Canadian Airports with US Border Pre-clearance

With the legalization of cannabis in Canada today, there are new considerations for Canadians travelling to the USA. While we won't delve into these here, we offer the following in response to increased interest in Canadian airports with US customs and immigration "pre-clearance" facilities.

What is pre-clearance?

The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service operates border pre-clearance facilities at eight (8) major Canadian airports. If you fly to the USA from one of these airports, you will pass through U.S. Immigration and Customs, Public Health, and Agriculture inspections before boarding your flight.

What are the benefits of pre-clearance?

Leaving the security check and baggage area,
transitioning to US CBP pre-clearance

You will not need to clear customs after landing in the USA, eliminating delays if you have a connecting flight.

Your baggage will be checked through to your final destination (in other words, you won't need to collect and recheck your bags if you have a connecting flight).

If you are denied entry into the United States by United States Customs and Border Protection, and are not allowed to board your flight, you can simply leave the airport (as contrasted to the complications resulting from being detained by CBP in the USA).

Are there any downsides?

Entering US CBP preclearance in Vancouver

Any delay in US Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance could cause you to miss you outbound flight from Canada (arrive early, especially at Toronto Pearson Airport, which is prone to delays).

US Customs and Border Protection hours may differ from airport open hours. You should be aware that if your flight departs outside US CBP operating hours, you will clear customs at your destination airport.

What Canadian airports have pre-clearance?

After preclearance at Vancouver International Airport,
travellers are considered to be in the USA

Canadian airports with US Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance are:

• Calgary International Airport (YYC)
• Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
• Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)
• Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
• Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW)
• Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
• Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG)

Is pre-clearance available at other crossings?

Yes.

US Customs and Border Protection operates pre-clearance at:

• Pacific Central Station in Vancouver - for Amtrak Cascades train service to Seattle
• Port of Vancouver - for cruise ship passengers embarking at Vancouver

US CBT preclearance at Victoria ferry port

US Customs and Border Protection offers immigration-only pre-clearance at these crossings (meaning you will still clear customs upon arrival in the USA):

• Port of Victoria - for Black Ball Line MV Coho car ferry service to Port Angeles
• Port of Victoria - for Victoria Clipper passenger service to Seattle
• Sidney, BC - for Washington State Ferry service to Anacortes

What else should I keep in mind?

While flying from a pre-clearance airport means that you will arrive in the USA as a domestic traveler, you are, of course, still subject to reinspection at the discretion of US Customs and Border Protection service.

This article is posted as general information only and is not to be considered as legal advice.

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Amazing Race Canada - Season 1 airports recap

Air Canada flies #RaceCDA teams

With Season 2 almost upon us, we thought we would recap the airports that the Amazing Race Canada teams visited in Season 1.

In Season 1, The Amazing Race Canada's visited 12 Canadian airports... [continue reading on our #RaceCDA blog].



Check out our Amazing Race airport quiz

We're having some fun over on our IHateTaxis Amazing Race Canada Blog.

We created a quiz about all the airports that the Amazing Race Canada teams visited in Season 1.

If you are a fan, or an #avgeek or just love airports, then check it out.

Amazing Race Canada - Week 9: 1 ferry, no airports!

The excitement continued on The Amazing Race Canada in Week 9 - if you missed the episode, you can watch it, and get full details on the official website.

As far as our coverage goes - as we have focused on the airports visited on the race - we were left a bit stumped as to what to post for Week 9.... as there were no airports involved!

The teams began in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but we had covered Halifax's Airport in our Week 8 blog post).

On the MV Atlantic Vision ferry, Marine Atlantic,
between North Sydney (Nova Scotia) and
Port aux Basques (Newfoundland and Labrador)

Next, the teams took the ferry from North Sydney to Port aux Basques, on their way to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ferry service in the area is provided by Marine Atlantic.

As a result, during the entire Week 9 episode, there were no airports!

Instead, we did a blog post this week on the 5 Busiest Airports in Canada - with lots of extra trivia and information. Check it out.

