Current state of YYZ
 

I used to fly my dearly departed flight AC 888 from Ottawa to Heathrow pretty regularly pre pandemic, but now of course that flight is gone (and I haven't been anywhere since 2019). I'm looking to fly to London at the very beginning of May, and I can either connect through Montreal - which adds over three hours to the journey - or through Toronto, which makes me nervous as I am hoping to check a bag. Do you think it's worth risking it with YYZ to save myself an over five hour layover in Montreal? I know it was a gong show last summer but I wasn't sure if things have improved now! Though I just saw an article in the Beaverton about how the best way to get rid of a body is to check it with Air Canada :D Also, I'm a Nexus card holder but I'm not sure if that makes any difference going through security as I heard those lines were closed last summer. Thank you for any advice and guidance.

If it were me I would sleep at a YYZ hotel and take the nonstop day flight to LHR to avoid potential long layovers and missed connections.

YYZ got all the news, but YUL was no better in the bags department honestly. Where are you connecting from and what airline?

It would be with Air Canada, Ottawa-Toronto-London with a 1.5 hour layover, or Ottawa-Montreal-London with a 5 hour 15 minute layover. I'd rather not take a bus or train down to Montreal, when I fly home it would be nice not to have to still travel for two hours after the flight arrives!

I usually think YYZ is a better option, simply because there are more options to get out if something happens with your connection. But..I personally would be anxious about a 1.5 hour layover in this situation...can't you take an earlier flight to toronto? Regarding Nexus, those lines are open but you will have already cleared security in Ottawa so not relevant.

If it were me, though...I would actually drive to Montreal and fly from there. I live in the fake London (YXU) and gave up on the YXU-YYZ flight and simply fly direct from YYZ everywhere. I am used to the drive and appreciate not sweating the connection issue.

Thank you for your reply! There is a flight with a 2.5 hour layover, that costs $100 more. Is 1.5 hours not sufficient nowadays? There was another flight going through Halifax with a 47 minute layover which I thought seemed sketchy, even pre pandemic. I know, it seems to make more sense to get to Montreal on my own...I don't love driving and I find driving in Montreal can be stressful. Also, if something happens along the way and I can't make my flight, aren't I out of luck? Whereas if I fly from Ottawa and something happens, they are responsible for my connection?
P.S. Are you in the dental field btw? :)

I don’t believe this is true. I believe AC has 3 separate gate areas. Domestic. USA. International. I believe you do have to reclear security in YYZ arriving from YOW connecting to LHR.

You were wise to rule out the YHZ option. Yes, you would be out of luck if “something happens” on the way to Montreal. But, realistically, how likely is that? You could just as easily have “something happen” getting to the airport in Ottawa. You don’t like driving so then that is the decision then. I’m not experienced on the reliability of the YOW-YUL flight but it’s Jazz and they can be unreliable but I’d think the absolute safest is the long connection in YUL.

Regarding the YYZ options, yes, it is AC’s “problem” if they cause you to miss the connection, but the solution may be waiting until the next day for a flight to London. The best option imo is the longer YYZ layover but you will have to decide the risk/cost ratio you are comfortable with. And…nope, not a dentist. There are other applications for that tool. 😀

Not totally correct. Domestic to international (non-US) connection at YYZ does not require security. US connections do. The OP does not require security in YYZ.

https://www.torontopearson.com/en/connections