Quick answer
If you are flying Porter or Air Canada to a destination served from Billy Bishop (YTZ), and you are starting downtown, Billy Bishop is faster and cheaper to reach. A sedan from Union Station is $72 to Billy Bishop, against $125 to Pearson. For long-haul flights, other airlines, or a start in North York, Mississauga or Vaughan, Pearson (YYZ) is usually the better choice.
Toronto has two passenger airports about 25 km apart, and they suit very different trips. Toronto Pearson (YYZ) is Canada’s busiest airport, out in Mississauga. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) sits on the Toronto Islands, a few minutes from Union Station. When both have a flight to where you are going, the right choice depends mostly on where you are starting from.
Here is how the two compare, with real fares from sixteen Toronto and GTA neighbourhoods to each airport, priced through our booking engine.
The two airports side by side
| Toronto Pearson (YYZ) | Billy Bishop (YTZ) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Mississauga, about 27 km from Union Station | Toronto Islands, about 3 km from Union Station |
| Airlines | More than 50, flying to 160+ destinations | Porter and Air Canada |
| Terminals | Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 | One terminal, reached by tunnel or ferry |
| Be there before your flight | 2 hours domestic, 3 hours US or international | At least 90 minutes |
| Opening hours | Open 24 hours | 5:00am to 11:00pm |
| Sedan from Union Station | $125 | $72 |
Airline counts come from each airport’s own website. Recommended arrival times are the airlines’ guidance. Fares are our flat rates, airport fee included.
Which airport is cheaper to reach from your area
Fares follow the real driving distance, so the answer changes as you move away from the core. These are flat sedan fares to each airport. The cheaper airport for each area is shown in the last column.
| From | To Pearson | To Billy Bishop | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty Village | $117 | $71 | Billy Bishop, by $46 |
| Financial District | $125 | $71 | Billy Bishop, by $54 |
| Union Station | $125 | $72 | Billy Bishop, by $53 |
| The Annex | $118 | $76 | Billy Bishop, by $42 |
| Yorkville | $120 | $77 | Billy Bishop, by $43 |
| High Park | $108 | $78 | Billy Bishop, by $30 |
| Leslieville | $134 | $81 | Billy Bishop, by $53 |
| The Beaches | $140 | $87 | Billy Bishop, by $53 |
| Yonge and Eglinton | $114 | $101 | Billy Bishop, by $13 |
| Etobicoke | $97 | $89 | Billy Bishop, by $8 |
| Scarborough | $143 | $132 | Billy Bishop, by $11 |
| Markham | $148 | $141 | Billy Bishop, by $7 |
| North York | $110 | $125 | Pearson, by $15 |
| Oakville | $148 | $154 | Pearson, by $6 |
| Mississauga | $103 | $122 | Pearson, by $19 |
| Vaughan | $113 | $166 | Pearson, by $53 |
One way, in CAD, airport fee included. Downtown neighbourhoods are measured from a central point in each, and city rows from each city’s centre. SUV and Executive SUV fares appear in the form on this page.
The pattern is clear. From the downtown core, Billy Bishop saves $40 to $55 on the ride. From High Park the saving is $30, and by Yonge and Eglinton it has shrunk to $13. North York, Mississauga and Vaughan are all cheaper to Pearson. From Etobicoke, Markham and Oakville, the difference is under $10 either way, so pick the airport that has the better flight.
Not sure which is cheaper from your street? Enter your address and both airports are priced in seconds.
Compare both airportsWhat matters besides the fare
Your airline and your route
This usually settles it. Only Porter and Air Canada fly from Billy Bishop, on shorter regional routes. Long-haul international flights, and most other airlines, leave from Pearson.
Time at the airport
The airlines at Billy Bishop recommend arriving at least 90 minutes before your flight. At Pearson it is 2 hours for domestic flights and 3 hours for US and international ones. Add the shorter drive, and a traveller leaving from Union Station for Billy Bishop can set off about 40 minutes later for a domestic flight, and about an hour and a half later for a US flight.
Early and late flights
Billy Bishop operates from 5:00am to 11:00pm. Very early departures and late-night arrivals are more likely to be at Pearson.
Getting to the plane
At Billy Bishop you cross from the mainland pavilion on Eireann Quay by an 853-foot pedestrian tunnel or a 90-second ferry. At Pearson you are dropped at the door of your terminal. Our Billy Bishop airport guide explains the crossing, and our Terminal 1 vs Terminal 3 guide covers Pearson.
The Porter question
Porter flies from both airports, which catches people out. Before you book the car, check the airport code on your ticket: YTZ is Billy Bishop and YYZ is Pearson. If you give us the flight number when you book, we check it against the airport too.
Travelling between the two
If your trip involves both airports, allow plenty of time. They are about 25 km apart. A flat-rate sedan from Pearson to Billy Bishop is $121, and from Billy Bishop to Pearson it is $120, including the airport fee. You will usually need to check in again at the second airport.
For more on each airport, see our Billy Bishop airport limo and Pearson airport limo and taxi pages.
