Toronto Pearson to Delhi is flown non-stop by Air India from Terminal 1, a flight of roughly 13 to 15 hours, or one-stop via Europe or the Gulf. Canadian passport holders need an Indian visa or e-Visa unless they hold an OCI card. Arrive at Pearson three hours early. From Brampton, a sedan to the airport is a planning figure of $100–130 all-in before HST.
Few routes out of Toronto carry as much luggage, as many generations at once, or as much emotion as Toronto Pearson to Delhi. It is a long flight with strict paperwork and baggage rules, and the ground legs at both ends matter as much as the air. For the return, when family land back at Pearson, our Delhi arrivals car service at Pearson page covers pickup, waiting and fares in detail. This guide covers the outbound trip and the practical questions around it.
Toronto Pearson to Delhi: the flight options
Air India is the main non-stop carrier between Pearson and Indira Gandhi International Airport. In 2026 it moved the route to Boeing 787-9 aircraft flying non-stop, and frequencies vary by season, so check the current timetable with the airline. Air Canada has served Delhi on and off, with a schedule that changes by season; check Air Canada for current dates. The popular one-stop alternatives connect through London, Frankfurt, Dubai, Doha or Istanbul. A one-stop can be cheaper and gives a chance to stretch, but it adds three to eight hours and a second security check. For elderly travellers, the non-stop is usually worth paying extra for.
Which Pearson terminal for Delhi?
Air India and Air Canada are Star Alliance members and depart from Terminal 1. One-stop itineraries start from the terminal of the first airline: Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and Air Canada from Terminal 1, while Emirates, Qatar Airways and British Airways generally use Terminal 3. Check the booking, not the ticket seller, because codeshares blur it. Our terminal finder takes the flight number and gives the answer, and your chauffeur needs to know it before leaving home.
How long is the flight, and what is the time difference?
A non-stop from Toronto to Delhi takes roughly 13 to 15 hours, depending on the direction, winds and routing. India is 9.5 hours ahead of Toronto during Eastern Daylight Time and 10.5 hours ahead during Eastern Standard Time, because India does not change its clocks. A departure on Monday evening in Toronto lands in Delhi on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning local time, depending on the schedule. Put the local arrival time, not the Toronto time, in the message to whoever is collecting you in Delhi.
Visas: Indian visa, e-Visa or OCI?
Canadian passport holders need permission to enter India. The options are an Indian e-Visa, applied for online, or a regular visa through India's authorised application centre in Canada. Holders of an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card travel on their Canadian passport with the OCI card and do not need a separate visa. Visa services for Canadians were suspended for a period in 2023 and have since resumed, which shows how quickly rules can change. Always check the official Indian government portal and Canada's travel advice for India before booking; never rely on a relative's experience from a previous year.
| Traveller | Usually needs | Check before travel |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian citizen, no OCI | Indian e-Visa or regular visa | Passport validity and visa type |
| Canadian citizen with OCI card | OCI card plus the passport it is linked to | OCI linked to the current passport |
| Indian citizen resident in Canada | Indian passport | Canadian PR card or permit for the return |
| International student returning to India | Indian passport | Valid study permit and visa for re-entry to Canada |
Getting to Pearson with a lot of luggage
Luggage is the practical heart of this route: two large cases per person is common, plus gifts, food items and carry-ons. A business sedan takes three passengers and three bags. For two travellers with four cases and two carry-ons, book an executive SUV or luxury van, 6 passengers and 6 bags, at roughly 25 to 30 per cent above the sedan fare. A family of eight seeing off grandparents fits a Sprinter. Planning fares to Pearson in a business sedan: Brampton $100–130, Mississauga $90–120, Etobicoke $90–120, Vaughan $115–145, Scarborough $145–175. See Brampton airport car service for the most-booked area.
How early should you arrive for a Delhi flight?
Aim for three hours before departure, and more in the peak family season from November to February, when wedding travel fills every flight and check-in queues run long. Air India's check-in at Terminal 1 can be busy with oversized bags, so weigh cases at home and keep each under the airline's limit; repacking on the terminal floor is stressful and slow. Our how early to arrive at Pearson guide has more detail. If elderly parents are flying, book airline wheelchair assistance at least 48 hours ahead; the chauffeur takes them to the door and the airline takes over inside.
