Toronto Pearson is located 22.5 kilometres (14.0 mi) northwest of Downtown Toronto with the majority of the airport situated in Mississauga and a small portion of the airfield, along Silver Dart Drive north of Renforth Drive, extending into Toronto's western district of Etobicoke.[7] It has five runways and two passenger terminals along with numerous cargo and maintenance facilities on a site that covers 1,867 hectares (4,613 acres).[8]
An extensive network of non-stop domestic flights is operated from Toronto Pearson by several airlines to all major and many secondary cities across all provinces and territories of Canada.[14] Since 2014, over 75 airlines operated around 1,250 daily departures from the airport to more than 180 destinations across five continents.[15][16][17]
The airport is supported by around 50,000 employees (1800 with GTAA) excluding airline staff and policing.[18]
In 1937, the Government of Canada agreed to support the building of two airports in the Toronto area. One site selected was on the Toronto Islands, which is the present-day Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The other site selected was an area northwest of Toronto near the town of Malton in what was then Toronto 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 by Lake Ontario and Toronto Inner Harbour.[19] The first scheduled passenger flight at the Malton Airport was a Trans-Canada Air LinesDC-3 that landed on August 29, 1939.[20]
In 1958, the municipal government of Toronto sold the Malton Airport to the Government of Canada, which subsequently changed the name of the facility to Toronto International Airport, under the management of Transport Canada.[22] The airport was officially renamed Lester B. Pearson International Airport on January 2, 1984, in honour of Toronto-born Lester B. Pearson, the 14th prime minister of Canada and recipient of the 1957 Nobel 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 in Markham, 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 the IATA code for Pearson Airport is YYZ. The telegraph 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 and airline alliances, rather than for domestic and international routes. Terminal 1 has a capacity of 30 million passengers annually and Terminal 3 has a capacity of 17 million passengers annually.[26]
A third public terminal, the Infield Concourse (IFC), currently acts as an extension of Terminal 3 providing additional bridged gates.
The old Terminal 1 (originally known as Aeroquay One) was demolished in 2004 after the first phase of new Terminal 1 opened.[1] Terminal 2 was permanently closed and demolished in 2007 to make way for the expansion of new Terminal 1. [27] Terminal 3 retains its numbering to prevent confusion and also as it would cost millions in replacement signage had it been renumbered. The Terminal 2 designation is reserved for a future terminal separate from Terminal 3.[28]
The current Terminal 1 opened in 2004, replacing Aeroquay One (also referred to by its retronym: the original Terminal 1) and Terminal 2.[29] Measuring over 346,000 square metres (3,724,000 sq ft),[30] Terminal 1 is the largest airport terminal in Canada and the 12th largest in the world by floor space. Air Canada and all other Star Alliance airlines that serve Pearson Airport are based at Terminal 1 under the "Move under One Roof" policy. SkyTeam carrier ITA Airways and non-alliance carriers Air North, and Emirates also use Terminal 1.[31]Sunwing Airlines previously had its base at Terminal 1 until it moved to Terminal 3 on May 1, 2016.[32]
Along with the standard customs and immigration facilities, Terminal 1 also 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.[33] 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.[34]
Exterior of Terminal 1 from the runway
Check-in lobby for Terminal 1
The terminal has a total of eight lounges, 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.[35][36]
In addition to the eight lounges, Air Canada operates the Air Canada Cafe, in which premium passengers have the ability to enter the café to get premium coffee, tea and grab-and-go snacks.[37]
In the domestic section of the arrivals level, there are some retailers both before and after security checkpoints,[38] such as 7-Eleven (convenience goods), which was renovated and expanded in late 2022[39] and remains the only "dry" 7-Eleven location in Ontario as Pearson Airport does not allow the bulk sale of alcoholic beverages outside of duty-free areas amid the expansion of the sale of alcoholic beverages to all other 7-Eleven locations and most other convenience stores in Ontario on September 5, 2024, as Pearson Airport is outside the jurisdiction of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).[40]
An eight-level parking garage with 8,400 public parking spaces (including 700 rental car spaces)[30] across from Terminal 1 is connected to the terminal by several elevated and enclosed pedestrian walkways.[22]
Terminal 1 is home to the ThyssenKrupp Express Walkway, the world's fastest moving walkway.[41]
Terminal 3 opened in 1991. The building is a 178,000-square-metre (1,916,000 sq ft) facility designed by B+H Architects and Scott Associates Architects Inc. [42]
A five-level parking garage with 3,800 public parking spaces (including 600 rental car spaces)[30] is located directly across from the terminal along with Sheraton Hotel, both of which are connected to Terminal 3 by an elevated pedestrian walkway.[22][43]
Since June 2018, the GTAA has used the Infield Terminal to act as an extension of Terminal 3 to provide additional bridged gates. Passengers on flights arriving or departing from gates at the Infield Terminal are transported by bus to/from Terminal 3.[44]
American Airlines has an Admirals Club in the US preclearance departures area.
