Hamilton says bienvenue to Montreal with Air Canada

Located on the shores of Lake Ontario and serving both North America’s fifth-largest mega region and a burgeoning tourism destination, Hamilton, Ontario, is in the midst of modern-day resurgence – and airlines are taking note.

Ahead of Routes Americas, on February 3, 2016, Air Canada announced that it will begin twice-daily non-stop service between Hamilton’s John C. Munroe Hamilton International Airport and Montreal, to the delight of thousands of travellers in Southern Ontario’s densely populated Golden Horseshoe region.

Montreal has long been one of Hamilton International’s most requested destinations, for both business connections and leisure getaways. Additionally, the new route offers travellers convenient onward connections to Atlantic Canada and Europe via Air Canada’s Montreal hub.

Scheduled to inaugurate in late May, this twice-daily scheduled service is the latest endorsement of Hamilton’s growing popularity as a convenient gateway to Toronto, Canada’s largest city and financial centre, and the Niagara Peninsula, featuring more than 80 wineries and the famed Niagara Falls, which together draw 20 million visitors every year.

Beyond these postcard-worthy sights, Hamilton is also home to a population that is expected to grow by a robust 8.3 percent in the next four years, more than 110,000 college and university students attending some of Canada’s best schools and a thriving economy. With many of Canada’s leading companies headquartered in the region, Hamilton boasts a diverse range of businesses and industry sectors, including information technology, life science, advanced manufacturing and goods movement.

From its industrial roots, Hamilton has evolved into a modern, vibrant city, one that was recently recognized as one of Canada’s best places to invest. And essential to the city’s continued renaissance is its airport, Hamilton International.

“At a fraction of the cost of a major market hub, Hamilton International offers direct access to more than two million people – a predominantly high-income population that spends a collective $1 billion on air travel annually. Another six million travellers can access the airport in less than 90 minutes,” Jeremy Pennington, Manager, of Air Service Development at Vantage Airport Group told Routesonline during the opening day of Routes Americas in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Hamilton International’s lower operating costs, flexible, customised partnerships and modern, efficient facilities offer airlines a significant competitive advantage, particularly on mid-to-long-haul leisure routes and regional feeds.

As the first passengers prepare to bag their bags for the Hamilton-Montreal inaugural flights in May, Hamilton International and its operator Vantage Airport Group are clearly working hard to ensure that the airport’s development as an accessible gateway keeps pace with Hamilton’s resurgence as a dynamic destination for work and play.

Richard Maslen

Richard Maslen has travelled across the globe to report on developments in the aviation sector as airlines and airports have continued to evolve and…