AA_EXP09

NOt to mention many people flying to the East US from West Canada will take a red eye to YYZ and connect in the morning, compared with much worse times for the afternoon.

Shareholder

What's that? Kettles don't travel, they boil water.

The entry to PreClearance has been changed recently, so the lines enter past the AA check-in, no longer between it and the DL check-in. There is a GE channel and the regular one, no other priority to US immigration/customs. After that there are priority lanes for security: NEXUS, elites/premium cabins, ordinary folks. There are at least four GE kiosks now, fewer NEXUS.

yyzAAguy

Am I actually being chastised for using the term "kettle"? On FT? Is it now inexcusably insensitive to use the term? Or are some FTers actually, genuinely unaware of the word's particular meaning? The way I used it, in reference to the massive queues for Westjet charter flights to the United States of America from Toronto T3, the term "kettle call" cannot be improved upon, IMHO and I'm rather proud of my fun little play on words.

wutlol

He was pointing out that the traditional phrase is cattle call and probably missed the pun.

ricktoronto

In US preclearance they do. At the end, NEXUS sign.

At 4:30 a.m. it is pointless but if you ask you can even use it then.

So I did, once.

ricktoronto

If you enrolled in NEXUS when it was NEXUS only, pre-adding on GE, and the US did not take your fingerprints at the time, then you can be enrolled in GE by adding it in GOES, but you can't use the kiosk until you go to an enrollment office and have them scan your prints.

Good news is despite the waiting list for enrollment interviews you can go to the GE/NEXUS office (At Pearson in T1) and sign on the sheet and get that done without an appointment. Go right when they open, IIRC at 9 a.m.

Same if you have new documents, just go and they copy them at Canada and you are set. At the same time you can ask the US agent for the small CBP passport sticker.

ricktoronto

For J/F they do, it is the first non NEXUS one.

I have the trifecta on the early a.m. flights, J/F, NEXUS and the fact I am usually the first person at security, due to not checking luggage.

TravellingSalesman

There is a priority line for security but you will have to ask the people staffing the line to let you in, or even point to the sign they're standing next to.

You may well realise that but I'm not sure I fully understand what you're asking: security (going landside->airside) is entirely separate from, and after pre-clearance (going through US immigration&customs) - with dropping off your bag being in-between.

JIMCHI

Thanks- I think you've got it right. I won't have my Global Entry card by then so will have to be treated like the rest of the herd at Immigration/Customs. But once I've cleared that you're saying there is a "priority" landside to airside security line for first class and AA Platinum passengers.

I do appreciate all the advice everyone has given with my question.

jchacko2

Personally - I never arrive that early. I find in general a 30 min wait for anything outside the morning crush.

Also - Not sure where you are flying, but I live downtown and for any short haul i ALWAYS now fly Porter from the Island airport. You can literally arrive 20 min before your US bound flight (about an 8 min Walk for me to get to the airport) and still have time to have a coffee in the lounge . No per-clearance to deal with is a plus.

TravellingSalesman

Depends on where you're flying I guess: if you're trading YYZ preclearance for EWR immigration it's not so clear...

YTZ is a very convenient airport if you live downtown, though. Long may the subsidies keep it running!

yyzAAguy

Not sure where you're flying, either.

But in Heaven, I'd start my trip to Bangkok at YTZ, fly Porter (A Member of the Oneworld Alliance), earning 100% for all booking codes, sitting in the front cabin in their new 2-class jets, YTZ-LAX.

It's OK, I'm back to reality now.

jchacko2

This sounds like heaven to me as well

AA_EXP09

Maybe with QR you could soon go YTZ YUL DOH BKK.

qazw1

YYZ is a funny airport. The key is to avoid the first flight out in the morning. The lines can be quite long. After that, it is usually no more than a 30 minute wait.

If you must fly out early, you need to avoid checking baggage. There can be a very long line for that and service is limited. If you have to check luggage and must fly out on the early morning flight, anticipate possibly an hour and half or more to clear TSA. For a holiday weekend, it is much worst. Seems like everyone is leaving Canada. If you are running very late, you can try and get someone to move you up in line for the customs.

The customs line is much longer wait than the TSA line. I cannot figure out why. There is of course no special treatment for status within customs. But once you pass thru, there is sometimes a priority line for first class if they are busy. It is usually the middle line before one enters the door into TSA. Since AA shares this concourse with Delta, sometimes it is the same line as for the Delta elites.

If you have Nexus or Global Entry, there is a special line for that. Last time I went thru the airport, it kind of circles around the other lines to a door on the far side.

If one can avoid, try not to go thru the line for door 1, the nearest line. This line looks shortest but it is a trap. There is more of wait when one enters the door. Also, the pilots/attendants as well as handicaps go thru that door. You will continually have people cut in front of you.