Pearson 7:00am Departure to US

[jba2]

I'm wondering what people's experiences have been leaving Pearson for the US on an early morning flight. I'm wondering what time I should arrive at the airport. Please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe security/US customs doesn't open until 6:00am. I am flying to MCO on June 26 at 7:00am. TIA

 

[Prince John Robin Hood]

Customs opens at 4:30am. We have the same flight in August and I'm curious about others experiences as well. We were planning to get to the airport between 4:30 and 4:45 which I'm hoping gives us enough time. My biggest fear is checking in with Air Canada as it took forever in March.

 

[Raimiette]

Just went through this last week. Flew out on a 7am flight with Air Canada to Orlando from Pearson on the 4th.

As the poster mentioned above, customs doesn't open until 4:30am so I wouldn't worry about getting to the airport super early but unlike the poster above, I would recommend getting there for 4ish. They began to call people from the Air Canada temp lounge they have set up (lounge 15 they call it) around 4:20. My traveling partner and I were in the first group taken to customs from the lounge and we were okay (got through customs/security with 40 minutes to spare) BUT if we had been in the 2nd group (or later) I don't think we would have made it (the line literally tripled while we were waiting).

 

[wdwmom3]

We had a 7:30 am flight and we were at the airport for 4;30am. The airport is starting to get busy then and customs was open early. Our longest wait was to check in with WestJet (couldn’t check in at a kiosk because of something with my 11 year old, a glitch I think).

I would try and get there for 4am. You never know when you are going to hit a line for security or customs.

 

[jba2]

Thanks so much for your responses. I will plan to get to the airport for 4:00. I do have Nexus but I don’t know if they’ll be open that early. Fortunately, I’m not checking a bag.

 

[Prince John Robin Hood]

Thanks so much for your responses. I will plan to get to the airport for 4:00. I do have Nexus but I don’t know if they’ll be open that early. Fortunately, I’m not checking a bag.

Can you post your experience after? We have Nexus too and it usually saves us a ton of time getting through customs in 10 minutes tops.

 

[CanucksRock]

I flew on the early flight in March and no issues getting thru customs & security during a layover. (I hate red eyes)

 

[CanucksRock]

Nexus in my experience has been practically a zero minute wait my last few times thru Pearson.

 

[Prince John Robin Hood]

I flew on the early flight in March and no issues getting thru customs & security during a layover. (I hate red eyes)

Good to hear. I'm not a morning person and getting up at 3:30 would not be easy.

 

[TammyLynn33]

So what do you guys think about a 1010 flight? 630 arrival ? I want the 7 am crowd gone lol

 

[morrik5]

Our son just flew WestJet last week for mid-morning flight to MCO. No issues or delay, coming back last Friday was another issue. Had to keep on plane until backlog in Customs cleared up. Plus almost an hour delay leaving MCO for YYZ (Toronto) due to inclement weather.

 

[amw]

I'm wondering what people's experiences have been leaving Pearson for the US on an early morning flight. I'm wondering what time I should arrive at the airport. Please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe security/US customs doesn't open until 6:00am. I am flying to MCO on June 26 at 7:00am. TIA

My DD just took the 7:00am flight today on her way to do the Disney cultural exchange for this summer. She did her homework and saw that security opened at 4:15am and customs at 4:30am. She did online check-in and prepaid her one checked bag. We dropped her off just before 4am & I asked her to tell me when she went through each area cus I was a nervous mama bear.

Here are the times for her Air Canada flight:
— She went immediately to get tag for luggage at kiosk and drop off bag on belt. Slight blimp that conveyor belt stopped just as she was going to drop. Air Canada made everyone just stay where they were while it was getting fixed. No one could do drop offs. That concerned her. 20 minutes later, she was able to drop off her bag.
— 4:20am entered line for security. Took 40 minutes.
— 5:00am entered line for customs. Only took 15 minutes! Surprising because she had to provide her work papers and Visa!
— 5:15am. Headed to gate where Air Canada started boarding plane at 6:20am. Plane was not delayed.

This was on a Sunday. Let’s hope the return back from Orlando will be smoother than stories now by August!

 

[starlite_]

Nexus in my experience has been practically a zero minute wait my last few times thru Pearson.

I second this.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Any experiences from anyone who has caught a 1 pm flight from Pearson to MCO?

 

[scorpsfan]

We were asking questions to a very nice lady employee (since we got there sooo early lol) and we saw her again later on and she got us into the customs line a bit early (before there was any lineup for our flight!) So it could help to talk to an employee!
Everything was fine, though. It went very smoothly and wasn't crazy busy. We got lucky, I think. Of course, still allow plenty of time, though.

 

[peacefrogdog]

We were asking questions to a very nice lady employee (since we got there sooo early lol) and we saw her again later on and she got us into the customs line a bit early (before there was any lineup for our flight!) So it could help to talk to an employee!
Everything was fine, though. It went very smoothly and wasn't crazy busy. We got lucky, I think. Of course, still allow plenty of time, though.

What time was your flight scheduled to depart?

 

[scorpsfan]

What time was your flight scheduled to depart?

It was scheduled to depart at 9:00 am. It was on time as well actually!

 

[Misha72683]

I had a 7:30 a.m flight pre-Covid and got to the airport around 4:30 and had no issues going through security and had plenty of time. We are flying at 7:30 again in August but becssue there are 6 of us in the party, I want to be there by 4.

 

[Disney Addicted]

Just went through this last week. Flew out on a 7am flight with Air Canada to Orlando from Pearson on the 4th.

As the poster mentioned above, customs doesn't open until 4:30am so I wouldn't worry about getting to the airport super early but unlike the poster above, I would recommend getting there for 4ish. They began to call people from the Air Canada temp lounge they have set up (lounge 15 they call it) around 4:20. My traveling partner and I were in the first group taken to customs from the lounge and we were okay (got through customs/security with 40 minutes to spare) BUT if we had been in the 2nd group (or later) I don't think we would have made it (the line literally tripled while we were waiting).

Thank you for the information! You mentioned "temp lounge" - Air Canada temp lounge (lounge 15). Is this where we wait before security and customs open?

My DD just took the 7:00am flight today on her way to do the Disney cultural exchange for this summer. She did her homework and saw that security opened at 4:15am and customs at 4:30am. She did online check-in and prepaid her one checked bag. We dropped her off just before 4am & I asked her to tell me when she went through each area cus I was a nervous mama bear.

Here are the times for her Air Canada flight:
— She went immediately to get tag for luggage at kiosk and drop off bag on belt. Slight blimp that conveyor belt stopped just as she was going to drop. Air Canada made everyone just stay where they were while it was getting fixed. No one could do drop offs. That concerned her. 20 minutes later, she was able to drop off her bag.
— 4:20am entered line for security. Took 40 minutes.
— 5:00am entered line for customs. Only took 15 minutes! Surprising because she had to provide her work papers and Visa!
— 5:15am. Headed to gate where Air Canada started boarding plane at 6:20am. Plane was not delayed.

This was on a Sunday. Let’s hope the return back from Orlando will be smoother than stories now by August!

Thanks for the information!