Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (CYOW), Ontario
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (CYOW) serves the Ottawa metropolitan area from a field located roughly 2 nautical miles from the city center, with elevation of 374 feet. As an Airport of Entry with customs onsite, it supports international business aviation arrivals without requiring a diversion to a separate customs facility. Three paved runways, including a 10,000-foot primary strip, give CYOW capacity to handle a wide range of aircraft types across its traffic mix.
Runways
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport has three paved runways. The longest, 14/32, is 10,000 ft long and 200 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Customs
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport has Canada Border Services Agency clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals.
Source: CBSA list of airports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport recorded 6,979 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in October. Business aviation traffic at CYOW is concentrated toward the fall months, with October recording the highest monthly volume of the year.
Cross-border movements to the United States, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month October, 761 movements in 2025.
FAA TFMSC records a movement outside the United States only when the flight enters US airspace. This is cross-border traffic, not total activity at the airfield.
Source: FAA TFMSC, cross-border movements, 2025.
Climate
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport averages 6.1 days above 90°F in July, 30.0 freeze days in January and 4.4 snow days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80.6°F, and January the coldest, at 22.1°F.
Weather station is on the field. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Nearby airfields
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport has five airfields within 42 NM. The closest is Ottawa / Gatineau Airport (CYND), 12.76 NM north.
Part of the Ottawa area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at CYOW
We arrange catering, fuel and trip support here. Supplier prices reach you unchanged; our coordination fee sits on its own line.
The same order, priced two ways.
$2,400.00 catering order at CYOW.
Unchanged.
What the kitchen invoices us is what your quote reads.
One line, fixed.
It does not move with the size of the order.
At cost.
Passed on at the exact amount the processor took.
Market practice figures are industry averages, not a specific competitor.
Frequently asked questions
Is customs available at CYOW for international arrivals?
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (CYOW) is designated as an Airport of Entry with customs onsite. Crews arriving from outside Canada can clear directly at the field rather than diverting to a nearest customs facility. This designation supports scheduling flexibility for international business aviation arrivals. Dispatchers should still confirm current hours and any advance notice requirements with the customs office directly, since specific procedures can vary by arrival type.
What runway options are available at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport for larger business jets?
CYOW offers three paved runways, with Runway 14/32 as the primary option at 10,000 feet long and 200 feet wide. Runway 07/25 provides a secondary paved option at 8,000 feet long, also 200 feet wide. A shorter Runway 04/22 exists at 3,300 feet by 75 feet, better suited to lighter aircraft. The two longer runways give CYOW capacity to handle most business jet types without runway-length constraints.
How does winter weather affect operations at CYOW?
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport sees a pronounced cold-weather season, with January averaging around 30 days below freezing and a maximum temperature near 22.1 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow accumulation of an inch or more occurs on an average of 4.4 days in January according to climate normals. December and February show similar patterns, with both months averaging over 27 days below freezing. Dispatchers planning winter operations at CYOW should account for de-icing time and snow-clearing activity during these months.
Does business aviation traffic at CYOW vary by season?
Yes, business aviation traffic at CYOW shows a clear seasonal pattern based on FAA TFMSC data on cross-border movements. Traffic builds through spring and summer, then peaks in October at 761 operations before easing into November and December. The slowest months are January through March, each recording under 520 operations. This pattern gives dispatchers a basis for anticipating higher scheduling demand at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport in the fall.
What is the total annual traffic volume reported for CYOW?
FAA TFMSC data reports 70,555 total annual operations at CYOW for 2025, reflecting cross-border traffic visibility rather than the airport's full operational count. Of that figure, 6,979 operations are attributed to business aviation. This places CYOW in the top operations tier among airports tracked in this data set. Dispatchers using this figure should treat it as a cross-border traffic indicator rather than a complete measure of total field activity at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.