How early to get to Toronto Pearson for a Sat. AM flight to the US?
October 27, 2016 6:29 AM Subscribe
Flying back to the US out of Toronto Pearson on a Saturday 7:45 AM flight (AA terminal 3). How early should we get there to deal with customs, security, checking bags ... (we are US citizens).
Best answer: Flying Sunday mornings isn't too busy usually, but you will be pre-clearing customs in Toronto, which I frequently find is the slowest step to the process. I'd want a full two hours to be safe. The airlines seem to be wanting people at the gate a bit earlier now too compared to a couple of years ago, I suspect because people carry on so much now it takes longer to load.
posted by bonehead at 6:42 AM on October 27, 2016
posted by bonehead at 6:42 AM on October 27, 2016
I haven't flown out through terminal 3 in a few years, but when I used to do it on the regular, the customs line was always a breeze (that wasn't always the case in terminal 1, but it's gotten better with the newer machines). I can only guess terminal 3 is easier now. If you don't have to return a rental car, I'd be pretty comfortable with an hour and a half (and I used to try to leave 3 hours at Pearson when I was returning a rental car and clearing customs).
The only possible hiccup is that sometimes those terminal 3 flights actually went out of a gate that was a short bus ride from the actual terminal, but even then, an hour and a half should do you.
posted by ldthomps at 7:02 AM on October 27, 2016
The only possible hiccup is that sometimes those terminal 3 flights actually went out of a gate that was a short bus ride from the actual terminal, but even then, an hour and a half should do you.
posted by ldthomps at 7:02 AM on October 27, 2016
Best answer: Customs opens at 4:30, so there shouldn't be a pile of people waiting (which is what I've sometimes found on 6 am flights.) I would still aim for about 2 hrs, but I wouldn't worry about leaving more.
posted by warriorqueen at 7:25 AM on October 27, 2016
posted by warriorqueen at 7:25 AM on October 27, 2016
Best answer: 7:45 AM on a Saturday? 90 minutes is enough for most flights. If you expect to board a large aircraft with 2 door boarding, you'll need 2 hours as those boarding calls are earlier.
posted by crazycanuck at 8:32 AM on October 27, 2016
posted by crazycanuck at 8:32 AM on October 27, 2016
Best answer: As much as I love sleep (and hate Terminal 3... it's the worst*), I wouldn't go less than 2 hours, because that particular customs line can be so variable.
When they have the "US Citizens and Perm Residents" line open, you can often fly through pretty fast. But when they don't, and it's busy, and it's understaffed, you can end up in that tensabarrier maze for easily 45-60 minutes. Which isn't necessarily a problem for you getting on the plane, but it can be for your bags since you don't actually "check" them until after you're through.
Saturday morning flights also tend to be fewer business travelers and more leisure travelers. While there are plenty of sophisticated leisure travelers, on the whole people who don't travel often tend not to have their shit together in a way that makes lines go efficiently.
*at least they've replaced Friday's American Bar. Ugh.
posted by sparklemotion at 10:14 AM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
When they have the "US Citizens and Perm Residents" line open, you can often fly through pretty fast. But when they don't, and it's busy, and it's understaffed, you can end up in that tensabarrier maze for easily 45-60 minutes. Which isn't necessarily a problem for you getting on the plane, but it can be for your bags since you don't actually "check" them until after you're through.
Saturday morning flights also tend to be fewer business travelers and more leisure travelers. While there are plenty of sophisticated leisure travelers, on the whole people who don't travel often tend not to have their shit together in a way that makes lines go efficiently.
*at least they've replaced Friday's American Bar. Ugh.
posted by sparklemotion at 10:14 AM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Nthing the answers above. They're reasonably efficient security there, and the preclearance slows it down a but, but they are usually properly staffed.
Also, I've found the UP Express to be awesome, if it fits your route of travel. Definitely the fastest way to get there from downtown. It goes to T1, but then there's a little monorail to get to T3. It starts at 5:30am, I think. Subway starts too late to help you out.
posted by thenormshow at 2:04 PM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Also, I've found the UP Express to be awesome, if it fits your route of travel. Definitely the fastest way to get there from downtown. It goes to T1, but then there's a little monorail to get to T3. It starts at 5:30am, I think. Subway starts too late to help you out.
posted by thenormshow at 2:04 PM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks, all very helpful. Probably an hour and a half would have been fine, but it was fairly busy even at that hour, we were checking bags, and we felt safer allowing 2 hours (and that enabled us to get some tea and a snack prior to boarding.)
posted by gudrun at 3:10 PM on October 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by gudrun at 3:10 PM on October 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
I fly TO-US quite a bit, through Pearson.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 6:41 AM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]