Travelling from Vancouver to Toronto: what you need to know
Begin planning your trip by checking out the departure points for your flight from Vancouver to Toronto. Explore your options for taking off from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) or Vancouver Harbour Sea Plane Base Airport (CXH), two of the city's main airports.
Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) are the primary entry points to Toronto.
Take a direct Vancouver to Toronto flight and you'll be in the air for an average of 4 hours 30 minutes.
Toronto is three hours ahead of Vancouver and is in the UTC-4 timezone.
The most popular route for flights from Vancouver to Toronto is from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Pearson International Airport (YYZ). You can choose from 187 weekly services between these two airports. If you'd like to take off at the first opportunity, the earliest flight from YVR to YYZ is the 00:10 Air Canada service. If you prefer to leave later in the day, the last scheduled departure is at 23:55 with Air Canada.
Leave plenty of time to catch your Vancouver to Toronto flight. As a general rule, turn up at least two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.
Flying during a peak time such as August? Major public holidays and other high seasons can lead to longer queues at security. Play it safe and arrive up to four hours ahead of international flights and two hours before domestic departures.
How to find the cheapest flights from Vancouver to Toronto
To snag cheap Vancouver to Toronto flights, reserve your trip eight months ahead of your planned departure.
The best month for scoring cheap plane tickets from Vancouver to Toronto is November. Use the 'Whole month' tool to compare prices, then choose the dates with the lowest fares.
There's no need to check every day to see if prices have dropped when you set up a Price Alert. We'll let you know when a better deal is available on cheap flights from Vancouver to Toronto.
Save on your Vancouver to Toronto flight with the help of our filters. Choose your ideal departure time, duration and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' to see the best deals.
Flying from Vancouver
Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
You can find a direct flight from Vancouver to Toronto leaving from Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Head out from YVR and then land at one of these Toronto airports:
Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF)
John C. Munro Hamilton Airport (YHM)
Choose from a range of airlines offering direct Vancouver to Toronto plane tickets with departures from YVR, including:
Located around 11 kilometres from the centre of Vancouver, YVR can be reached in about 25 minutes by car (depending on traffic). The journey on public transport will take roughly 35 minutes.
Looking for a convenient hotel close to Vancouver International Airport? If you've booked an early flight from Vancouver to Toronto, these stays will put you moments from your check-in counter:
Of all flights departing from Vancouver International Airport, 71.77% touch down on time at their destination.
Abbotsford Airport (YXX)
You can take off on a direct flight from Vancouver to Toronto leaving from Abbotsford Airport (YXX). YXX connects nonstop to Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF).
Prepare for takeoff with Flair Airlines. It offers direct Vancouver to Toronto plane tickets from YXX.
The trip to YXX from central Vancouver is around 1 hour 30 minutes by public transport. If you prefer to travel by car, it'll take you roughly 1 hour to cover the 64 kilometres or so.
Set yourself up for a smooth departure — stay close to Abbotsford Airport and know you'll be at the terminal with time to spare. Settle in at one of these hotels the day before if you have an early Vancouver to Toronto flight:
Airports have an on-time performance rating that tracks how often flights land when they should. At YXX, that rate is 67.97%.
Arriving in Toronto
Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Pearson International Airport (YYZ) is approximately 19 kilometres from the centre of Toronto. If you're catching a cab or a ride-share, the drive takes roughly 25 minutes.
If you're taking public transport, expect a journey time of roughly 50 minutes.
If you're arriving on a late flight from Vancouver to Toronto, nothing beats the convenience of staying close to the terminal. Grab your bags from the carousel and then be showered and sleeping not long after at one of these accommodation options near YYZ:
Grab a Pearson International Airport rental car and explore Toronto and beyond with your own wheels. Routes Car Rentals, Green Motion and Thrifty are top outlets to choose from here.
For the lowest price, book your vehicle from Pearson International Airport about three weeks ahead of your Vancouver to Toronto flight.
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ)
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) is about 3 kilometres from central Toronto. Once you've hopped off your flight from Vancouver to Toronto, it'll take you approximately 35 minutes to reach the heart of the city in a cab or ride-share.
You can expect the trip to take about 40 minutes on public transport.
There are some great places to call home for the night near YTZ. Settle in and get cosy after your Vancouver to Toronto flight at any of these perfectly located options:
No need to worry about public transport schedules or slow-moving cab lines. Grab a Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport rental car and take your trip in whatever direction you choose. Check out the rates and availability from Hertz, National and Avis.
Avoid potential price surges. Reserving your ride one week ahead of your arrival at YTZ will help you stay within budget.
Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF)
Make your way into the city centre after your flight from Vancouver to Toronto has landed. Central Toronto is around 80 kilometres from Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF) and takes roughly 1 hour 15 minutes to get to by car.
If you're using public transport, the journey time is about 4 hours 5 minutes.
Enjoy a restful, unhurried start to your trip by choosing a hotel near YKF after your Vancouver to Toronto flight. Recover from your travel day or just take a moment to find your footing in a new city at:
Whether you're after a zippy mini just for you or a full-size SUV to fit everyone and their gear, you'll find the right Region of Waterloo International Airport rental car for your needs. Browse wheels available from companies such as Avis, Enterprise and Budget.
Rental companies sometimes offer promotions on early bookings, so secure your vehicle from YKF a few weeks ahead of your flight from Vancouver to Toronto. A little prep today saves cash tomorrow.
Best time to go to Toronto
August is the busiest month for flights from Vancouver to Toronto. To steer clear of the crowds, head to Toronto in February.
Before locking in your Vancouver to Toronto tickets, think about what kind of weather works for you. July is the warmest month in Toronto, with temperatures ranging from 14ºC (57ºF) to 28ºC (82ºF).
If you'd rather travel in cooler conditions, search for a cheap flight from Vancouver to Toronto in January when temperatures average between -12ºC (10ºF) and 1ºC (34ºF).
More about Toronto
When it comes to looking for somewhere to lay your head, you'll find the best places to stay in Toronto right here. Check out these hotels after you've booked your flight from Vancouver to Toronto:
CN Tower and Royal Ontario Museum are just the start of the top attractions to add to your Toronto itinerary. Keep the sightseeing going at Go Tours Canada - Distillery District.
Explore more of Canada
Toronto is easy to fall in love with, but there are so many other corners of Canada just waiting to be explored. Around 499 kilometres north-east of Toronto, a trip to Montreal will keep you busy. Don't miss top attractions like Mount Royal Park, Montreal Botanical Garden and Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal.
If you're interested in discovering another great destination in Canada, consider Ottawa, roughly 354 kilometres north-east of Toronto. Parliament Hill, Rideau Canal and National Gallery of Canada are among the biggest draws.