Connecting through Pearson

[Brian V]

Hey all, just looking for some recent experience - how bad is connecting Canada to US through Pearson these days?

I know it was a S($& show 🤡for a while but am not hearing anything lately, does that mean things are back to "normal"?

 

We are heading to San Juan the first week in January, YYC - YYZ - SJU with about 2:25 layover if all on time.

We will be carry on only.

 

Does this sound doable or should we be looking at alternatives?

 

Any and all input welcomed 🙂

[Dancer Bob]

The YYZ Airport Authority is now proudly boasting that it's no longer the worst airport on the planet.But they're also proactively managing expectations over Christmas, warning that it will be very busy.

In January, I suspect weather is more of a consideration, if the inbound from YYC is on time you'll be OK, but I doubt you have many alternatives for SJU.

It was reported a while ago that the Airport Authority is now requiring reporters to request permission 24 hours in advance, they promise to respond "quickly", but even then, will be required to have a minder. I've heard nothing recently, whether reporters are lying low to avoid being branded a troublemaker.

Edited December 17, 2022 by Dancer Bob

[em-sk]

1 hour ago, Brian V said:

Hey all, just looking for some recent experience - how bad is connecting Canada to US through Pearson these days?

I know it was a S($& show 🤡for a while but am not hearing anything lately, does that mean things are back to "normal"?

 

We are heading to San Juan the first week in January, YYC - YYZ - SJU with about 2:25 layover if all on time.

We will be carry on only.

 

Does this sound doable or should we be looking at alternatives?

 

Any and all input welcomed 🙂

 

Are you on Air Canada/United or WestJet/Delta.   

 

Terminal 1 (where Air Canada is) you do the transfers in an area just for transfer passengers.  It is quick and 2 1/2 is far more than enough time.

 

Terminal 3 (where WestJet/Delta is) you have to exit the airside are and go into the lines are passengers leaving from Toronto.   Your going to have longer lines.  It is do able but it will take longer than over at Terminal 1.

 

[Tango99]

1 hour ago, Brian V said:

Hey all, just looking for some recent experience - how bad is connecting Canada to US through Pearson these days?

I know it was a S($& show 🤡for a while but am not hearing anything lately, does that mean things are back to "normal"?

 

We are heading to San Juan the first week in January, YYC - YYZ - SJU with about 2:25 layover if all on time.

We will be carry on only.

 

Does this sound doable or should we be looking at alternatives?

 

Any and all input welcomed 🙂

TBH we’re still avoiding YYZ for travel south. Always did. An alternative may be direct flights to Miami if they’re operating from YYC or somewhere across the border and then a short hop on many flights from MIA to SJU. We do that whenever we’re heading that way. It’s been a while for us, pre covid.. So you may end up being shifted to AC, unless you want to overnight in Miami. 

[LHT28]

Friends  connected there last  week  YYC -YYZ-MIA   they had no issues 

I think they layover was less than 2hrs

[dolfan1980]

3 hours ago, Brian V said:

Hey all, just looking for some recent experience - how bad is connecting Canada to US through Pearson these days?

I know it was a S($& show 🤡for a while but am not hearing anything lately, does that mean things are back to "normal"?

 

We are heading to San Juan the first week in January, YYC - YYZ - SJU with about 2:25 layover if all on time.

We will be carry on only.

 

Does this sound doable or should we be looking at alternatives?

 

Any and all input welcomed 🙂

I've only transited YYZ to/from US twice and domestic connections twice in the past two months, so my experience is purely anecdotal, but here goes...IMO you have plenty of time, the US customs hall for connections isn't too bad and quite fast if you have Nexus.  I was able to connect through both times in about a half an hour from arriving at one gate from a domestic flight to walk to the connections security/customs and then be sitting in the AC lounge inside US area of Terminal 1.  

