How early should I get to YYZ?
Toronto Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Canada · Checked Oct 25, 2026
The short answer
Flying out of Toronto Pearson (YYZ) to the U.S. or another international destination? If your flight departs before 9 am, please consider arriving at the airport no later than 3 hours prior to your scheduled departure.
Those are blanket rules. Your real number depends on your terminal, the time of day, passport control and whether you're checking a bag. Leave By works out your exact leave time.
Source: aircanada.com
Passport control on the way out
Canada has no exit passport control. The CBSA gets your exit record from the airline's passenger manifest, and you do not need to do anything. US preclearance is in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3: after check-in you go through CATSA security, then into the US CBP hall, where US officers clear you for immigration and customs before you board. CBP processing runs 3:30 am to 9:00 pm, and you land in the US as a domestic passenger, skipping CBP and TSA lines there. NEXUS holders have a priority line, Global Entry members use the NEXUS kiosks, and CBP lists Pearson as a Mobile Passport Control site.
More on exit checks, the EU's Entry/Exit System and US preclearance: how early for an international flight.
Security lines at YYZ
CATSA posts live wait times for Pearson's T1 - Transborder and T3 - Transborder checkpoints, refreshed every 2 minutes from boarding-pass scans. CATSA's figures leave out check-in, bag drop, US customs and the walk to the gate. Pearson's own wait-time dashboard shows a United States time that combines CATSA security and US CBP processing, plus airline check-in waits. Air Canada uses a queue system for US flights leaving before 9 am and asks those passengers to arrive 3 hours early.
Busiest times: US departures before 9 am.
Terminals and checkpoints
Terminal 1
Air Canada, United
- Air Canada and United fly to the US from Terminal 1
- US gates are in Concourse F
- The UP Express airport station is in Terminal 1
Terminal 3
Alaska, American, Delta, Flair, Porter, Sun Country, WestJet
- All US airlines except United fly from Terminal 3
- US gates are in Concourse A
- From the UP Express, take the free Terminal Link train to Terminal 3
Between terminals: Terminals 1 and 3 are linked by the free Terminal Link train, which runs 24 hours. The ride between stations takes 2 to 8 minutes, and the wait is up to 4 or 8 minutes depending on the time of day. In Terminal 1 the station is on parking garage Level 5; in Terminal 3 it is off the pedestrian bridge to the Sheraton Gateway Hotel.
Getting to YYZ
Rideshare and taxi: Uber, Lyft and Hopp are licensed at Pearson. Rideshare cars, like any car, may stop only briefly at the Departures curb; waiting is not allowed, and Pearson says the curb is running at limited capacity. Tell the driver your terminal: Terminal 1 for Air Canada and United, Terminal 3 for the other US airlines.
Transit: UP Express runs from Union Station to Pearson in about 28 minutes, stopping at Bloor, Weston and Mount Dennis. From Union, the first train leaves at 4:55 am on weekdays and 6:00 am on weekends and holidays; the last leaves at 1:00 am. An adult one-way fare is $12.35. Tap PRESTO or a contactless credit or debit card, or buy a ticket online or from a machine. The airport station is in Terminal 1; for Terminal 3, change to the free Terminal Link train.
Driving and parking: You may stop briefly at the Departures curb of either terminal, but waiting is not allowed. Parking on the roads leading to the terminals brings a $50 fine. Express Pass gives a free short stop in the Terminal 1 and 3 garages (Pearson's pages say 18 or 20 minutes); book it online. Vehicles must be under 4.5 m to use the terminal curbs.
Construction and changes in 2026
- Pearson LIFT, a decade-long rebuilding program, started on May 11, 2026. Its first $3-billion phase covers airfield upgrades and 30 km of baggage systems.
- In July 2026 Pearson awarded a C$1.5-billion Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 revitalization covering check-in, security, customs and immigration areas, and gates. It will be built in phases while the terminals stay open. No dates for work in passenger areas have been published.
- Metrolinx says planned construction is under way across the UP Express network, sometimes overnight and on weekends. Check UP Express service alerts before you travel.
