Flying through Pearson? These are the peak travel times you should know
Pearson International Airport has been anything but forgiving as of late. In fact, it has already been internationally recognized for its mayhem.
Thankfully, amid the ongoing chaos at the airport, Pearson has released a list of its busiest and least busiest travel times for both domestic and international flights.
For departures, it’s widespread knowledge that you should arrive at least three hours in advance for US and international destinations, and two hours in advance for domestic flights.
As for what to expect in terms of peak busy times so you can plan accordingly, it goes as follows:
Terminal 1 – Domestic
Pearson International Airport
Busiest Time: 7 am
Least Busy: 11 pm
Terminal 1 – United States
Pearson International Airport
Busiest Time: 7 am
Least Busy: 10 pm
Terminal 1 – International
Pearson International Airport
Busiest Time: 6 am
Least Busy: 10 am
Terminal 3 – Domestic/International
Pearson International Airport
Busiest Time: 7 pm
Least Busy: 8 am
Terminal 3 – United States
Pearson International Airport
Busiest Time: 4 am
Least Busy: 8 pm
Terminal 3 – International
Pearson International Airport
Busiest Time: 7 pm
Least Busy: 11 pm
For arrivals, here are the peak times at Pearson, so you know what to expect ahead of time:
Terminal 1 Arrivals
Pearson International Airport
Busiest Time: 3 pm
Least Busy: 4 am
Terminal 3 Arrivals
Pearson International Airport
Busiest Time: 6 pm
Least Busy: 4 am
Having gone through the experience recently myself on a 6 am flight to Miami, I recommend giving yourself some wiggle room if you’re flying that early in the morning, as gates weren’t open at that time, causing monster line-ups.
Additionally, the airport was severely understaffed which led to longer processing times. If you’re lucky, gate staff may send you to the front of the line depending on how soon your departure time is.
As it states on Pearson’s website: “Processing times can vary depending on the day of the week and time of day. Please note that depending on today’s operational realities, you may experience longer wait times outside of the time periods mentioned above.”
Follow Channels and Categories