How Crazy is YYZ Airport?

[Gigi22]

Considering flying to Florida in February or March. I will have to change planes in YYZ. How crazy is the airport? How much time do I need to successfully connect to my Florida-bound flight?

 

[jcourtney]

It's been a few years since I've been there but honestly, give yourself as much time as possible. The walk between International and domestic is LONG and you will have to go through security again (so don't do what I did and stock up on beverages that you will have to throw out). I would avoid YYZ if at all possible, if you can't then give yourself a lot of time.

 

[wdwmom3]

Toronto is a very busy airport. I don’t know how much time you will need to connect as I’ve never had to (we fly out of Toronto). But you have to clear customs at the airport. Customs can get backed up.

So you will need to make sure you have a good amount of time. I would say at least 2 hours. Also remember in February you can have weather delays.

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

I have connected many times through YYZ. It is a very large airport with 2 different terminals. Most airlines that connect in Toronto will account for the correct amount of time needed to get through customs and security. The last time I connected in YYZ I was through customs in about a half hour. That was before Covid though..... Pearson is a big place but its almost impossible to get lost... lots of directional signs everywhere and lots of employees willing to help if needed.

There is great info to be found here - https://www.torontopearson.com/en/ready-to-travel

 

[Aug2020distrip]

I don’t know but we have a 1.5 layover end of April so I hope it’s enough time. Only thing available since they cut so many flights our plan is just get off plane as fast as we can and rush to customs and worry about anything else once we get through customs. Kids, you better not have to pee! Lol

 

[migel]

I flew Air Canada back in November YYZ to MCO. I had a 9:30 a.m. flight and was at the airport well over 3 hours in advance. At boarding time, I was still in line for customs along with everyone else. I made it to the gate as they were still boarding. At least 20-30 passengers after me. Our plane was delayed, buy only for about 40 minutes. I've heard YYZ has been hit and miss since then, but I'd give myself plenty of extra time.

 

[youngdeb12]

We've connected twice through YYZ coming from Vancouver to MCO and the first time, 3 hours was barely enough time between flight arriving and our connecting international flight and the second time we had more than enough time to get through. Our tight connection was a morning flight so I'm not sure if that was the difference. Like previous posters have said, you will have to go back through security and then customs so it can take awhile.

 

[starlite_]

I've had a very dif experience than other posters, for the last 2 years whenever I've traveled (always international) I've arrived at least 3 hrs before, sometimes more and I'm always at the duty free stores like 15 minutes later. Longest part for me has been the checking since I need to scan my passport. It's been so much better than in pre-covid times. I've always traveled at dif hrs of the day too, morning, afternoon and evening.

That said, I have a global entry so I never make much/ if any line at customs.

 

[wdwmom3]

I've had a very dif experience than other posters, for the last 2 years whenever I've traveled (always international) I've arrived at least 3 hrs before, sometimes more and I'm always at the duty free stores like 15 minutes later. Longest part for me has been the checking since I need to scan my passport. It's been so much better than in pre-covid times. I've always traveled at dif hrs of the day too, morning, afternoon and evening.

That said, I have a global entry so I never make much/ if any line at customs.

Was the international to the US? It doesn’t take as long if you are going to another country.

The big hold up is getting through US customs. Especially in the morning. That’s when customs is the busiest

 

[Gigi22]

Would I be better off to take a late morning flight to Toronto and give myself about 4 hours to get my connection? I don’t have a deadline to arrive in Florida.

 

[starlite_]

Was the international to the US? It doesn’t take as long if you are going to another country.

The big hold up is getting through US customs. Especially in the morning. That’s when customs is the busiest

Yes, 99% of the time I travel to the US. Which I've also done first thing in the morning when it's opening by staying over at the airport.

I'm not saying arrive 15 min before your flight tho, I always prefer to arrive stupid early and not risk the stress of still being in the line while boarding times comes closer and closer. But, lines have been a lot more manageable since covid, including the customs one to such degree that they were using the same line for ppl with and without global entry.

Would I be better off to take a late morning flight to Toronto and give myself about 4 hours to get my connection? I don’t have a deadline to arrive in Florida.

I would take the late morning one if you don't mind arriving later, historically the first few hrs are always the worst.

 

[ottawamom]

That sounds like a safer plan. Last time we flew through YYZ we had a 3 or 4 hour layover (so I could use the lounge passes I had). By the time we got off the inbound plane and made it through security again and then customs we had 20 minutes to get a bite to eat before our next flight started boarding. It might end up being a waste of time if things go smoothly but missing a flight is not an option these days.

 

[boogienights]

Pearson should become Dante's 11th Circle of Hell (Walmart, the 10th). I am willing to do just about anything to avoid it. Give yourself as much time as possible. Better too much than not enough.

 

[CanucksRock]

Meanwhile, in Edmonton. No line bag check. No line security. No line customs (and my flight to Orlando is the only US flight today apparently)

 

[AdamsMum]

Considering flying to Florida in February or March. I will have to change planes in YYZ. How crazy is the airport? How much time do I need to successfully connect to my Florida-bound flight?

I live in Toronto, and every time I fly out of Pearson, I see people running to board their connecting flights at the last minute. On my last flight in December there were a couple of people boarding the flight very last minute. The fellow next to me told me he planned a longer layover, but his Ottawa flight was delayed, so there he was just making his flight. Pearson is very busy, and very large. You also might have to take a shuttle if you're arriving in a different terminal than your connecting flight.

 

[Pumpkin1172]

I just wish that when WJ was changing/cancelling flights that they would remember that many people who are flying from the west coming into YYZ need longer than 1 hr 49 minutes to catch their connection We had purposely picked the flights we did because we wanted the extra time to catch the connection and get through customs. We are already limited in the number of flights available going east...Sigh. We are just trying to not spend 28 hrs on flights to get into Orlando from Alberta.

 

[mullysisters]

I'm no expert but could you not fly into Chicago or some smaller US hub and then into MCO? Why go through Toronto ( the only airport I've ever used) just a thought.

 

[Gigi22]

I'm no expert but could you not fly into Chicago or some smaller US hub and then into MCO? Why go through Toronto ( the only airport I've ever used) just a thought.

Flying AC and going to the west coast of Florida. My choices are flying from my local airport and transferring at either YUL or YYZ. In the pre-Covid days, I could have transferred at Dulles or Philadelphia but those options don’t seem to be available now, and aren’t attractive anyhow. I would prefer transferring in my own country at an airport where I might be able to get a later flight to my destination if things go sideways. Clock will be ticking on my pre-flight viral test results.

 

[accm]

We were there in November of last year, and even though we arrived more than 3hrs before our flight, we got to our gate less than 15 minutes before they started boarding. There were people in line who missed their flight because the customs employees would not allow them skip to the front of the line. This was in Terminal 1.

We fly out Saturday morning out of terminal 3, so I'm not sure what to expect, but we're planning on being there at least 3hrs early again.