil.
The terminal will initially host Porter Airlines and Pascan Aviation, with flights connecting Montreal’s South Shore to destinations across Canada.
The facility will also be able to accommodate additional carriers in the future.
The opening comes as MET positions itself as a complementary airport to Montréal-Trudeau, offering another option for travellers in the region.
“For Greater Montreal passengers, the opening of the terminal at MET will offer more options for travellers and allow airlines to take advantage of greater airport capacity in the metropolitan region,” said Yanic Roy, president and CEO of MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport.
The new terminal spans nearly 21,000 square metres and includes nine boarding bridges, 28 check-in counters, 10 self-serve kiosks, two baggage carousels and a waiting lounge with 900 seats.
Security screening will be handled through three passenger checkpoints.
MET says the terminal’s compact layout is designed to speed up the passenger journey from curb to gate.
The airport is located about 15 kilometres from downtown Montreal and will be served by the METbus express shuttle linking the terminal to the Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke metro station.
The site will also offer 2,600 parking spaces and a 500-metre drop-off zone with three traffic lanes.
Retail and food options at launch will be entirely Quebec-based, including a Bâton Rouge restaurant, Café Dépôt and a travel essentials store.
According to background information included with the release, the airport expects an additional 30 to 40 flights per day once the terminal opens and says the new facility has annual capacity for up to four million passengers.
The building is fully electric, while 95 per cent of airport vehicles are electric. MET also says glycol used for de-icing will be recovered and recycled.
“We are not simply building an airport terminal; we’re redefining the way people travel in Montreal,” said Charles Roberge, president and CEO of YHU Infrastructure.
“This project is the result of close collaboration with MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport, and every detail has been designed to offer passengers a seamless, efficient and human experience that meets the expectations of today’s travellers.”
A Léger survey cited in the release found that 77 per cent of respondents living near or around the airport supported development of the new terminal.
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