Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre Airport

About Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre Airport

Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre Airport (YTZ) occupies the western tip of the Toronto Islands, directly across the Western Channel from the city’s downtown waterfront. The airport handles around 2.8 million passengers a year through a compact single terminal, making it Canada’s ninth-busiest airport and one of the most convenient downtown airports in North America.

Porter Airlines is the dominant carrier, operating roughly 85 percent of flights, with Air Canada Express running additional services to Montreal. The airport’s runway is too short for most jets, so the fleet is built around Bombardier Q400 turboprops and, more recently, Embraer E195-E2 jets serving Boston, Chicago, Newark and several Florida cities.

Passengers reach the terminal from the mainland via a 230-metre pedestrian tunnel under the Western Channel. The tunnel runs continuously and takes around 6 minutes door to door, replacing the historic ferry that still operates as a backup.

Getting from Billy Bishop to Toronto

The mainland terminal at 1 Eireann Quay sits in Bathurst Quay, 3 km west of the Financial District and 5 km west of the Distillery District. A pre-booked transfer to downtown takes around 10 minutes outside peak via Lake Shore Boulevard and the Gardiner ramps. Rush-hour traffic on the Gardiner can extend this to 20 minutes, particularly westbound between 16:00 and 18:00.

For travellers heading to North York, the route via Spadina Avenue and Highway 401 takes around 30 minutes. Pearson Airport (YYZ) is 25 km west, a 30-minute drive via the Gardiner and Highway 427 outside peak, and is useful for travellers connecting between YTZ and an international long-haul flight.

Terminals and pickup points

YTZ has a single mainland terminal on Eireann Quay, with all check-in, security and arrivals handled in one compact building. The pedestrian tunnel deposits passengers directly into the building, so there is no separate island-side pickup option for private vehicles.

Drivers wait inside the mainland terminal entrance holding a name sign, or in the dedicated pickup bay on the Eireann Quay forecourt if the terminal is busy. The first 60 minutes after your flight lands are free, which comfortably covers the typical 10 to 15-minute walk from arrival gate through baggage claim and the tunnel.

Common transfer routes from Billy Bishop

• YTZ to Toronto Financial District: 3 km, about 10 minutes
• YTZ to Toronto Union Station: 3 km, about 10 minutes
• YTZ to Distillery District: 5 km, about 12 minutes
• YTZ to North York: 22 km, about 30 minutes
• YTZ to Toronto Pearson (YYZ): 25 km, about 30 minutes
• YTZ to Port of Toronto cruise berths: 4 km, about 10 minutes
• YTZ to Mississauga: 25 km, about 30 minutes
• YTZ to Niagara Falls: 130 km, about 90 minutes

Booking your Billy Bishop transfer

Pre-book a private transfer with a fixed all-in fare, flight tracking, meet-and-greet at the mainland terminal and 60 minutes of free wait time. Drivers are licensed Ontario operators. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before pickup, and payment is accepted via Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Alipay, iDEAL, Wero or PayPal.