Vancouver International Airport is a public International Airport Located in Richmond, British Columbia in Canada. The airport is a Hub for Air Canada, Air Canada Express, Pacific Coastal Airlines and WestJet and serves Metro Vancouver and its base city is Air North and WestJet Encore. The airport is owned by Transport Canada and its operations are run by Vancouver International Airport Authority. The airport is located twelve kilometers from Downtown Vancouver.
Vancouver International Airport is ranked the second busiest airport in Canada with statistics of 306,799 aircraft movements with passenger traffic of 25.9 million annually. The airport has on many occasions won some prominent awards. The airport won the Skytrax Best North America Airport Award in 2007 and 2010 all through to 2020 making a record of 11 consecutive years. On the record of being top ten, the airport was ranked 9th in 2012, 8th in 2013and 9th in 2014.
The airport traces back to 1929 when the City of Vancouver purchased land on Sea Land for aviation commitments. The land replaced the initial grass airstrip which was at Minoru Park on Lulu Island. The airport was used for the air training plan of the British Commonwealth. The airport’s current main terminal was completed in 1968 and ever since it has undergone multiple expansions to include the separation of the domestic and international terminals. In 1966, the north runway was completed.
Vancouver International Airport Expansion
The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games called for expansion of the airport that involved the completion of a 1.4 billion dollars development plan. The plan included the expansion of a four-gate to the International terminal wing which was completed in 2007. Two out of the new four gates are wide bodied and the other two are able to the Airbus A380. In 2009, a five-gate and food and retail expansion in Domestic Terminal’s C-pier was completed.
Vancouver International Airport Runways
Vancouver International Airport has 4 runways and with three Helipad Areas. Two runways are located parallel east-west and the third traverses the 08R/26L at approximately 45 degrees. Synchronized take-offs from parallel runways occur on the east-west runways.
Runway 08L-26R
This runway is 3029 meters in length and instrument Landing System is available. You can tune your NAV radio to 110.55 with a heading of 081 for runway 08L and NAV radio to 111.95 with a heading of 261 for runway 26R.
Runway 08R/26L
This is the airport’s longest runway which is 3505 meters long and also has an Instrument Landing System for runway 08R, tune your NAV radio to 109.50 with a heading of 81. Instrument Landing System is available for runway 26L, tune your NAV radio to 110.70 with a heading of 261.
Runway 12/30
This is the airport’s shortest runway which is0 2225 meters in length. Instrument Landing System is available for runway 12, tune your NAV radio to 111.10 with a heading of 123.
Vancouver International Airport Codes
The codes for Vancouver International Airport are IATA: YVR, ICAO: CYVR
Vancouver International Airport Airlines and Destinations
Passengers
| Airlines | Destinations |
| Aeromexico | Mexico City |
| Air Canada | Beijing–Capital, Brisbane, Calgary, Delhi, Edmonton, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Kahului, London–Heathrow, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Montreal–Trudeau, Newark, Ottawa, Puerto Vallarta, San Francisco, Seoul–Incheon, Shanghai–Pudong, Sydney, Taipei–Taoyuan (resumes March 27, 2021), Tokyo–Narita, Toronto–Pearson, Whitehorse, WinnipegSeasonal: Anchorage, Boston, Cancun, Dublin, Frankfurt, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Kelowna, Osaka–Kansai, Palm Springs, Paris–Charles De Gaulle, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, San Jose del Cabo, Zurich |
| Air Canada Express | Castlegar, Chicago–O’Hare, Comox, Cranbrook, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Edmonton, Fort St. John, Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Penticton, Portland (OR), Prince George, Prince Rupert, Regina, Sacramento, San Diego, Sandspit, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), Saskatoon, Seattle/Tacoma, Smithers, Terrace/Kitimat, Victoria, Whitehorse, YellowknifeSeasonal: Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Winnipeg |
