YOW Airport (Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport) – Cargo, Address, Transit

About This Airport

Where Toronto and Montréal handle Canada's intercontinental freighters, Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International (IATA: YOW, ICAO: CYOW) plays a deliberately smaller role — close to 29,000 tonnes of freight moved through the capital region's airport in 2025, most of it on dedicated cargo flights. FedEx, Cargojet and DHL supply the backbone, joined by UPS and Purolator and by the bellyhold capacity of Air Canada Cargo, WestJet Cargo, Air France Cargo, Canadian North Cargo and Air North Cargo. The notable development of 2024/25 was Canadian North's roughly CAD 22 million investment in a facility that doubles its previous cargo capacity, securing the supply line to remote communities across Nunavut and the Northwest Territories and making YOW a meaningful launch point for Arctic resupply. A CBSA customs office and brokerage services operate on site, so imports can be cleared in Ottawa itself. For large-scale intercontinental air freight, forwarders generally consolidate through Toronto Pearson, about 450 kilometres and four hours' drive away, or Montréal-Trudeau at roughly 200 kilometres. On the passenger side, YOW handled about 4.87 million travellers in 2025, with transborder traffic to the United States up seven percent in the first half of the year. Highway 417 ties the airport into the regional road network just a few kilometres from downtown, keeping trucking legs short for time-critical consignments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the IATA code of Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport?▼

The IATA code of Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport is YOW. This three-letter code is used for unique airport identification in international air transport.

Where is Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport located?▼

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport is located in Ottawa, CA.

What is the ICAO code of Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport?▼

The ICAO code of Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport is CYOW. This four-letter code is used internationally in aviation.

What is the elevation of Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport?▼

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport is at an elevation of 114 meters (374 ft) above sea level.

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International AirportYOW · CYOW

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