For passengers departing to domestic destinations, we ask that you arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes in advance of your flight. For passengers departing to international destinations, please arrive at least 3 hours in advance.
On arrival, international passengers may experience longer than normal waits after deplaning, caused by reduced customs hall capacity to maintain capacity and more detailed screening requirements related to COVID-19. The arrivals process could take three hours or longer depending on your specific set of circumstances.
Policies in effect
Vaccinated travellers
Fully vaccinated travellers to Canada who meet specific conditions will not need to quarantine or complete additional COVID-19 tests provided they are:
- Are eligible to enter Canada
- Are asymptomatic
- Meet the Government of Canada requirements of fully vaccinated travellers
- Meet all other entry requirements, including entering your information in the ArriveCAN mobile app before arrival
If you qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption, you may be exempt from arrival testing. However, you may be selected for mandatory randomized arrival testing. You are exempt from:
- Quarantine
- Day-8 testing requirement
To learn if you qualify, please visit the Government of Canada’s webpage for vaccinated travellers entering Canada.
Fully vaccinated travellers who meet the requirements will not need to quarantine; however, all travellers must still provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine, in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet the necessary requirements. Learn more at canada.ca.
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers
The Government of Canada announced that effective October 30, air passengers departing from Canadian airports will need to be fully vaccinated.
Airport policies
The following airport policies are currently in place for all travellers and employees, regardless of vaccination status:
- To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, all passengers and airport employees must wear a mask at all times. This includes the pre- and post-security screening areas of the terminals, parking facilities, inter-terminal train, sidewalks/curbs outside the terminals and other outdoor public areas.
- Terminal access is restricted to passengers who are travelling on the same day, passengers on layover for more than a day and airport employees on duty. Meeters and greeters or those dropping friends and loved ones off at the airport are not permitted to enter the terminals.
- Hand sanitizer stations are located throughout the airport. Please sanitize or wash your hands regularly.
- Baggage carts and kiosks are cleaned regularly throughout the day and plexiglass barriers are installed throughout the airport for a safer airport experience.
- As always, follow in-terminal signage and maintain a safe physical distance whenever possible.
There are exceptions to these airport policies. You will not be required to wear a mask if:
- You are under the age of two
- You are unable to remove a mask without assistance
- You have a medical condition that prevents you from wearing a mask. In this case, you are exempt from the rule provided you have a note from a licensed medical professional that certifies that you are unable to wear a mask for medical reasons. If asked by GTAA Public Safety Officer, Peel Regional Police or a CATSA screening officer, we suggest letting them know that you have a medical condition.
- You are dining at food and beverage locations
If you are not travelling, you may still enter the public areas of the terminal buildings if:
- You are a friend or family member of someone who requires mobility assistance
- You are accompanying a minor who is travelling alone
If you’re waiting to pick up a friend or family member, our convenient cell phone waiting areas are a great option. You can also book a free Express Pass, which allows up to 18 minutes of free parking in the Terminal 1 and 3 covered garages for picking up or dropping off passengers. If you choose the Express Pass option, please ensure you communicate your parking level and parking space to your arriving party.
Please note a passenger arriving from an international flight may take between 1 to 3 hours to go through the customs process so plan your pick up time at the airport accordingly.
What’s your travel journey?
If you’re planning on travelling through Pearson in the near future, here’s what you can expect along each of the major touchpoints of your airport journey:
Other resources
- For all the latest on our response to COVID-19, see our Ready to Travel landing page.
- For more information on masks, visit the Government of Canada’s website.
- Learn about Air Canada’s CleanCare+ program.
- Explore WestJet’s Travel Ready program.
- To help you understand the rules in your destination country and do your part to stop the spread of COVID-19, you can use a third-party service, such as the interactive maps from Destination Canada (domestic travel) or Sherpa (international travel). These websites are not maintained by Toronto Pearson, so we recommend confirming these requirements with official resources, as well.
- If you’re travelling, see the Public Health Agency of Canada website for useful information.