Toronto has two airports with scheduled passenger service: Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), which lies in Mississauga west of the city, and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ), on the Toronto Islands. Buttonville Municipal Airport in Markham, a third field, closed on November 30, 2023. U.S. Customs and Border Protection lists both open airports as preclearance locations.
The count depends on what is meant by “Toronto.” The City of Toronto itself contains one commercial airport, Billy Bishop. Pearson carries the Toronto name and serves the region, but its land is in the City of Mississauga in Peel Region. Smaller airfields around the Greater Toronto Area add to the picture, and several have changed status in recent years.
Airports in and around Toronto
| Airport | Code | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Pearson International | YYZ | Mississauga | Open, scheduled service |
| Billy Bishop Toronto City | YTZ | Toronto Islands | Open, scheduled service |
| Buttonville Municipal | YKZ | Markham | Closed November 30, 2023 |
| Downsview | none listed | Northern Toronto | Listed as closed in March 2024 |
| Oshawa Executive | YOO | Oshawa | Open |
The status entries for the smaller fields come from the list of airports in the Greater Toronto Area on Wikipedia, a secondary source. Pearson and Billy Bishop entries rest on the airports’ own pages and on the U.S. government preclearance list. Private and municipal fields without scheduled service are not covered in detail here.
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Pearson is operated by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), formed in 1996 when the federal government handed airport operations to local authorities. The site began as Malton Airport, established in 1937. Sources differ on the start of service: the first landing is dated August 29, 1938, and the first scheduled passenger flight August 29, 1939. The City of Toronto sold the airport to the federal government in November 1958. It became Toronto International Airport in 1960 and was renamed Lester B. Pearson International Airport in 1984, after the former prime minister.
The original Terminal 3 opened on February 21, 1991. The first phase of the new Terminal 1 was completed in April 2004, when the older Aeroquay One closed. The origin of the code YYZ is covered on a separate page of this site, linked below.
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
The island airport opened in 1939, when its paved runways and terminal building were completed. It was renamed Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on November 10, 2009, according to Veterans Affairs Canada, in honor of the First World War flying ace William Avery “Billy” Bishop. The airport lists its address as 2 Eireann Quay and states that it is owned and operated by the Toronto Port Authority. Its website has separate pages for the ferry and the pedestrian tunnel, and readers should consult those pages for how to reach the island.
Buttonville and the other fields
Buttonville Municipal Airport in Markham began as an aerodrome in 1953 and became an official airport in 1962, with a well-known flight school. Cadillac Fairview bought the land in 2010 and leased it back to the operator, Torontair. The lease ended in November 2023. Most sources give November 30, 2023, as the closing date, while the Wikipedia infobox gives November 24, 2023. Reports tie the difference to the decommissioning of runways, which began on November 20. Plans for the land include housing, retail, and offices, though one report describes an industrial complex, so the final use is not settled in the sources checked.
Downsview, the former aircraft factory airfield in northern Toronto, is listed as closed in March 2024. Oshawa Executive Airport remains open. Markham Airport, Brampton-Caledon, and Burlington Executive appear on the same list as small airfields without scheduled passenger service.
U.S. preclearance in Toronto
Preclearance means that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers inspect travelers on Canadian soil before boarding. Travelers then arrive in the United States as domestic passengers and go straight to a connection or to the exit. CBP states that the program has operated since 1952 and lists ten Canadian locations, including Toronto Pearson and Billy Bishop. Pearson appears as “Toronto Preclearance,” with separate hours for Terminals 1 and 3. Billy Bishop is listed as its own location, and its website announces that U.S. preclearance is open.
The CBP preclearance page does not say that membership in a trusted traveler program is required, and it does not connect preclearance with TSA PreCheck. CBP shows Global Entry and TSA PreCheck as separate programs. Because rules and lanes change, travelers should read the CBP preclearance and trusted traveler pages and the GTAA travel pages before departure. Claims about Global Entry and PreCheck at Pearson in older posts on this site could not be confirmed from official pages and are not repeated.
Smoking, sleeping, and overnight stays
Smoking areas, sleeping pods, and overnight stays at Pearson are frequent questions. The GTAA publishes a page on designated smoking and vaping areas, but it could not be opened during research because of the website’s bot protection, so no rules are stated here. The same applies to opening hours, rest facilities, and overnight rules. They change, and only the airport’s own pages and customer service can give current answers.
Frequently asked questions
How many airports does Toronto have?
Two airports with scheduled passenger flights serve Toronto: Pearson and Billy Bishop. Only Billy Bishop lies within the city limits. A third, Buttonville, closed on November 30, 2023.
Does Toronto Pearson have U.S. customs?
Yes, in the form of preclearance. CBP lists Toronto Pearson among its Canadian preclearance locations, a program that has run since 1952.
Does Billy Bishop airport have preclearance?
Yes. CBP lists Billy Bishop Toronto as a separate preclearance location, and the airport announces that U.S. preclearance is open.
Why is Pearson called Toronto Pearson if it is in Mississauga?
The airport began as Malton Airport and was bought by the federal government in 1958. It took the name of Lester B. Pearson in 1984. The Toronto name reflects the region it serves, not the municipal boundary.
Last verified: October 2026
Sources
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Preclearance
- Veterans Affairs Canada, entry on Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
- Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport website
- Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Toronto Pearson website (smoking page not readable at time of research)
- Wikipedia, History of Toronto Pearson International Airport, and List of airports in the Greater Toronto Area (secondary, used for dates and status)
Related reading
- Why the airport code is YYZ
- History of streetcars and the subway
- A longer history of the city
- Where Toronto begins and ends
- Getting around Toronto
Cite this page
APA: History of Toronto. (2026, October 23). How Many Airports Does Toronto Have?. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/toronto-has-how-many-airports
MLA: “How Many Airports Does Toronto Have?.” History of Toronto, 23 Oct. 2026, https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/toronto-has-how-many-airports. Accessed .
Chicago: History of Toronto. “How Many Airports Does Toronto Have?.” Last modified October 23, 2026. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/toronto-has-how-many-airports.
The pages have no named author, so the site is given as the author. Add the date you read the page if your style asks for it.