Canada's Mirabel Airport: From 'world's largest' dream to cargo hub

Mirabel International Airport, located near Montreal, Canada, was an ambitious project launched in 1975 with the vision of becoming the world's largest travel hub. The Canadian government invested C$500 million into its development, clearing vast farmland and displacing thousands of locals to construct a facility planned for six runways and terminals. Despite its grand opening, the airport struggled to attract the anticipated millions of passengers annually, primarily due to its remote location over 30 miles from Montreal and the failure to construct a promised high-speed train link to the city.

The airport's geographical isolation proved to be its downfall for passenger services. Travelers consistently opted for closer, more accessible hubs with established transport infrastructure, leaving Mirabel largely underutilized. By 2003, reports indicated weeds growing on the tarmac and a nearly empty multi-storey car park, signaling the impending end of its commercial passenger era. The lack of connectivity and passenger convenience made it an impractical transfer point for international travelers, as noted by Montreal's chamber of commerce president, Noit Labonté.

On October 31, 2004, Mirabel International Airport officially ceased commercial passenger operations, with an Air Transat flight to Paris marking the final departure. Following years of disuse, the passenger terminal was ultimately demolished in 2016. However, the airport did not entirely fade into obsolescence. It successfully reinvented itself, transitioning into a crucial freight hub, an aircraft assembly site, and an aerospace testing facility, maintaining its relevance within the broader aviation industry through specialized operations.