Aéroport: Québec’s growth brings more seats, and a question of who will fly
At YQB, the morning light falls across a terminal where the numbers now matter as much as the departures board. In the space of a few weeks, the airport has gone from announcing major renovations to unveiling a sharp increase in flight capacity, with aéroport now at the center of a broader question: will local travelers use the seats that airlines are adding?
What is changing at Aéroport Jean-Lesage?
The airport international Jean-Lesage de Québec says the supply of seats on flights leaving YQB will rise by 15% in 2026. During the summer season, that increase will reach 25% compared with last year. Stéphane Poirier, president and chief executive of YQB, described it as an “historic offer, ” saying there has never been so many seats available departing from Québec in 2026.
In practical terms, the airport says 376, 456 seats are being added this year, bringing the total to 2, 965, 889 for 2026. The strongest growth appears in the American and international segments, with seats to the United States up 44% and international destinations up 111%. Five additional destinations will be added in summer 2026, including Nantes, Marseille and Washington, along with a link to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York with American Airlines.
Why does this matter beyond the terminal?
The airport’s message is not only about volume; it is also about momentum. YQB says the number of passengers passing through has returned to pre-pandemic levels, a recovery that Mr. Poirier says has not happened evenly across the country. He noted that many airports remain below 2019 levels, while Québec has regained ground.
That contrast helps explain why the latest figures are being framed as more than an airline update. In the view of YQB’s leadership, the airport’s growth reflects long-term work with carriers and the local community, even through the pandemic. The airport plans to present its official traffic numbers at its annual public meeting on May 7 ET.
There is also a local economic argument. Mr. Poirier says that when travelers compare fares, flight options, hotel costs, parking, time and vehicle mileage, leaving from Québec is often far more affordable than many people assume. He also stressed that more than one traveler in two from the greater Québec region still chooses another airport, a pattern that limits the airport’s ability to keep routes in place.
What are the human stakes for travelers and the region?
The airport’s leadership is trying to turn those numbers into a civic choice. Mr. Poirier called for an unprecedented mobilization from travelers, the business community and regional actors so the new flights will remain in place next year and beyond. His argument is simple: if the seats fill, airlines have more reason to stay.
He also described the airport as an economic pipeline for the region, a place where competitiveness passes through in a very concrete way. That framing helps explain the tension at the heart of the story. Airlines are showing confidence in Québec’s market, but many residents still leave from elsewhere. The gap between supply and behavior may determine whether this growth becomes durable.
Can Aéroport keep the momentum going?
YQB’s ambitions stretch further than one season. The airport aims to welcome 2. 4 million passengers by 2030, which would be 700, 000 more than the traffic observed in 2024. It points to expected population growth in the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches over the coming decades as one factor that could support that goal.
For now, the scene at the airport is one of opportunity and pressure at the same time. More destinations are coming, more seats are available, and more airlines are betting on Québec. But the next test still sits closer to home, in the habits of the region’s own travelers. Whether they choose to depart from aéroport Jean-Lesage may decide how long this expansion lasts.
