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Travel to the U.S. from Toronto just got a little easier.
A new U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance facility opened at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) on Tuesday, the first new such facility in Canada in nearly two decades. Travelers now clear U.S. customs in Toronto before boarding their flights and arrive in the U.S. as if on a domestic flight.
CBP did not respond to an inquiry over whether the partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security will impact travelers clearing customs at YTZ. The agency reopened expedited Global Entry screening on Wednesday after a 17-day suspension.
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While preclearance means travelers have to arrive at YTZ a little earlier than before, it is widely acknowledged to save time on the ground in the U.S. It also permits new routes from YTZ to two popular U.S. airports — New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) near Washington, D.C. — that lack their own international arrivals facilities.
“Preclearance unlocks opportunity,” RJ Steenstra, president and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority, which operates YTZ, said in a message on YouTube. “It enables new routes, new destinations and new connections for business and leisure travel.”
The first of those new routes is, in fact, to LGA. Air Canada will launch four daily flights between YTZ and LGA on March 29.
In the months following the LGA launch, Air Canada will expand its U.S. flying from YTZ to three more airports: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C. IAD and ORD are hubs for its partner United Airlines.
Porter Airlines, the dominant airline at YTZ and the airport’s long sole carrier with U.S. flights, is not standing by idly as Air Canada encroaches on its turf. The airline will begin new service to Nashville International Airport (BNA) in May and move its long-standing service from YTZ to Chicago’s Midway International Airport (MDW) to the city’s busier ORD in September.
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ORD is a hub for Porter partner American Airlines.
“This is an important development for our passengers and the airport,” Michael Deluce, CEO of Porter, said in a statement. “Since launching U.S. flights from YTZ in 2008, Porter has been committed to providing elevated economy service between Toronto and key American cities. Preclearance represents the next chapter in that journey.”
Jets are banned at YTZ, and both Air Canada and Porter exclusively fly the de Havilland Canada Dash 8-Q400 to the airport. This limits flights from YTZ to destinations within the Q400’s range, or about 1,000 miles. Additionally, slot controls limit the overall number of flights at the airport.
The future of the jet ban is in question after Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday that the province plans to take control of YTZ, CBC News reported. The airport is currently controlled by the City of Toronto, the Toronto Port Authority and Canada’s federal government. Ford has previously said that he supports extending the runway at YTZ to accommodate jets.
Seats to the U.S. from YTZ are scheduled to increase nearly 5% in the first six months compared to the same period in 2025, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows. The growth is entirely driven by Air Canada’s entrance into the market.
Travelers will pay for the new preclearance facility at YTZ. The airport will collect a 22.50 Canadian dollar ($16.56) fee for every traveler using it during the first year of operations.
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