Detroit Airport (DTW) to Windsor and Toronto: Cross-Border Car Service

How does a Detroit airport to Windsor car service work?

Detroit Metropolitan Airport is the practical airport for a large part of south-western Ontario. Windsor sits directly across the river from Detroit, and DTW lies south-west of the city centre, so a ride from DTW to Windsor is mostly a trip through the south-west corner of Detroit to a crossing, and then a short drive on the Canadian side. A pre-booked Detroit airport to Windsor car service, or a transfer on to Toronto, makes the only unpredictable part of the journey, the border, someone else's problem to manage.

Trips in Ontario are operated by the Enroutz.ca fleet and chauffeurs from our Toronto desk. Cross-border trips between Ontario and the USA run from Toronto, and Enroutz.ca books, confirms and invoices the whole trip. You get one confirmation, one invoice and one contact available 24 hours a day.

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DTW has two terminals, and Canadian airlines use both

Detroit Metro has two terminals, the McNamara Terminal and the Evans Terminal. The Evans Terminal was formerly called the North Terminal, so older maps and apps may still show that name. According to the airport's own site at metroairport.com, the airlines are split like this (the lists are the airport's own and are not exhaustive):

• McNamara: Aeromexico, Air France, Delta, WestJet.
• Evans: Air Canada, Alaska, American, Avelo, Frontier, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Royal Jordanian, Southwest, Sun Country, Turkish Airlines, Volaris and United.

That matters for Canadian travellers. Air Canada passengers use Evans and WestJet passengers use McNamara. The two terminals are separate buildings, so if you arrive in one and your driver is waiting at the other, you lose time. Your confirmation names the terminal, and the driver contacts you after landing. Check your boarding pass or the airline's app if the airline changes its allocation.

The airport lists taxis and luxury sedans, rideshare, shuttles and prearranged transport among its ground transportation options, which means a pre-booked chauffeur is a normal arrangement, not an exception. A name-board meet-and-greet inside arrivals is available as an add-on, with an alias on the board if you prefer.

The distance: DTW to Windsor, about 35 km

A published travel guide gives the road distance from the airport to the Windsor side of the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel as about 21 miles (35 km), roughly 25 minutes without a border delay. In practice the door-to-door time to a Windsor address is closer to 45 to 60 minutes, because the border queue and the processing at the booth are what vary. The booker quotes the fare for the exact pickup and drop-off addresses, and a drive to the Windsor waterfront is a different trip from a drive to Tecumseh or Amherstburg.

If you are heading to Toronto, the distance from Windsor to Toronto on Highway 401 is roughly 370 km, so the whole trip from DTW is about 400 km (250 miles) and, with the crossing, a half-day. A city-to-city car service booking covers that journey as one ride.

The three crossings: Ambassador, tunnel and Gordie Howe

There are now three road crossings between Detroit and Windsor for cars:

1. The Ambassador Bridge, the long-established suspension bridge.
2. The Detroit–Windsor Tunnel, which sits in the downtown core on both sides.
3. The Gordie Howe International Bridge, which opened to traffic on 27 July 2026. It is the first new vehicle link between Detroit and Windsor in nearly a century and has been reported as the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America. The official bridge site records the opening date and links to toll rates and a guide to the route.

Canada Border Services Agency now lists all three on its border wait times page, which also notes that its figures do not include delays on the roads leading to the border. The chauffeur reads those times, and the live state of the approach roads, and picks the crossing that is quickest on the day. The Gordie Howe bridge and the Ambassador Bridge are both in the south-west of the city, close to the direction DTW traffic arrives from; the tunnel is further into the downtown core.

The Gordie Howe port of entry includes express lanes for NEXUS members. Every adult in the vehicle needs a valid NEXUS card for the vehicle to use a NEXUS lane. Crossing tolls apply on the bridges and the tunnel, and the fare the booker shows is the all-in fare for your trip.

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What happens at the border booth

The booth is the same whichever crossing is used. The chauffeur stops, the officer asks the vehicle's occupants for travel documents and questions about the purpose and length of the trip, and each passenger answers for themselves. Be ready to say where you are going, how long you are staying and whether you carry goods to declare, including alcohol, tobacco, gifts and food. Keep answers short and accurate.

Two practical habits help. First, put passports where you can reach them without opening luggage. Second, switch off loud music and put phones down while the officer talks to you. Neither is a rule, but both make the exchange quicker, and the time at the booth is the one part of the journey nobody can speed up.

If an officer refers the vehicle for a secondary inspection, the chauffeur waits with the vehicle and the desk stays in contact with you.

