Porter Celebrates Launch of U.S. Preclearance at Billy Bishop Airport

Porter Airlines is marking the launch of U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, a move expected to significantly improve the travel experience for passengers flying from downtown Toronto to the United States.

The new preclearance facility allows travellers to complete U.S. customs and immigration procedures before departing from Toronto. Once passengers arrive in the United States, they are treated as domestic arrivals, eliminating the need to clear customs again and allowing for quicker airport exits and easier connections to onward flights.

Porter has operated U.S. routes from Billy Bishop since 2008, transporting more than 13 million passengers on cross-border services over the years. The airline currently operates up to 16 daily flights from the airport to five U.S. destinations, including Boston, Chicago, New York/Newark, and Washington, D.C.

The airline is also expanding its U.S. network. New service to Nashville is scheduled to begin May 11, while existing Chicago flights will transition from Midway Airport to O’Hare International Airport starting September 1.

With the preclearance facility now operational, travellers departing from Billy Bishop will complete customs and immigration in Canada before boarding their flights. This process is designed to reduce wait times upon arrival in the United States and make connections to other flights more efficient.

To ensure smooth processing through the new facility, passengers travelling to the U.S. are advised to arrive at the airport approximately three hours before departure. Check-in and baggage drop-off for U.S. flights will close 60 minutes prior to departure, allowing enough time for security screening and preclearance procedures.

The introduction of U.S. preclearance marks a significant development for Billy Bishop Airport and strengthens cross-border travel options for passengers departing from downtown Toronto. ✈️