Peak Waits
The absolute peak wait time at YUL recorded last month reached 45 minutes, whilst a typical daily peak saw passengers queuing for 25 minutes. This highlights the importance of arriving prepared, especially as overall wait times were up 66.7% compared to the 3-minute average recorded in June 2026.
Terminal Comparison
When breaking down the data by terminal, we see slight variations in the passenger experience. Both main departure areas experienced the exact same absolute peak wait of 45 minutes at their busiest moments, but their monthly averages differed slightly:
- Transborder: Averaged 6 minutes across the month.
- Domestic/International: Averaged 5 minutes across the month.
When is the Airport Busiest?
Timing your arrival can make a significant difference. The data reveals that Sundays were the most demanding days to travel through Montréal–Trudeau, with wait times averaging 7 minutes. The single busiest date of the month fell on 19 July, which saw the daily average climb to 10 minutes. Looking at the clock, the late afternoon and early evening proved to be the most congested periods. If you are flying in the second half of the day, be prepared for the highest average queues:
- 4 pm: 7 minutes (the busiest hour overall)
- 5 pm to 7 pm: 7 minutes
- 8 pm: 6 minutes
After 8 pm, the queues finally begin to ease, dropping back to 4 minutes by 9 pm.
The Good News
Despite these peaks, the overall performance at Montréal–Trudeau remained highly efficient for the vast majority of the month. During the core active hours between 5 am and 9 pm, the average wait held steady at 5 minutes. Furthermore, an impressive 95% of all recorded wait times fell under our short threshold of 15 minutes, meaning severe delays were the exception rather than the rule.
Data-Driven Traveller Tip
If you want to avoid the crowds and glide through security, our data suggests booking your flights for a Tuesday, which emerged as the quietest day of the week with an average wait of just 4 minutes. For the absolute fastest experience, aim for the quietest hour at 3 am, where average queues drop to a mere 3 minutes. If an overnight departure is not on the cards, mid-morning slots at 8 am and 9 am also offer excellent processing times, averaging just 3 minutes.