The process of checking the of passengers before boarding an Air Canada flight will experience a few changes as per the announcement made by the airline.
As of September 4, 2024, nearly all Air Canada flights will have a regular check-in of 60 minutes prior to departure, except in a small number of cases.
Future Modifications to Air Canada's Check-In Procedures
Air Canada is going to make some adjustments to the way that customers check in before boarding the majority of its flights.
The check-in time will be set to 60 minutes prior to departure on the day of September 4, 2024, and will be the same in nearly all Air Canada flights. This means that you should be at the airport at least 60 minutes prior to departure of most domestic, transborder and international flights.
Air Canada check-in time will be 30 minutes before departure thus exceptions to the rule will only be made in the Air Canada flights which depart the Toronto Billy Bishop Airport (YTZ). Moreover, the check-in time is within 30 minutes before the departure when you are on the Landline bus route between Hamilton (YHM) or Kitchener/Waterloo (YKF).
Before September 4, 2024, check-in deadlines will be in the following:
- Domestic flights: forty-five minutes to takeoff.
- Departure Flights Billy Bishop Airport, Toronto (YTZ): 20 minutes prior to departure.
- Flights to the US from Toronto Pearson (YYZ): 90 minutes before takeoff
- All other airport flights to and from the US: 60 minutes before takeoff
- Ninety minutes before departure are international flights leaving from Toronto Pearson (YYZ).
- Every other foreign flight: 60 minutes before takeoff
Other than the above-mentioned cases, the check-in time of Air Canada at all its domestic, transborder, and international flights (as well as flights to Mexico and the Caribbean) will henceforth be 60 minutes prior to the departure.
More importantly, the baggage drop-off will remain to occur 45 minutes pre-flight on domestic flights and 60 minutes prior to flight on all other destinations.
This means that you have up to 45 minutes before your departure to leave your luggage at the airport, but can be checked in to your domestic flight as early as 60 minutes before departure online, using the app, or at the airport. You can leave off your luggage as early as four hours prior to the take-off of your Air Canada aircraft.
Also, when you are in the waitlist of an upgrade and have Aeroplan Elite Status, the upgrade will occur 15 minutes sooner than normal.
Air Canada asserts that such changes are done to ensure that the boarding process becomes smoother and more efficient to ensure that the passengers enjoy comfort and readiness to board the plane.
Air Canada has made its check-in process uniform in most of its network
The biggest difference is that the check-in of domestic flights will now close 60 minutes before departure, instead of 45, with all except the Toronto Billy Bishop (YTZ) and landline bus service at Hamilton (YHM) and Kitchener Waterloo (YKF) having the same schedule.
Of course, the easiest way to circumvent this change and also to check in on any trip with Air Canada is using the Air Canada app or by checking in online, which opens 24 hours before departure.
In the local flights, the cut-off time will shortly be 15 minutes prior to what had been happening in the history and in case you wish everything to be in person, then make sure to visit the airport a bit earlier than usual.
Otherwise, the only passengers affected by the change in the check-in process of Air Canada are other travelers whose departure gate is Toronto Pearson (YYZ) or Toronto Billy Bishop (YTZ).
You will no longer be required to check in at least 90 minutes prior to flight departure, on transborder or international flights departing Toronto Pearson (YYZ), however you will only be required to check in 60 minutes before the departure of a flight.
When you get used to arriving at Toronto Billy Bishop (YTZ) with only 20 minutes to check in before your flight, you will also need an additional ten minutes in the future, as the deadline is shifting away to 20 minutes before departure and increasing to 30 minutes before departure.
Read Also: Air Canada Seat Selection
Depending on where you're going, you might also wish to use Express to reserve a time slot at security. If you're going to the US, you can also use Mobile Passport Control to save time after checking in.
In conclusion
Air Canada is also ensuring that some changes will be made to its official check-in policy by September 4, 2024.
All Air Canada flights except flights between Toronto Billy Bishop (YTZ) and shuttle bus operation between Hamilton and Kitchener will now require 60 minutes check-in prior to takeoff.
In the future, always keep such new check-in times in mind since you may eventually miss your flight when you fail to meet the cutoff time.
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