The Infield Concourse (IFC) was originally built to handle traffic displaced during the development and construction of the current Terminal 1.[45] Its 11 gates were opened gradually throughout 2002 and 2003,[46] and a business lounge was opened in 2005.[47][46] In 2009, the Infield Concourse was closed for regular operations in conjunction with the official opening of the newly constructed Terminal 1. However, the GTAA 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-sponsored refugees of the Syrian civil war.[48] Further renovations were completed at the Infield Concourse in early 2018 and on June 5, 2018, the terminal was reactivated for summer operations by the GTAA to act as an extension of Terminal 3 with the purpose of providing required additional bridged gates. Passengers are transported by bus between Terminal 3 and the IFC.[44] Effective December 2019, Sunwing Airlines moved their operations from Terminal 3 to the IFC.
Skyservice FBO operates an 800-square-metre (8,611 sq ft) private VIP terminal at Toronto Pearson on Midfield Road in the infield area of the airport.[50][51] The terminal handles most private aircraft arriving and departing at Toronto Pearson, providing passenger services that include a 24/7 concierge, private customs and immigration facilities, personalized catering, showers, direct handling of baggage, and VIP ground transportation services.[50][52]
Toronto Pearson has five runways, three of which are aligned in the east–west direction, and two in the north–south direction. A large network of taxiways, collectively measuring over 40 km (25 mi) in length,[53] provides access between the runways and the passenger terminals, air cargo areas, and airline hangar areas.[54]
Toronto Pearson is home to the Toronto Area Control Centre, one of seven area control centres in Canada operated by Nav Canada. The airport uses a Traffic Management Unit (TMU), located in the apron control tower at Terminal 1, to control the movement of aircraft and other airport traffic on the ground.[55] The main air 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.[56] During the winter months, the unit expands into a dedicated 24-hour snow 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.[57][58] The airport employs over 94 pieces of snow removal equipment, including 11 Vammas PSB series,[59] four Oshkosh Corporation Snow Products HT-Series[60]snowplow units, and 14 snowmelters.[61]
Pearson Airport's Central De-icing Facility is the largest in the world, servicing over 10,500 aircraft each winter.[61] 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 to de-ice each aircraft dependent on factors such as active weather and aircraft specifications.[62][57]
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) Fire and Emergency Service maintains three stations at the airport, with more than 80 firefighters providing fire and rescue operations at Pearson.[63] They are equipped with six crash tenders as well as several pumpers, aerial ladders, and heavy rescue units.[63] The GTAA Fire and Emergency Service operates in conjunction with the Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute (FESTI), located at the northwest end of the airport grounds.[64]
Toronto Pearson handles approximately half of all the international air cargo in Canada.[65] The airport has three main cargo facilities, known as Cargo West (Infield), Cargo East (VISTA), and Cargo North (FedEx).[66]
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) of warehouse space, a common use cargo apron, 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.[67]
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.[67]
The Cargo North facility is the Canadian hub for FedEx 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.[67]
Pearson Airport has seven aircraft maintenance hangars, operated by Air Canada, Air Transat, WestJet, and the GTAA, which are used for line maintenance and routine aircraft inspections.[67] At the north end of the airfield are numerous independently operated hangars for charter aircraft and personal private aircraft based at Pearson Airport, along with passenger and maintenance facilities to service them.[71]
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.