| Air Canada Rouge | Kailua–Kona, Las Vegas |
| Air China | Beijing–Capital |
| Air France | Seasonal: Paris–Charles de Gaulle |
| Air India | Delhi |
| Air New Zealand | Auckland |
| Air North | Kelowna, Victoria, WhitehorseSeasonal: Yellowknife |
| Air Transat | Montreal–Trudeau, Toronto–PearsonSeasonal: London–Gatwick, Manchester (UK) |
| Alaska Airlines | Portland (OR), Seattle/Tacoma |
| All Nippon Airways | Tokyo–Haneda |
| American Airlines | Dallas/Fort WorthSeasonal: Chicago–O’Hare, Phoenix–Sky Harbor |
| American Eagle | Los Angeles |
| Beijing Capital Airlines | Hangzhou, Qingdao |
| British Airways | London–Heathrow |
| Cathay Pacific | Hong Kong |
| Central Mountain Air | Campbell River, Castlegar, Prince George, Quesnel, Williams Lake |
| China Airlines | Taipei–Taoyuan |
| China Eastern Airlines | Nanjing, Shanghai–Pudong |
| China Southern Airlines | Guangzhou |
| Condor Flugdienst | Seasonal: Frankfurt |
| Corilair | Seasonal: Campbell River |
| Delta Air Lines | Atlanta, Minneapolis/St Paul, Salt Lake CitySeasonal: Detroit, Seattle/Tacoma |
| Delta Connection | Salt Lake City, Seattle/Tacoma |
| Edelweiss Air | Seasonal: Zurich |
| EVA Air | Taipei–Taoyuan |
| Flair Airlines | Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Kelowna, Prince George, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto–Pearson, Victoria, Winnipeg |
| Gulf Island Seaplanes | Gabriola Island/Silva Bay |
| Hainan Airlines | Shenzhen |
| Harbour Air | Bedwell Harbour, Ganges Harbour, Miners Bay, Nanaimo Harbour, Victoria Airport, Victoria Harbour, Whistler/Green Lake |
| HeliJet | Nanaimo Harbour, Vancouver Harbour, Victoria Harbour |
| Icelandair | Reykjavík–Keflavik |
| Japan Airlines | Tokyo–Narita |
| KLM | Amsterdam |
| Korean Air | Seoul–Incheon |
| Lufthansa | FrankfurtSeasonal: Munich |
| Pacific Coastal Airlines | Anaheim Lake, Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Campbell River, Comox, Masset, Port Hardy, Powell River, Tofino, Trail, Victoria, Williams LakeSeasonal charter: Revelstoke |
| Pacific Seaplanes | Bamfield, Galiano Island, Miners Bay, Port Alberni, Port Washington, Thetis Island, Ucluelet |
| Philippine Airlines | Manila |
| Qantas | Seasonal: Sydney |
| Salt Spring Air | Ganges Harbour, Victoria Airport |
| Seair Seaplanes | Bedwell Harbour, Ganges Harbour, Miners Bay, Montague Harbour, Nanaimo Harbour, Port Washington |
| Sichuan Airlines | Chengdu, Shenyang |
| Sun Country Airlines | Seasonal: Minneapolis/St Paul |
| Sunshine Coast Air | Nanaimo Harbour, Sechelt |
| Tofino Air | Charter: Tofino |
| Turkish Airlines | Istanbul (begins January 3, 2021) |
| United Airlines | Chicago–O’Hare, Denver, Houston–Intercontinental, San FranciscoSeasonal: Los Angeles, Newark, Washington–Dulles |
| United Express | Los AngelesSeasonal: San Francisco |
| WestJet | Calgary, Cancun, Edmonton, Honolulu, Kahului, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Puerto Vallarta, Regina, San José del Cabo, Saskatoon, Toronto–Pearson, WinnipegSeasonal: Halifax, Montréal–Trudeau, Ottawa |
| WestJet Encore | Fort St. John, Kelowna, Prince George, Terrace/Kitimat, Victoria |
| XiamenAir | Xiamen |
Cargo
| Airlines | Destinations |
| Cargojet | Calgary, Cincinnati, Edmonton, Hamilton, Montreal–Mirabel, Victoria, Winnipeg |
| Carson Air | Calgary, Kamloops, Kelowna |
| China Southern Cargo | Los Angeles, Shanghai–Pudong |
| DHL Aviation | Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle/Tacoma |
| FedEx Express | Memphis |
| FedEx Feeder | Calgary, Edmonton, Oakland, Spokane, Toronto–Pearson, Victoria, Winnipeg |
| Kalitta Air | Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle/Tacoma |
| KF Cargo | Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George, Victoria |
| Korean Air Cargo | Guadalajara, Los Angeles, Seoul–Incheon |
| SkyLink Express | Abbotsford, Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Prince George, Seattle–Boeing, Victoria |
| UPS Airlines | Abbotsford, Louisville, Seattle–Boeing |
Vancouver International Airport Accidents and Incidents
•A Canadian Pacific Airlines Boeing 707 overran a landing strip and knocked down a building, while landing in heavy fog and led to the loss of one crew member. This happened on February 7, 1968.
