Ottawa International Airport, also known as Macdonald–Cartier International Airport, is the main international airport serving Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and its metropolitan area, the National Capital Region. It is the eighth-busiest airport in Canada by passenger traffic, with 2,992,334 passengers in 2022. The airport is located 5.5 nautical miles (10.2 km; 6.3 mi) south of downtown Ottawa.
The airport is named after two Canadian statesmen and two of the “founding fathers of Canada”, Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir George-Étienne Cartier. The airport was built in the 1920s as a small airfield for the Ottawa Flying Club. It was later used by Trans-Canada Air Lines, the predecessor of Air Canada, and became a major airport during World War II.
The current airport terminal was built in 2003 and is designed to handle up to 900,000 passengers per year. The terminal has a modern and spacious layout, with various amenities and services for travelers.
Ottawa Airport offers a variety of domestic and international flights, with direct service to over 40 destinations in Canada, the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean. The airport is also a major hub for Air Canada.
General Information about Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
The following table is an overview of YOW Airport indicated below:
| Airport | Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport |
| Airport Type | Public |
| Owner | Transport Canada |
| Operator | Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport Authority |
| Built In (Year) | 2003 |
| Serves | Ottawa–Gatineau |
| Ottawa International Airport Code | CYOW, YOW |
| Hub for | Porter Airlines |
| Ottawa International Airport Terminals | One Passenger Terminal |
| YOW Airport Runway | 3 |
| YOW Airport Coordinates | 45°19′21″N 075°40′02″W |
| Contact Number | 613-248-2125 |
| Ottawa International Airport Address | 1000 Airport Parkway Private, Ottawa, ON K1V 9B4, Canada |
| Website Address | yow.ca |
| Elevation | 377 ft / 115 m |
Ottawa International Airport Code
Ottawa International Airport code is YOW. This three-letter IATA code is based on the name of the airport in Ottawa.
| IATA CODE | YOW |
| ICAO CODE | CYOW |
| FAA CODE | YOW |
| WORLD AREA CODE | +1 |
| COUNTRY CODE | USA |
| IATA METROPOLITAN CODE | YOW |
Ottawa International Airport Map
The YOW Airport location Map is a useful tool for finding your way around the airport, and for planning your journey.
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport Runway
YOW Airport has three runways.
| Name | Length (in mtr) | Length (in ft) | Surface |
| 04/22 | 3,300 | 1,006 | Asphalt |
| 07/25 | 8,000 | 2,438 | Asphalt |
| 14/32 | 10,005 | 3,050 | Asphalt |
Ottawa International Airport Terminal
The Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW) has one passenger terminal. I verified this information on the Ottawa International Airport website, which states: Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW) has one passenger terminal with gates that accommodate both international and domestic arrivals.
Nearest Airports to Ottawa International Airport (YOW)
Some of the closest airports to YOW Airport are:
- Ogdensburg International Airport – 85 km
- Massena International Airport – 117 km
- Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport – 185 km
- Kingston/Norman Rogers Airport – 192 km
- Watertown International Airport – 195 km
- Adirondack Regional Airport – 217 km
- Syracuse Hancock International Airport – 291 km
- Greater Rochester International Airport – 436 km
- Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport – 441 km
- Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport – 444 km
- Toronto Pearson International Airport – 452 km:
- Buffalo Niagara International Airport – 515 km
Airlines Operating from Ottawa International Airport
The following airlines operate from Ottawa Airport:
- Air Canada
- Air France
- Air North
- Air Transat
- Canadian North
- Flair Airlines
- PAL Airlines
- Porter Airlines
- Sunwing Airlines
- United Airlines
- WestJet
