Canada to US - Airport

[54Carol]

Stupid question, but ...  I know Canada doesn't have TSA in their airports.  What is it like going through the airport in Canada to US.  Is it just like US (take off shoes, go through xray, bags get screened, 3oz in liquids in bag, etc)?

[CruiserBruce]

Not sure what this has to do with HAL...

 

You will submit to physical screening just like the US. Xray or full body scans. Bags will be screened. Can't recall ever taking shoes off or checking liquids, but as we travel lots in the US,mwe pack that way anyway.

 

It's likely you will actually clear US Immigration and Customs in the Canadian airport.

[rafinmd]

I can't remember, TSA may actually be in most of the Canadian airports having flights to the US.  I think it would depend on the order of Immigration vs security.  Once you pass through Immigration you are effectively in an outlier of US territory and security past Immigration may be handled by TSA.

 

Once you arrive at the US airport you are considered a domestic arrival.

 

Roy

[Fouremco]

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) fulfills the same role in Canada as the TSA does in the US. https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en

[Fouremco]

5 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

I can't remember, TSA may actually be in most of the Canadian airports having flights to the US.  I think it would depend on the order of Immigration vs security.  Once you pass through Immigration you are effectively in an outlier of US territory and security past Immigration may be handled by TSA.

 

Once you arrive at the US airport you are considered a domestic arrival.

 

Roy

While there are US CBP officers who conduct pre-clearance on passengers flying to the US, CATSA performs the screening role as it does for all flights from Canadian airports. And the order is always security then immigration.

[CruiserBruce]

37 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

I can't remember, TSA may actually be in most of the Canadian airports having flights to the US.  I think it would depend on the order of Immigration vs security.  Once you pass through Immigration you are effectively in an outlier of US territory and security past Immigration may be handled by TSA.

 

Once you arrive at the US airport you are considered a domestic arrival.

 

Roy

TSA handles security at airports. It doesn't handle Immigration and Customs issues.

[CruiserBruce]

38 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

I can't remember, TSA may actually be in most of the Canadian airports having flights to the US.  I think it would depend on the order of Immigration vs security.  Once you pass through Immigration you are effectively in an outlier of US territory and security past Immigration may be handled by TSA.

 

Once you arrive at the US airport you are considered a domestic arrival.

 

Roy

TSA handles security at airports. It doesn't handle Immigration and Customs issues.

[LHT28]

When you enter the area  for flights to the USA  you do the shoes off/baggie for liquids

We have had the pre check sometimes but  they still insist  shoes off 

I also have the pat down  with a knee replacement  the machine  beeps

 

The big  major Canadian airports  you will clear US immigration/customs?  at the Canadian airport

What airport will you be flying out of Canada  from?

[FlyerTalker]

3 hours ago, LHT28 said:

When you enter the area  for flights to the USA  you do the shoes off/baggie for liquids

We have had the pre check sometimes but  they still insist  shoes off 

I also have the pat down  with a knee replacement  the machine  beeps

 

Pre-check does absolutely nothing...you are being processed by CANADIAN security, not USA TSA.

 

 

[LHT28]

22 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Pre-check does absolutely nothing...you are being processed by CANADIAN security, not USA TSA.

 

 

Maybe I was confused  the pre check may have been in FLL  on the way home

But in YYZ still had to do the shoes off /baggie out  & pat down

YMMV

[Dancer Bob]

I have NEXUS/Pre-Check. In June, YYZ-LAS, I kept my shoes on. Laptop and baggie were packed on top, I automatically threw them in the bin without asking.

[em-sk]

On 7/27/2022 at 4:52 AM, 54Carol said:

Stupid question, but ...  I know Canada doesn't have TSA in their airports.  What is it like going through the airport in Canada to US.  Is it just like US (take off shoes, go through xray, bags get screened, 3oz in liquids in bag, etc)?

 

In Canada,  CASTA is our equivalent to TSA.  They do the security screening going into the gate area.   

 

CASTA normally does not care about shoes unless you have metal in your shoes and it sets off the metal detector.  The one exception to the larger airports in Canada has US pre-clearance where you go through US passport and customs procedures in Canada before getting on a flight to the US.  In this case they require you to take off your shoes if it is going into the area where the US flights depart from.

 

CASTA also does not do ID checks the way TSA does in the US.  CASTA just wants to see that you have a valid boarding pass.  The airlines in Canada are required to do a photo ID check at the gate before your get onto your flight. 

 

In Canada some airports are setup where you do a metal detector check, if that goes off they take you over to a whole body scanner otherwise your good.  In the US they will do more body scanner and sometimes switch to using the metal detectors when TSA feels like it.

 

Liquids have to be in a little bag.  The limit is 100 mL or 100 grams packages and up to the number you can get into a 1 L bag.   We use the metric system is Canada for some things.  Slightly more than 3 oz in Canada.  Bags are on a stand near the entrance to the security area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 29, 2022 by em-sk

[54Carol]

Thank you EM-SK.  Just wanted to know what to expect.