•March 1, 1970 – Vickers Viscount CF-THY of Air Canada and Ercoupe 415 CF-SHN collided in mid-air with while approaching Vancouver International Airport. There was loss of a loved one. Pilot of Ercoupe lost his life at the incident.
• Two pieces of illegal luggage having bombs were checked in at the airport on June 23, 1985 and was loaded onto Canadian Pacific Airlines Flight 60 to Toronto and Canadian Pacific Airlines Flight 3 to Tokyo, one-to-one. Upon explosion, the former killed all 329 people on board, Air India Flight 182 people, and the latter, intended for Air India Flight 301, blew up at Tokyo Narita International Airport, killing two of the baggage handlers.
•Douglas C-47B (DC-3) C-GZOF of Air North went down during an emergency come back to the airport on August 19, 1995. One of the three crew died. The plane was on a ferry journey to Prince Rupert Airport when the starboard propeller was over speeded and the decision was made to return to Vancouver International.
•A Canadian Airline, McDonnell Douglas DC-10 cancelled a take-off on runway 26 (now 26L) two seconds after the V1 call on October 19, 1995. The airplane headed to the soft ground west of the end of take-off strip, causing the breakdown of the nose gear. All 243 passengers and 14 crew escaped unhurt with nothing more than minor injuries.
•An Air China 747 from Beijing to San Francisco On September 11, 2001, was escorted by two U.S. F-15s onto the airport’s north taxiway during Operation Yellow Ribbon, apparently because of communication hitch.
•An immigrant with Polish origin, Robert Dziekanski, passed away after being shot with a Taser by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at the airport On October 14, 2007. Dziekański, who could not speak English, became angry after waiting roughly 10 hours at the Arrivals Hall because he could not locate his mother. While the police were attempting to arrest Dziekanski, he was tased by police officers and died. The following Braidwood Inquiry started in May 2008. In June 2010, the judge found that the use of the Taser could not be justified, issuing an apology to Dziekanski’s mother by The RCMP. The commission also found that Tasers had the ability to injure or kill by causing heart anomalies, especially where the person is medically and/or emotionally compromised.
•At approximately 4:10 pm on October 19, 2007, a Piper Seneca bound for Pitt Meadows Airport took off from Vancouver International Airport and went down onto a neighbouring apartment building in Richmond. The pilot was the only occupant of the plane and was killed during the crash. Two others were also hurt, both of whom were occupants in the apartment building at that time.
•Sikh protesters paralyzed the airport’s operations on December 10, 2007 caused by the deportation of illegally paralyzed refugee, Laibar Singh.
•In the afternoon of September 18, 2008, an Air Canada Airbus A340 and an Air Canada Jazz Dash 8 planes crashed. The Jazz flight was taxiing on the taxiway when they collided. The Air Canada flight was headed for Hong Kong. Both aircraft were damaged, but there were no injuries or casualties.
•At approximately 10:08 pm of July 9, 2009, a Piper Navajo airplane coming from Victoria ran into an industrial area in Richmond, British Columbia. The two co-pilots died. It belonged to and operated by Canadian Air Charters and was ferrying blood units for Canadian Blood Services at that time. Officials say that wake turbulence was the causative factor to the crash. Fatigue and diminished depth perception in darkness, was also factors.
•At around 4:15 pm, on October 27, 2011, a Northern Thunderbird Air Beechcraft King Air 100 made an attempt to land on the south landing strip but missed by approximately 900 meters making it to hit a lamppost and car, then crashing onto nearby Russ Baker Way and Gilbert Road at the west end of Dinsmore Bridge. With seven passengers and two crew members on board; only the pilot was confirmed dead at 9:00 pm that evening, while the others survived with various injuries. Two on the ground were also injured. On November 16, 2011, the co-pilot of the plane also died.
Vancouver International Airport Facilities
Customer service
There is a whole department curated to be able to provide passengers with the best customer service one has always been yearning for. For those with airport or travel related queries can find information desks located at the Departure Level of the Domestic and International terminals. Staffs are also given good training to make sure they can handle a wide range of problems, and still remain friendly and courteous. You can also reach them via a telephone, call them on +1 604 207 7077.
