July, August, and September—collectively known as the third quarter (Q3)—are among the busiest months for transatlantic airlines. With summer vacations in full swing on both sides of the Atlantic, travel demand surges, leading to increased flight frequencies at major airports, including Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ).
According to aviation news site Simple Flying, the top 10 airlines operating European routes from Pearson have been ranked by the number of flights. Unsurprisingly, Air Canada and Air Transat take the top two spots. However, the third-place carrier may come as a surprise: LOT Polish Airlines.
LOT operated 197 flights between Toronto and Warsaw during Q3, offering up to three daily departures. This robust schedule cements Toronto as LOT’s top market from Warsaw, surpassing even New York’s JFK and Chicago O’Hare.
Busiest Transfer Routes
The Serbian and Macedonian capitals have emerged as key hubs for LOT Polish Airlines’ transfer traffic between Toronto and Europe. Data from aviation analytics provider OAG for 2024 reveals that 60% of LOT’s passengers on the Warsaw–Toronto route are connecting travelers.
Belgrade ranks as the airline’s second-busiest transfer city for Toronto flights, trailing only Delhi. Meanwhile, Skopje has secured the eleventh spot among LOT’s top transfer markets on this route. Additionally, several other cities in the wider region—including Bucharest, Budapest, Istanbul, and Tirana—rank within the top 15 for LOT’s connecting traffic to and from Canada’s largest city.
Source: simpleflying.com
