Air Canada Minimum Connection Times

Minimum Connection Times

For a smooth connection between flights, it's important to give yourself adequate time between the arrival of your first flight and the departure of your next. This time between flights is known as your minimum connection time, and it’s needed to allow for security checks and any terminal changes.

A few things you should know:

  • It’s important to respect the minimum connection time between flights.
    • Flights without an adequate connection time can’t be booked.
  • The sample connection times provided in the tables below apply to:
    • Air Canada flights
    • Air Canada Rouge flights
    • Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz
  • The connection times for flights operated by other airlines may vary.
  • The term 'International' applies to any city outside Canada or the U.S. (e.g. cities in Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe and South America)

Within Canada

Connecting through Minimum Connection Time
Calgary 35 min*
Edmonton 35 min*
Halifax 30 min**
Montreal 45 min
Ottawa 35 min*
St John's, NL 25 min
Toronto 50 min
Vancouver 40 min*
Winnipeg 25 min

Example: If you're travelling from Sudbury to Vancouver with a connecting flight in Toronto, you'll need to provide for a minimum connection time of 50 minutes between your arrival in Toronto and your departure for Vancouver.
* 30 minutes for connections between 2 Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz
** 25 minutes for connections between 2 Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz

From Canada to the U.S.

Connecting through Minimum Connection Time
Calgary 50 min
Edmonton 50 min
Halifax 45 min
Montreal 55 min
Ottawa 50 min
Toronto 1 hour 10 min
Vancouver 1 hour 10 min

Example: If you're travelling from Victoria to San Francisco with a connecting flight in Vancouver, you'll need to provide for a minimum connection time of 1 hour 10 min between your arrival in Vancouver and your departure for San Francisco.

From Canada to an international destination

Connecting through Minimum Connection Time
Calgary 40 min
Edmonton 35 min
Halifax 40 min
Montreal 40 min

Exception:

  • 1 hour when connecting from Toronto Pearson or Toronto Billy Bishop.
Ottawa 45 min
Toronto 60 min

Exception:

  • 1 hour 40 min when connecting from Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal
Vancouver 60 min

Example: If you're travelling from Quebec City to Paris with a connecting flight in Montreal, you'll need to provide for a minimum connection time of 40 min between your arrival in Montreal and your departure for Paris.

From the U.S. to Canada

Connecting through Minimum Connection Time
Calgary 60 min
Edmonton 50 min
Halifax 45 min
Montreal 60 min

Exception:

  • 1 hour 30 min when connecting to Toronto Pearson or Toronto Billy Bishop
Ottawa 55 min
Quebec City 30 min
Toronto 1 hour 10 min

Exception:

  • 1 hour 30 min when connecting to Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa
Vancouver 1 hour 10 min

Example: If you're travelling from Los Angeles to Edmonton with a connecting flight in Calgary, you'll need to provide for a minimum connection time of 1 hour between your arrival in Calgary and your departure for Edmonton.

From the U.S. to an international destination

Connecting through Minimum Connection Time
Calgary 60 min
Halifax 45 min
Montreal 40 min

Exception:

  • 50 min between May 1 and October 26
Ottawa 60 min
Toronto 60 min
Vancouver 60 min

Example: If you're travelling from Detroit to Frankfurt with a connecting flight in Toronto, you'll need to provide for a minimum connection time of 1 hour between your arrival in Toronto and your departure for Frankfurt.

International to Canada

Connecting through Minimum Connection Time
Calgary 60 min
Halifax 60 min
Montreal

60 min

Exception:

  • 2 hours 10 min when arriving from Delhi (DEL) and flying onward to Toronto Pearson.
  • 1 hour 30 min when arriving from Delhi (DEL) and flying onward to another Canadian airport.
  • 1 hour 40 min when arriving from any other inbound except Delhi, connecting to Toronto Pearson and Toronto Billy Bishop.
Ottawa 60 min
St John's, NL 60 min
Toronto 1 hour 15 min

Exception:

  • 1 hour 40 min when connecting to Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver.
Vancouver

1 hour 10

Exception:

  • 1 hour 20 min when connecting from Bangkok, Shanghai, Beijing, Mexico City.

Example: If you're travelling from Tokyo to Ottawa with a connecting flight in Toronto, you'll need to provide for a minimum connection time of 1 hr 15 min between your arrival in Toronto and your departure for Ottawa.

International to the U.S.

Connecting through Minimum Connection Time
Calgary 1 hour 15 min
Halifax 1 hour 15 min
Montreal 1 hour 10 min
Ottawa 1 hour 15 min
Toronto 1 hour 25 min

Exception:

  • 1 hour 45 min when connecting to New York La Guardia
Vancouver 1 hour 10 min

Example: If you're travelling from Paris to Boston with a connecting flight in Montreal, you’ll need to provide for a minimum connection time of 1 hour 10 min between your arrival in Montreal and your departure for Boston.

International to international

Connecting through Minimum Connection Time
Montreal 40 min
Toronto 60 min
Vancouver 60 min

Example: If you're travelling from London to Mexico City with a connecting flight in Toronto, you'll need to provide for a minimum connection time of 1 hour between your arrival in Toronto and your departure for Mexico City.