Cheap Flights to Montreal

When to fly to Montreal

Although Montreal has a long and harsh winter it is still a year-round tourist destination thanks to its numerous festivals and underground city with more than 2,000 shops.

Peak season

Summer, specifically late June to August is the busiest and most expensive time to visit Montreal. The weather is warm and there are a number of festivals going on including: the ten-day Festival International de Jazz in late June, the International Fireworks Competition in late June and July, the World Film Festival and Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in August.

Frequent visitors book vacations to Montreal during the fall when crowds have lessened and the weather is mild.

Off Season

Montreal flight deals are commonly found during the spring when the rain threatens the weather forecast and the snow melts into mud. If you don’t mind the fluctuating weather conditions, spring is the best time to find discounted hotels, car rentals.

Overview

To call Montreal merely the Paris of North America is to sell it short. True, the island in the Saint Lawrence River has the architecture, the food and joie de vivre of the French capital, but it is a mix of more than 40 ethnic groups, a complicated history and a vibrant and edgy bohemian scene that confounds that description. Canadians taking trips to Montreal are truly escaping to another world for a weekend adventure or a much-need vacation.

Montreal isn’t a likely destination in the wintertime, when the city freezes and temperatures plummet to -30 degrees Celsius. But Montrealers make the most of it with Fête des Neiges de Montréal (January/February); shopping in Ville Souteraine, the underground city, with more than 30km of shopping, and its hearty fare (including poutine, a rib-sticking mix of fries, cheese curd and meat gravy).

The starting point for the Montreal tourist is Vieux Montreal. Here, you’ll find City Hall, Bonsecours Market, and the awe-inspiring Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel. In “new” Montreal, Le Plateau is the city’s creative heart, home to designers, writers and artists. Montreal is human scale with Mont Royal of course, 1,000 parks, 350km of bicycle paths and 900 outdoor skating rinks. Party-goers on Montreal flights head to Prince Arthur Street, Saint-Laurent and Les Eclusiers – bars stay open until 3 a.m. and some never close.

Read our country guide to Canada.

How long is the flight to Montreal?

Flying from Toronto to Montreal is a quick flight. On average, the trip will last only1h 10m. The flight from Winnipeg will be slightly longer, but not by much. Its shortest flight is 2h 47m with Air Canada. From Edmonton, you can catch a flight with Air Canada that will last 4h and from Vancouver, the trip will be closer to 5h.

Where can you get direct flights to Montreal from?

You can get a nonstop flight to Montreal from many cities in Canada. This includes Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, and St. John’s. Many of these flights are with Air Canada, however, from Toronto, direct flights are available with Air Transat, WestJet and Porter. If flying from the faraway city of Hamilton, there are no direct flights. There is however a one-stop flight with an overnight layover in Calgary.

How do you get from Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport to the city centre?

Public transportation is the most economical way to get to downtown Montreal from the airport. There is a bus that runs daily from the airport. Known as bus line 747, it runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are also several taxis outside of the arrival hall with some of the largest taxi companies servicing the Montreal Airport including Atlas Taxi and Taxi Co-Op. If you prefer to have your own car, you can easily rent a car at the airport. The car rental center is conveniently located close to baggage claim and includes well-known companies such as Enterprise, Alamo and Avis. Overall, the trip from Montreal Airport to the city centre should take about 30 minutes by bus, and 15 minutes by car depending upon traffic.

What are some things to do in Montreal?

There are several historical landmarks and attractions in Montreal. If you’re into culture, you should visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal and the Montreal Botanical Garden. If traveling with children, you might enjoy spending the day at La Ronde Amusement Park or the Insect Museum. There are also numerous boutiques, shops and art galleries in Old Montreal and the Old Port of Montreal. Known for its cuisine, you’ll probably spend a lot of time dining out. In the Saint-Henri neighborhood and along Notre Dame Street, you’ll find a number of popular restaurants and bars.

Do I need a passport or visa to fly to Montreal?

Montreal is in the Province of Quebec and in the Southeastern portion of the country. If you are flying from Toronto, Vancouver, Quebec City, or any other city in Canada, you do not need a passport. You will, however, need a government-issued, picture identification in order to board the plane.

Montreal airport overview

Located roughly 12 miles (20km) from downtown Montreal, Montreal Trudeau International Airport (YUL) serves Greater Montreal, along with parts of northern New York and Vermont.

The third-busiest airport in Canada, Montreal-Trudeau processes nearly 13 million passengers each year. Although the airport has state-of-the-art facilities and is pleasant enough, there are frequent complaints about long, slow-moving queues, disorganized customs and security processing, and a lack of adequate staffing.

Flights to Montreal Pierre-Elliot Trudeau International Airport are available from all over the world, including Mexico City, Barbados, Brussels, Barcelona, Cancun, Calgary, Paris, Toronto, Dallas, Chicago, London, New York, Rome, Amsterdam, Casablanca, Doho, Lisbon, Munich and Panama City, among others. While flights may be convenient, don’t plan on quick stopovers at Montreal-Trudeau as the long queues may turn into a missed connection.