 

What I find AC has not gotten solved in Toronto is the chronic problem of understaffing under wing.  I've constantly waited for gates/ground crews/baggage on almost every flight in/out of there the past ~2 years since I started flying post-covid.  The delays are getting better, but I find departures seem to go 10-30 mins late almost every flight.  I was 45 mins late leaving YYZ last Monday for no reason other than staffing shortages and my folks were also 45 mins delayed for same reason Wednesday.   I've probably had 25 of these delays in the past year.

[rodndonna]

Connect through Pearson a couple of weeks ago for a US cruise - no problems or delays for us coming or going.

[Brian V]

Thanks for all the info everyone 🙂

 

12 hours ago, em-sk said:

Are you on Air Canada/United or WestJet/Delta.   

 

We are on AC so T1 in and out...not too worried that way.

If our outbound is a little late it's no biggie, we are overnighting in San Juan anyways. Flight do seem to leave YYC pretty much on time.

 

Tough to get south from YYC, everything goes through YYZ (or YUL) for the eastern US.

Alternative was to pay as much for airfare as we paid for the cruise and have a 14 hour (if I recall) connection through Houston 😞

 

If things did go really bad we could overnight in YYZ and still fly YYZ-SJU the next day, flight arrives at 14:10 and we don't need to be aboard until 17:00 - I would never plan it that way but as a plan b...

 

[1kaper]

On 12/17/2022 at 10:09 AM, Brian V said:

We are on AC so T1 in and out...not too worried that way.

 

We flew AC a few months ago and not an issue.  Especially with carry on.  I would be comfortable with 2:25. 

Last month we flew WestJet, carry on.  Heading out of Canada was slower but we still made it with plenty of time.  Coming back was no issues at all.  Customs was super quick as was security.  

[aragorn764]

Sorry to thread jack guys but I haven't flown to the US since 2020, we are heading out to FLL in a few weeks with Wesjet. What is considered a valid document for vaccination? I have the copies from my pharmacy but that's it for now, is that enough? I have a friend that cruised in December and she told me that at no point did she ever show proof of vaccination...pardon my ignorance, TIA!

[1kaper]

31 minutes ago, aragorn764 said:

Sorry to thread jack guys but I haven't flown to the US since 2020, we are heading out to FLL in a few weeks with Wesjet. What is considered a valid document for vaccination? I have the copies from my pharmacy but that's it for now, is that enough? I have a friend that cruised in December and she told me that at no point did she ever show proof of vaccination...pardon my ignorance, TIA!

 

You don't need vaccination documentation to fly now.  

[aragorn764]

Oh wow Im so sorry, all good!

[Fouremco]

29 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

 

You don't need vaccination documentation to fly now.  

 

While some airlines may fail to check, with few exceptions, proof of vaccination remains a requirement for passengers flying into the US. From the CDC webpage, updated December 30, 2022:

 

• If you are a non-U.S. citizen who is a nonimmigrant (not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or traveling to the United States on an immigrant visa), you will need to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before you travel by air to the United States from a foreign country.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/proof-of-vaccination.html#noncitizen

 

Air Canada's website reflects this requirement:

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Fouremco

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, aragorn764 said:

Sorry to thread jack guys but I haven't flown to the US since 2020, we are heading out to FLL in a few weeks with Wesjet. What is considered a valid document for vaccination? I have the copies from my pharmacy but that's it for now, is that enough? I have a friend that cruised in December and she told me that at no point did she ever show proof of vaccination...pardon my ignorance, TIA!

Does  Alberta health have a central website  where you can download all your Covid  vaccination records??

 

[aragorn764]

Yes, i just found out!

[Mingus]

Should get the Canada proof of vaccination QR code.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/vaccines/vaccine-proof.html

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, Mingus said:

Should get the Canada proof of vaccination QR code.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/vaccines/vaccine-proof.html

There is no Canadian proof of vaccination as proof is issued by the provinces, not by the federal government. For Alberta, the proof can be found at https://covidrecords.alberta.ca/home

[gnome12]

32 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

There is no Canadian proof of vaccination as proof is issued by the provinces, not by the federal government. For Alberta, the proof can be found at https://covidrecords.alberta.ca/home

It can also be reached from the website that Mingus linked to, along with links for all other provinces and territories.