Planning the send-off
Many families want to accompany parents into the terminal. That is possible, but the car cannot wait at the departures curb, which is for loading and unloading only. If the family wants to go inside, either book an hourly chauffeur so the car can wait nearby (planning figure $130–150 an hour for a sedan, 3-hour minimum) or take a separate car home. A simpler option: say goodbye at home, and let the chauffeur walk parents to the check-in desk, which they will do if asked. The airport meet and greet page explains the in-terminal help.
The long flight: comfort and health
Fourteen hours in a seat is hard on older travellers. Choose aisle seats, walk every couple of hours, drink water, and wear loose clothes and compression socks if a doctor recommends them. Keep all medication in the cabin bag with the prescriptions, plus a change of clothes in case a checked bag is delayed. Vegetarian and Jain meals should be requested through the airline when booking, not at the gate. Set the phone to Delhi time on boarding so the body starts adjusting.
Arriving at Delhi's international terminal
International flights at Indira Gandhi International Airport use Terminal 3. After immigration, where e-Visa holders and OCI holders follow the signs for foreigners, collect bags and pass customs. The Delhi Airport website lists arrival procedures and facilities. Winter mornings in Delhi can bring dense fog, which delays flights; if you arrive between December and February, warn anyone collecting you to watch the live arrival time rather than the schedule.
From Delhi airport into the city
Families usually collect relatives by car at the arrivals pick-up area. For travellers on their own, the Airport Express Line of the metro runs from the airport to New Delhi railway station in roughly 20 minutes, with onward metro connections; details are on Delhi Metro Rail. Prepaid taxi counters inside the arrivals hall offer fixed fares, which avoids negotiation. App-based cabs operate from designated zones. At night, with heavy luggage, a prepaid taxi or a known family driver is the safest choice.
Onward within India
Many Toronto travellers are not staying in Delhi but continuing to Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh or further. Domestic flights from Delhi leave from separate domestic terminals, so allow time to transfer, and check whether your bags are checked through. Trains to Amritsar and Chandigarh leave from New Delhi station. Buses and hired cars run to nearby states. On a one-ticket itinerary, the airline's rules decide the minimum connection time; on separate tickets, leave a generous gap.
Coming home: what to declare in Canada
On the way back, declare all food, plant and animal products on your Canadian customs declaration: sweets, spices, dried fruits, pickles and ghee. Declaring is not the same as having them confiscated; failing to declare can bring a fine. The Canada Border Services Agency lists what is allowed. The optional Advance Declaration in ArriveCAN can shorten the queue at Pearson's kiosks. Your chauffeur, booked with the return flight number, tracks the landing and waits 60 minutes from touchdown at no charge.
Gifts, extra bags and the airline's limits
Families travelling to Delhi often carry gifts for many households, and excess baggage charges add up fast. Check the airline's allowance for your exact fare, including the number of pieces and the weight per piece, and remember that one-stop itineraries on two airlines can have different allowances for each leg. Soft duffel bags are easier to fit in a vehicle than hard-shell cases of the same volume. Tell us the real count at booking; if the family decides the night before to add two more cases, message dispatch so a larger vehicle can be swapped in before the morning, rather than discovering the problem at the curb.
Winter travel on both ends
The busiest months on this route, December and January, are winter in Toronto and fog season in Delhi. In Toronto, snow on Highway 410 or the 401 can slow the drive to Pearson, so check Ontario 511 and leave extra margin; our cars run winter tires. In Delhi, fog can delay departures and arrivals by hours. Keep phones charged, carry a small snack bag and share the flight number with family at both ends so everyone watches live status.
Personas: three typical trips
Air India check-in at Terminal 1.
because December seats and cars go fast.
road; the Sprinter return booked for the day they land.
- Parents visiting for six months, flying home: SUV from Brampton, two large cases each, chauffeur walks them to
- Student going home for the winter break: a sedan from a campus residence, one case, booked a month ahead
- Family of six for a wedding in Ludhiana: a Sprinter to Pearson, one-stop via Europe to Delhi, then onward by
Checklist before leaving for Pearson
- Visa, e-Visa or OCI confirmed for every traveller.
- Passports valid well beyond the trip.
- Bags weighed and within the airline's allowance.
- Terminal confirmed: Air India and Air Canada Terminal 1.
- Car booked with the right vehicle for the luggage.
- Return flight number added to the Pearson pickup, with meet and greet for elderly relatives.
Our cancellation terms: free more than 72 hours before pickup, then 10, 50 and 100 per cent at 72, 48 and 24 hours or less. First-time visitors from India can read first trip to Canada from India.