We look forward to more Amazing Race blog posts - with airports! - as the race goes into the final stretch...

Go teams go!!

5 Busiest Airports in Canada 2012

Did you know where Canada's busiest airports are? How many have you visited? Do you have any favourites?

1. Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)

• Official name: Toronto Pearson International Airport
• Named for: Lester B. Pearson, the 14th Prime Minister of Canada
• Passengers served in 2012: 34,912,456
• Distance from downtown: 27 kilometres
• Other airports: YYZ is the busiest of Toronto's main airports, but is the most remotely located; Toronto Billy Bishop City Centre Airport (YTZ) is located downtown (it's Canada's 9th busiest)
• Trivia: YYZ is one of only two airports in North America with scheduled flights to all 6 inhabited continents; the other is New York's John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK)
• Good news: Construction is underway on Metrolink's new Union Pearson Express, a rail link between Pearson Airport and Union Station in downtown Toronto; the UP Express will begin service in spring 2015
• Transportation tip: Your best bet for a Toronto Pearson Airport transfer is a shuttle - full details on all options in our YYZ Airport transportation guide
• Or, to arrive stress free, pre-book your private Toronto Pearson Airport transfer from IHateTaxis

2. Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

• Official name: Vancouver International Airport
• Passengers served in 2012: 17,596,901
• Distance from downtown: 12 kilometres
• Trivia: YVR is one of the few big international airports to have a terminal for scheduled floatplanes:Vancouver Airport South
• Transportation tip: The Canada Line SkyTrain, built for the 2010 Olympics, is your best option if you are heading downtown - details on all options in our YVR Airport transportation guide
• Or, to truly arrive stress free, treat yourself to a private Vancouver Airport transfer from IHateTaxis.

3. Montréal Trudeau International Airport (YUL)

• Official name: Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport 
• Named for: Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Canada's 15th Prime Minister
• Previously named: Montréal Dorval Airport
• Passengers served in 2012: 13,809,820
• Distance from downtown: 20 kilometres
• Other airports: Montreal has a 2nd airport, Mirabel (YMX), but it is used almost exclusively for cargo flights
• Trivia: Bombardier Aerospace has an assembly facility on site to build regional jets and Challenger business jets
• Good news: there are plans to build a rail connection to downtown Montreal, but it will not be complete until 2020
• Transportation tip: Your best bet for a Montreal Airport transfer is the 747 bus - full details on all options in our YUL Airport transportation guide
• Or, to truly arrive stress free, treat yourself to a private Montreal Trudeau Airport transfer from IHateTaxis

4. Calgary International Airport (YYC)

• Official name: Calgary International Airport 
• Passengers served in 2012: 13,638,137
• Distance from downtown: 17 kilometres
• Trivia: Calgary's airport was remarkably unscathed and remained operational during 2013's  devastating floods in the area
• Good news: a new international terminal is under construction, due to open in 2014
• Transportation tip: Your best bet for a transfer is a bus to nearby trains and Calgary's Bus Rapid Transit System - details on all options are included in our YYC Airport transportation guide
• Or, to arrive stress free, pre-book your shared Calgary Airport shuttle from IHateTaxis now

5. Edmonton International Airport (YEG)

• Official name: Edmonton International Airport 
• Passengers served in 2012: 6,676,445
• Distance from downtown: 26 kilometres
• Other airports: Edmonton used to have a 2nd airport downtown (YXD), used for commuter traffic, but it closed in recent years
• Trivia: the airport's Living Wall consists of 8,000+ plants, 32 different species
• Good news: a new Renaissance by Marriott hotel is slated to open on-site in fall 2013, the first Renaissance hotel in the world to be attached to an airport
• Transportation tip: there is a relatively new Edmonton Airport bus, but ridership is low, and there has been talk of the service being discontinued if it is not more widely used (so ride it if you go!) - details on all options included in our YEG Airport transportation guide

We hope you have enjoyed our feature on Canada's busiest airports. If you have an idea for an airport you'd like to see featured, especially if it has something unique about it's transportation, please let us know - we are always open to ideas!