Flights to Canada from the US

Quick answer: Canada is one of the shortest international trips from the US: New York to Toronto is under two hours and Los Angeles to Vancouver about three. US citizens flying to Canada need a valid US passport, and no visa or eTA. On the way home, Toronto Pearson and Vancouver have US preclearance, so you clear US immigration before you board and land in the US as a domestic arrival.

Facts checked November 2026. Schedules and entry rules change, so confirm with the airline and the official government site before you travel.

Canada flights at a glance

Where you can fly in Canada

Each city links to every route guide we publish into that airport; each guide covers the airlines, connections and baggage rules, with live fares when the page loads.

• Flights to Toronto (YYZ)8 route guides
• Flights to Vancouver (YVR)8 route guides

What US citizens need to fly to Canada

A valid US passport book is the document to carry. Canada's immigration department says US citizens, including dual US-Canadian citizens, do not need a Canadian visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) when travelling on a valid US passport. The eTA requirement applies to other visa-exempt nationalities who fly in, not to Americans.

If you hold a US green card but are not a US citizen, the rule is different: when flying to Canada you need a valid passport from your country of nationality and a valid green card. Check whether your nationality also needs an eTA or a visa.

Canadian border officers can still ask about the purpose and length of your trip, where you are staying and your ties to home, as at any border. Some past criminal convictions, including impaired driving, can make a traveller inadmissible to Canada, so check before you book if that applies to you.

Nonstop routes from the US

Toronto Pearson has the widest US network. Air Canada flies there from most large US cities, and United, American and Delta add flights from their hubs. WestJet and Porter also fly between Toronto and the US; Porter added Austin and Boston from Pearson in May 2026, and it flies other US routes from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the downtown waterfront.

Vancouver is the main gateway for the West Coast and for travellers heading on to Asia. Air Canada, WestJet, United, American and Flair are listed on the Los Angeles to Vancouver route as of recent schedules, and Delta is due to start the route on 21 November 2026. Check with the airline for current days and times.

Flight times are short. New York LaGuardia to Toronto averages about 1 hour 45 minutes, and Los Angeles to Vancouver runs about 3 hours on Air Canada's recent schedule. From the Midwest and South, Toronto is usually two to three hours away.

Gateway airports and connecting onward

Toronto Pearson has two terminals in use. Air Canada and its Star Alliance partners use Terminal 1; WestJet, Delta and Porter's Pearson flights use Terminal 3. Check your terminal on the airline's app, because the two are linked by a train, not a walkway.

Canada is large, so a connection is common for anywhere beyond the gateways. Air Canada connects through Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, and WestJet through Calgary and Toronto. For the Rockies, fly to Calgary; for Victoria or Whistler, Vancouver is the usual connection.

If you connect in Canada on the way to another country, Toronto and Vancouver handle international transfers, and on the way back you can connect in Canada for a US flight through preclearance.

US preclearance on the way home

US Customs and Border Protection runs preclearance at ten Canadian airports: Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal Trudeau, Ottawa, Toronto Pearson, Billy Bishop Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria and Winnipeg. You clear US immigration and customs there before boarding.

That means you land at your US airport as a domestic passenger, with no customs line, and you can connect onward without rechecking your bag at the border. It also means you should arrive at the Canadian airport early: allow time for security and the US border check before your flight.

Best and quietest months to fly

Summer (June to August) is the busiest time for Toronto, Vancouver, the Rockies and Quebec, and the long days suit city breaks and national parks. Ski season brings demand to Vancouver and Calgary from December to March.

The quietest months for city trips are usually January to March outside holidays and ski weeks, and November before the holiday rush, which is typically the cheaper window. Fall color in Ontario and Quebec peaks around late September to mid-October, when flights fill up again.

Booking tips for Canada

Compare Toronto's two airports. Pearson has the most flights; Billy Bishop is a short trip from downtown Toronto and has its own US preclearance, but it handles only smaller aircraft, so the choice of routes is narrower.

On a short route a nonstop almost always beats a connection, so start with the nonstop and only connect when there is none from your city. Flying to a Canadian city from a smaller US airport, a connection through a Canadian hub can be as quick as one through a US hub.

An open-jaw trip works well in Canada: fly into Vancouver and out of Calgary after driving through the Rockies, or into Montreal and out of Toronto by train in between.

Getting from the gateway airports into the city

Toronto Pearson is about 25 kilometres northwest of downtown. The UP Express train runs from Terminal 1 to Union Station in under 30 minutes, with stops including Bloor, which connects to the subway, and it is usually the fastest way in at rush hour. Taxis and ride-hailing pick up at both terminals.

Vancouver International sits on Sea Island in Richmond, south of the city. The Canada Line of the SkyTrain runs from the terminal to Waterfront station downtown in about 25 minutes, and a branch serves Richmond. Many cruise passengers to Alaska use this line, since the cruise terminal at Canada Place is a short walk from Waterfront.

Montreal Trudeau is Air Canada's other big hub in the east and a good choice for Quebec. Signs and announcements there are in French first, and the city is on Eastern time like Toronto.

Route guides to Canada

Frequently asked questions