LaGuardia to Pearson takes about 90 minutes in the air, flown by Air Canada, Delta, American and Porter. There is no Canadian preclearance in New York, so you clear Canadian customs at Pearson on landing. US citizens need a passport or NEXUS card but no eTA. Allow 30 to 60 minutes from gate to curb; a pre-booked sedan to downtown is $130–160 all-in before HST.
The flight from LaGuardia to Toronto Pearson is short enough that most of the planning is on the ground: getting to LaGuardia on time, the border at the Toronto end, and finding your car. Our New York arrivals car service at Pearson page covers business pickups and fares for all three New York airports. This post focuses on LaGuardia travellers and on what to know before the wheels touch down in Toronto.
LaGuardia to Pearson: airlines and flight time
Several airlines fly LaGuardia to Toronto Pearson non-stop, and the mix changes with each schedule season. Air Canada, Delta, American and Porter have all operated the route; check your booking for the operating carrier. Air time is about 90 minutes, a little longer on days when New York air traffic control holds departures. The operating airline decides your arrival terminal at Pearson: Air Canada at Terminal 1; Delta, American and Porter generally at Terminal 3. Confirm on the day with our terminal finder.
Getting to LaGuardia on time
LaGuardia has no rail link, so everyone arrives by road. Taxis and car services from Midtown usually take 30 to 50 minutes, far longer on a weekday evening. Public transit connects by bus: the Q70 LaGuardia Link from the subway at Jackson Heights, and the M60 Select Bus from Upper Manhattan. The LaGuardia Airport site, run by the Port Authority, has current directions. Most Toronto flights use Terminal B or Terminal C depending on the airline, and the two are far apart, so check before you leave.
No preclearance in New York: the border is at Pearson
Travellers from Pearson to the US clear US customs in Toronto, but it does not work the other way. There is no Canadian preclearance at LaGuardia. You go through TSA security in New York as for a domestic flight, board, and clear Canadian border control after landing at Pearson. That means your flight counts as an international arrival in Toronto. Our pickups for US flights include 30 minutes of waiting from actual landing, the same as Canadian domestic flights; if you expect a slow customs hall, add extra waiting at booking.
| Traveller | Entry document for Canada by air | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US citizen | US passport (or NEXUS card) | No eTA or visa needed |
| US green card holder | Passport plus valid green card | No eTA needed |
| Visa-exempt national (UK, EU, Australia) | Passport plus eTA | Apply online before flying |
| Visa-required national | Passport plus Canadian visa | Check IRCC well in advance |
| Canadian citizen | Canadian passport | Dual citizens must use it |
Check the Government of Canada's eTA page and IRCC for your exact situation.
Before you land: what to have ready
On a 90-minute flight there is little time to sort things out in the air, so do it at the gate. Keep your passport and, if needed, eTA or visa details in one place. Complete the optional Advance Declaration through ArriveCAN up to 72 hours before arrival; it can let you use faster lanes at Pearson's kiosks. Know the address where you are staying, how long you are visiting and the purpose of the trip. Check your phone plan: many US plans include Canada, some charge heavily, and you will want data to message your chauffeur.
What to declare at Canadian customs
Declare all food, plants and animal products, even snacks from the plane. Declare goods bought in the US if you are a returning resident, and gifts you are bringing in as a visitor. If you carry CAN$10,000 or more in currency or monetary instruments, you must report it. Cannabis cannot be taken across the border in either direction, even though it is legal in both New York and Ontario. The Canada Border Services Agency lists the rules. Honest declarations take seconds; undeclared items found in a secondary inspection take much longer.
Landing at Pearson: gate to curb
After landing you walk to the customs hall of your terminal. Use the primary inspection kiosks or eGates if eligible, then a border officer, then the baggage hall. With carry-on only and a quiet hall, gate to curb can be 20 to 30 minutes. With checked bags and several flights landing together, allow an hour. Our arriving in Canada at Pearson guide walks through each step. Your chauffeur is timed to the actual landing and watches the arrivals board, so you do not need to call from the aircraft.
Where to meet your chauffeur
The fare includes curbside pickup at the pre-arranged commercial pickup area of your terminal, Terminal 1 or Terminal
would rather be met inside the arrivals hall with a name board, add meet and greet at booking, a planning figure of $25–35; it is useful for first-time visitors and for guests you are hosting. The Pearson pickup rules guide explains each zone and door.
