The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), along with Transport Canada launched their Verified Traveller program in late June 2023. This should hopefully simplify security screening for qualified travelers, including those with NEXUS.
The main benefits include leaving liquids/gels in the carry-on bag. Same for laptops and larger electronics. Shoes, belts, light jackets and headwear stays on. Small items can remain in pockets. Maybe best of all, access to dedicated screening lanes, or at least front of line service including for travel companions.
While these simplified screening processes will make things much quicker, they aren’t guaranteed. CATSA states:
Verified travellers must comply with screening rules for non-permitted and prohibited items and will be asked to pass through a walk-through metal detector or full body scanner. Your carry-on items will be X-rayed. You may also be required to undergo additional search procedures. You may also be randomly diverted to a regular screening line as part of CATSA’s multi-layered approach to security screening.
These benefits aren’t available everywhere and vary somewhat by destination. I expect this to change over time but please see below for the various combinations available now.
Domestic flights
Benefits:
- Leave permitted liquids, aerosols and gels in your carry-on.
- Leave laptops and electronics in your carry-on.
- Keep shoes, belts, light jackets and headwear on*.
- Keep small items in your pockets.
- Co-travellers 17 years or younger and 75 years and older can accompany you.
*Passengers wearing headwear, including religious or cultural head coverings, may keep it on, however, additional screening of the headwear or head covering is required. If there is an alarm in the head area and it cannot be properly resolved, you may be required to remove your headwear or head covering in order for a physical search to be conducted.
This is available at these airports:
- Calgary International Airport – Domestic C
- Edmonton International Airport – Domestic /Int’l
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport – Domestic /Int’l – pilot lunching on August 22, 2023
- Montréal-Trudeau International Airport – Domestic/Int’l
- Ottawa International Airport – Domestic /Int’l – pilot launching on August 9, 2023
- Toronto Pearson International Airport – T1 Domestic Level 3
- Toronto Pearson International Airport – T3 Domestic
- Vancouver International Airport – Domestic North
- Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport – Domestic/Int’l
Transborder (US) flights
Benefits:
- Leave permitted liquids, aerosols and gels in your carry-on.
- Keep shoes, belts, light jackets and headwear on*.
- Keep small items in your pockets.
- Co-travellers can accompany you.
*Passengers wearing headwear, including religious or cultural head coverings, may keep it on, however, additional screening of the headwear or head covering is required. If there is an alarm in the head area and it cannot be properly resolved, you may be required to remove your headwear or head covering in order for a physical search to be conducted.
This is available at these airports Toronto Pearson (T1 and T3) and Montreal (t1) airports transborder areas.
Front of the Line
Benefits:
- Will receive front of the line service.
- Co-travellers can accompany you.
This is available at these airports:
- Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport – Domestic
- Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport – transborder
- Calgary International Airport – Concourse A – transborder
- Calgary International Airport – Concourse D – transborder
- Calgary International Airport – Concourse E – transborder
- Edmonton International Airport – transborder
- Greater Moncton Roméo Leblanc International Airport – Domestic/Int’l/transborder
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport – Domestic/Int’l
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport – transborder
- Kelowna International Airport – Domestic/Int’l/Transborder
- Ottawa International Airport – Domestic/Int’l
- Ottawa International Airport – transborder
- Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport – Domestic/Int’l/transborder
- Regina International Airport – Domestic/Int’l/transborder
- Saskatoon International Airport – Domestic/Int’l/transborder
- St. John’s International Airport – Domestic/Int’l/transborder
- Toronto Pearson International Airport – T1 Int’l
- Toronto Pearson International Airport – T3 Int’l
- Vancouver International Airport – Domestic South
- Vancouver International Airport – Int’l
- Vancouver International Airport – transborder
- Victoria International Airport – Domestic/Int’l/transborder
- Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport – transborder
Who qualifies for Verified Traveller?
Verified travellers are passengers who have undergone extensive background checks and carry special photo identification cards.
They include:
- members of NEXUS and Global Entry programs;
- serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces and U.S. military, including reservists, all with valid ID (no uniform required);
- Canadian aircrew and airport workers with Restricted Area Identification Cards (RAICs);
- international aircrew in uniform with valid airline ID; and
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers, Canadian police officers and constables with a badge and proper photo identification issued by their respective organizations.
I don’t have much Canada travel coming up, but I do hope to be able to utilize this next time I’m headed that way. Have you experienced this new Verified Traveller benefit? How did it go?
