Summary
- Over 40% of people feel stressed when they travel by plane because of the hustle and bustle of transiting through an airport terminal.
- Not all airports are the same, and factors like traffic volume and the different amenities offered can make the airport experience more or less comfortable for passengers.
- The Region of Waterloo International Airport, Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport, and Fort McMurray International Airport feature.
Traveling by plane can sometimes get on your nerves. Airports and airplanes are full of people of all different kinds and with the most diverse cultural backgrounds. Families with young children and older people, young teenagers on their first solo trip, those traveling for business, and tourists waiting for their guide to tell them where to go. Your patience will be put through its paces, especially during peak times like summer or winter holidays.
Research shows that over 40% of people feel stressed when they travel through an airport, with 10% avoiding taking a plane in the first place not to find themselves in an airport. It is true, however, that not all airports are the same. Many factors make the airport experience more or less comfortable for passengers, from the traffic volume to the presence of multiple eating areas, lounges, and other amenities, as well as transportation links to the city center.
If you plan a trip to Canada in the coming months, you might be interested in knowing which airports are the most stress-free. Canada Casino conducted a study to identify the country's most relaxing airports. To this aim, Canada's 23 busiest airports in passenger traffic were analyzed, considering the various factors affecting passengers' stress. The 23 airports were ranked based on their score on a scale from one to ten.
5 Region of Waterloo International Airport
With a yearly traffic volume of 375,397 passengers (as of 2022), the Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF) is considered Canada's fifth most relaxing airport.
With an average of just 29 flights over three days, it is guaranteed that you will not find yourself fighting for oxygen at the gate area. Two are the dining options available at the airport. However, a downside of the Region of Waterloo International Airport is the absence of lounges for a genuinely relaxing experience before your flight takes off. There are five different options you can choose from to reach the airport.
Considering these characteristics, the Region of Waterloo International Airport got a Relaxation Score of 7.43 out of 10.
4 Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport
The Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport (YQM) is located north of Nova Scotia and ranks as Canada's fourth stress-free airport.
With a Relaxation Score of 7.44 out of 10, this airport witnessed an annual traffic volume of 468,821 in 2022, with an average of 52 departing flights every three days. It offers a particularly convenient transportation link to the city, with five different alternatives. When traveling from LeBlanc International, passengers can choose from five different restaurants. Nonetheless, no lounges are available, which could be particularly disappointing for business traffic.
3 Fort McMurray International Airport
Located in the mid-north of the Country, Fort McMurray International is deemed Canada's third most relaxing airport.
Its Relaxation Score of 7.47 out of 10 stems from various factors. First, the airport registered an annual passenger traffic of just 320,319 passengers in 2022, being one of the smallest airports among the 23 considered in the study. On average, Fort McMurray airport handled just 32 departing flights over three days, 88% fewer flights than the airport serving the country's capital, Ottawa.
Despite its humble dimensions, the airport offers massage chairs to its customers and five restaurants - 3% more than Waterloo Airport, even though the latter handles 15% more passenger traffic yearly.
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2 Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport
Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport (YXE), in the mid-south of the country, is deemed Canada's second most relaxing airport.
Serving 952,051 passengers in 2022, the airport has an average number of departing flights of 81 every three days. This airport is the first to offer a lounge to its premium passengers, as well as four different dining options. Four different transportation links also contribute to the high ranking of Saskatoon International, with taxi options taking as few as seven minutes to take you to the city center.
Based on its convenient transportation network connecting it to the city, the presence of a lounge, and other amenities that enable a hassle-free stay, Saskatoon Airport scored 7.54 out of ten in Canada Casino's study.
1 Regina International Airport
In the first place of Canada's most relaxing airports, you'll find Regina International Airport (YQR).
764,128 passengers transited through the airport in 2022, with an average of 66 departing flights every three days. Together with Saskatoon, Regina International is the only airport in the top five list to feature a lounge for premium passengers. On the other hand, all passengers can choose from four different dining options, and, as for Saskatoon, four alternatives are available to reach the city center. A bus ride will only take 13 minutes, 27 minutes faster than the bus journey to and from Vancouver International Airport. These features ensured Regina International a Relaxation Score of 7.83 out of 10, the highest among Canada's 23 busiest airports.
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