Departure Guide

Not sure where to go to get your boarding pass? Your check-in counter can be found on our terminal map.

Domestic flights - please check in at least 90 minutes prior to departure.

During the peak summer travel season, the demand for US-bound traffic is higher than usual. Please check-in a minimum of 3 hours before your flight. For the majority of US flights, guests leaving Toronto will go through U.S. Customs in Toronto, which allows you to arrive in the US as a domestic passenger.

• In Terminal 3, the U.S. Customs process is busy, but working effectively.
• In Terminal 1, the U.S. Customs process is busier than ever and is resulting in some line ups that are longer than normal.

To help avoid congestion in the U.S. Customs hall in Terminal 1, while you are required to check-in a minimum of 3 hours before your flight, at certain times of day US-bound guests will only be allowed into the Customs hall within 2 hours of their scheduled flight time. Once you have checked in, you will be directed to a waiting area where you will be called in to the U.S. Customs hall according to the time of your flight. This process is designed to move you through the customs process as quickly as possible and avoid flight delays.

• Use the web or a kiosk to check in.
• If you are checking in with an airline agent, or you have a bag to check, you are required to line up to speak with an airline representative.
• Once you have checked in at Terminal 3, proceed to the U.S. Customs hall.
• Once you have checked in at Terminal 1, you will be directed to a waiting area, where guests will be called into the US Customs hall according to the time of their flight.
• Following U.S. Customs clearance, guests will move to the pre-board security screening area and then on to the gate to await their flights.
• NEXUS card holders may enter the US Customs hall in Terminals 1 and 3 at any time with their valid NEXUS and US Customs cards.

We understand and appreciate the frustration U.S.-bound passengers are experiencing as a result of long wait times to be processed by U.S. Customs. The airport is working with its government partners on long-term solutions to reduce the delays. Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

Want to save even more time? Check in from home as early as 24 hours before your flight.
Find out if your airline offers online check-in. 

Whether you’re checking in at a counter, self-service kiosk or online, these handy tips will help make your travels a breeze:

• Ensure all travel documents and tickets are ready before you reach your counter or kiosk.
• Be aware of weight and size restrictions for checked baggage. For specific weight allowances, please refer to your ticket or contact your air carrier directly. Remove or tighten all straps on duffle bags or backpacks.
• Ensure that all checked and carry-on luggage has your name and address on it prior to arriving at the airport. For security, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) recommends using your work address, where possible.
• Pack your own baggage and remove all old bag tags to avoid confusion.
• Verify that your baggage does not contain any restricted items. For a complete up-to-date list of restricted items please visit  www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca. 

For all Canadian domestic flights, every guest is required to have valid photo identification to confirm their identity as a ticket holder.
More information on domestic identification requirements can be found here.

All guests departing on flights from Toronto Pearson must proceed through pre-board security screening. Please follow the tips here to keep this process running smoothly:

• Remove footwear if asked.
• Avoid carrying metal items that may trigger metal detector alarms (i.e. belts, buttons, body piercings, and steel toe shoes).
• All carry-on items must be placed in a tray for screening. Please remove jackets, purses and carry-on bags before arriving at the front of the screening line.
• Electronic equipment may need to be switched on when going through screening. Ensure all cameras, laptops and other devices are out of your luggage and ready for inspection.
• Boarding passes and personal identification (i.e. passport, and/or birth certificate) must be shown to screening personnel and carried through the metal detector.

Questions about gels, liquids and aerosols onboard aircraft? Please view the Transport Canada news release at http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/aviationsecurity/liquidsban-43.htm.

For more on security at Toronto Pearson, please visit www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca.

For the CBSA's arrival travel guidelines, please click here.