Duty free shops and retail outlets
Most of these terminals can be found in the International Terminal. There is a single outlet which is available in the Domestic Departure area. They include The Body Shop, 7-eleven, National Geographic & Tie Rack.
Bars and eateries
To satisfy your need for food after long and tiring flights into the country, one has a wide range of dining options, which suites all tastes. Fast foods options include Pizza Hut, Subway, Burger King and Cinnabon, while restaurants and bars include Palomino Bar & Grill, Voyages, Starbucks and Roasters.
Banking and currency exchange
There are Bureau de change, ATMs and banks, which are accessible to passengers in the International and Domestic terminals.
Business and conference facilities
There is a wide range of business facilities like internet access, PC workstations and photocopy machines which are available at the CDS Business Center. There are also courier services which are run by FedEx and other trustworthy companies.
Disabled facilities
In this airport, people with mobility disabilities are also considered. There is wheelchair access throughout the airport, with special telephones and toilets. Special aid is also available upon request.
Wi-Fi and payphones
There is free and Wi-Fi to be used by the passengers. This internet connectivity is available in all the public areas. For those with no internet devices, there are 22 internet payphones which are spread across the terminal. At the Arrival area of the Domestic Terminal, there are mobile phones available for hire and also postal services.
Baggage claim
If you are arriving from a Canadian city, proceed to the exit, following signs to baggage claim. Then proceed down to Arrivals Level2 using escalators, elevators or stairs. Check the display before entering baggage claim are. On the display screens, check to confirm your baggage carousel. You can find the baggage and exit with it (them) out of the baggage claim area. For more information visit their website.
Lost and found
Vancouver International Airport Lost and Found Department is situated on Departures Level 3 of International Terminal. It is usually opened daily, from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. You can reach them through their telephone number: 604.276.6104 or a worldwide toll free service available at 1.866.817.5243. You can also fill the online form here and you will be notified in 48 hours.
Vancouver International Airport Terminals
Vancouver Airport has 3 terminals, named as International Terminal, Domestic Terminal and the South Terminal. International Terminal and Domestic terminals are linked together by a pedestrian footbridge, making them referred as the Main Terminal.
Main Terminal
Vancouver International Airport Main Terminal is divided into two, that is the International and Domestic Terminal, but the major flights operate from the international section. Both the divisions have pre-security and post-security connections. However, The US Border Preclearance is disjointed off by a movable glass.
Domestic Terminal
This terminal was constructed way back in 1968 by a local firm and was recently given a 100% renovation by also a local architect, Kasian Kennedy, and consist of 3 piers, named as Pier A, Pier B and Pier C
Pier A
This pier has 6 gates, labelled from A6 to A10 and A12. These gates are used by WestJet Encore.
Pier B
Pier B has 14 gates, labelled as Gates B13 through B23 and B26 through B28. Gates B14 to B17 has requirements that will facilitate international arrivals in the future. Ramp accessing stands 23A, 23B, and 23C are connected to Gate B23. At the moment, this pier houses for domestic flights
Pier C
Pier C has 24 gates, labelled as Gates C29 through C52 and is the hub for domestic flights including Air Canada and Air Canada Express. Gates C50, C51 and C52 are also often used by WestJet because they are swing gates and can also be used for international arrivals and departures. Furthermore, Gates C48 and C49 can also receive international arrivals.
International Terminal
This terminal was also designed and built by a locally based corporation between 1994 and 1996, and is among the 8 Canadian airports with US border pre-clearance facilities, located at the International Terminal. Passengers arriving through this terminal are directed to overhead footpaths which take them to the customs and immigration area.
Pier D
Pier D has 17 gates, labeled as Gates D50 to D59, D62, D68 to D78. Gates D56, D57 and D59 are gates meant for buses for remote stands. Unlike the previous piers, Pier D is utilized by all international and selected US flights because they can handle wide body planes. Seasonally, British Airways operates the A380. This pier is currently under expansion to be able to accommodate more planes.
Pier E
Pier E is the US border preclearance and has 20 gates, labelled as Gates E76 to E88 and E90 to E96. Gates E76 to E78 can put up with smaller wide-body airplanes and are swing gates which once used to be used for international departures (same as Gates D76 to D78). A better chunk of US-bound flights operate from Pier E, in exceptions of flights from international origins and flights that depart after 8:30 pm.
Airport South
The Airport South multiplex includes the South Terminal, the Floatplane Facility and other neighboring operations.
