Pearson International Airport is situated 25 kilometres (16 mi) northwest ofdowntown Toronto in the adjacent city ofMississauga, with a small portion of the airfield extending into Toronto's western district ofEtobicoke.[10] It has fiverunways and two passengerterminals along with numerouscargo, maintenance, andaerospace production facilities on a site that covers 1,867 hectares (4,613 acres).[11]
An extensive network ofnon-stopdomestic flights is operated from Toronto Pearson by several airlines to all major and many secondary cities across allprovinces and territories of Canada.[16] As of 2025, more than 50 airlines operate non-stop or direct flights from Pearson to more than 180 destinations across all six inhabited continents.[17][18]
In 1937, theGovernment of Canada agreed to support the building of two airports in the Toronto area. One site selected was on theToronto Islands, which is the present-dayBilly Bishop Toronto City Airport. The other site selected was an area northwest of Toronto near the town ofMalton in what was thenToronto Township (which would later become Mississauga to avoid confusion with the nearby city of Toronto), which was originally intended to serve as an alternate to the downtown airport but instead would become its successor due to having a much larger space without being constrained byLake Ontario and Toronto Inner Harbour.[19] The first scheduled passenger flight at the Malton Airport was aTrans-Canada Air LinesDC-3 that landed on August 29, 1939.[20]
In 1958, themunicipal government of Toronto sold the Malton Airport to the Government of Canada, which subsequently renamed the facility to Toronto International Airport, under the management ofTransport Canada.[22] The airport was officially renamed Lester B. Pearson International Airport on January 2, 1984, in honour of Toronto-bornLester B. Pearson, the 14th prime minister of Canada and recipient of the 1957Nobel Peace Prize.[23] The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) assumed management, operation, and control of the airport in 1996, and has used the name Toronto Pearson International Airport for the facility since the transition.[24]
Since Toronto has more than one airport, YTO is used for the area designation, while Pearson is coded YYZ, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is YTZ and Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport inMarkham, until its closure on November 24, 2023, was YKZ. YZ was the code for the station in Malton, Ontario, where Pearson Airport is located and hence theIATA code for Pearson Airport is YYZ. Thetelegraph station in Toronto itself was coded TZ, which is why Toronto's smaller Billy Bishop Airport is coded YTZ.[25]
Toronto Pearson International Airport has two active public terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. Both terminals are designed to handle all three sectors of travel (domestic, transborder, and international), which results in terminal operations at Toronto Pearson being grouped for airlines andairline alliances, rather than for domestic and international routes.
The former Terminal 2, opened in 1972, was permanently closed and demolished in 2008 to make way for the expansion of the current Terminal 1.[26]
Terminal 1 is a 346,000-square-metre (3,724,000 sq ft) facility with 58 gates.[27] It was designed by a joint venture known as Airports Architects Canada made up ofSkidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP,Adamson Associates Architects, andMoshe Safdie and Associates.[28] The terminal opened in 2004, replacing the formerAeroquay One (also referred to by itsretronym: the originalTerminal 1).[28]
Terminal 1 is used byAir Canada, its subsidiaries, allStar Alliance airlines,Oneworld memberRoyal Air Maroc, and non-alliance airlinesAir North,Emirates andEtihad Airways.[29] It features three concourses (D, E and F) with Concourse D used for domestic flights, Concourse E used for international flights, and Concourse F used for transborder flights to the United States. Concourse F is aUS border preclearance area and is separated airside from the other two Concourses.[30] Two of the gates at Terminal 1 (E73 and E75) are designed to accommodate theAirbus A380.[31]
Exterior of Terminal 1 from the runway
Check-in lobby for Terminal 1
Along with the standard customs and immigration facilities, Terminal 1 contains special customs "B" checkpoints along the international arrivals walkway. Passengers connecting from an international or trans-border arrival to another international (non-U.S.) departure in Terminal 1 go to one of these checkpoints for passport control and immigration checks, then are immediately directed to Pier E for departure. This alleviates the need to recheck bags, pass through security screening, and relieves congestion in the primary customs hall.[32] International-to-domestic passengers use the same corridor and a bus for one-stop security procedures, which avoids having to re-clear security if coming from another country with a mutual agreement.[33]
