Newark to Toronto Flights (EWR to YYZ): Nonstop Airlines, Flight Time and Pearson Arrival

Nonstop, several times a day

Newark to Toronto Pearson is a short, frequent nonstop. As of recent schedules, Air Canada and United both fly EWR to YYZ several times a day, with the two selling seats on each other's flights through the Star Alliance. Porter Airlines also links Newark with Toronto, but most of its Newark flights land at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) on the downtown waterfront rather than Pearson, so check the airport code before you assume where you will arrive.

A connection makes no sense on this route unless you are using points or combining it with another trip. The only time it comes up is when a weather day cancels the nonstops and the airline reroutes you through another hub.

Flight time and distance

The great-circle distance is roughly 350 miles (about 560 km). Scheduled time is usually one hour 20 minutes to one hour 40 minutes gate to gate, of which the time in the air is under an hour; taxi time at Newark and the approach into Pearson make up the rest. The return is similar. Headwinds rarely change this short a flight by more than a few minutes.

There is no time difference, so the clock on arrival reads about an hour and a half after you left. Allow for the airport time at both ends and the trip is a half day door to door, which is why it competes with the train and the drive rather than with other flights.

Leaving from Newark Liberty

Newark has three terminals. United uses Terminal C for most departures and some of Terminal A; Air Canada moved into the new Terminal A when it opened. Terminal A is far easier to get through than the old building it replaced, but confirm your terminal on the day, because assignments shift and the two airlines are on different sides of the airport.

The AirTrain links all terminals with the Newark Liberty rail station, where NJ Transit and Amtrak trains run to New York Penn Station in about half an hour and to New Jersey suburbs. Driving, the short-term garages sit next to each terminal and the economy lot runs a shuttle.

This is an international departure, so arrive 90 minutes to two hours ahead even for a short flight: you need your passport at check-in and the Canada-bound flights share security with United's long-haul departures in the late afternoon.

Arriving at Pearson and getting downtown

Air Canada and United both use Terminal 1 at Pearson, the Star Alliance terminal. Arriving from the US you clear Canadian customs on arrival, using the primary inspection kiosks that read your passport and take your declaration, and an officer then checks the printout. Queues are longest in the early evening when the US flights bunch together.

Pearson is about 25 km north-west of downtown Toronto:

• UP Express. The airport train from Terminal 1 to Union Station runs every 15 minutes and takes about 25 minutes, with stops at Bloor and Weston. The simplest option for downtown hotels.
• TTC. The 900 Airport Express bus runs to Kipling subway station, where you join Line 2; about an hour to downtown and the cheapest way in.
• Taxi or ride-hailing. 30 to 60 minutes to downtown depending on traffic on the 427 and the Gardiner, with set fares to downtown zones for taxis.

If you landed at Billy Bishop on Porter instead, you are already downtown: a short pedestrian tunnel or ferry and a free shuttle to Union Station.

Entry rules for Canada, and preclearance on the way home

As of recent rules, US citizens need a valid passport to fly into Canada and do not need an eTA or a visa for tourist visits. US permanent residents need their passport and green card. Other nationalities may need an eTA or a visa, so check the Government of Canada's official entry pages before booking. You can submit your customs declaration in advance through the Advance Declaration tool to speed up the kiosks.

On the return, Pearson has US preclearance: you clear US customs and immigration in Toronto before boarding, and land in Newark as a domestic arrival. It means arriving at Pearson earlier, typically two to three hours ahead, but you walk straight out at Newark.

When to fly

Summer, from June to early September, is the busiest and most pleasant time in Toronto, with the Canadian National Exhibition in late August and the film festival in early September pushing hotel demand. Fall is clear and quieter. Winter brings snow and the real operational risk on this route: a storm at either end cancels a day of flights, and the first departure of the morning is the one most likely to leave.

Fares move with weekday business travel more than with seasons. Monday mornings and Thursday and Friday evenings are the premium times; midday and Saturday flights are the softer ones. Booking two to four weeks ahead is usually enough outside holiday weekends; for Thanksgiving in both countries and the Christmas period, book earlier.

Time zones

Newark and Toronto are both on Eastern Time and change their clocks on the same dates, so there is no adjustment. Keep an eye on the local date only if you are connecting onward to western Canada from Pearson.

What travellers on this route get wrong

The first mistake is booking Porter without noticing the arrival airport; Billy Bishop is a great option if you want downtown, but it is not Pearson, and a pre-booked car at the wrong airport is a wasted fare. The second is treating this like a domestic hop and arriving at Newark 45 minutes before departure without a passport in hand. The third is forgetting that the return clears US customs in Toronto, so a short connection into Pearson from elsewhere in Canada can leave you with no time for the preclearance queue.