8 new airlines at Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga is most in North America

Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga welcomed eight new airlines into its fold in 2024, more than any other large airport in North America. 

Pearson officials described the addition of the new carriers as “an incredible milestone” and noted it brings the number of airlines flying out of Canada’s biggest and busiest airport to 54.

“With 54 airlines flying to 180-plus destinations around the globe, we are proud to be North America’s best-connected airport for international destinations,” Pearson officials said. “The newly added carriers help provide a variety of direct flights to passengers and unlock destinations across the world.”

Toronto Pearson president and CEO Deborah Flint called 2024 “a record year for Pearson” as the airport looks to further expand.

“Continuing to grow the range of destinations available from Toronto with a wide selection of carriers for travellers to choose from, we are making strides in economic generation and increased choice and connectivity of our country,” Flint said in a news release issued Tuesday.

She also noted the airport added 36 new routes and nine new destinations for travellers last year.

Furthermore, since 2022, Pearson has added more than eight million international seats and more international destinations and departures compared to any other airport in North America, officials said.

The eight new airlines added at Pearson in 2024 were:

• Sun Country (launched April 2024) — with flights twice a week to Minneapolis, the new airline serves approximately 100,000 passengers who travel between Toronto and the U.S. city each year
• ITA Airways (launched May 2024) — Pearson is ITA Airways’ first Canadian destination and it offers daily flights to Rome during the summer
• Swiss International Air Lines (launched May 2024) — this is the second Canadian route for the carrier, which offers five flights to Zurich each week during the summer
• Alaska Airlines (launched May 2024) — the airline’s daily flights to Seattle will help serve some 142,000 passengers who travel to the West Coast city each year
• BermudAir (launched May 2024) — with three weekly flights to Bermuda, this carrier provides passengers with direct flights to the island nation
• Hainan Airlines (launched November 2024) — after pausing operations out of Toronto Pearson for a few years, the carrier has resumed service, flying to Beijing once a week
• Qatar Airways (launched December 2024) — with three weekly flights to Doha, Qatar Airways’ “highly anticipated route from Toronto Pearson unlocks a range of destinations for passengers looking to fly to the Middle East, Asia and Africa,” Pearson officials say
• Royal Air Maroc (launched December 2024) — with more than 200,000 people flying between Canada and Casablanca each year, Royal Air Maroc has introduced three flights each week to this vibrant city in Morrocco

(Cover photo: Qatar Airways)