[Mingus]

4 hours ago, Fouremco said:

There is no Canadian proof of vaccination as proof is issued by the provinces, not by the federal government. For Alberta, the proof can be found at https://covidrecords.alberta.ca/home

Our B.C. proof of vaccination is not valid for international travel.

Looks like it's different for Alberta.

 

"The following provinces are issuing a separate provincial COVID-19 proof of vaccination that includes a QR (quick response) code:

• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• Quebec

These provinces also issue the Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination.

Provincial COVID-19 proof of vaccination can be used within the province. However, you should use the Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination when you travel internationally."

 

[Fouremco]

7 hours ago, Mingus said:

Our B.C. proof of vaccination is not valid for international travel.

Looks like it's different for Alberta.

 

"The following provinces are issuing a separate provincial COVID-19 proof of vaccination that includes a QR (quick response) code:

• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• Quebec

These provinces also issue the Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination.

Provincial COVID-19 proof of vaccination can be used within the province. However, you should use the Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination when you travel internationally."

 

In early 2021, when the provinces first started providing COVID vaccinations, recipients were issued a document from the provincial/territorial health authority providing the details of the vaccination. As each of the provinces and territories issued different documents, and as some mentioned neither Canada nor the province in the document, problems arose when travelling Canadians were asked for proof of vaccination. Consequently, the provincial, territorial and federal governments agreed to a standardized proof that included the name and logo of the issuing province/territory, and the country of issuance showing the Canada logo:

 

 

Provinces and territories dropped their old proof in favour of the standardized format, although some continue to offer both with the understanding that the former are not intended for use outside the province. 

 

In the case of BC, it issues two different documents, both the standardized format identical to the other provinces and territories, and the BC Vaccination Card for use within the province.

[aragorn764]

Well....sure looks like the need to be fully vaxxed is still on!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/us-extends-covid-vaccine-mandate-for-foreign-travelers/ar-AA15ZlKM

[kdkstormy]

4 hours ago, aragorn764 said:

Well....sure looks like the need to be fully vaxxed is still on!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/us-extends-covid-vaccine-mandate-for-foreign-travelers/ar-AA15ZlKM

Fully vaxed to fly, driving across the border it is not required.  

[*Miss G*]

5 hours ago, kdkstormy said:

Fully vaxed to fly, driving across the border it is not required.  

 

Unless you are a US citizen or PR, or are under the age of 18, you are definitely required to be vaccinated.  LINK

 

[em-sk]

On 1/4/2023 at 6:43 PM, Fouremco said:

There is no Canadian proof of vaccination as proof is issued by the provinces, not by the federal government. For Alberta, the proof can be found at https://covidrecords.alberta.ca/home

 

It is a weird one. It is a federal government of Canada document that is generated by the provincial government.   You will notice it has a provincial logo in the left and the government of Canada logo in the right.

 

The feds have standing and agreement with other countries who will accept and may verify the document.  While provinces have the raw data that is needed to populate it.   Same thing with the old fashion vaccine passports that have been used for years.  The federal government would supply blank passport books to the provincial health regions who would complete and issue them updating the federal database in the process when issues or updated.

[Brian V]

As much as they say "Vaccination required", not a single person asked for our proof of vaccination - not in Calgary, not in Toronto (connection was great until US CBP, what a $*&# show), not in San Juan, not on the ship, not in Houston...nowhere, Still wise to carry it I would think.

 

Lots of signs still up every where we went but no enforcement of anything, just a handful of people masking by choice.

 

It's as if the last 3 years was all a bad dream...

 

Of course, with 4700 people on the Epic, I managed to catch a cold (yes, tested and verified NOT to be "The one which shall remain nameless") on the last day...aaaauuuurgh!

Edited January 17, 2023 by Brian V
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