Air Canada Regional Bus Service to Toronto Pearson International (YYZ)

In August, I made the move across Ontario from Kingston to Hamilton to start medical school. Being the points and miles enthusiast that I am, I instantly started to look for ways to travel from Hamilton to different airports and start planning my next trip!

I was excited to find out that Air Canada recently launched their new regional service that connects Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo directly to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). Let’s take a look at what this new regional bus service service is and how to book it as part of your next Air Canada flight alternative!

Rest assured, if you live in Ontario but don’t live near Hamilton or Waterloo, we’ll also go over a few alternatives to the Air Canada regional bus service to connect you to YYZ for your next flight!

What is the Air Canada Regional Land-Air Service Bus to Toronto Pearson International (YYZ)?

In May 2024, Air Canada partnered with The Landline Company, a premium airport shuttle company based out of the United States, to offer connections between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) and Waterloo International Airport (YKF).

The Landline Company has established land-air connection services with United Airlines and American Airlines, adding Air Canada as its most recent partner to their luxury bus service. These buses are luxury coach buses equipped with WiFi and reclining seats. As an added bonus, you earn Air Canada Aeroplan points for your bus segment!

This service not only benefits residents of Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo, but it greatly benefits the surrounding areas in Southwestern Ontario. 

For example, if you lived in St. Catherines, it would be much easier to drive to Munro Hamilton International Airport and avoid GTA traffic, improving regional services and flight accessibility. Plus, you could park your car at an easier and cheaper airport as opposed to dealing with the hassle that is Toronto Pearson International Airport.

How to Book The Air Canada Regional Land-Air Service Bus

Booking the Air Canada Regional Bus Service as part of your itinerary is the exact same as booking any other flight on Air Canada’s website. Instead of choosing Toronto Pearson as your departure or arrival destination, put Hamilton (YHM) or Waterloo (YKF).

Your search will populate with all of the trips from Toronto Pearson. The only difference is the addition of a bus service from Hamilton or Waterloo to YYZ, which is shown via the bus icon on the below fare.

If you expand the details on the trip, you’ll see both the duration of the bus transfer and the flight for your information.

You might be wondering, does it cost me more to add the Regional Bus Service to my itinerary? The best answer we can give is it depends. As you might be aware, Air Canada operates on a dynamic pricing model. Thus, depending on where you are going, when you are flying, and when you are booking, pricing may vary.

For example, the same flight leaving from YYZ to LGA, without the Regional Bus Service, is more expensive than the itinerary that has the passenger leaving from Hamilton with bus service included!

Where Does the Air Canada Regional Land-Air Service Bus Pick Up & Drop Off?

The beauty of the Air Canada Regional Bus Service lies in the seamless connection from Hamilton and Waterloo airports to Toronto Pearson International Airport for an onward connecting flight. 

You would check in to your flight as normal – typically this is done online on the app or Air Canada’s website, but you can check in at the Hamilton or Waterloo airports if you prefer. If you aren’t just flying with carry-on baggage and have luggage to check, visit the service/check-in desk to get your luggage tagged.

After that, head outside the terminal where there will be signs indicating the pick-up location to board the bus to Toronto Pearson.

To catch the bus from Toronto Pearson to Hamilton or Waterloo, head to the Ground Level and look for signs that say “Ground Transportation.” This will take you to Column P6 (right next to the GO bus stops). There you will see foldable signs labeled for either Hamilton or Waterloo with staff there to greet and guide you onto the bus.

Make sure you get to the Hamilton or Waterloo airport at least 30 minutes before the departure time listed on your itinerary. If you’re leaving from Toronto Pearson, make sure you’re at Ground Level Column P6 at least 15 minutes early. For your first time using the service, I recommend getting there earlier to get your bearings straight.

Alternatives to the Air Canada Regional Land-Air Service Bus

While the new Air Canada Regional Land-Air Service is great for my fellow residents of Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, and surrounding areas, I realize that this service may not benefit everyone. Not living near Toronto Pearson can be a pain if you’re an avid traveler – trust me, I went through it for almost a decade while living in Kingston. 

However, there are some options for you if you’re not near this new land transfer service!

Via Rail & UP Express to Toronto Pearson International

VIA Rail, Canada’s national train carrier, has great service that goes from coast to coast from BC to Atlantic Canada. Conveniently, it spans the length of Southern Ontario from Ottawa to Windsor. If you want to fly out of Toronto Pearson, a convenient way to get there would be to book a VIA train ticket from your nearest stop to Toronto Union Station.

From there, hop on the Union-Pearson (UP) Express! If you plan ahead, a trip to YYZ can be quite cheap! For example, I was consistently able to get from Kingston to YYZ for under $70! 

Another convenient option to get to Toronto Pearson International Airport would be GO Transit! They have service going directly to YYZ Terminal 1, or to Toronto Union Station where you can hop on the UP Express!

Conclusion

For many of us, getting to the airport is half the battle of traveling. Air Canada’s Regional Land-Air Service from Hamilton and Waterloo makes getting to Toronto Pearson a seamless experience! If this program remains successful, I hope that Air Canada will expand their Regional Land-Air Service to other smaller airports to make our travel experience more enjoyable!