The terminal has a total of eightlounges, with five of the lounges being Air Canada–operated lounges (three Maple Leaf Lounges, one Maple Leaf Express Lounge and one Signature Suite) and three being Plaza Premium operated. Both Air Canada and Plaza Premium have lounges in the Domestic, International and Transborder zones, with the Signature Suite being in the International Zone.[34][35] Air Canada also operates the Air Canada Cafe in the Domestic departures zone.[36]
An eight-levelparking garage with 8,400 public parking spaces (including 700 rental car spaces)[37] across from Terminal 1 is connected to the terminal by several elevated and enclosed pedestrian walkways.[37]
Terminal 3 is a 178,000-square-metre (1,916,000 sq ft) facility with 46 gates, designed by B+H Architects and Scott Associates Architects Inc.[38] It opened in 1991 and was a major hub forCanadian Airlines (defunct since 2001) at that time.[39]
Exterior of Terminal 3 from apron
Departure level of Terminal 3
Terminal 3 is used by mostOneworld airlines with the exception ofRoyal Air Maroc, which uses Terminal 1 and allSkyTeam airlines, along withAir Transat,Flair Airlines,Porter Airlines,WestJet, and all other non-alliance airlines at Pearson with the exception of Air North, Emirates and Etihad Airways which use Terminal 1.[29] Terminal 3 has three concourses (A,B,C).[40] Concourse A is used for transborder flights to the United States and is aUnited States border preclearance zone and is separated from the other two concourses. Concourses B and C are connected airside, and gates within them may be used interchangeably for domestic and international flights.[30]
The terminal has a total of five lounges. Three Plaza Premium lounges are located in each of the concourses, anAir France/KLM Lounge in the international departure area of Concourse C, and anAmerican Airlines Admirals Club in Concourse A. A five-level parking garage with 3,800 public parking spaces (including 600 rental car spaces)[27] is located directly across from the terminal along withSheraton Hotel, both of which are connected to Terminal 3 by an elevated pedestrian walkway.[22][41]
A third public terminal, the Infield Concourse (IFC), currently acts as an extension of Terminal 3 providing additionalbridged gates. Passengers on flights arriving or departing from gates at the Infield Terminal are transported by bus to/from Terminal 3.[42]
The Infield Concourse (IFC) was originally built to handle traffic displaced during the development and construction of the current Terminal 1.[43] Its 11 gates were opened gradually throughout 2002 and 2003,[44] and a business lounge was opened in 2005.[45][44] In 2009, the Infield Concourse was closed for regular operations in conjunction with the official opening of the newly constructed Terminal 1. However, theGTAA retained plans to reactivate the IFC for regular operations whenever necessary to accommodate seasonal or overflow demand.
The terminal was substantially renovated in late 2015 to serve as a dedicated terminal for incoming government-sponsoredrefugees of the Syrian civil war.[46] Further renovations were completed at the Infield Concourse in early 2018 and on June 5, 2018, the terminal was reactivated for summer operations by theGTAA to act as an extension of Terminal 3 with the purpose of providing required additionalbridged gates. Passengers are transported by bus between Terminal 3 and the IFC.[42]
SkyserviceFBO operates an 800-square-metre (8,611 sq ft) privateVIP terminal at Toronto Pearson on Midfield Road in the infield area of the airport.[48][49] The terminal handles mostprivate aircraft arriving and departing at Toronto Pearson, providing passenger services that include a 24/7concierge, private customs and immigration facilities, personalized catering, showers, direct handling of baggage, and VIP ground transportation services.[48][50]
Aerial view of the airport in 2007 after permanent closure of Terminal 2. Two of the airport's three east–west runways are visible in the left foreground, whereas its north–south runways are visible in the centre.
Toronto Pearson has fiverunways, three of which are aligned in the east–west direction, and two in the north–south direction. A large network oftaxiways, collectively measuring over 40 km (25 mi) in length,[51] provides access between the runways and the passenger terminals, air cargo areas, and airlinehangar areas.[52]
Airport apron of Pearson Airport in 2013, with the airport's infield operations and main control tower visible in the background
Toronto Pearson is home to theToronto Area Control Centre, one of seven area control centres in Canada operated byNav Canada. The airport uses aTraffic Management Unit (TMU), located in theapron control tower at Terminal 1, to control the movement of aircraft and other airport traffic on the ground.[53] The mainair traffic control tower at Toronto Pearson is located within the infield operations area of the airport.
