Toronto Pearson International Airport traces its origins to August 29, 1938, when an American Airways DC-3 from Buffalo touched down at what was then known as Malton Airport, a facility carved from 13 farmers' fields northwest of the city. It was built by the Toronto Harbour Commission and originally conceived as an alternate airfield to the downtown Toronto Island Airport. Pearson instead became the primary gateway for Toronto and the entire Golden Horseshoe region.

The airport passed through several names on its way to its current identity. The municipal government sold it to the federal government in 1958, when it became Toronto International Airport in 1960. It was officially renamed Lester B. Pearson International Airport on January 2, 1984, in honor of Canada's 14th Prime Minister and 1957 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority assumed control in 1996 and adopted the current name. Today, YYZ handles more passengers than any other airport in Canada, roughly twice as many as the country's second-busiest hub in Vancouver, and ranks among the top airports in North America by international passenger traffic.

The airport operates 5 runways and 2 terminals set in a linear configuration. Terminal 1, which opened in April 2004 and replaced the iconic circular Aeroquay One, is the primary hub for Air Canada and all Star Alliance partners. Terminal 3, which opened in 1991, serves WestJet, SkyTeam, Oneworld, and numerous independent carriers. The airport also hosts the world's largest central aircraft de-icing facility, a 65-acre complex capable of processing up to 500 aircraft per day during peak winter weather. The Union Pearson Express connects Terminal 1 to downtown Toronto's Union Station in approximately 28 minutes.