South Terminal
Southern Terminal houses the corporate headquarters and main operating base of Pacific Coastal Airlines and Harbour Air.
Floatplane facility
Floatplane facility is located along Inglis Drive, a small distance from the South Terminal. It permits the landing and docking of floatplanes on the South Arm of the Fraser River. This facility is served by all floatplane operators other than Harbour Air, which preserves a separate dock and terminal at the Flying Beaver Bar and Grill nearby
What to do near Vancouver International Airport
Eat
One has a lot of dining options, but most tend to be to-go kiosks and cafes like Starbucks, there is a wide cuisine offered here, for example Japanese, Italian, pastries and Mexican. You can visit hotels if you want a more leisurely meal.
Lounge
Several lounges offer lounging services to passengers, regardless of the class one has used to fly in. All you have to do is to buy a single visit pass online or use your membership to gain access. You can find these services here.
Shopping
If you want to give your credit card an exercise, then shopping could be what you miss. There is quite a number of outlets to entertain window-shoppers and serious buyers. There is also a number of duty free shops you can visit. There are also quite a number of international boutiques in the terminal areas.
Shower
After long flights into Vancouver city, a shower will help one rejuvenate and fill fresh. You can visit Hotel’s Health Club for $20 or pay to enter the Plaza Premium or Sky Team Lounges.
Spa
There are several thalassotherapy centers which offer beauty services like various massage options, manicure, facials, pedicures etc. Airport Hotel has a Health Club with complete saunas and hot tubs.
Join a tour
You can use the free guide to navigate within the airport. It can spark your curiosity in so many things. There are also free guided tours.
Visit the aquarium
There are two exhibits at the airport run by Vancouver Aquarium. The smaller one hosts jellyfish while the larger one showcases 850 indigenous sea animals. This displays are in the International Terminal, Airside Level 3 (main exhibit) and Level 4 (jellyfish exhibit).
Art
At the Aboriginal artwork, you cannot deny that there are amazing artworks found here. There are so many pieces you can spot.
Sightseeing
If you have a long stay (preferably more than 6 hours between flights) in the city, then you can consider taking a tour in the city. There are several places you can visit, for example Stanley Park, go for bike ride or head to Granville Island, which is a pedestrian-friendly miniature.
Wi-Fi
You can surf the internet and stay connected to the rest of the world, thanks to the airport’s free Wi-Fi.
Sleep
There are quite some comfortable digs where you can grab some sleep. There are also armless seats and some with foot stools so that you can enjoy your sleep. Just head to the security area after securing your luggage at the luggage storage area. If sleeping at the terminals is not your thing, then you can head over to the airport’s lounges.
Hotels near Vancouver International Airport
| Hotel name | Guest ratings with reviewers | Bookings and reservations | Avg. price/night |
| Holiday Inn Express | 8.6 with 600+ reviews | It is found along 9351 Bridgeport Rd. You can do a booking or reservation here | $72 USD per night, bed and breakfast inclusive |
| Hampton Inn | 7.4 with 400+ reviews | It is found along 8811 Bridgeport Rd. You can do a booking or a reservation here | $68 USD per night, bed and breakfast inclusive |
| Hotel Fairmont | 9.2 with 1700+ reviews | It is found at Vancouver International Airport,3111 Grant McConachie Way You can do a booking or a reservation here | $203 USD per night, bed and breakfast inclusive |
| La Quinta Inn | 7.8 with 700+ reviews | It is found along 8640 Alexandra Rd. You can do a booking or a reservation here | $55 USD per night, bed and breakfast inclusive |
| Hilton Vancouver Hotel | 8.4 with 700+ reviews | It is found along 5911 Minoru Rd. You can do a booking or a reservation here | $129 USD per night, bed and breakfast inclusive |
| Sandman Hotel | 7.4 with 900+ reviews | It is found along 3233 St Edwards Dr. You can do a booking or a reservation here | $67 USD per night, bed and breakfast inclusive |
| Four Points | 8.0 with 700+ reviews | It is found along 8368 Alexandra Rd. You can do a booking or a reservation here | $72 USD per night, bed and breakfast inclusive |
| Sandman Signature | 7.6 with 1500+ reviews | It is found along 10251 St Edwards Dr. You can do a booking or a reservation here | $82 USD per night, bed and breakfast inclusive |
| Abercorn Inn | 7.2 with 500+ reviews | It is found along 9260 Bridgeport Rd. You can do a booking or a reservation here | $53 USD per night, bed and breakfast inclusive |
| Quality Hotel | 7.4 with 300+ reviews | It is found along 7228 Westminister Hwy. You can do a booking or a reservation here | $60 USD per night, bed and breakfast inclusive |
Vancouver International Airport Ground Transportation
Train
Vancouver International Airport has its own railway station, which is on the SkyTrain network, known as YVR – Airport. The airport made a contribution worth $300 million towards its construction. There is also a pedestrian footbridge, which was completed to be constructed in 2007, that connects the International Terminal to the Domestic Terminal and also serves as the arrival and departure area for users of the Canada Line (Bus service). As part of Vancouver’s rapid transport network, Canada Line was opened in August 2009 which was in advance of the 2010 Winter Olympics which was held the subsequent February. It was the only airport rail link amenity in Canada until the opening of Toronto’s Union Pearson Express in 2015.