Arriving at DTW from Toronto: the outbound run

For the outbound direction, from Toronto to DTW, the day starts early for a morning departure. The chauffeur drives Highway 401 west to Windsor, crosses, and continues to the terminal that serves your airline. Work back from the flight: the drive is roughly 400 km, then a crossing queue, then your airport arrival margin, so the pickup in Toronto is many hours before departure. For an international departure from DTW, add another hour. The desk will propose a pickup time when you book, and an overnight stay in Windsor or Detroit is often the more restful way to do it.

Two points deserve emphasis. First, the Evans and McNamara terminals are separate, so confirm yours before the car leaves. Second, if your itinerary starts in Windsor rather than Toronto, the same logic applies in a shorter version: leave enough time that a slow crossing does not become a missed flight.

Documents: what to carry

For the Canadian side, the Government of Canada explains who needs what. Foreign nationals arriving by air from eTA-required countries need an electronic travel authorization and a valid passport. For land arrivals, in most cases an eTA is not required, but a valid passport still is. US citizens are exempt from the eTA. Read the rules for your nationality on the Government of Canada eTA page.

For the US side, Canadian citizens can use a passport, an Enhanced Driver's License or a NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card at land ports of entry, according to US Customs and Border Protection. Visitors who are not Canadian or US citizens must meet US entry requirements for their nationality before they travel.

Each passenger is responsible for their own documents. The chauffeur does not carry them for you. Keep passports to hand, not in the luggage.

Why Canadians fly from Detroit

Detroit is the nearest large US hub for Windsor and much of the south-west of Ontario, and its schedule has more destinations than the local Canadian airports offer. Delta runs a large operation there, which is why the McNamara Terminal carries Delta and its partners. For those living in Kitchener-Waterloo or the Greater Toronto Area, the choice is less obvious: Pearson is nearer, and the trade-off is the border and the length of the drive. For the Toronto side of the equation, see the Pearson airport limo page.

If you live in the Niagara region, the Buffalo airport (BUF) page covers the equivalent crossing. For Kitchener-Waterloo travellers, both options are available.

Compare your options between DTW and Windsor

If you are one person with a carry-on and a flexible timetable, a shuttle or your own car is the lowest-cost route. A private chauffeur wins when you land late, travel as a family, have equipment, or need a receipt and a driver who manages the crossing. Our chauffeur vs rideshare guide goes through the trade-offs in detail.

Waiting time and flight tracking at DTW

Flight tracking is standard on every airport pickup. International arrivals include 60 minutes of free waiting after landing, and domestic arrivals include 30 minutes. Other pickups include 15 minutes. If your flight is delayed, the chauffeur adjusts; if it lands early, the driver is told and positions accordingly. The airport recommends arriving two hours before a domestic flight and three before an international flight, which is a sensible guide for departures.

Vehicles

Models are confirmed at booking and always "or similar".

• Executive Sedan (Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Cadillac CT6 or Lyriq): up to 3 passengers, 2 large and 2 cabin bags.
• First Class Sedan (Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series): up to 3 passengers, 2 large and 2 cabin bags.
• Luxury SUV (Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon Denali): up to 6 passengers and 5 to 6 large bags.
• Executive Sprinter (Mercedes-Benz Sprinter): up to 12 passengers and 12 bags.
• Mini-coach and coach: 20 to 56 seats on request.

Maybach, Rolls-Royce, stretch limousine and armoured vehicles are available on request, with availability confirmed at booking. Child, toddler and booster seats can be requested. Most vehicles carry Wi-Fi, water and phone chargers. See the fleet for more.

Business and automotive travel

Detroit is the home of the American automotive industry, and a good share of DTW traffic is people going to meetings with manufacturers, suppliers and engineers on both sides of the river. A corporate chauffeur service account gives monthly invoicing and a consistent standard across both countries. The Toronto business travel guide covers the Toronto end, and the Canadian International AutoShow page covers one of the best-known industry events in Toronto.

For delegations, group transportation covers Sprinters and coaches. Large events and conventions may carry a different cancellation deadline, stated on the confirmation.

Cancellation. Measured from the scheduled pickup time:

• More than 72 hours' notice: no charge.
• 72 hours or less: 10%.
• 48 hours or less: 50%.
• 24 hours or less, or a no-show: 100%.

More cross-border and US airport pages

The cross-border car service page explains the general approach. For the wider picture see the USA hub, the Ontario overview, the airports hub and black car service in Toronto.

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Why book direct

You see the exact all-in fare for your addresses and vehicle before you pay. There is no aggregator in the middle. Read more on the why Enroutz.ca page.