So what's it like connecting through Pearson?

[dis_guy]

We usually fly with a US airline, connecting in the US, when flying to MCO but with an abundance of Aeroplan points sitting in my account, I'm thinking it's time to use some for a trip to WDW.

So of course, all options offered are connections through YYZ but there are quite a few choices open to us. One has a connection time of 1:22 but there are others with longer times available. Is this enough time for clearing customs and getting to our gate?

We'll be coming from YEG and it's just DW and me and we're very experienced air travellers who avoid YYZ and some other airports like the plague.

 

[4stroke]

Hi there,

1:22 isn't a whole lot of time, but should be sufficient.

You don't have to physically get your checked bags when arriving in YYZ, which does help. Once you get off the YEG flight quickly follow the US connections signs, which take you to the connections area. You scan your MCO boarding pass at a kiosk, then wait for your name to pop up on a connections screen, meaning your bags are ready to follow you to your next flight.

From there you go to US customs, then security screening. Head directly to your gate after that, and you should be ok.

If it gets close, AC agents in the security line will call passengers for flights leaving soon, you put your hands up and they take you to the front of the line.

Hope that helps!

4S

Apr/08: Offsite ~ Apr/09: Offsite ~ Apr/10: CR ~ Oct/10: Disney Paris Offsite ~ Apr/11: CR ~ Oct/11: CSR & POFQ (Purchased DVC ) ~ Jan/12: BLT & VWL ~ May/12: BLT & VWL ~ Oct/12: BLT & POR ~ Jan/13: SSR ~ May/13: VWL

 

[dis_guy]

Perfect! Thanks, that's just what I was after. For comfort, though, I think I'll choose a little longer connection to allow for grabbing a bite or something.

 

[ABCanada]

You can often get good United flights with Aeroplan out of Edmonton. You would then connect through the US, shorter flight duration, and the United fees are considerably lower than Air Canada.

If you have lots of points, it seems there are often more United flights under Business Class.

 

[dis_guy]

You can often get good United flights with Aeroplan out of Edmonton. You would then connect through the US, shorter flight duration, and the United fees are considerably lower than Air Canada.

If you have lots of points, it seems there are often more United flights under Business Class.

That would definitely be my preference but for my March 29 to April 4 2015 dates, all I'm getting is AC through YYZ. on the plus side I have lots of choices of departures. Limited returns though. Don't have that many points that I'd go business class, yet. Lol.

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

Travelled through Pearson in April. Had 2 hours to make connection to Miami. All smooth except after scanning passport - had to wait almost 1.5 hours for name to appear on screen to get to the next lineup - made it to my gate as the last boarding call was announced.....I wasn't impressed

 

[dis_guy]

Travelled through Pearson in April. Had 2 hours to make connection to Miami. All smooth except after scanning passport - had to wait almost 1.5 hours for name to appear on screen to get to the next lineup - made it to my gate as the last boarding call was announced.....I wasn't impressed

Wow! So, even a 3 h connection wouldn't be a crazy idea, maybe. We'd arrive in the late evening anyway, it's not like we're heading to the parks or anything that first night. Getting in an hour later wouldn't be a big deal.

 

[Tropics]

I've gone through Pearson many times before with a connection to the US... Unfortunately flights out of Ottawa to the US are relatively few and I would rather go through Pearson then O'Hare. Pearson is a great airport when things are working well. If your flight into Pearson is on time then 1.5 hrs connection time is good. However, if your flight into Pearson is late then it is an absolute disaster! I flew through Pearson to Phoenix in January and had a super delayed flight getting into Pearson. They made a mess of rebooking my connections and then couldn't find my luggage when I refused their first rebooking option. I was literally back and forth across the far reaches of Pearson multiple times while they tried to locate my luggage. Even with all of the time that. I was in the airport trying waiting for my connection they couldn't find my luggage and it arrived 24 hours after I did. I saw the dark side of Pearson where nobody know what to do and no one wants to take responsibility for anything. However, the facilities themselves can be much nicer at Pearson than many US airports because Pearson is a relatively new terminal.

 

[ccudmore]

If you want to familiarize yourself with where to go when you're connecting, go to http://www.airportwayfinder.com/wayfinders/yyz-wdemo/.

They have video walk-throughs of every possible combination of connection and terminal at YYZ. For example, if you're flying Air Canada, select Terminal 1 > Canada to US and it will walk you through all of the steps.