Vancouver International Airport

Introduction

Vancouver International Airport (international airport code: YVR) is in Richmond, British Columbia, approximately 15 kilometres from downtown Vancouver. The airport has service from a number of international airlines, and an extensive network of flights to Asia and the Pacific.

For more information about other airports throughout the world, also see the list of airports.

Getting there and away

• Bus service to Vancouver, Richmond and beyond originate at the Airport Station Bus Terminal, located near the Delta Hotel. Airport Station and the airport are connected by Bus Route #424, which picks up and drops off passengers at the ground level of the domestic terminal. The 98 B Line and Route #496 connect to downtown Vancouver. Fares vary depending on the destination and time of day. When boarding the bus cash fares must be paid in exact change. A change machine is available in the domestic terminal located near the exit doors closest to the transit area. Bus tickets may also be purchased at the 7-eleven convenience store and the Pharmasave pharmacy, both located in the domestic terminal. Bus service frequency and times vary depending on time of day, day of the week or season.
• Newly completed is the Rapid Transit Line (operated by Translink) that connects downtown Vancouver with Richmond and the airport. Completed on August 17, 2009, the new transit line has been a great addition to the city. The rapid service has now created connections from downtown to the airport in a mere 26 minutes and the fare is just Cdn$5.00 for peak periods (running from 4:50am to 6:30pm on weekdays) and during off peak hours (weekdays after 6:30pm and all day weekends) it's even less: Cdn$2.50. The new rapid transit line has added 16 stations and 19 kilometres to the Skytrain network. The new skytrain line runs through the main part of downtown and all downtown hotels are accessible generally by a short walk.
• Other possibilities to get to/from the airport include taxis or renting a car.

Getting around

The international and domestic terminals are connected by a walkway, taking about 10 minutes to transfer between the two.

Airlines, Destinations and Terminals

Vancouver International Airport has three terminals:

• The domestic terminal for flights within Canada
• The international terminal for incoming international flights,
• The south terminal is located in a remote part of the airport, serving regional airlines which fly mostly within British Columbia.

For more information about airlines, also see the list of airlines and the details about flying with budget airlines.

International Terminal

• Air Berlin - Düsseldorf
• Air Canada - Beijing-Capital, Cancún, Hong Kong, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, London-Heathrow, Montego Bay, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo, Seoul-Incheon, Shanghai-Pudong, Sydney, Tokyo-Narita, Varadero, Anchorage, Honolulu, Kahului, Kona, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Newark, San Diego, San Francisco
• Air Canada Jazz operated by Jazz Air - Portland, Seattle/Tacoma, San Francisco
• Air China - Beijing-Capital
• Air New Zealand - Auckland
• Air Transat - Amsterdam, Barcelona, Cancún, Frankfurt, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Madrid, Manzanillo, Montego Bay, Munich, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Puerto Plata, Puerto Vallarta, Punta Cana, Rome-Fiumicino, Varadero
• Alaska Airlines - Los Angeles, Seattle/Tacoma
• American Airlines - Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth
• British Airways - London-Heathrow
• CanJet - Cancún, San José del Cabo, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta
• Cathay Pacific Airways - Hong Kong, New York-JFK
• China Airlines - Taipei-Taoyuan
• China Eastern Airlines - Shanghai-Pudong
• Condor - Frankfurt
• Continental Airlines - Houston-Intercontinental, Newark
• Delta Air Lines - Atlanta, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul
• Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines - Salt Lake City, Minneapolis/St. Paul
• Edelweiss Air - Zurich, Calgary
• Enerjet - Pueto Vallarta, Cancún
• EVA Air - Taipei-Taoyuan
• Horizon Air - Portland, Seattle/Tacoma
• Japan Airlines - Tokyo-Narita
• KLM - Amsterdam
• Korean Air - Seoul-Incheon
• Lufthansa - Frankfurt
• Mexicana de Aviación - Mexico City
• Philippine Airlines - Las Vegas, Manila
• Sunwing Airlines - Cancún, Holguín, Puerto Vallarta, Varadero
• Thomas Cook Airlines - Glasgow, London-Gatwick, Manchester
• United Airlines - Chicago-O'Hare, Denver, San Francisco
• United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines - Denver, Los Angeles
• US Airways - Phoenix
• WestJet - Cancún, Mazatlán, Montego Bay, Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo, Honolulu, Kahului, Kona, Las Vegas, Lihue, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Phoenix, San Francisco

Domestic Terminal

• Air Canada - Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna, Montréal-Trudeau, Ottawa, Toronto-Pearson, Whitehorse, Winnipeg Domestic
• Air Canada Jazz operated by Jazz Air - Calgary, Castlegar, Cranbrook, Fort McMurray, Fort St. John, Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Penticton, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Regina, Sandspit, Saskatoon, Smithers, Terrace, Victoria, Yellowknife
• Air North - Whitehorse
• CanJet - Calgary, Edmonton
• Central Mountain Air - Campbell River, Comox, Dawson Creek, Quesnel, Williams Lake
• Enerjet - Calgary, Edmonton
• Flair Airlines - Kelowna, Victoria
• WestJet - Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Montréal-Trudeau, Ottawa, Prince George, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto-Pearson, Winnipeg

South Terminal

• Air North - Masset, Sandspit
• Harbour Air - Ganges Harbour, Montague Harbour, Miners Bay, Lyall Harbour, Bedwell Harbour, Victoria/Inner Harbour, Nanaimo Harbour
• Hawkair - Prince Rupert, Smithers, Terrace
• HeliJet - Victoria/Inner Harbour
• KD Air - Qualicum Beach, Gilles Bay/Texada Island
• Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter - Masset, Sandspit, Kelowna
• Northern Thunderbird Air - Smithers, Mackenzie, Prince George
• Orca Airways - Qualicum Beach, Tofino, Victoria Airport
• Pacific Coastal Airlines - Anahim Lake, Bella Coola, Calgary, Campbell River, Comox, Cranbrook, Masset, Port Hardy, Powell River, Trail, Victoria, Williams Lake
• Pat Bay Air - Victoria/Inner Harbour, Patricia Bay, Cowichan Bay and other parts of Vancouver Island
• Salt Spring Air - Ganges Harbour, Maple Bay, Patricia Bay
• San Juan Airlines - Friday Harbor, Anacortes, Bellingham, Seattle-Boeing Field/King County Airport
• Seair Seaplanes - Ganges Harbour, Montague Harbour, Miners Bay, Lyall Harbour, Port Washington, Telegraph Harbour, Nanaimo/Departure Bay, Sechelt, Bedwell Harbour
• Tofino Air - Silva Bay, Sechelt
• Voyageur Airways - Masset
• West Coast Air - Nanaimo, Sechelt, Victoria/Inner Harbour
• Whistler Air - Whistler/Green Lake

Do

The airport has stunning architecture and the extensive collections of North West Coast Native art (the largest collection in the world). It includes a colour palate of blues and greens to reflect the colours of the land, sea and sky, with vast expanses of glass to let in large amounts of natural light.

Eat

There is a Burger King and a Subway. The only problem is that the restaurants aren't open 24/7 and will be closed if your flight is after 12:00pm.

Drink

There are Starbucks and Tim Hortons available. They are open untill 10:00pm.

Keeping connected

Free WiFi is now available throughout Vancouver International Airport. There is internet in the airport and in Starbucks. You can pay to use the airport's computers. There is also electric plug at tables very close to waiting chairs.