Press release

Canada’s largest and busiest airport is ready for the upcoming holiday travel season and is sharing tips to help passengers make their way smoothly through Toronto Pearson.

“The holidays are an exciting time, and Toronto Pearson is proud to play a big part in connecting people with loved ones around the world,” said Deborah Flint, President and CEO, Greater Toronto Airports Authority. “This year, we've taken significant steps to enhance our winter operational capabilities to prepare for the holidays. The GTAA is fully staffed, has enhanced deicing and slow clearing capabilities, and is ready to welcome a record number of passengers through our airport this winter.” 

To enhance your airport experience, we recommend using the following digital tools: 

  • YYZ Express, an online reservation program that allows travellers to book a spot in the security line ahead of their flight, up to 72 hours in advance. 
  • Mobile Passport Control, an app introduced by United States Customs and Border Protection that allows travellers to digitally submit their information for a smoother departures experience if they’re travelling to the US. 
  • A live wait times dashboard provides travellers with real-time information ahead of arriving at the airport.  
  • A peak travel times dashboard shows if you will be passing through the airport during a busy period. 
  • Advance Declaration continues to be offered by Canada Border Services Agency, which lets travellers submit their customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours in advance of flying into Canada, giving them a faster border experience and saving them time at Pearson. Passengers who complete Advance Declaration will have access to an Express Lane in the customs area.  
  • Don’t forget tofollow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, for any major operational updates.

While nobody can control the weather, we believe we can control our response to it. Ahead of the winter season, Toronto Pearson has implemented several measures to help airport operations during peak travel times.

Some of those measures include increasing staffing levels, adding additional snow removal equipment, placing more volunteers throughout the airport to assist passengers, and adding greater system resiliency to our baggage system. 

The airport will be busy, so travellers are urged to plan ahead, to check weather forecasts ahead of any flight, and to be prepared in case plans are affected. 

About the Greater Toronto Airports Authority

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is the operator of Toronto – Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Canada’s largest airport and a vital connector of people, businesses and goods. 

Toronto Pearson has been named “Best Large Airport in North America serving more than 40 million passengers” for five years in a row by Airports Council International (ACI), the global trade representative of the world’s airports. In recognition of its Healthy Airport program, ACI has also awarded Toronto Pearson the “Best hygiene measures in North America” award for three years running, and Toronto Pearson was the first Canadian airport to receive ACI’s global health accreditation for its response to COVID-19.

For our corporate twitter channel, please visit @PearsonComms. For operational updates and passenger information, please visit @TorontoPearson/@AeroportPearson on Twitter. You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram.