Travelling through Toronto Pearson Airport this summer? Here's how to prepare for your trip
Toronto Pearson Airport is ramping up for the busiest season of the year, preparing to welcome millions of travellers to the airport.
If you'll be travelling through Pearson Airport this summer, there are plenty of tips, services and tools you'll want to know about that can make your experience smoother.
With the airport expecting to see over 100,000 passengers per day at times, here's what to know before travelling through Toronto Pearson Airport this summer.
On Thursday, Toronto Pearson shared a number of tips for passengers travelling over the summer months, and what travellers can expect at the airport.
According to the airport, the peak summer travel season takes place during July and August 2024, but the airport has already seen an uptick in travellers in June, with higher-than-normal passenger volumes predicted to continue into September.
On peak travel days, the airport is expecting more than 160,000 passengers to transit through the airport, which it says is an 8% increase from 2023.
There will also be more than 1,100 flights on the busiest summer days, an increase of 3% from last year, the airport says.
Ahead of the busy season, the airport has shared a number of ways travellers can prepare.
These include taking advantage of digital tools like YYZ Express, an online reservation program that allows travellers to book a spot in the security line ahead of their flight, and Mobile Passport Control, an app that allows travellers to digitally submit customs information if they're travelling to the U.S., making for a smoother experience.
Travellers can also plan ahead for busy periods at the airport by referring to Toronto Pearson's peak travel times dashboard, which can show you if you'll be travelling through the airport during a particularly busy time and give you an idea of what time each terminal is busiest.
"We generally see a busy period in the morning when people are heading out for the early morning flights, and then we see another peak in the afternoon," Toronto Pearson spokesperson Sean Davidson tells Narcity.
"But [...] when we're dealing with 160,000 passengers per day on some of our busiest days, the airport is just busy in general," he says. "But we're ready for that busyness."
Davidson says travellers can also refer to Pearson's live wait times dashboard, which provides travellers with real-time information ahead of arriving at the airport.
"Let's say you're on your way to the airport, you're in the car and you want to check how long wait times are in different areas of the airport at that time, that page is really useful," he says.
How early should I be at Toronto Pearson Airport this summer?
Toronto Pearson Airport continues to advise passengers to arrive three hours before an international flight and two hours before a domestic flight.
Davidson says that travellers should also account for the time it takes to get to the airport.
"Remember that traffic can be pretty busy in the city," he says. "Make sure that you give yourself enough time to get to the airport, whether you're driving [or] taking public transit."
Travellers can also follow Toronto Pearson on X, formerly known as Twitter, for any major operational updates that could impact their trip.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
A security line at Toronto Pearson Airport. 
A person walks through Toronto Pearson Airport. 
Part of the comment section on Ekra's viral TikTok video.