Checking a bag
Air Canada: check-in and bag drop open 3 hours and close 60 minutes before US flights; be at the gate 30 minutes before departure, and the gate closes 15 minutes before. Delta and WestJet: check-in closes 75 minutes before departure at Toronto; WestJet suggests dropping bags 90 minutes before. United: AP reported in May 2025 a 90-minute check-in cutoff at Toronto. American and Alaska: AP reported 60-minute cutoffs for international flights. This research could not open Porter's check-in page.
YYZ tips first-timers miss
- Plan on 3 hours. Air Canada asks for 3 hours on US flights before 9 am, and Pearson's general guide for international flights is 3 to 4 hours.
- Check your terminal before you leave. Air Canada and United use Terminal 1; Alaska, American, Delta, Flair, Porter, Sun Country and WestJet use Terminal 3.
- Check Pearson's wait-time dashboard. Its United States figure includes both CATSA security and US customs.
- Fill in the Mobile Passport Control app before you reach the US customs hall.
- NEXUS and Global Entry members get a dedicated line at security and at US customs. Global Entry members use the NEXUS kiosks.
- Pack liquids in containers of 100 ml or less in one clear 1 L bag. CATSA does not list CT scanners at Pearson's transborder checkpoints, so expect to take out liquids and laptops.
Leaving for YYZ?
Pick your flight and where you're starting. Leave By checks live traffic, security lines and your terminal, and tells you the minute to walk out the door.
Free. No account.
Questions travelers ask
How early should I get to Toronto Pearson for a flight to the US?
Plan on 3 hours. Air Canada asks for 3 hours on US flights leaving before 9 am, and Pearson's general guide for international flights is 3 to 4 hours. Check-in closes 60 minutes before departure on Air Canada, 75 minutes on Delta and WestJet, and 90 minutes on United, according to AP.
Which Pearson terminal do US flights leave from?
It depends on the airline. Air Canada and United use Terminal 1. Alaska, American, Delta, Flair, Porter, Sun Country and WestJet use Terminal 3. Both terminals have their own US customs hall.
Do I go through US customs at Toronto Pearson?
Yes. US CBP officers clear you for US immigration and customs at Pearson before you board. You land in the US as a domestic passenger and skip CBP and TSA lines.
What time does US customs open at Pearson?
CBP processing runs from 3:30 am to 9:00 pm in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. Pearson says CATSA security for US flights starts at 3:00 am.
Can I use Global Entry at Toronto Pearson?
Yes. Global Entry members use the NEXUS kiosks at US customs, and NEXUS holders have a dedicated line at security and US customs. Mobile Passport Control also works at Pearson.
Sources
- Toronto Pearson - US Customs at Pearson
- Toronto Pearson - NEXUS and Global Entry
- Toronto Pearson - Security
- Toronto Pearson - Get ready to depart
- Toronto Pearson - Baggage
- Toronto Pearson - Airlines and destinations
- Toronto Pearson - Airport wait time dashboard
- Toronto Pearson - Departures
- Toronto Pearson - Terminal Link train
- Toronto Pearson - Picking up and dropping off
- Toronto Pearson - Ride sharing
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Preclearance locations
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Mobile Passport Control
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Airports with Global Entry
- CATSA - Toronto Pearson security wait times
- CATSA - Liquids, non-solid food and personal items
- CATSA - CT X-ray (airports and checkpoints, modified Apr 1, 2026)
- Air Canada - Check-in and boarding times
- Delta - International check-in time requirements
- WestJet - Check-in
- AP via MyNorthwest - United narrows check-in window; airline comparison (May 27, 2025)
- UP Express - Union Station
- UP Express - Pearson Station
- UP Express - Fares
- UP Express - Planned construction
- CP24 - Toronto Pearson begins decade-long renovation project (May 11, 2026)
- Future Travel Experience - Toronto Pearson launches $1.5bn terminal revitalisation (July 2026)
- Canada Border Services Agency - Entry/Exit initiative (July 11, 2019)
- Wikipedia - Toronto Pearson International Airport (terminals and concourses)
- Wikipedia - United States border preclearance
Airport conditions change. Always follow your airline's check-in and bag-drop deadlines.