Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)

Toronto Pearson is Canada's largest and busiest airport, handling over 50 million passengers annually. Located in Mississauga, about 27 km northwest of downtown Toronto, it serves as the primary hub for Air Canada and a major base for WestJet, Porter Airlines, Flair Airlines, and Air Transat.

Terminals

Terminal 1 handles most Air Canada flights, Star Alliance partners, and select international carriers. Terminal 3 serves WestJet, Porter, Flair, and most leisure airlines. The terminals are connected by a free inter-terminal shuttle — allow 15-20 minutes if transferring.

Getting Downtown

The UP Express is the fastest option: a dedicated train running every 15 minutes from Terminal 1 to Union Station in 25 minutes ($12.35 CAD). The TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) runs bus routes to Kipling subway station. Taxis and rideshares cost $55-70 CAD to downtown.

What Canadians Should Know

• Arrive 3 hours before international flights, 2 hours for domestic
• NEXUS card holders get dedicated security and customs lanes — highly recommended for frequent travellers
• YYZ has strong direct routes to Europe, the Caribbean, and US cities. Asia-Pacific routes typically connect through Vancouver
• Best deals tend to appear on routes to sun destinations (Cancun, Punta Cana) in fall, and to Europe in shoulder season (April-May, September-October)
• Budget carriers like Flair and Swoop (now part of WestJet) frequently offer deep discounts on popular routes