What time to get to YYZ for a 6:20AM US departure wit no checked baggage?

alohamom

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 31, 2003
Hello everyone!

I dont fly out of Pearson airport that much, usually we go via Buffalo and we are looking at a 6:20 AM take off time.

What time do you all suggest arriving to YYZ? The website says US Customs does not open until 4:30AM anyway and we have no baggage to check.

Should we aim for 4AM?

I know the guideline is 3 hours but is there any sense if nothing opens till 4:30?

Any info is really appreciated, thanks in advance!
 
i know when I do this in Ottawa,I rather wait at the front of the line for customs than the back of the line.I have to hand in my filled out card,then go through security and then customs.The lineup here can be quite long sometimes and quite stressful if your at the back of the line catching an early flight,for me anyway.
 
I would rather wait some extra time as opposed to missing my flight. With just a carry-on bag I arrive two hours ahead but I have Nexxus and get to skip all of the security lines. If you're flying out of Terminal 1 they will make you go to a waiting area and you will only be able to advance to security when they call your flight time.
 
I literally ran to my gate to make my flight out of yyz last trip. Air Canada “selected me” for extra special screening. I wasn’t in the “pulled out of the crowd room” run by customs (which I’ve done and it goes quickly) , I had to have my carry ons hand checked by the screeners. It was BRUTAL. Better to be early and not risk it.
 




I agree with Sara here - Monday-Wednesday mornings are hectic due to business travellers. Saturday mornings busy due to vacationers.

Assuming you do online check-in you need to allocate an hour before departure time for security and customs, but without NEXUS you will be cutting things very close. 1.5-2 hours is probably sufficient under normal circumstances.

But you’re going first thing in the morning, So add an extra 30 minutes to be certain.

Side note: I haven’t done a “first thing in the morning” flight since they swapped around security and customs, but my memory of waiting around before things opened up was that you see a lot of people in line waiting and you get stressed out because there are a lot of people in line waiting. The processing speed will not be as fast as you want but it will be faster than you think. Just try to relax and remind yourself that you will get through in time to make your flight.
 
Side note: I haven’t done a “first thing in the morning” flight since they swapped around security and customs, but my memory of waiting around before things opened up was that you see a lot of people in line waiting and you get stressed out because there are a lot of people in line waiting. The processing speed will not be as fast as you want but it will be faster than you think. Just try to relax and remind yourself that you will get through in time to make your flight.

Great advice Kevin, thank you!

Funny how line ups can psych you out but it is really true for me when it comes to travelling. I have a re-occurring dream of missing a flight so I over plan just to be sure.
 
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if your flying out on a weekday, I would be there for opening. It could be nuts with commuters. I’d rather be safe than sorry.

Actually I would say the opposite. The commenters all fly out of the island for the most part (NYC, DC, Chicago are all serviced from there). We commuters avoid Pearson like the plague. (And who commutes to Florida from TO? Assuming that’s where you are going...)

The longest lines I see - and I fly twice a week - are on Friday nights, weekends and holidays when the non-regulars are flying. More people and fewer of them are familiar with the latest generation of screening gadgetry.

So if you are flying on a weekday you should be fine arriving for 4:30. Because the airline counters sometimes don’t open until 5:00, and even if they open two hours before your flight everyone with a bag to check will be over in that line. And then be ok with having an hour or more to chill out with almost nothing to do in the terminal. Timmy’s should be open but that’s about it. ;)
 

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