Toronto Pearson Airport is preparing for a major holiday rush, with more than 3.2 million travellers expected to pass through Canada’s busiest airport between now and January 5.
Airport officials say peak travel days around Christmas and New Year’s could see up to 171,000 passengers moving through Pearson’s terminals in a single day. This mid-December to early January period is traditionally one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.
On Monday alone, nearly 128,000 passengers were expected to arrive or depart from Pearson, with approximately 973,000 travellers projected to use the airport this week.
Travellers flying out on Monday were headed to 136 destinations across 50 countries, with Punta Cana, London, and Cancun ranking as the top international routes.
To manage the surge, Pearson is working closely with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority and the Canada Border Services Agency, offering travel tips to help passengers navigate security, baggage rules, and customs smoothly.
As in previous years, the airport has boosted staffing levels, enhanced snow-removal capacity, added volunteers throughout terminals, and strengthened baggage system operations to reduce disruptions.
Airport officials continue to urge travellers to plan ahead, monitor weather conditions, and check flight status with airlines before heading to the airport to avoid delays during the busy holiday period.