YYZ / Toronto Pearson Customs Preclearance to USA
Mar 31, 2018, 9:19 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
GE may make it faster. But it can be busy so I always allow 2h for US when dropping bags.
Apr 4, 2018, 10:54 am
#18
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
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I flew out on Saturday March 31 on a flight with a 6:10 AM departure. I got to YYZ at about 4:45 AM and was through security and immigration in twenty minutes. CBP was well staffed at 5 AM and very easy to use.
Apr 4, 2018, 6:20 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
Can be lots more travellers to US at 8am Monday than 6am Saturday in my experience.
Apr 4, 2018, 7:33 pm
#20
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
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Saturday mornings can be deadly with kettles flying southbound for vacation and cruises. Especially at YYZ T3 with DL and AA flights to US.
Apr 4, 2018, 7:59 pm
#21
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
Can you get there 60 mins before, drop bags before t-45 and get thru? Sure, it’s possible. Could it cause stress and a missed cut off? Yep, also true.
Dec 17, 2018, 1:12 am
#24
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,950
Dec 17, 2018, 6:43 am
#26
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,107
My parents found pre clearance closed after a delayed domestic flight arrived at 21:08 back in February. Toronto Airport’s Twitter said US CBP is open 04:30-21:00. https://twitter.com/torontopearson/s...383293441?s=21
I experienced this first hand earlier this year. My AC Jazz flight was delayed and delayed and delayed... left after midnight. However, AC would only show the departure as 9 PM (about an hour late). I asked the gate agent why the wrong info and she very specifically said it's to avoid people "not getting back in through pre-clearance".
Dec 17, 2018, 8:43 am
#27
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,950
This is why airlines, I know for certain Air Canada, will not post a delayed departure to the USA as later than 9 PM, regardless of how late it really is, to avoid this problem. They don't want people leaving the pre-clearance area and not be able to get back in.
I experienced this first hand earlier this year. My AC Jazz flight was delayed and delayed and delayed... left after midnight. However, AC would only show the departure as 9 PM (about an hour late). I asked the gate agent why the wrong info and she very specifically said it's to avoid people "not getting back in through pre-clearance".
I experienced this first hand earlier this year. My AC Jazz flight was delayed and delayed and delayed... left after midnight. However, AC would only show the departure as 9 PM (about an hour late). I asked the gate agent why the wrong info and she very specifically said it's to avoid people "not getting back in through pre-clearance".
Dec 17, 2018, 9:34 am
#28
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,107
That’s quite the opposite of what my parents experienced on Air Canada (see earlier in this thread). Their flight into YYZ was delayed to 21:08, but their YYZ-BOS connection was delayed to 22:30 (both weather), so they thought they’d be fine. They hustled to Customs only to find they had to pay for a hotel to watch their flight take off.
Dec 17, 2018, 1:16 pm
#29
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,950
Was 22:30 the actual delay or the posted delay? My understanding, only from what the gate agent told me, is they won't post the delay as later than 21:00 regardless of what it really turns out to be. Either way, US CBP closes at 21:00 so that would explain why they got stuck.
Dec 17, 2018, 2:19 pm
#30
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,107
Almost certain it was the posted delay; I was monitoring the flight and saw before they landed that the connecting flight was delayed and therefore assumed they'd be fine. Totally asinine that they get stuck in that situation; it will make me not use Air Canada in the future, since there are options that don't involve that self-imposed risk.
You're definitely right about thinking twice about these itineraries that involve transborder connections that bump up toward US-CBP closing time.