The short version: we are already watching
If your flight is delayed, there is nothing for you to do. We track your flight from the moment it is booked with us, so we see the delay the same way you do, as soon as it posts. Your pickup time moves with the plane, and it moves at no charge.
You do not need to call, text, or re-book. A delay is the most ordinary thing that happens at an airport, and the whole point of a tracked pickup is that a late plane becomes our problem to manage, not yours. You land when you land, and the car is there.
- We track your flight automatically, so a delay updates the pickup on our side.
- The pickup shifts to match the real landing time, at no extra charge.
- You do not need to call or re-book when a flight runs late.
- Dispatch is staffed 24 hours a day, so there is always a person watching.
How an arrival pickup actually works
When you land at Pearson, your driver is already positioned. You clear the plane, walk to baggage claim, and collect your bags at your own pace. Your driver meets you curbside and texts you exactly where they are standing, so you step out of the terminal and get straight into the car.
There is no wandering the pickup lanes and no matching a plate in a crowd. Pickup is curbside, and the text tells you the door and the spot. If you would rather not fish your phone out after a long flight, call the number on the message and your driver talks you the last few steps.
The included wait, and what comes after
Your wait time starts at wheels-down, the moment the plane touches the runway, not the moment you were scheduled to land. That distinction matters, because it means the clock only starts once you are actually on the ground.
International arrivals include 60 minutes of wait from wheels-down. Domestic arrivals include 30. That window is set to cover the real walk through a large airport: the taxi to the gate, the hike to baggage claim, customs and immigration on an international arrival, and the wait at the carousel. For most travellers it is comfortably more time than they need.
If you go past the included window, wait time is 10 dollars per 10 minutes after that. It is rare to reach it, because your driver is watching the same flight you are on and knows exactly when you landed. Nobody is standing at the curb starting a meter over a normal delay.
- Wait time starts at wheels-down, not at the scheduled landing time.
- International arrivals: 60 minutes of included wait.
- Domestic arrivals: 30 minutes of included wait.
- Beyond the included window: 10 dollars per 10 minutes, which is rarely reached.
A delay does not change your fare
The fare for a Pearson trip is a flat rate set before you ride, HST included, and identical in both directions. A delay does not move it. There is no surge, no late-hour premium, and no surprise line added because the plane sat on a taxiway.
You pay the driver after the trip, by card or cash in the car. There is no deposit, no card kept on file, and no payment link. Because nothing is charged up front, a delay has nothing to reach into. You travel first and settle at the end, on the fare you already knew.
Early landings are handled too
Delays get the attention, but planes land early as well, and that catches people out just as often. A tailwind can put you on the ground a good stretch ahead of schedule. Because we track the actual flight rather than the timetable, an early landing moves the pickup earlier in the same way a delay moves it later.
Your driver aims to be in position before you clear the terminal, whichever way the flight runs, so an early landing does not leave you waiting on the car. Tracking works in both directions, and that is the point of it.
The few times it helps to tell us
Tracking handles the ordinary cases on its own, but a couple of situations are worth a quick message to dispatch. If you are re-booked onto an entirely different flight, a new flight number we are not watching, let us know so we follow the right plane. The same goes for a diversion that sends you to another airport, or a cancellation that changes your plans altogether.
If your own plans change rather than the airline's, cancellation is free up to two hours before your scheduled pickup. And if anything ever looks off on the day, dispatch is staffed around the clock at 1-866-225-1555. We are a family that has driven this airport since 1976, and a delayed flight is a road we know well.
- Re-booked onto a different flight number: send us the new one so we track it.
- Diverted to another airport or cancelled outright: a quick message lets us re-plan.
- Your own plans change: cancel free up to two hours before pickup.
- Anything looks off: dispatch answers 24/7 at 1-866-225-1555.
We track your flight, move the pickup to match, and never charge you for a delay. Flat fare, pay the driver after.
Book your Pearson pickupQuestions, answered.
What happens to my pickup if my flight is delayed?
Nothing you need to manage. We track your flight automatically, so a delay updates your pickup on our side and the car meets you when you actually land. The pickup shifts with the plane at no extra charge, and you do not need to call or re-book.
Do I have to tell you my flight is late?
For a normal delay, no. We are watching the same flight you are, and we see the change as soon as it posts. The exception is if you are re-booked onto a different flight number, diverted, or cancelled, in which case a quick message to dispatch lets us follow the right plane.
How long will the driver wait for me?
Included wait runs from wheels-down: 60 minutes on international arrivals and 30 on domestic. That window is set to cover the walk to baggage claim, customs, and the carousel on a busy day. For most travellers it is more time than they need.
What if I take longer than the included wait?
Beyond the included window, wait time is 10 dollars per 10 minutes. It is rarely reached, because your driver knows exactly when you landed and is not starting a clock over a normal delay. The included 60 or 30 minutes covers almost every arrival.
Does a delay cost me extra or change my fare?
No. The Pearson fare is a flat rate set before you ride, HST included, with no surge and no late-hour premium. A delay does not move it. You pay the driver after the trip by card or cash in the car, on the same fare you saw when you booked.
When does the wait time actually start?
At wheels-down, the moment the plane touches the runway, not at your scheduled landing time. So if the flight is an hour late, the included wait does not begin until you are actually on the ground. That is what makes a delay a non-event.
What if my flight lands early?
That is handled the same way. Because we track the real flight rather than the timetable, an early landing moves your pickup earlier just as a delay moves it later. Your driver aims to be in position before you clear the terminal, whichever way the flight runs.
How will I find the driver after a delayed flight?
Your driver meets you curbside and texts you exactly where they are standing, so you walk out of arrivals to a car that is already there. There is no wandering the pickup lanes. If you would rather not check your phone after a long flight, call the number on the message and your driver guides you out.