John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) has officially completed major enhancements, including the addition of passenger jet bridges and updates to its international arrivals area.
Jet bridges provide direct, weather-protected access between the terminal and the aircraft.
Passengers previously had to walk on the tarmac to board planes at the airport.
The modernized international arrivals area has “aesthetic enhancements and new technologies,” including Primary Inspection Kiosks, enhanced wayfinding, and a dedicated lane for NEXUS members.
Those changes build on the previously completed multi-million-dollar passenger terminal enhancements by Vantage Group and TradePort International Corporation that were unveiled in June 2025.
Hamilton Airport’s project partners for the enhancements included Stantec, PCL Construction, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), YVR Airport Authority, CCXIT Computer Services, Hamilton Industrial Communications Ltd (Hicom) and S&G Electric Ltd.
Porter Airlines, one of Hamilton Airport’s core tenants, also recently announced its 2026 summer schedule, which includes two new destinations.
Porter will start new service from Hamilton to St. John’s, Newfoundland, on May 15, operating five times a week and from Hamilton to Winnipeg, Manitoba, operating four times a week.
Porter will also be increasing service from Hamilton to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Currently, there are flights from Hamilton to Halifax seven times a week. That number will be increased to 14 times a week.
In addition, Porter is extending one of their winter seasonal routes through the summer.
Flights from Hamilton to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will leave the airport two times per week throughout the summer.
Fort Lauderdale, on Florida’s east coast, is known for its beaches and canals. The city is also near Miami.
It appears that Porter’s flights to other sun destinations, including Orlando, Florida, Nassau, Bahamas, Cancun, Mexico, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, are just for the winter months.
However, direct flights from Hamilton to Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver will continue over the summer.
WestJet also continues to operate non-stop service to Calgary five times a week from Hamilton.
Andrew Pierce, Vice President of Network Planning and Reporting at Porter Airlines, said that they are making a “substantial increase in flights” for the summer, “touching on every region we fly to.”
“Our overall network is growing by 20%, the fastest rate for any airline in North America, as we continue providing service for more passengers. Our long-standing commitment to a distinct elevated economy experience continues to result in exceptional customer satisfaction,” he continued.
Porter flights reportedly have no middle seats, and include complimentary wine and beer, and “premium snacks.”
Routes that use the Embraer E195-E2 aircraft also have free WiFi.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
