Toronto Airport Departures (YYZ)

Toronto Pearson Airport is the largest and busiest airport in Canada, and is therefore an extremely important gateway for the country. It is used by over thirty million passengers every year, and is also considered as one of the busiest airports in the world in terms of international passenger traffic. The airport is also known as the Lester B. Pearson International Airport, or simply as the Pearson Airport, and has the official code of YYZ. A large number of airline companies offer departure flights to a wide variety of destinations, and the Toronto Pearson Airport departure areas are well equipped for their passengers’ needs. Several transport options for departing passengers are available as well.

Toronto Pearson Airport is found in the district of Ontario, and approximately 22.5km, or 14 miles northwest of Downtown Toronto. The airport serves the city of Toronto, its metropolitan area and the Golden Horseshoe, which is an urban conglomeration consisting of approximately 8.1 million people. The airport is also particularly nearby the areas of Brampton and Mississauga. Passengers on departure flights can reach the airport by bus or taxi, or can drive their own vehicles, as plenty of parking options are available. There are short-term car parks within walking distance of the terminals, and long-term car parks which offer spaces at lower rates. There is currently no train station at the airport, however, a rail link is being built, and is hoped to be completed by the 2015 Pan American Games. It should also significantly reduce traffic to the airport. The Toronto Airport Express buses travel from many locations in Downtown Toronto, and out-of-town buses are also available, from areas such as Hamilton, Cambridge, Kitchener, London, St. Catharines and Oshawa.

Passengers driving to Toronto Airport from the city can make use of the Highways 401 and 407, and make a connection to the 409, which is the airport highway leading directly to the terminal buildings. The 401 and 407 highways also lead from areas further afield, and the Highway 400 and 404 provide access from northern areas. The Airport Road and Dixon Road can be used from local areas, however, the other smaller roads surrounding the airport can only be used by authorised vehicles, and some are fenced off. Always leave in plenty of time for your departure flight at Toronto Airport, as all the surrounding roads and motorways can suffer from traffic congestion, especially during rush hour times. Time will be required for finding parking, reaching the terminal if making use of the long-stay car parks and for finding your relevant check-in counters. Passengers are advised to arrive at least ninety minutes before a domestic flight and at least three hours before an international departure. The airport’s busiest hours are between 07:00 and 09:30, and from 15:00 to 20:00.

From Toronto Airport, passengers have access to a large number of airline carriers, and can fly directly to over 180 cities around the world. The airport is Air Canada’s largest hub, which makes it an important Star Alliance hub, and is also regarded as a hub for the airline carriers of Air Canada Express, Air Transat, CanJet, Sunwing Airlines and WestJet. Destinations served by these airline companies include Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London-Heathrow, Washington-National, Madrid, Paris, Atlanta, Montréal-Trudeau, New York, Amsterdam, Rome, Birmingham and Athens, amongst many others. Additional airline companies offering Toronto Airport departure flights include British Airways, Cathay Pacific, American Airlines, Air France, Emirates, Etihad Airways, SATA International, United Airlines, Lufthansa, Finnair and Icelandair. Several charter airline companies operate from Toronto Airport as well, including Enerjet, Miami Air International, Sky King and Thomas Cook Canada, operated by Jazz Aviation LP. In 2010, Toronto Airport handled 31.9 million passengers, and in 2011, just over 33 million passengers. On average the airport serves around 86,000 passengers per day.

There are two terminal buildings at Toronto Pearson Airport, and both handle arrival and departure flights by various airline companies. Terminal 1 is considered as the eleventh largest airport terminal in the world, and handles flights by Star Alliance airlines, as well as others. It is equipped with two gates that can handle the Airbus A380 aircraft. It measures a total surface area of 464,000 square metres. Terminal 3 was opened in February of 1991, and was originally known as the ‘Trillium Terminal 3’. It is home to most SkyTeam and Oneworld airline companies, and other carriers which are not affiliated with an airline alliance. The terminals are connected by the Link Train, a sophisticated people mover system. It takes just ninety seconds to travel between the terminals, and about three to seven minutes to reach the value car parks of the airport located at Viscount Station. The Link Train is found on Level 5 of the Terminal 1 Parking Garage and at the Sheraton Hotel pedestrian bridge at Terminal 3.

Toronto Airport facilities for arriving and departing passengers are extensive, and include several airport lounges, some of which are operated by the airline companies and others which can be used by all passengers. The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge and the Plaza Premium Lounge are found in Terminal 1, and the KLM Crown Lounge, American Airlines Admirals Club and The Galleries Club Lounge of British Airways are found in Terminal 3. Duty-free stores are located in all secure departure areas, and the airport also offers many other shops, bars and restaurants for the convenience of its passengers. In addition, there are free WiFi connections, children’s play areas, lost and found offices, an Aviation Interfaith Ministry, currency exchange facilities and services for disabled passengers. Toronto Airport also displays a large number of interesting art works, and Terminal 1 features two incredible dinosaurs, entitled ‘A Scene from the Late Jurassic’.

Toronto Pearson Airport is considered as a major gateway to North America, with nearly ten million passengers a year travelling to and from the United States. Both terminals therefore support U.S customs pre-clearance facilities. A variety of check-in options are available, including by internet and mobile phone, and SMS flight services are also available for departing passengers.

Find out more information regarding Toronto Pearson Airport departures at the airport information desks, or by contacting the airport at 416-247-7678, or 1-866-207-1690. Live Toronto Airport departures are also displayed on various online websites.