- You receive the chauffeur's details before arrival; message when you have your bags and follow the signs. If you
Delays at LaGuardia and your pickup
LaGuardia flights are often held on the ground by weather or air traffic control, especially in summer thunderstorms and winter storms. Because we track the flight rather than the schedule, a two-hour delay in New York moves your pickup, not your bill. Give the flight number at booking, and if the airline rebooks you onto a different flight, send the new number to dispatch. After the included 30 minutes from landing, waiting is charged in 15-minute blocks, and only if you need it.
Fares from Pearson after a LaGuardia flight
Planning figures in a business sedan, all-in before HST, with chauffeur, fuel, 407 tolls if used, airport fees and gratuity: downtown Toronto $130–160, North York $105–135, Mississauga $90–120, Vaughan $115–145, Markham $145–180, Oakville $120–150. A first-class sedan is about 50 per cent more, an executive SUV roughly 25 to 30 per cent more. The reservation engine quotes the exact address and vehicle. Downtown in 25 to 45 minutes off-peak, longer at the 5 p.m. peak on the 427 and Gardiner. See our rates page for the full list.
Travelling with children or older parents
A short flight still has a border at the end, and customs halls can be long walks for small legs and tired knees. Families should keep every child's passport in one adult's bag and have a letter of consent ready if a child travels with only one parent; border officers may ask for it. For older relatives, request airline wheelchair assistance at LaGuardia; it continues through the customs hall at Pearson. Add meet and greet so the chauffeur is waiting inside the arrivals hall, and ask for child seats at booking, infant, convertible or booster, free or about $10–15 each. Our child car seat transfers page explains how seats are fitted.
Money and phones on arrival
Canada uses the Canadian dollar, and cards are accepted almost everywhere, including every taxi and our own fares, which are paid at booking. There is no need to change money at the airport. US mobile plans vary: some include Canada at no extra cost, others charge by the day or the megabyte. Turn on the right option before boarding at LaGuardia so you can message your chauffeur the moment you have your bags. Pearson has free Wi-Fi in both terminals if your plan lets you down.
A timeline for a 4:00 p.m. departure from LaGuardia
- 1:30 p.m. Leave Midtown by car; traffic on the Grand Central Parkway is building.
- 2:15 p.m. Arrive at the terminal, bag drop, TSA security.
- 4:00 p.m. Departure, if New York traffic control allows.
- 5:35 p.m. Landing at Pearson Terminal 1; chauffeur notified by flight tracking.
- 6:10 p.m. Through customs and the baggage hall; message the chauffeur.
- 6:15 p.m. Depart the commercial pickup area.
- 7:00 p.m. Downtown hotel, allowing for the evening rush.
Personas: three LaGuardia passengers
King and Bay, and a walk to the meeting in the morning. Or fly to Billy Bishop if Porter's schedule fits.
quarter above the $100–130 sedan band, booked with the flight number.
and the same vehicle back to Pearson on Sunday; see sports games.
- Consultant with a 9 a.m. Bay Street meeting: take the last evening flight, a first-class sedan to a hotel near
- Family visiting relatives in Brampton: an executive SUV with two child seats fitted, planning figure roughly a
- Yankees fans for a weekend series at the Rogers Centre: a Sprinter for the group from Pearson to a downtown hotel,
Mistakes that slow LaGuardia passengers at Pearson
- Leaving the Advance Declaration until the kiosk, where it takes longer than doing it at the gate in New York.
- Walking to the wrong terminal's pickup area because a codeshare ticket named a different airline.
- Forgetting a snack from the plane in a pocket; undeclared food is the most common reason for a secondary check.
- Switching off roaming and then being unable to message the chauffeur from the curb.
- Booking the car without a flight number, so a New York ground delay is invisible to the pickup.
The flight home to LaGuardia
Going back, you clear US preclearance at Pearson before boarding, so arrive about three hours before departure; the Delta and other airline sites list check-in cut-offs for transborder flights. You then arrive at LaGuardia as a domestic passenger and walk straight to the taxi rank or bus. Book the return car to Pearson when you book the arrival, so both legs sit in one reservation with the same fixed pricing.
Checklist before you land at Pearson
- Passport, plus eTA or visa if your nationality needs one.
- Advance Declaration submitted in ArriveCAN, if you want the faster lanes.
- Food and gifts ready to declare.
- Terminal confirmed: Air Canada Terminal 1; Delta, American and Porter generally Terminal 3.
- Chauffeur's details saved, and phone data working in Canada.
- Return flight booked with three hours at Pearson for US preclearance.
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, then 10, 50 and 100 per cent at 72, 48 and 24 hours or less.
