Travelling to Montréal-Trudeau International Airport during the busy summer season has become a challenge, with increasing traffic causing significant delays for passengers and taxi drivers alike. CityNews conducted a test by ordering a taxi from downtown Montreal to the airport, which revealed a journey that took longer than expected.
Starting the trip at 3:15 p.m. on a Friday, Google Maps initially predicted a 57-minute ride to the airport. However, the actual journey exceeded an hour, with the most substantial delay occurring after exiting Highway 20 at Exit 56, where traffic slowed down considerably near the departures area.
Taxi Champlain driver Antoine Jkayem highlighted the bottleneck situation, emphasizing that the 17-kilometre distance from downtown to the airport, which usually takes around 15-17 minutes, has become much longer due to traffic congestion, especially after exiting the highway.
The congestion not only impacts passengers, who sometimes miss their flights due to unexpected delays, but also poses financial challenges for taxi drivers. Fixed fares between downtown Montreal and the airport mean longer trips do not result in additional earnings, making it economically unviable for drivers like Jkayem.
Airport officials attribute the congestion to a surge in passenger volumes, with more than two million travelers passing through Montréal-Trudeau monthly during the summer. This high volume exceeds the airport’s road network capacity, causing significant traffic jams and delays for both drivers and passengers.
Aéroports de Montréal is currently undergoing a $10-billion modernization project to improve access roads and pickup/drop-off areas. However, substantial improvements are not anticipated until 2028. In the meantime, travelers are advised to arrive at least three hours before departure to account for potential delays.
Despite these efforts, frustrations persist among passengers experiencing longer travel times to the airport due to traffic congestion. The ongoing construction and infrastructure improvements mean that congestion is likely to continue during peak travel seasons for the next couple of years.