The airfield maintenance unit is responsible for general maintenance and repairs at Toronto Pearson.[54] During thewinter months, the unit expands into a dedicated 24-hoursnow removal team of more than 200 workers tasked with ensuring normal operations at the airport, as Toronto Pearson regularly experiences 110 to 130 centimetres (43 to 51 in) of total snow accumulation in a typical winter season.[55][56] The airport employs over 94 pieces ofsnow removal equipment, including 11 Vammas PSB series,[57] fourOshkosh Corporation Snow Products HT-Series[58]snowplow units, and 14snowmelters.[59]
Pearson Airport's CentralDe-icing Facility is the largest in the world, servicing over 10,500 aircraft each winter.[59] The six de-icing bays, covering a total area of 24 hectares (60 acres), can handle 12 aircraft simultaneously and take between 2 and 19 minutes tode-ice each aircraft dependent on factors such as active weather and aircraft specifications.[60][55]
The Toronto PearsonFire and Emergency Services, operated by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) maintains threestations at the airport; one to the north, one to the south, and one offsite to the east, with more than 80firefighters providing fire and rescue operations at Toronto Pearson.[61] They are equipped with sixcrash tenders as well as severalpumpers,aerial ladders, andheavy rescue units.[61] The Toronto Pearson Fire and Emergency Services operates in conjunction with the Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute (FESTI), located at the northwest end of the airport grounds.[62]
UPSAirbus A300 unloading cargo at the airport's VISTA cargo facility in 2015
Toronto Pearson handles approximately half of all the internationalair cargo in Canada.[63] The airport has three main cargo facilities, known as Cargo West (Infield), Cargo East (VISTA), and Cargo North (FedEx).[64]
The Cargo West facility (also known as the Infield Cargo Area) is located between runways 15L/33R and 15R/33L. It is a multi-tenant facility including three large buildings with 52,600 square metres (566,000 sq ft) ofwarehouse space, a common use cargoapron, vehicle parking, and a truck maneuvering area. A four-lane vehicle tunnel connects the Infield Cargo Area to the passenger terminal area of the airport.[65]
The Cargo East facility (also known as the VISTA cargo area) is located north of Terminal 3. The VISTA cargo area is a multi-tenant facility of several buildings organized in a U-shape, with 29,500 square metres (318,000 sq ft) of warehouse space and an adjacent common-use cargo apron.[65]
The Cargo North facility is the Canadian hub forFedEx Express. The site occupies an area on the north side of the airport near runway 05/23 and is home to two buildings operated exclusively by FedEx with 32,100 square metres (346,000 sq ft) of warehouse space and a dedicated cargo apron.[65]
Pearson Airport has seven aircraft maintenancehangars, operated by Air Canada, Air Transat, WestJet, and the GTAA, which are used forline maintenance and routine aircraft inspections.[65] At the north end of the airfield are numerous independently operated hangars forcharter aircraft and personalprivate aircraft based at Pearson Airport, along with passenger and maintenance facilities to service them.[69]
FedEx has a large distribution centre on the north side of the airfield connected with multiple large jet parking bays and logistics handling facilities for servicing the Greater Toronto Area.
TheTerminal Link (formerly the Link Train) is an automatedpeople mover that facilitates inter-terminal transportation at Pearson Airport. It runs betweenTerminal 1,Terminal 3, andViscount station located at the Viscount Value Park Lot.[194] The Terminal Link train operates daily, 24-hour service with trains departing all stations every 4 to 8 minutes.[195]
The airport is served by several long-distancecoach, van andminibus shuttle operators, which provide transportation from the airport to various municipalities and regional airports throughoutSouthern Ontario and to select cities and towns in the U.S. states ofNew York andMichigan.[211]
Car rentals are available from various major car rental agencies located in the parking garages adjacent to both terminals.[214] Car rentals are also available from off-airport car rental agencies located nearToronto Pearson Viscount station, accessible from both terminals via the Terminal Link.[214]
Taxis andlimousines can be accessed at designatedtaxi stands located outside of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. Only official airport-licensed taxis and limousines can legally pick up passengers at Toronto Pearson,[215] and all airport-licensed taxi and limo companies useGTAA-authorizedflat rate fares for travel from the airport.[216][217][218]
Ridesharing servicesUber andLyft are available at Pearson Airport. Designated rideshare pickup zones are located at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. Terminal 1 pickup is from the ground level, while Terminal 3 pickup is from the arrivals level.[219]
In February 2017, the GTAA announced a proposed transit hub to be located across from Terminal 3 that would connect withUnion Pearson Express and may connect with other transit lines extended to the airport likeLine 5 Eglinton LRT of the Toronto subway andGO Expansion (formerly known as GO Transit Regional Express Rail).[220] This proposal would eliminate the Terminal Link connecting Terminals 1 and 3 with a bridge from the transit hub to Terminal 3 and another bridge connecting Terminal 3 to Terminal 1.[220]
