Where do you pick someone up at Toronto Pearson?

On the arrivals level of their terminal — Terminal 1 or Terminal 3. Confirm which terminal the flight lands at, meet on the arrivals-level curb, and only pull up once they're actually outside, since you can't wait at the curb. Many drivers wait in the free cell-phone lot until then.

Which terminal is my Pearson pickup — 1 or 3?

It depends on the airline. Check the flight's terminal before you go — meeting at the wrong terminal is one of the most common Pearson pickup mistakes. CurbSync tells you the terminal when you text the flight number.

Home › YYZ pickup guides › Where to pick up

YYZ pickup guide

Where to pick up arrivals at Pearson — Terminal 1 & Terminal 3

Q: Should I pick up at arrivals or departures at Pearson?

Arrivals is the standard pickup level. Some drivers use the departures level to avoid the arrivals crush, but curb enforcement moves waiting cars along on both, so the reliable approach is to stage in the cell-phone lot and pull up when your passenger is at the door.

Pearson is two terminals, multiple levels, and a curb you're not allowed to wait at. Meeting at the wrong spot is one of the most common pickup headaches. Here's exactly where to go, and how to time it so you're not circling.

Short answer: pick up on the arrivals level of your passenger's terminal — Terminal 1 or Terminal 3. First, confirm which terminal the flight lands at (it depends on the airline). Then don't drive to the curb until they're actually outside — you can't wait there, so most drivers stage in the free cell-phone lot and pull up on the "I'm at the door" text.

Step one: which terminal?

Pearson has two terminals and they're not close enough to guess. Which one your pickup is at depends entirely on the airline:

Terminal by airline group (confirm the specific flight)
Terminal	Typically used by
Terminal 1	Air Canada and its regional/Rouge subsidiaries, all Star Alliance carriers (United, Lufthansa, Air China, ANA, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels, Copa, EgyptAir, Ethiopian, EVA Air, LOT, SWISS, TAP, Turkish and others), plus Emirates, Etihad, Air North and Royal Air Maroc.
Terminal 3	WestJet, Air Transat, Porter, Flair, all SkyTeam carriers (Delta, Air France, KLM, Korean Air, Aeroméxico, China Eastern and others), and most Oneworld carriers (American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways and others).

Airlines occasionally switch terminals, so always confirm on the boarding pass or flight details — CurbSync returns the correct terminal per flight when you text the number. Terminal assignments as of 2026 (source: Toronto Pearson / airport terminal directory).

Step two: arrivals or departures?

Arrivals is the standard pickup level. Your passenger comes out on the arrivals level, so that's where the pickup curb is. A few drivers use the departures level to dodge the arrivals crush and have their passenger come up a level — it can be quieter, but it means more coordination and it's not the signed pickup flow. Either way, the rule is the same: you can't park and wait at the curb. Curb officers move idling cars along on both levels.

Step three: don't circle — stage first

Because you can't wait at the curb, arriving "early" just means circling the terminal loop or getting waved off. The fix is to wait somewhere free until your passenger is actually at the door, then make one clean pull-up:

Cell-phone lot — free for a limited stay; the standard staging spot. Pull up when they text they're outside.
Free parking, coffee and food nearby — if the wait's longer, there are spots within about five minutes of the terminals. See where to wait near Pearson.
Short-stay / Express parking — if you'd rather go inside to meet them, the paid garages sit right at T1 and T3.

The whole trick is timing the pull-up to the minute they reach the curb — which is exactly the thing that's hard to guess, because it depends on customs, bags, and the walk.

Know the terminal — and the minute they'll be at the curb.

Text CurbSync the flight number. We tell you the terminal, track the live flight, and estimate when your passenger actually reaches the arrivals curb — so you leave the cell-phone lot at the right moment instead of circling. Free to start. No app, no account.

Text your flight number

Free to start. No app, no account — just WhatsApp.

Frequently asked

Should I pick up at arrivals or departures at Pearson?

Arrivals is the standard level. Departures can be quieter but needs more coordination, and you can't wait at the curb on either — stage in the cell-phone lot and pull up when they're outside.

Which terminal is my pickup, 1 or 3?

It depends on the airline — check the flight's terminal before you leave. CurbSync returns the terminal when you text the flight number.

Can I wait at the arrivals curb?

No — curb officers keep traffic moving, so waiting cars get moved along. Use the cell-phone lot and time your pull-up to their curb arrival.

How long can I wait in the Pearson cell-phone lot?

It's free for a limited stay (posted at the lot). The trick is not needing long — pull up right as your passenger reaches the door. See nearby spots.

This guide describes Toronto Pearson (YYZ) arrivals pickup. Details that change over time — airline-terminal assignments and posted cell-lot limits — are current as of 2026; confirm on the boarding pass or the airport's site, and CurbSync returns the live terminal per flight when you text the number.

Where to pick up arrivals at Pearson — Terminal 1 & Terminal 3

Step one: which terminal?

Step two: arrivals or departures?

Step three: don't circle — stage first

Frequently asked

Keep planning your pickup