Dorval, Mirabel and back again
The airport opened at Dorval in 1941 and became Canada’s busiest during the propeller era. In 1975 the government opened Mirabel, a huge new airport far to the north, and forced international flights to move there. The plan failed: passengers preferred Dorval, and all flights returned by the early 2000s. In 2004 the airport was renamed Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International.
What you’ll see on the live cams
Air Canada and Air Transat dominate, with long-haul routes to Europe, North Africa and the Caribbean. Watch for Airbus A220s, which are assembled near Montreal, and European carriers like Air France and Royal Air Maroc. Winter brings snow, ice and large de-icing operations.
Runways
YUL has two parallel runways, 06L/24R and 06R/24L, which the two cameras cover, plus a crossing runway, 10/28. Westerly winds mean runway 24 is used most often.
Best times to watch
- Evening: transatlantic departures to Europe.
- Winter storms: de-icing pads in full operation.