Since 2020,Metrolinx is planning the second phase of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, which is a western extension of the under-construction Line 5 Eglinton to a proposed transit hub at Pearson Airport across the terminals at the site ofViscount Station. The extension is scheduled to open in 2030–31. As of 2020, the segment of the extension to Pearson Airport is under study by Metrolinx and the GTAA. The line will connect the airport toMidtown Toronto andScarborough with additional transfers to downtown Toronto via Line 1 Yonge–University.[221] Metrolinx is also studying a potential connection withLine 6 Finch West to the transit hub with additional transfers on Line 1 Yonge–University toYork University andVaughan Metropolitan Centre. Other connections like theMississauga Transitway, which would connect the airport toMississauga City Centre, are being studied.[222]
^c : Prior to 2021, a distinction was made for operational and statistical purposes between "transborder" and "international" flights at Toronto Pearson, and at any other airport in Canada withUnited States border preclearance. A "transborder" flight was a flight between Canada and a destination in the United States, while an "international" flight was a flight between Canada and a destination that isnot within the United States or Canada. A "domestic" flight is defined as a flight within Canada's borders only.
^d : As of 2021, "transborder" and "international" passenger statistics have been combined by the GTAA as "international".
The airport's deadliest accident occurred on July 5, 1970, whenAir Canada Flight 621, aDC-8 jet, flew on a Montreal–Toronto–Los Angeles route. The pilots inadvertently deployedspoilers before the plane attemptedlanding, forcing the pilots to abort landing andtakeoff. Damage to the aircraft that was caused during the failed landing attempt caused the plane to break up in the air during thego-around, killing all 100 passengers and ninecrew members on board when it crashed into a field southeast ofBrampton. Controversy remains over the cleanup effort following the crash, as both plane wreckage debris and human remains from the crash are still[when?] found on the site.[232]
On July 9, 1981, aKF CargoHoward 500, pitched nose up after takeoff, stalled and crashed due to improper loading of parcels, exceeding the centre of gravity. All three crew were killed.[233]
On January 11, 1983, a Sun Oil Co.North American Sabreliner crashed approximately 8 miles from runway 24R on an ILS approach to YYZ after descending steeply from the clouds and losing control, before crashing to the ground. All two crew and three passengers died. Cause unknown.[234]
On August 2, 2005,Air France Flight 358, anAirbus A340-300 (registration F-GLZQ) inbound fromParis, landed on runway 24L during a severe thunderstorm, failed to stop, and ran off of the runway into the Etobicoke Creek ravine. It came to a stop next to busyHighway 401. In the ensuing fire, there were 12 serious injuries, but no fatalities. The investigation predominantly blamed pilot error when faced with severe weather conditions.[237]
On July 25, 2014,Sunwing Airlines Flight 772, which had taken off from Toronto bound forScarlett Martínez International Airport, inRío Hato,Panama, was forced to return to Toronto after a passenger made abomb threat; the plane was escorted back to Toronto by US Air Force planes. After it landed safely, the passenger was arrested and underwent a mental examination.[238]
On January 5, 2018,WestJet Flight 434, a 737-800, was struck by an inactive Sunwing aircraft, also a 737-800, being towed from the terminal. The plane caught fire and pilots ordered an evacuation. No serious injuries were reported. The Sunwing aircraft suffered significant damage.[239]
On May 10, 2019, Air Canada Flight 8615, aBombardier DHC-8-300 (registration C-FJXZ), was struck by a fuel truck while taxiing on the tarmac. Five persons were injured and the plane was deemed a write-off.[240]
On March 7, 2020, twoAir Canada aircraft were involved in arunway incursion. Air Canada Flight 1037, anEmbraer E-190 (registration C-FMZW) was taking off from Runway 06L at Toronto when the takeoff was rejected due to a bird strike. An improper transponder showed the tower controller that theE-190 was airborne after 50knots (93 km/h; 58 mph), and, therefore, sent an Air Canada Boeing 777-300 (registration C-FJZS), operating as Air Canada Flight 606, to depart. The pilots of the E-190 were transmitting on frequency that they had rejected their takeoff due to abirdstrike, but at the same time, the pilots of the 777 were reading back their takeoff clearance. As the 777 was accelerating, the pilots observed the Embraer-190 was still on the runway, and initiated a rejected takeoff. ANav Canada report stated that the use of this data by NAV Canada's runway incursion monitoring and conflict alert sub-system (RIMCAS) led to the inaccurate identification of theEmbraer 190 and theBoeing 777 as in the air while these two aircraft were still on the ground. This resulted in late and inaccurate RIMCAS alerts and delayed theair traffic controller's response to the risk of collision.[241]
On April 17, 2023, arobbery occurred, with over $20 million worth ofgold and other high-value items being stolen. A container was offloaded from a reportedAir Canada aircraft during the evening hours and was unloaded under normal procedures. The cargo was taken to a holding facility before it was stolen. The goods were being handled by American private security and protection companyBrink's.
