Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport YOWCYOW

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) is the main airport for Canada’s National Capital Region, but it is not a mega-hub on the scale of Toronto or Montreal. Treat it as a compact, efficient medium-size airport with strong domestic links, U.S. transborder service with preclearance, leisure routes to Mexico/Caribbean markets, and a limited but useful long-haul presence such as Europe services. Porter is the most hub-like carrier here, with Ottawa an important base in its network; Air Canada and Air Transat also have notable focus-city style operations, while Canadian North makes YOW useful for northern connections. For frequent flyers, the airport’s strength is simplicity: one passenger terminal, short walks, and easier landside access than larger Canadian hubs. Its weakness is that lounge choice, long-haul redundancy, and irregular-ops backup options are thinner than at YYZ or YUL.

Timezone: America/Toronto

Airport lounges

Lounge access is reference info; commission never ranks.

Official info

Official site

https://www.yow.ca/

General

613-248-2000

As of 2026-06-21 — confirm with the airport.

Airport facts

ICAO

CYOW

Elevation

374 ft

Scheduled service

Yes

Runways

3

Longest runway

10000 ft

Terminals

To the city

• O-Train (LRT) Line 4 — Airport Link → downtown (transfer at South Keys to Line 2, then Line 1) · Airport station connects to terminal Level 3 (south end); runs ~06:00–24:00. Pay via Presto card, ticket, debit/credit, or mobile at fare gates.
• OC Transpo bus Route 105 → St-Laurent Station (day service) · Runs 24/7, every ~30 min; night service to/from Rideau Station via Hurdman. Pick-up at Level 3 (Departures), north end. Cash on board or Presto/credit/debit/mobile.

Bus / coach

OC Transpo Route 105 — 24/7, every ~30 min; day service to St-Laurent Station. Pick-up/drop-off at Level 3 (Departures), north end of terminal.

Taxi

Taxi queue outside the centre door at Level 1; drop-off at Level 3 (Departures); accessible vehicles available on request.

Train / metro

O-Train Line 4 (Airport Link) from Airport station, connected to terminal Level 3 (south end), to South Keys (~06:00–24:00); transfer there for downtown via Line 2 / Line 1.

Rideshare

Rideshare pick-up/drop-off at pillars 12–13, on the curb furthest from the terminal.

Airport services

Cities served

Hotels near the airport