Arriving from within Canada

If Ottawa is your final destination, you simply proceed to the Domestic Arrivals Hall in the public area of the terminal to claim your luggage at carousels 3, 4 or 5. Your flight number will be indicated above the carousel where your luggage will be available.

Passengers arriving from outside of Canada must claim their luggage at carousels 1 or 2 within the Canada Customs Hall, proceed through Customs and Immigration before exiting into the public area of the terminal. Meeters and greeters are not permitted in the Canada Customs Hall and must wait in the public area of the terminal.

Travelling to a Canadian/International destination

If your luggage has been checked through to your next destination, and you have your boarding pass, you may stay in the gate area and simply proceed to your gate. If your luggage hasn't been checked through, you must exit the gate area, claim your luggage on Level 1, check your luggage with your airline on Level 3, and proceed through pre-board security screening located on Level 3.

If you are travelling through, to the United States

Exit the gate area and proceed to Level 3 where you will check in with your airline. If you are travelling with two different airlines, you may have to claim your luggage on Level 1 prior to proceeding to Level 3 to check in with your airline if your luggage hasn't been checked through to your final destination.

Arriving Internationally

The Canada Border Services Agency is responsible for enhancing Canadian security and protecting Canadian borders by managing the access of goods and people into Canada. All passengers arriving on a direct flight from a foreign destination must clear Canadian Customs and Immigration in Ottawa prior to collecting their luggage.

Customs: 1-800-461-9999
Immigration: 1-888-242-2100

Primary Inspection Kiosks 

Primary Inspection Kiosks are available at the Ottawa International Airport. The kiosks allow international travellers to verify their travel documents, complete an on-screen declaration, and confirm their identity using facial authentication (involving only a one-to-one photo comparison at the kiosk with the traveller’s passport). 

Advance CBSA Declaration

The Advance CBSA Declaration in the ArriveCAN app helps travellers save time at airports by allowing them to prepare their customs and immigration declaration in advance. Submit your declaration up to 72 hours before arrival; you’ll get to skip the lineup by using the express lanes that are for Advance CBSA Declaration users only. 

NEXUS

The NEXUS program, jointly run by the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, is designed to speed up border crossings into Canada and the United States (U.S.) for low-risk, pre-approved travellers.

  • NEXUS memberships are valid for 5 years.
  • There is a $50 (USD) non-refundable application processing fee. (No cost for children under 18)
  • Each traveller needs their own card to benefit.
  • A traveller with a NEXUS card is automatically considered a Canadian Air Transport Security Authority Verified Traveller.

Connecting to a Canadian/International destination

If you are travelling with Air Canada or WestJet, you may drop your luggage at the quick-drop located within the Canada Customs Hall and then proceed to pre-board security screening located on Level 3. If you are travelling with any other airline, you must check your luggage with your airline on Level 3 prior to proceeding through pre-board security screening located on Level 3.

Connecting to the U.S.

Proceed to Level 3 where you will check-in with your airline, deposit your luggage, and proceed through pre-board security screening and U.S. Customs.

Travelling with cannabis

It is illegal to transport cannabis across Canada's international borders.

Since October 17, 2018, it is legal for adults 19 or older to travel to Ottawa, from a destination within Canada, with 30 grams of cannabis in their possession.

For more information about travelling with cannabis, visit:

Cannabis in Canada 
Cannabis and international travel 
Cannabis and the border - Don't travel with it 

Leaving the Airport

If you’re getting picked up, ask the driver to wait in the Cell Phone Lot and alert them of your arrival once you get to the curb. The Cell Phone Lot is a free, dedicated area where a driver can wait hassle-free in the comfort of their vehicle, located about 1 minute by vehicle from the arrivals curb.

For security reasons, the space along both the arrivals and departures curbs is reserved for active loading and unloading of passengers, and no cars are permitted to be left unattended on the curb. Unattended cars are subject to parking fines and or towing at the owner's expense.

Many transportation options are available to leave the Airport. These include:

  • Public transportation (OC Transpo)
  • Car rental
  • Taxi (Queue forms at centre door of Level 1. The average cost to take a taxi downtown is $37.00)
  • Private Transportation Company (PTC)/ Ridesharing