you can try anything I suppose, but I don’t think this is SOP. I’ve never tried either, but everytime I go through TT security in Canada, they want to see everyone’s BP and Nexus card. Kids included. That line supposedly has some sort of less stringent security than for the regular line, though it beats me what it is (shoes stay on?). It seems to me the line is definitely always shorter, so you get to the actual checkpoint quicker, but once you hit the X-ray, they are checking the bags at least as stringently or more so than in the regular line. YMMV of course.

​​​​​​This won't work. They check cards individually. With new trainees these days, they're even more sticklers for technicalities. One recent trip, they removed my liquids from my regulation plastic bag to put them into the provided plastic bag ?!

Does OP have Amex Plat or AE reserve ? You can get priority 'pass' from booth to go through security faster at least if you use the non-connecting passenger line (if you're not in J). However,I think your best bet will be the connecting passenger route to get to US customs.

It’s definitely SOP; while you can’t use the Nexus border crossing lanes unless you have a Nexus card, you can absolutely have a non-Nexus member join you in a Nexus security line. I’ve done it countless times, and it’s spelled out right there in black and white on CATSA’s website. Of course that doesn’t mean every CATSA agent knows the correct procedure, which is why I used the word “should” in my suggestion up-thread. But regardless, a non-Nexus traveller is certainly allowed to use the Nexus security lane when travelling with a Nexus member.

From that same link I shared:

I wish we had a proper trusted traveller security lane like TSA PreCheck, but I guess this is better than nothing. Hopefully the spotlights on CATSA’s inefficiencies these days will lead to a proper TT experience.

You may certainly come across agents who’ll insist on checking cards individually, but again, that is not a requirement of using the Nexus lanes. It’s right there on their website and was my experience mere weeks ago at both YUL and YYZ.

Air Canada Metering for Us Departures
 

I have a 8am flight to the US on Saturday and I’m trying to figure out when to arrive at the airport. We have 2 young kids so my preference is to just get there really early (4:45?) and then kill time stress-free after getting through all the lines.

But I just read that AC flights have metering and so getting there early doesn’t do anything because they won’t let you through security/customs until your flight is called.

Is this the case? Any feedback on the best way to do this? We have priority screening but sadly we don’t all have Nexus.

There is metering for arrivals and entry into the inbound immigration hall, but I haven't heard about outbound metering. Can you cite the article or news where that was reported?

I have an 11AM flight tomorrow on United, and fully intend on arriving around 9AM, clearing Nexus security and US Global Entry and going to the lounge.

Well pre-pandemic, even in the old days when you did customs prior to security, there was definitely metering into pre-clearance at peak times when the halls got full, so definitely for the morning rush. I haven't been through Pearson since Oct, but at that point, they had separate lines based on destinations, and think they were metering based on this (they knew ORD left at 9, so were letting EWR, which left at 8:315 through before, for example). These were all long lines....I'm not sure how that worked exactly since I had priority line access and was able to go straight through (thanks, Amex card). Have no idea what they are doing currently, though suspect that OP is leaving on Sat., so may be less crowded in general than a weekday. YMMV, I guess.

It took me some digging but I finally confirmed it. I was hoping for some first hand accounts. I’m a stressful waiter and I’m fine if there’s like an X time line and We just get in it and wait. But if it’s just a giant waiting room and when they call a flight everyone rushes to the line I’m going to be a ball of nerves.

This is from AC’s site:

—Specifically for flights to the U.S. departing before 9 am from Toronto Pearson, and to optimize the flow of customers, we’ve introduced a new queue system for security and customs. After you check in, look for the signage to determine which queue you should enter for your flight.
—
From: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...es.html#/home:

I have priority security so hopefully this bypasses that line.

I really don’t mind waiting in lines. It sucks with young kids but I can control where I am in that line relative to the rest of the flight and it’s just a matter of time to get through. I just can’t handle mad rushes and chaos - particularly when doing it poorly could mean missing a flight.

yes, this was the metering system that was in place in the fall when I came through. So I guess they still have that. Like I said, at the time I was there (went through at like 5:30 or 6am), lines were huge). But priority lines avoided the queue system.

if you have Nexus or priority security (Amex card/Ac elite or exec class) should presumably be able to go straight through those entrances at your designated time. In Oct., Nexus security was still closed, and was very happy to get into that priority line, as I would not have been happy on those long, by destination lines

I don’t think Air Canada has any authority over United Airlines passengers or can prevent them from entering security or US immigration.

The whole thing just seems kind of weird to me. Because really, why is AC allowed to dictate who can go through security/customs (besides ensuring people have a ticket)? I get why they want to but it does seem outside their authority and when they do it and other airlines don’t it just makes life extra worse for their customers. Feels like if it’s needed it should be a Pearson/Customs rule.

i suspect it’s something the GTAA is overseeing, not AC specifically.

There were definitely reports from people that it was just AC and that other carriers were not stopping people by destination/time. Not surprisingly, they were very irate.

I guess that needs to be taken with an internet sized grain of salt though.

ill admit I saw the lines, but given my access to priority, I wasn’t paying to much attention. I usually am on UA out of Pearson, but happened to flying AC last time, since UA was barely flying anything those days.

While AC is most of the T1 capacity, so definitely them alone metering would have some impact, not sure it makes sense if all aren’t taking part.

This morning T1 transborder didn’t seem completely insane. Long lines for security but since I had priority security I’m not sure exactly how long. But a number (maybe even more than half) of early morning flights seemed to take off on time. Customs was moving quite fast around 5:30.

Honestly it didn’t seem much worse than some busy mornings I saw pre-Covid.