Buses
The N10 night bus which is overseen by Coast Mountain Bus Company when Canada Line service is disturbed, such as overnight or other service disruptions, joins the airport’s International and Domestic terminals to Richmond and downtown Vancouver. The 412 bus serves the south terminal and connects to Canada Line at Bridgeport Station. Before the inception of Canada Line in 2009, regular bus transit services were offered by TransLink 424.
Coaches to Whistler, Squamish and Victoria
YVR Skylynx coaches connects YVR Vancouver International Airport and Vancouver City to Creekside Village, Squamish and Whistler using up-to-date coaches with more than 13 services offered in a day. The coaches boast free Wi-Fi, washrooms on board and quite generous legroom. Children enjoy rides for half the price and infants under 5 years are free.
Lounges near Vancouver International Airport
Plaza Premium Lounge Vancouver (Domestic Departures)
Location
Domestic Terminal (Inside security), Level 3 near Gate B15
Amenities
- Wi-Fi
- Newspapers and magazine
- TVs
- Flight monitors
- Free parking
Operation hours
8:00 am to 5:00pm
SkyTeam Lounge
Location
3380 Grant McConachie Way
Amenities
- Wi-Fi
- Newspapers and magazine
- TVs
- Free parking
Operation hours
7:00 am to 5:00pm
Plaza Premium Lounge Vancouver (Pier C, Domestic Departures)
Location
Domestic Terminal (Inside security), Level 3 near Gate B15
Amenities
- Wi-Fi
- Newspapers and magazine
- TVs
- Flight monitors
- Free parking
Operation hours
8:00 am to 5:00pm
Plaza Premium Lounge Vancouver (US Department)
Location
Domestic Terminal (Inside security), Level 3 near Gate B15
Amenities
- Wi-Fi
- Newspapers and magazine
- TVs
- Flight monitors
- Free parking
Operation hours
8:00 am to 5:00pm
Vancouver International Airport Parking
Vancouver International Airport has quite a diversity of parking facilities, to ensure all passengers with cars are taken care of. There are both covered and open parking spaces.
Short term
This facility is located opposite the Domestic and International terminals. On daily basis parking, passengers can find covered parking on Level P2, and on the hourly basis parking, one can find covered parking on Level P1. Both cash and cashless payment methods are applicable
Long term
There is a long term parking facility located away from the terminal buildings, and are connected by a 24-hour shuttle.
Economy parking
They offer cut-price parking with the terminal buildings at walkable distances.
Valet
Valet parking is accessible without any reservation. Passenger curbside pick-ups and drop offs are also available from the Domestic and International terminal. At no extra cost, personal concierges are also provided.
Disabled
There is a dedicated parking reserved for people with disabilities in every terminal. They are reserved to drivers with a valid blue label.
EV charging
There are also EV charges in every parking spot for free. Normal parking rates apply.
