Pearson International Airport marked a new era in air travel early Tuesday morning by opening Pier F to passengers, just hours after the 35-year-old Terminal 2 shut its doors at midnight.

The new international pier at Terminal 1 is expected to see 32 million passengers in 2007, and then grow 3.5 per cent annually and handle 38 million passengers by 2011.

The $800-million Pier F features the latest in security technology and is designed to make connections easier for travellers.

The facility boasts a list of impressive features, including:

  • 25 gates;
  • The largest duty free store in Canada (10,000 square feet);
  • In-transit pre-clearance allowing passengers from international flights and destined to the U.S. to go directly to U.S. Customs;
  • Satellite customs facilities to allow people entering Canada to avoid the main Customs Hall;
  • Six temporary art exhibition spaces;
  • Four new permanent collections of artwork;
  • 56 check-in counters for international passengers;
  • 78 check-in counters for trans-border passengers;
  • Nearly 700 linear metres of moving walkways; and
  • A lighting system that automatically adjusts based on the amount of available natural light.

Visitors can view several art structures inside, including the Hammerhead, a massive piece that describes the curved capital T shape of the concourse.

Passengers can also browse through impressive high-end retailers such as Armani, Burberry and Givenchy.

"This is a beautiful building," said one man. "It's been a number of years since we've flown out of Toronto, but it just takes your breath away."

"It's gorgeous, everything is just so pristine, clean and big and beautiful," said one woman.

Pier F has begun handling flights for Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and Air Canada Vacations arriving or departing on U.S. flights.

It marks the first time in many years that all the airline's operations will be under the same roof in the Toronto hub airport.

The first plane to touch down arrived from South America just after 6 a.m. After a long flight, the first passenger was handed a welcome surprise, two airline passes to anywhere in the world.

The female passenger told CTV News both Australia and Hawaii top her travel wish list.

Demolition of Terminal 2 is slated to begin in April. The building materials will be recycled in a project that will take 18 months to complete.

Pearson was recently named "Best Global Airport 2006" by the Institute of Transport Management.

The airport is expecting to handle about 50 million passengers each year in the next 10 to 15 years.

With a report from CTV's John Musselman