On January 8, 2024, a man having a mental crisis boarded a Boeing 777 operated by Air Canada, and during the boarding process, tried to open the door of the plane, resulting in him falling down onto the tarmac. He was injured and arrested.[242]
On January 21, 2024, Air France Flight 356, anAirbus A350-900 (registration F-HTYH) initiated ago-around after touching down on runway 24L, suffering atailstrike in the process. After circling around for a second attempt, the aircraft landed on the same runway without further incident. No injuries were reported but the aircraft received significant damage. This was due to a landing rate warning, meaning too much speed and not enough runway left to safely stop the aircraft.[243][244][245]
On February 17, 2025,Delta Connection Flight 4819, aBombardier CRJ-900LR operated byEndeavor Air (registration N932XJ), crashed and flipped upside down while attempting to land on runway 23, injuring at least 21 of the 80 occupants aboard. The preliminary report indicates the rate of descent was -1100fpm and the First Officer was the pilot flying (PF). 1.6 seconds to impact, the landing rate decreased to -1072fpm.[246][247][248]
On April 24, 2025, a man who locked himself in an SUV at the Terminal 1 departures level was shot dead by police after he appeared to produce a firearm.[249]
Canadian rock trioRush hadan instrumental piece titled "YYZ," which is on their 1981 albumMoving Pictures. Two of the band's members,Geddy Lee andAlex Lifeson, are natives of Toronto. The song, often requested by fans, was frequently played by the band in concert as an encore.
AVHF omnidirectional range system at the airport broadcasts the YYZ identifier code inMorse code, which the band once heard when Lifeson was flying them into the airport. The band's drummer,Neil Peart, said in interviews that the rhythm stuck with them.[252] Peart and Lee have both said, "It's always a happy day when YYZ appears on our luggage tags."[253]
The piece's introduction repeatedly renders "Y-Y-Z" in Morse code using various musical arrangements.[254]
In 2023, a Rush-themed specialty bar opened in the airport's Terminal 1 near the7-Eleven. The bar, Henderson Brewing@YYZ, is run by thecraft brewery Henderson Brewery, based at the southern end ofJunction Triangle in Toronto.[255]
Rush also released amusic video in 2022 of the band performing "YYZ" atop theCN Tower to mark the 40th anniversary of the release ofMoving Pictures.
^Dexter, Brian (March 16, 1974). "Malton residents say they've had enough".Toronto Star. p. B09.
^Hatch, F. J. (1983).The Aerodrome of Democracy: Canada and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, 1939–1945. Ottawa: Directorate of History, Department of National Defence.ISBN0660114437.
^Schwartz, Adele C. (December 1, 2005)."Bonus Design".Air Transport World. Silver Spring, Maryland.Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. RetrievedSeptember 16, 2013.
^"Chapter 1 : Introduction"(PDF).Greater Toronto Airports Authority. Toronto: Transport Canada. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on June 15, 2016. Retrieved18 October 2018.
^Hume, Christopher (December 14, 2012)."All Eyes on the Ground".Toronto Star. Toronto: Torstar.Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. RetrievedJanuary 3, 2013.
.jpg)
Toronto Pearson Terminal 1 station
_(26205931012).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
4.4%
0.6%
Toronto Pearson International Airport travel guide from Wikivoyage
.svg)