The airport is served by several long-distance coach, van and minibus shuttle operators, which provide transportation from the airport to various municipalities and regional airports throughout Southern Ontario and to select cities and towns in the U.S. states of New York and Michigan.[161]
Toronto Pearson is directly accessible from Highway 427 and Highway 409 with Airport Road and Dixon Road providing local access to the airport. There are 12,200 parking spaces available in parking garages adjacent to Terminal 1 and Terminal 3,[30] in addition to several other parking lots located in the immediate area.[163]
Car rentals are available from various major car rental agencies located in the parking garages adjacent to both terminals.[164] Car rentals are also available from off-airport car rental agencies located near Toronto Pearson Viscount station, accessible from both terminals via the Terminal Link.[164]
Taxis and limousines can be accessed at designated taxi 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,[165] and all airport-licensed taxi and limo companies use GTAA-authorized flat rate fares for travel from the airport.[166][167][168]
Ridesharing services Uber and Lyft 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.[169]
In February 2017, the GTAA announced a proposed transit hub to be located across from Terminal 3 that would connect with Union Pearson Express and may connect with other transit lines extended to the airport like Line 5 Eglinton LRT of the Toronto subway and GO Expansion (formerly known as GO Transit Regional Express Rail).[170] 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.[170]
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 of Viscount Station. The extension is scheduled to open in 2030–31. As of 2020, the segment to Pearson Airport is under study by Metrolinx and the GTAA. The line will connect the airport to Midtown Toronto and Scarborough with additional transfers to Downtown Toronto.[171] Metrolinx is also studying a potential connection with Line 6 Finch West to the transit hub with additional transfers to York University and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Other connections like the Mississauga Transitway are being studied.[172]
^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 with United 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 is not 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, when Air Canada Flight 621, a DC-8 jet, flew on a Montreal–Toronto–Los Angeles route. The pilots inadvertently deployed spoilers before the plane attempted landing, forcing the pilots to abort landing and takeoff. Damage to the aircraft that was caused during the failed landing attempt caused the plane to break up in the air during the go-around, killing all 100 passengers and nine crew members on board when it crashed into a field southeast of Brampton. 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.[181]
On July 9, 1981, a KF CargoHoward 500, pitched nose up after takeoff, stalled and crashed due to improper loading of parcels, exceeding the center of gravity. All three crew were killed.[182]
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.[183]
On August 2, 2005, Air France Flight 358, an Airbus A340-300 (registration F-GLZQ) inbound from Paris, 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 busy Highway 401. In the ensuing fire, there were 12 serious injuries, but no fatalities. The investigation predominantly blamed pilot error when faced with the severe weather conditions.[186]
On July 25, 2014, Sunwing Airlines Flight 772, which had taken off from Toronto bound for Scarlett Martínez International Airport, in Rio Hato, Panama was forced to return to Toronto after a passenger made a bomb 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.[187]
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. [188]
On May 10, 2019, Air Canada Flight 8615, a Bombardier 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.[189]
On March 7, 2020, Two Air Canada aircraft were involved in a runway incursion. Air Canada Flight 1037, an Embraer E-190 (registration C-FMZW) was taking off from Runway 06L at Toronto when the pilots rejected due to a bird strike. An improper transponder showed the Tower Controller that the E190 was airborne after 50kts, 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 due to a birdstrike, 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. A Nav 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 the Embraer 190 and the Boeing 777 as in air while these two aircraft were still on the ground. This resulted in late and inaccurate RIMCAS alerts and delayed the air traffic controller's response to the risk of collision.[190]
On April 17, 2023, a robbery occurred, with over $20 million worth of gold and other high-value items being stolen. A container was offloaded from a reported Air 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 company and protection company Brink'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 on to the tarmac. He was injured and arrested.[191]
On January 21, 2024, Air France Flight 356, an Airbus A350-900 (registration F-HTYH) initiated a go-around after touching down on runway 24L, suffering a tailstrike in the process. After circling round 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.[192][193][194]
Canadian rock trio Rush had an instrumental piece titled "YYZ," which is on their 1981 album Moving Pictures. Two of the band's members, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, are natives of Toronto. The song, often requested by fans, was frequently played by the band in concert.
