{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Airport",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "addressCountry": "Canada",
    "addressLocality": "Thunder Bay"
  },
  "airlines": [
    "Air Canada",
    "WestJet"
  ],
  "amenityFeature": [
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "Domestic to Domestic Connection Time",
      "value": "60 minutes"
    },
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "Domestic to International Connection Time",
      "value": "90 minutes"
    },
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "International to Domestic Connection Time",
      "value": "90 minutes"
    },
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "International to International Connection Time",
      "value": "120 minutes"
    },
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "Interline Connection Time",
      "value": "120 minutes"
    }
  ],
  "city": "Thunder Bay",
  "code": "YQT",
  "connection_tips": "Thunder Bay International Airport serves as Northwestern Ontario's critical aviation hub, recording 728,077 passengers in 2024 with over 101,080 aircraft movements, making it Ontario's fourth-busiest airport by aircraft operations. The airport's caf\u00e9, gift shop, and ATM services provide basic amenities, though options are limited during overnight hours when facilities may be closed. The facility's strategic location makes it a crucial refueling stop for aircraft serving Canada's far north, with annual increases of 5-7% in aircraft movements reflecting broader recovery in regional air traffic. Travelers should allow extra connection time during winter months and be prepared for potential weather-related delays that are common in this northern climate.\n\nWinter operations present unique challenges, with temperatures dropping below -30\u00b0C and frequent snowstorms requiring specialized ground equipment and de-icing procedures that can cause delays. The facility operates as a vital gateway for remote northern Ontario communities, with WestJet serving Calgary, Porter Airlines connecting to Toronto Pearson, and Air Canada maintaining a significant operational base following their 2024 transition to full facility management. The airport hosts major cargo and regional carriers including Bearskin Airlines, Wasaya Airways, and the expanding North Star Air, which is developing a new 37,000-square-foot consolidated terminal and cargo facility opening in early 2025.\n\nRecent runway rehabilitation and terminal upgrades have enhanced capacity for narrow-body aircraft including Embraer E-Jets, Airbus A320 family, and Boeing 737 variants. The airport's role as a medical evacuation hub means priority is often given to emergency flights, which can impact commercial schedules, particularly during winter months when medevac activity peaks. Ground transportation includes taxi services, rental cars, and Thunder Bay Transit connections to the city center, though service frequency decreases significantly during extreme weather conditions.",
  "country": "Canada",
  "flag_url": "https://flagcdn.com/w320/ca.png",
  "flight_search_affiliate_link": "https://book.beatthatflight.com.au/?currency=CAD",
  "frequent_traveler_tip": [
    "Pack for cold weather; confirm baggage transfer on separate tickets.",
    "Check your flight status before leaving for the airport.",
    "Allow extra time during peak travel periods at this airport.",
    "Keep important documents easily accessible at this airport.",
    "Download your airline's mobile app for updates at this airport."
  ],
  "global_map_link": "https://www.google.com/maps?q=Thunder%20Bay%20International%20Airport%20Thunder%20Bay",
  "google_maps_reviews": {
    "rating": 0.0,
    "recent_reviews": [],
    "total_reviews": 0
  },
  "hotel_affiliate_link": "https://book.beatthatflight.com.au/?currency=CAD",
  "iataCode": "YQT",
  "icao": "CYQT",
  "international": true,
  "last_modified": "June 2026",
  "last_updated": "2026-03-29",
  "latitude": 48.3719,
  "layover_planner_info": "Caf\u00e9, gift shop, and ATMs available.",
  "longitude": -89.3239,
  "mct_domestic_to_domestic": 60,
  "mct_domestic_to_international": 90,
  "mct_interline": 120,
  "mct_international_to_domestic": 90,
  "mct_international_to_international": 120,
  "missed_connection_help": "Airline counters provide rebooking assistance.",
  "name": "Thunder Bay International Airport",
  "region": "North America",
  "related_airports": [
    {
      "code": "YYZ",
      "name": "Toronto Pearson"
    }
  ],
  "terminal_info": "Thunder Bay International Airport serves as Northwestern Ontario's premier aviation gateway at the historic Lakehead where Fort William and Port Arthur merged to create Canada's grain handling capital, originally built as Fort William Municipal Airport in 1938 to relieve Depression-era unemployment before serving as home to No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and test base for fighter aircraft from the nearby Canadian Car and Foundry factory during World War II. Recording 728,077 passengers in 2024 with over 101,000 aircraft movements making it Ontario's fourth-busiest airport, this facility operates where 30 grain terminals once lined the Kaministiquia River making the Lakehead the world's largest grain port by 1929.\n\nThe airport features modern terminal infrastructure supporting narrow-body aircraft operations with WestJet service to Calgary, Porter Airlines to Toronto Pearson, and Air Canada's expanding hub operations, while serving as the critical base for Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's seasonal firefighting aircraft protecting the vast boreal forests stretching north to Hudson Bay. Terminal amenities include caf\u00e9 services, gift shops, and ground transportation links to a city still operating eight active grain terminals shipping over 6 million tonnes annually, maintaining Thunder Bay's position as one of Canada's busiest grain ports.\n\nOperational characteristics center on supporting remote northern Ontario communities through carriers including Bearskin Airlines, Wasaya Airways, and North Star Air\u2014which is developing a new 37,000-square-foot consolidated terminal opening in 2025\u2014while handling critical medical evacuations from isolated First Nations communities and mining operations across a region larger than many European countries. Winter operations present extreme challenges with temperatures below -30\u00b0C requiring specialized equipment and procedures, while the facility's role as a refueling stop for aircraft serving Canada's far north contributes to annual growth of 5-7% in aircraft movements.\n\nStrategic importance encompasses preserving aviation access to the traditional territory where French voyageurs first encountered Ojibwe peoples at Grand Portage, supporting Northwestern Ontario's resource-based economy driven by forestry, mining, and grain shipment through the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system, maintaining critical connections for 146,000 regional residents and countless remote communities, and continuing the legacy of this transportation crossroads that evolved from fur trading post to railway terminus to grain handling powerhouse while serving as the aviation lifeline for Canada's vast northwestern wilderness.",
  "terminal_map_url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder_Bay_International_Airport"
}
