Toronto's Pearson airport bracing for 1 million travellers this week. Here's how to survive the holiday crush

Officials at Toronto's Pearson International Airport say they are ready for the holiday rush with staff and technology to ensure operations run smoothly this season.

More than one million people this week alone, or between 150,000 and 160,000 people daily, are expected to come into the airport, according to Fabrice de Dongo, spokesperson for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority.

"This is one of the busiest times of the year," De Dongo said on Tuesday.

"That's a lot of people going through this space... We just ask people to find ways to make their time here as effective and quick as possible despite some of the unknowns."

De Dongo said officials expect a six per cent increase in the number of flights, a 10 per cent increase in the number of passengers and a 20 per cent increase in the number of bags this holiday season compared to the same time last year, he said.

"We fundamentally ask people to pack your patience," De Dongo said. "Travel is coming back. We're seeing a lot of sun destinations right now. There's definitely a growing demand. We're excited to help that happen, especially over the holidays."

Some digital tools you might not know about

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) recommends that passengers use the following digital tools:

• YYZ Express, an online reservation program that allows travellers to book a spot in the security line ahead of their flight up to 72 hours in advance. 
• Mobile Passport Control, an app introduced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which allows travellers to submit their information digitally if travelling south of the border.
• A wait times dashboard that provides travellers with real-time information before they arrive at the airport.  
• A peak travel times dashboard that shows if you will be passing through the airport during a busy period. 
• Advance declaration, offered by Canada Border Services Agency, which lets travellers submit their customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours before flying into Canada. Passengers who complete advance declaration will have access to an express lane in the customs area. 
• Operational updates that can be found on X, formerly Twitter.

De Dongo said he also recommends coming in three hours early if taking an international flight and two hours early if taking a domestic flight.

Tamara Lopez, an officer with the Canada Border Services Agency, said passengers should have their travel documents ready and should ensure any gifts are unwrapped. 

"It's that time of year [when] people might be giving out gifts, which is great, but we want to make sure that you have those gifts, unwrapped, or in a gift bag, so it's easily accessible to the officer to be able to verify what that is. We have to see what the item is to ensure if it's allowed in the country," she said.

In a news release, Deborah Flint, the GTAA's president and CEO, said the airport is fully staffed and has improved its de-icing and snow clearing capabilities with new equipment.

"This year, we've taken significant steps to enhance our winter operational capabilities to prepare for the holidays," Flint said. 

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst: passenger

Landon Sim, a traveller, said he always hopes for the best but is prepared for delays and cancellations..

"You know, you just have to show up early, kind of expect the worst, and then hopefully, you get a better outcome than the worst," Sim said.

Frank Savoury, another traveller, said he is hoping his travel experience is not what it was last year.

"Last year, I had delays, one cancellation. It was quite dramatic actually to get around, but hopefully, this year it's a lot better."