22.9 million more travellers used Pearson Airport in Mississauga in 2022

The number of travellers using Pearson Airport in Mississauga nearly tripled last year compared to 2021, which airport officials say is a sure sign air travel is no longer being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Numbers released late last week from the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), which operates Pearson, show that 35.6 million passengers (21.3 million international, 14.3 million domestic) used Canada’s largest and busiest airport in 2022 compared to 12.7 million one year earlier.

That’s an increase of 22.9 million travellers, or a 180.8 per cent rise.

In 2020, when the pandemic struck, 13.3 million travellers passed through Pearson Airport.

The dramatic rebound, while still not back to pre-pandemic passenger levels (50.5 million travellers used Pearson in 2019), is cause for optimism, according to the GTAA.

Airport officials note that passenger activity increased significantly “given the easing of pandemic-related travel restrictions and pent-up travel demand” compared to 2021.

“With passenger traffic growing strongly over the fourth quarter of 2022, the industry must continue to focus on post-pandemic recovery with the aim of providing the stellar passenger experience that Canadians want and deserve,” GTAA president and CEO Deborah Flint said in a news release.

“The recovery is well under way and we are working with everyone across the ecosystem to give passengers a predictable customer experience, streamlined border procedures and modernized airport infrastructure.”

Pearson Airport and airlines are still in the midst of various improvements and upgrades to ensure the air travel chaos that characterized much of 2022 is greatly reduced or eliminated moving forward.