A VHF omnidirectional range system at the airport broadcasts the YYZ identifier code in Morse 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.[195] Peart and Lee have both said, "It's always a happy day when YYZ appears on our luggage tags."[196]
The piece's introduction repeatedly renders "Y-Y-Z" in Morse Code using various musical arrangements.[197]
In 2023, a Rush-themed specialty bar opened in the airport's Terminal 1. The bar, Henderson Brewing@YYZ, is run by Toronto-based craft brewery Henderson Brewery.[198]
^"Chapter 14: Land Use"(PDF). The Airport Master Plan (2000–2020). Greater Toronto Airports Authority. Archived from the original(PDF) on August 28, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2012. The Airport occupies some 1,867 ha (4,613 acres) and is adjacent to Highway 401, the main east/west highway route through southern Ontario and the busiest highway in North America. The bulk of the Airport (1,824 ha 4,507 acres) is within the City of Mississauga with 43 ha (106 acres) located within the City of Toronto.
^"Chapter 6: Passenger Terminals"(PDF). Greater Toronto Airports Authority. Archived from the original(PDF) on July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018. Toronto Pearson now operates two main passenger terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.
^ ab"ATR 2022"(PDF). panynj.gov. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
^"About Air Canada – Corporate Profile". Aircanada.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2018. Air Canada's four hubs, Toronto (YYZ), the primary global hub, Montreal (YUL), the gateway to French international markets, Vancouver (YVR), the airline's premier gateway to Asia Pacific, and Calgary (YYC), offer Air Canada customers smooth connections under one roof.
^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.
^"Other News to Note: Canada". The Orlando Sentinel. January 3, 1984. p. A-12. Signs were up Monday [yesterday] directing motorists to Lester B. Pearson International Airport, which until the weekend had been Toronto International Airport.
^"About GTAA". Torontopearson.com. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
^
Schwartz, Adele C. (December 1, 2005). "Bonus Design". Air Transport World. Silver Spring, Maryland. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
^ ab"International Departures – Toronto Pearson". GTAA. Archived from the original on June 26, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018. Passengers flying on Aer Lingus, Azores, Icelandair, Condor and Ukraine International will be boarding their aircraft at the Infield Terminal, accessed by bus that leaves from Terminal 3.
^"Toronto Pearson International Airport – Infield Development Project". Bharchitects. 2013. Archived from the original on November 14, 2013. Located on a 470-acre [190 ha] site between four major runways, this $250 million development is Canada's largest design-build project and comprised of six structures totaling 1,356,360 square feet: the Air Canada Maintenance Building, three cargo buildings including the Air Canada Cargo Terminal, a 3-bay Hangar Facility, and the 11-gate Infield Holdroom Terminal.
^ ab"Toronto Pearson Master Plan – Chapter 6 : Passenger Terminals"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on July 25, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014. The Infield Terminal (IFT) was constructed to provide interim gating capacity during the phased construction of Terminal 1. The first two gates became operational in June 2002, with the remaining nine gates opening the following year. (The final three gates opened in July 2003, bringing the total available to 11.)
^"Chapter 1 : Introduction"(PDF). Greater Toronto Airports Authority. Toronto: Transport Canada. Archived from the original(PDF) on June 15, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
^Hume, Christopher (December 14, 2012). "All Eyes on the Ground". Toronto Star. Toronto: Torstar. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
^"Location – FESTI". Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute (FESTI). Archived from the original on January 10, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
^"Toronto Pearson International Airport – Master Plan 2017–2037"(PDF). Greater Toronto Airports Authority. Archived from the original(PDF) on July 31, 2018. Retrieved July 31, 2018. Toronto Pearson handles about 50 per cent of the international air cargo in Canada, making our airport a critical link in the supply chain of Canadian businesses.