Landing at Pearson5:30pm-connecting flight 7:00pm, can we make it?

[thaihubbie]

Hi,
I'm starting this thread to get some opinions before I book our flight. I was looking at a 5:30pm landing time at Pearson then connecting flight to Ottawa at 7:00pm...will we have time to 'land' and catch our flight?

[DNT2003]

That's plenty of time, but depends if your source flight is delayed or not, and if booked on the same ticket they usually wait for the flight to arrive until the passengers have arrived.

I'd say you are safe IMO.

DNT2003

[katie87]

I have the same problem - 1h20mins to catch my connecting flight in Toronto to go to Ottawa. If you miss the flight its no biggie - there are flights every hour to Ottawa. the problem is that you will have the retrieve your checked bags - go through customs - and then recheck them, so it will be cutting it close.

[brin]

Depends if you need to clear customs or check baggge again...if your landing as a PR and needs to be cleared by customs on the first port of entry, then it's going to take a bit of time ...so check on that....! also you need to move from the arrivals to the domestic terminals...it's going to be somewhat a rush taking in to account all these..!!!...if you are just getting off the place and leaving to the domestic terminal then u'll be fine!!!

[wilson]

If you have to do the Customs, Immigration and Baggage clearance at the Pearson Airport and then a domestic check-in for onward flight, it would be safe if you have at least 2 to 3 hrs time after landing. Always anticipate an unforeseen delay of the flights.  Therefore finding a very convenient schedule of flight  is highly  recommended.  

[brin]

That's a very valuable point from Wilson!!! u always need to anticipate flight delays as well!!!

[nylalisa]

Yes Wilson is right, 1hour is not enough time. You are landing at one of the major airports, you most likely wont be the only one landing, so there could be a line. You need to clear customs primary, get referred to immigration, complete landing, they may or may not refer you to customs secondary.. then you need to recheck you bags. Most flights stop taking check bags 45 minutes to an hour before the flight and start boarding 30 minutes prior to take off. You should definetely allow yourself more time.

[rjessome]

I agree with Wilson.  I tell everyone to give themselves 3 hours between connecting flights when landing at the POE is an issue.  I've seen a quite a few people miss their connections because of long wait times with immigration.

[scylla]

I vote three hours too.

I fly through Pearson all of the time. Things can be very unpredictable.

[valy79]

In my opinion it's not enough time at all. I never book any flight which gives me less than 3 hours at Pearson's.
When I "landed" in Canada first (on my work permit) it took me forever to get through immigration and customs. Toronto is THE major airport, and there was a big line-up at Immigration when I showed up there.

Changing to a domestic flight can be quite a pain sometimes too. I fly to/from Canada several times a year usually, and I have run into various issues when changing planes at Pearson. The worst one was when the airline which I took from Europe to Toronto didn't give me a boarding pass for the domestic flight and I had to stand in line not only at Immigration and Custom, but also at the AirCanada service counter to get my boarding pass. I was there 4 1/2 hours (not kidding), and obviously missed my flight.

[CanadianDude]

ABSOLUTELY NOT enough time!  Even though I am a Canadian citizen, and wasn't going through any landing procedures, my flight from Amsterdam arrived on time, but I spent 45 minutes in the immigration/Customs line-up because they were understaffed and trying to fit through 500+ people from various flights (the lines went were so long they winded out into the corridor and arrivals hallway).  It's just the luck of the draw, but if you ask me, give yourself more time, it's always better to be early than late.  Ps. it took me 1hour and 15 min to get through, and I ended up ok because my connecting flight had an hour left before flight.

[Heckler]

Just to add my opinion that you're not leaving anywhere near enough time!
I landed at Vancouver airport on saturday afternoon. Due to bad luck I arrived just after 2 delayed flights had arrived at the airport from China & Japan repsectively, I had to stand in line for 2 hours about behind about 40-50 chinese & japanese students!
Although once I did get seen it was all done in about 5 minutes, if I had needed to get a connecting flight I would have been in trouble!
Give yourself plenty of time. I know airports aren't the most enjoyable places to be stuck but it's better than missing your flight!
& trust me, once you have that piece of paperwork in you're hand confirming you as a permanant resident, the anxiety & stress & worry all vanishes & you can finally just relax. I'm sure any wait you have will won't be as bad in those circumstances 
Good luck

[Baloo]

That's plenty of time, but depends if your source flight is delayed or not, and if booked on the same ticket they usually wait for the flight to arrive until the passengers have arrived.

I'd say you are safe IMO.

DNT2003

Maybe I misunderstand this, but in my experience (Aeroplan - SE) flights do not wait for passengers.


  @  OP Allow over three hours on a bad day.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/toronto-airport-lineups-anger-travellers-20110317-053836-673.html

[cuds]

I don't think it is enough time either.

Whenever I land anywhere it takes at least 15 minutes to get off the plane. I usually sit near the middle/back of the plane. The last few times when I flew Europe/Pearson Canada, there was an initial passport check right when we left the plane. Which means that getting off the plane takes even longer.

Than you have to walk to customs, hope there won't be too many people and than you'll have to wait in the area where you will actually land.