Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, located in downtown Toronto, is the main hub for Porter Airlines and one of Canada’s top ten busiest airports.
Location and Transportation
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is located at 2 Eireann Quay in downtown Toronto, and, as the name suggests, the airport is attached to the Toronto Islands.
Given the island location, passengers departing from or arriving to Billy Bishop Airport will need to take an underground pedestrian tunnel, or a short ferry ride to connect between the terminal and the mainland.
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is conveniently located in the centre of Toronto, and passengers can easily connect to all the city’s neighbourhoods by public transit.
TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) routes 511 and 509 are directly adjacent to the airport property and connect to the subway system at Bathurst Station and Union Station, respectively.
From Union Station, travellers can continue on via the TTC to reach the rest of Toronto, or they can connect to regional transit services such as GO Transit and VIA Rail. Union Station also hosts the UP Express, which offers train services to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in 25 minutes.
Right across from Union Station, passengers can take advantage of the free shuttle service, which runs every 15 minutes to the airport. The shuttle’s pick-up spot is located on the west side of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
The airport is also serviced by taxis, which are queued directly outside the airport’s mainland building.
Rideshare services with Uber and Lyft are available throughout the city of Toronto, and there is a designated pick-up/drop-off zone for them on Eireann Quay.
Car rentals are available on site at Billy Bishop Airport, with the companies present being:
- Hertz
- Enterprise
- National
Terminal
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is composed of a single terminal located on the Toronto Islands. The terminal building is connected to another small building on the mainland that houses the entrance to the elevators and passenger tunnel, and an area for passengers to wait when taking the ferry.
The airport terminal is unique in that passengers need to take elevators down from the mainland, then pass through an underwater tunnel, and travel up some of the longest escalators in Canada to connect between the city and the terminal.
Passengers can also opt out of the tunnel and instead to take the ferry between the city and the airport. The ferry ride is one of the shortest in the world, clocking in at around 90 seconds.
The terminal building at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is separated into two levels:
- The upper level is home to the check-in counters and security, with escalators leading to the downstairs departures area.
- The lower level is home to both the departures area and the arrivals area, as well as the baggage carousels and the car rental counters.
Airlines and Destinations
Billy Bishop Airport is host to only two airlines, Porter Airlines and Air Canada, with Porter operating the vast majority of the flights in to and out of the airport.
The airport has non-stop flights to 15 destinations in Canada and the US, which are limited to short-haul distances because of the airport’s runway and capacity limitations.
Both Porter Airlines and Air Canada schedule their longer-haul flights out of Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Lounges
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport has one departure lounge for passengers to enjoy pre-flight.
Aspire | Air Canada Café
The Aspire | Air Canada Café is located near Gate 1 in the departures area and is accessible to passengers flying domestically.
The lounge is a collaboration between Air Canada and Swissport’s Aspire brand and is open daily from 6:00am to 7:00pm.
The lounge can be accessed by Air Canada business class passengers, those with Aeroplan 50k, 75k, and Super Elite status, as well as Star Alliance Gold members and select Aeroplan card holders. The lounge can also be accessed by eligible Priority Pass and DragonPass members.
Priority Services
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport offers priority services for premium ticket holders or elite status holders. These services may include priority check-in, security, boarding, and baggage, as well as lounge access.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that priority services are usually specific to the airline, so they’ll change depending on who you are flying with.
Holders of Visa Infinite Privilege cards are entitled to priority security at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. There’s a separate security lane where cardholders must present their eligible card.
Airport Hotels
There are no on-site hotels at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport; however, given that the airport is located in downtown Toronto, there are more than a few nearby options to choose from.
International Transfers
For those passing through Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport from the US, you’ll need to go through passport control upon arrival.
Following this, you can then proceed to collect your baggage and check-in for your next flight as usual.
US Pre-Clearance
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport doesn’t currently have a US pre-clearance facility yet, so you’ll need to go through the formalities when you land at your first port of entry in the US.
However, the airport authorities have announced that plans to build a US Customs and Border Protection facility is in the works, and the service is expected to be operational in 2025.