Toronto Pearson Intl Airport (YYZ) Flights & Flight Status

Toronto Pearson International Airport is Canada’s biggest and busiest airport and the others are not even close.

It serves not only as a hub for many of the domestic flights that span the world’s second-largest country, but is also the favoured Canadian destination for a large number of international airlines.

While YYZ sometimes makes headlines during extraordinarily busy times when lineups at security or customs become overwhelming, these events are rare and the airport is normally a pleasure to use.

Navigating Pearson’s two terminals

Pearson is so big that it has two terminals so if you are connecting between flights, you may fly into one and out the other. The two terminals are numbered 1 and 3 and if you’re wondering why there’s no terminal 2, it was demolished in 2008.

Terminal 1 is mostly used by Air Canada and its Star Alliance partners while Terminal 3 serves everybody else and there’s a free, 24-hour train that links the two. Known as the Terminal Link train, it also takes passengers to the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, ALT Hotel, the Viscount Station and Value Park Garage and Lot.

Despite the train’s uncomplicated route, I’ve missed my stop more than once so pay attention to the station signs. If you get lost, there are plenty of airport staff and knowledgeable locals to point you in the right direction.

Getting to and from Pearson

Because it serves the country’s largest metropolis, transportation options for getting to and from YYZ are plentiful.

I find the most stress-free option to get to and from downtown is the Union Pearson Express, a train which connects the airport with Union Station. It also connects with the city’s subway and GO Transit regional trains. Trains run every 15 minutes, seven days a week from roughly 5:30 am to 1 a.m. and the entire journey downtown doesn’t take longer than 25 minutes.

If I’m travelling to a destination that isn’t downtown, I prefer taxis which you can find near door D at the arrivals level of Terminal 1 or doors D, E and F at Terminal 3. I sometimes take a limo (if someone else is paying the bill because these are premium cars that cost more to ride). They wait at Door C in Terminal 1 and Door F at Terminal 3.

If you prefer ride-sharing services like Lyft or Uber, you’ll find them at Door A of the arrivals level of both Terminals 1 and 3. All other licenced ride-share providers operate at Doors Q or P of Terminal 1 or Door D of Terminal 3.

Many hotels near the airport offer free shuttles for their customers. You can find them at Door R at the ground level of Terminal 1 and Doors B and G of Terminal 3.

If you’re brave enough to face Toronto’s legendary traffic, there all the big-name car rental agencies operate counters near the parking garages of both terminals.

A different twist on car rentals is car sharing which is offered by Turo. Think of it as Airbnb for cars where vehicles are owned by real people and not a car rental company.

If all else fails, there’s always public transit. Numerous Toronto Transit Corporation buses connect Pearson to the subway and other destinations. Go Transit, Miway and Brampton Transit offer connectivity to the city’s sprawling suburbs.

Relax in one of YYZ’s many lounges

If you’re like me and you hate spending more time at the airport gate than necessary, then YYZ has you covered with a flock of lounges.

Which lounge you select depends on which terminal you fly from and your final destination as some are in domestic parts of the airport, others in the international section and a few are set up for transborder passengers heading to the United States.

For customers with elite status, Air Canada operates three Maple Leaf Lounges, a Maple Leaf Café, a Maple Leaf Lounge Express and its Signature Suite in the airport. The Signature Suite is the fanciest of the lot while the Express is only barely better than sitting at the gate. The Café feels a bit like a cafeteria, but it’s pleasant enough, but you should note that it doesn’t serve any alcohol.

Other airline lounges include American Airlines Admirals Club and the KLM Crown Lounge which are only accessible to their top customers. The other option is one of the six Plaza Premium Lounges operated in Pearson’s two terminals. You can buy a day pass to get in or purchase a subscription to access these and other Plaza Premium Lounges in other airports. Access to their lounges is sometimes a perk for certain credit card holders.

If you’d rather work out than stuff your face with a lounge’s endless free food and drink, a more interesting option is GoodLife Fitness, a sprawling gym with all the workout equipment you can handle. It’s in Terminal 1 before you go past security. Don’t worry, they have showers.

Getting through security at Pearson

As Canada’s busiest and largest airport, Pearson has numerous security checkpoints processing thousands of passengers every day. Most days it flows with clockwork precision. Which checkpoint you use depends on whether you’re flying domestically, internationally or to the U.S.

Waiting times are posted on the airport’s website and are busiest in the morning when business travellers are catching commuter flights, but there are other peaks in the late afternoon and early evening when airlines head overseas.

One way to whisk through the lines is to sign up for the free YYZ Express service which allows you to set a specific time to access security checkpoints, up to 72 hours before your departure time. It’s only available at specific times in the day, usually the busiest ones, so it’s a no-brainer service if you don’t like waiting.

What to expect at customs and Immigration

International arrivals at YYZ have to pass through immigration before they can pick up their luggage and leave the airport.

Once at immigration, you fill out an electronic customs form at a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) primary inspection kiosk which will spit out a paper receipt that you have to show to an inspector who will ask you some questions before allowing you into the country. Keep that paper because you will have to hand it to a customs officer after you collect your luggage at the carousel or even if you only have a carry-on bag. In rare cases, they may pull you aside to inspect your bags.

Despite the large number of automated kiosks, this line can sometimes get quite long, especially if several flights have arrived at the airport in rapid succession. I always jump the line by using making me declaration using the CBSA’s free ArriveCAN app which has a special queue reserved just for users of the app and since most people forget it exists, the line is usually less busy.

For passengers flying to the United States, each of the terminals at Pearson has a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance station where you will complete all of your American border formalities. Consider using the CBP’s free Mobile Passport Control app to access a shorter line ahead of other travellers.

My favourite food and drink choices at Pearson

There’s probably no airport in Canada with as many food and drink options as Pearson. From familiar fast-food outlets to sit-down restaurants serving dishes from Toronto’s top chefs, you have no excuse to go hungry at YYZ.

Rather than simply list the many choices available, I’ll recommend a few of my favourites, starting with Caplansky’s Deli in Terminal 3. While their smoked meat may not compare to what you’d find in Montreal, I enjoy sampling their sandwiches.

Another place I like is Smoke’s Poutinerie in Terminal 3, a food-truck inspired counter that serves up some delicious spins on poutine, an iconic Canadian dish of fries, cheese curd and gravy, but with inspired flavour twists.

Finally, there’s Bar:120, an unpretentious open-air bistro in Terminal 1 that serves comfort foods paired with perfect wines and cocktails in a setting that lets me enjoy one of my favourite pastimes which is watching planes take off and land.

Layover ideas for a quick Toronto visit

If you have a long layover, I’d recommend hopping on the UP Express to Union Station to explore some of the city’s most iconic attractions, the most notable of which is the CN Tower. Let the elevator whisk you up to the top of this futuristic-looking structure to enjoy stunning views of the city and Lake Ontario. It’s especially awesome at sunset.

Also nearby is Ripley’s Aquarium and the Hockey Hall of Fame, a must-see museum for fans of Canada’s national sport. Speaking of which, the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs play in a nearby arena and it’s worth it to catch a game if you’ve never seen one live. If it’s summertime, Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays play in a stadium in the shadow of the CN Tower.