Checking bag at Pearson

[Burgermom]

Hi,
How involved is the process of checking a bag at Pearson airport? I am trying to decide if we should just stick with carry-on bags or check a bag.
Is there a really long line to check bags? Is there any way to do it efficiently.
We are flying from YYZ to MCO at 6:15 am on Sunday with Air Canada

 

[grantclaire]

It is pretty simple now, check in at home or on mobile device. At airport go to an AC kiosk to print out luggage tag that you put on the bag then go to the automated bag drop and scan your boarding pass and place bag on belt. There should be staff there to help. No long lines the last few times I have flown out of Pearson.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Our long line at Pearson wasn't for bag check, but going through customs into the U.S. Even that wasn't a crazy long line, but maybe we were lucky.

 

[alohamom]

Unless you are talking about the Sunday of March Break, the process to drop off a bag at AC in Pearson isnt too bad.

I was shocked at how quickly we were able to check a bag last time but you had to have all your info ready first, enter it in at a kiosk and then walk your bag through to the attendant at the counter who tagged it and then it was off to Customs. @FigmentSpark is correct in that US Customs is where you will probably spend most of your time. Or security screening...

 

[Burgermom]

Do you have to print out anything at home ahead of time? Or is it just a code or something digital that I can use.
Our home printer isn't the greatest and often when I try to print out official type things they don't work (for example; bar codes)

As for security; we have Nexus (pre check) so hopefully we won't need to wait too long in customs

thanks

 

[starvenger]

I think you need to go to a kiosk to print out the luggage tags but that should be rather uneventful.

Since you’re taking Air Canada, be warned that when you come back, your luggage may take up to an hour to get to the carousel. I’m not certain if that is due to customs or just inefficiency, but it is slow.

 

[Starwind]

Do you have to print out anything at home ahead of time? Or is it just a code or something digital that I can use.
Our home printer isn't the greatest and often when I try to print out official type things they don't work (for example; bar codes)

As for security; we have Nexus (pre check) so hopefully we won't need to wait too long in customs

thanks

WIth Nexus, if you also have Global Entry, look for the US' GLobal Entry kiosks at the US clearance area. When we have gone through at Pearson there is usually a long line at US customs but the Global Entry line is often short or no line. The first time I had Nexus but my sister didn't we did the normal line -- it was an hour to get through it; meanwhile Glbal Entry never had an actual line there was always a kiosk available. Needless to say she has Nexus with global entry now, too

SW

 

[Burgermom]

WIth Nexus, if you also have Global Entry, look for the US' GLobal Entry kiosks at the US clearance area. When we have gone through at Pearson there is usually a long line at US customs but the Global Entry line is often short or no line. The first time I had Nexus but my sister didn't we did the normal line -- it was an hour to get through it; meanwhile Glbal Entry never had an actual line there was always a kiosk available. Needless to say she has Nexus with global entry now, too

SW

I'm so excited to use Nexus for the first time.