Montreal Trudeau Airport-US immigration/customs
 

I have departed from the Toronto Airport back to the U.S. and found going through U.S. immigration and customs a long process. Each time I have arrived at the immigration site, the line was very long. I was hoping someone could tell me about their experience leaving Montreal. My departure flight is very early in the a.m. and I am thinking about staying at the airport hotel the night before - if I have to arrive hours before flight departure.

I can't compare with Pearson in Toronto as the only airport I've only flown out of from Canada is Montreal Trudeau Airport. I didn't find it all that long but this could depend when one is flying. I didn't time the whole process when I went last April on a Friday evening, but I arrived at the airport a little less than two hours before the flight was due to leave and was through immigration in time to order a burger at Burger King (waiting for this may have taken longer than airport security) and I waited for a considerable time in the departure lounge after eating said burger. I'd definitely say everything prior to Burger King (check bags, airport security, customs/immigration) took under an hour.

If there is a CanJet or an AirTransat charter on the morning of your departure I would stay at or near the airport.

Homeland Security starts work at 04:30, the airlines open their counters at 04:00.

Mark

I'm expecting good news some time this month. If one has a Global Entry CARD (not just "enhanced" passport), one will be able to use a kiosk (I guess a Nexus one) at Trudeau to exit Canada. It's supposed to be in place this month but haven't yet seen an exact date. That should eliminate the need to stand in a line to get through the passport control.