Early check-in at YYZ for AA flight?

Old Nov 8, 2019, 3:17 pm
  #1  
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Ontario
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Early check-in at YYZ for AA flight?

I've searched all over and cant find the answer, sorry if this is in the wrong area. Next month we are flying out of YYZ on AA at 06:00, so supposed to be at the airport at 03:00, but are having trouble finding a family member or friend who wants to drop us off at that time of night (we live hours away so transit and taxis are not an option). We have many offers to drop us off in the evening (8-10pm) the night before our flight. My question is, can we check-in and check our luggage (going away for 3 mos so there's lots), then go through security, the evening prior to our flight? It looks like the last AA flight out of YYZ is at 10pm so I would think their desk would be open until at least 9pm. We have spent the night in airports before so that is not a problem, but staying at the airport hotel or others nearby is cost prohibitive for a 4-6 hr stay. TIA
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Old Nov 8, 2019, 3:26 pm
  #2  
 
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You probably will not have trouble checking in the night before but I cannot say that I've tried to do so out of YYZ. Toronto is not on the list of airports that will not accept bags if more than 4 hrs before your flight. Also not used to how CATSA will handle this vs TSA.

If the last flight is 10 pm I would err on the side of caution as the checked bag cut off for international flights on AA is 1 hr before the flight so if the check in desk closed around 9 pm I would not be surprised.
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Old Nov 8, 2019, 6:24 pm
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Nobody would allow people to go through security the night before then leave the airport. Arriving 3 a.m. is too early also. Nobody is around at 3 a.m. including AA staff and the US Preclearance folks who open at 4 a.m.(used to be 4:30). Even at 4 a.m. you are more likely to check in at a kiosk because AA folks are none to prompt at the podiums.

If you are dropped off at 8 p.m. and need to be in the airport at 4 a.m. then stay at the hotel attached to the terminal or the one at the end of the monorail. That's more than 4 hours, it's a proper night at a hotel.
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Old Nov 8, 2019, 6:41 pm
  #4  
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Originally Posted by ricktoronto
Nobody would allow people to go through security the night before then leave the airport. Arriving 3 a.m. is too early also. Nobody is around at 3 a.m. including AA staff and the US Preclearance folks who open at 4 a.m.(used to be 4:30). Even at 4 a.m. you are more likely to check in at a kiosk because AA folks are none to prompt at the podiums.

If you are dropped off at 8 p.m. and need to be in the airport at 4 a.m. then stay at the hotel attached to the terminal or the one at the end of the monorail. That's more than 4 hours, it's a proper night at a hotel.
We wouldn't leave the airport. When we arrive the evening prior to our flight we want to check-in for our flights, check our bags, go through US security and then sit in the secure area (maybe near our gate, if its listed) for the rest of the night. I know 3AM is too early to arrive at the airport, even though we are told to arrive 3 hrs ahead of departure. With ours and family members past experiences in arriving at 4AM when security opens its doors there will be a huge line up then a mad dash to make it to the gate in time. The times we have arrived at 3AM for a 6AM departure we sit on the floor at the door to security to be the first ones in when they open. We don't want to depend on the kindness of others who have patiently waited in line to allow us to butt in and jump the line because we didn't want to get to the airport 3 hrs early and before security opens.
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Old Nov 8, 2019, 6:58 pm
  #5  
 
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Originally Posted by Moonstone
We wouldn't leave the airport. When we arrive the evening prior to our flight we want to check-in for our flights, check our bags, go through US security and then sit in the secure area (maybe near our gate, if its listed) for the rest of the night. I know 3AM is too early to arrive at the airport, even though we are told to arrive 3 hrs ahead of departure. With ours and family members past experiences in arriving at 4AM when security opens its doors there will be a huge line up then a mad dash to make it to the gate in time. The times we have arrived at 3AM for a 6AM departure we sit on the floor at the door to security to be the first ones in when they open. We don't want to depend on the kindness of others who have patiently waited in line to allow us to butt in and jump the line because we didn't want to get to the airport 3 hrs early and before security opens.
You will not be allowed through US preclearance with a boarding pass for the next day.
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Old Nov 8, 2019, 7:02 pm
  #6  
 
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Originally Posted by dls25
You will not be allowed through US preclearance with a boarding pass for the next day.
Also not allowed to pass thru CATSA until the day of the flight
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Old Nov 8, 2019, 7:45 pm
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Ok, thanks for your responses. I guess we will be finding a quiet spot to spend a few hours near the security area doors until they open at 4 or 4:30am.
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Old Nov 8, 2019, 7:57 pm
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I do wonder why you did not consider the travel time from your home to the airport for such an early flight. It seems silly. Or why you did not budget for a hotel.
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Old Nov 8, 2019, 8:20 pm
  #9  
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We live about 1.5 hrs (in good weather & no traffic) from YYZ. We booked this flight solely due to the very cheap price (less than 1/2 the usual cost). We drive ourselves and leave our car at an airport car park for short vacations but this trip is for 3 mos so we are leaving our vehicle at home. We have spent a few nights in various airports but always on layovers. A friend has stayed overnight pre-security when he has taken the GO Bus in from out of town the night before an early morning flight and he said its no problem.
We have booked a nearby hotel twice in the past for very early flights with poor results. One trip the shuttle bus driver overslept and missed the first run that we needed to be on, when he arrived for the 2nd run there were too many people for the size of the van and he was going to take the first few people that fought their way to the front of the line no matter what time their flight was. The other time we didn't get any sleep for the yelling and loud noise in the halls from the immigrants that were being housed there. We refuse to pay over $100 for a few hours in a motel. We will be fine in the airport, it will be worth it to escape the snow and cold for 3 mos.
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