Vancouver International Airport Statistics
Annual traffic
Annual passenger traffic (enplaned + deplaned) at YVR, 1992 through 2019
| Year | Passengers | % Change | Year | Passengers | % Change | Year | Passengers | % Change | ||
| 1992 | 9,935,285 | 2002 | 14,877,536 | -3.8% | 2012 | 17,596,901 | 3.3% | |||
| 1993 | 10,235,015 | 3.2% | 2003 | 14,321,504 | -3.7% | 2013 | 17,971,883 | 2.1% | ||
| 1994 | 10,830,796 | 5.8% | 2004 | 15,725,694 | 9.8% | 2014 | 19,358,203 | 7.7% | ||
| 1995 | 12,006,973 | 10.8% | 2005 | 16,418,883 | 4.4% | 2015 | 20,315,978 | 4.9% | ||
| 1996 | 14,037,174 | 16.9% | 2006 | 16,922,226 | 3.0% | 2016 | 22,288,552 | 9.7% | ||
| 1997 | 14,818,564 | 5.5% | 2007 | 17,495,049 | 3.3% | 2017 | 24,166,122 | 8.4% | ||
| 1998 | 15,508,109 | 4.6% | 2008 | 17,852,459 | 2.0% | 2018 | 25,936,907 | 7.3% | ||
| 1999 | 15,806,499 | 1.9% | 2009 | 16,179,312 | -9.3% | 2019 | 26,379,870 | 1.7% | ||
| 2000 | 16,032,531 | 1.4% | 2010 | 16,778,774 | 3.7% | |||||
| 2001 | 15,476,762 | -3.4% | 2011 | 17,032,780 | 1.5% |
Destinations from Vancouver International Airport
| Destination | How to get to |
| Downtown | Take a subway train to Downtown, Eastside from the Departures Terminal. It is a 26 minute ride and will cost you $2-$5 USD |
| Whistler Shuttle | There is a direct bus from the airport to Whistler. It is a 3-hour journey as it is 135.4 km away. The journey will cost you $15-$65 USD |
| City Centre | A bus to City Centre, Vancouver is available every 15 minutes. It is 14.2 km away from the airport. From Domestic Departures Level 3, take a direct bus to the City Center. The travel time is 15 minutes and a cost of $3 USD |
| Seattle | Take a plane from Vancouver International Airport to Seattle Airport. It is a 58-minute flight and will cost you $85-$370 USD |
| Tofino | Take a plane from Vancouver International Airport to Tofino Airport (YAZ). It is a 45-minute flight, and a cost of $110-$240 USD. From the arrivals terminal (YAZ), take a taxi to the city center, a 20-minute ride. It will cost you $30-$40 USD. Total travel time will be 1 hr. 5 minutes and a total cost of $146-$275 |
| Victoria | From Vancouver International Airport Level 1, take a direct bus to Victoria. Travel time will be 3h 40m as it is 120.1 km away. Total journey cost will be $35-$60 USD. |
| Vancouver Island | Take a plane to Campbell River airport (YBL). The flight will be 40 minutes long and a cost of $90-$190 USD. From Campbell River airport, take a taxi to Campbell river, 12 minutes away and a cost of $23-$28 USD. Total travel time is 52 minutes and a total cost of $117-$218 USD |
Vancouver International Airport Arrivals and Departures
If you want to track real time arrivals of flight today at the airport, you can check it online by clicking here and for real time departures today from the airport, you can track them by clicking here
Vancouver International Airport Address and Contact
The official address for Vancouver International Airport is 3211 Grant McConachie Way, Richmond, BC V7B 0A4, Canada and the official contact number for the airport is 604-207-7077. You can also reach the airport by sending them a mail here.
Vancouver International Airport Customs and Immigrations
It will take you an approximation of 45 minutes to go through the customs and clearance at the airport. The disembarking process, the custom clearance and receiving of the baggage is also dependent on the arrival time of the connecting flight.
Vancouver International Airport Jobs and Careers
There are available slots for job employment at the airport and many opportunities for career development. If you are an interested candidate you can reach out to the website and check the requirements of the job. You can check the requirements and available opportunities here
Vancouver International Airport Live Cams and Weather
You can view live arrivals and take offs of flight at Vancouver International Airport. You can also listen to live traffic radio at the airport. There are also available live pictures of the runways and the terminal buildings of the airport. All these are facilitated by the available live cameras at the airport. You can access the cameras online by clicking here
Vancouver International Airport Logo
Vancouver International Airport Maps
Vancouver International Airport Pictures
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Aside from gaining thousands of flying miles, I am also a travel consultant assisting clients with bookings and specifically advance tour bookings of things to do at airports when the layover is longer than 5 hours.
To make a 15-minute free things-to-do consultation with Alex, use my email, alex@airportllc.com.
This is only recommended for flyers with long layovers of over 5 hours. If your layover is 3+ hours, you can still reach out but we cannot guarantee the ideal package that will change your layovers to mini-vacations. I only support clients flying through US airports and a select number of cities across the world.
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Name: Alex Mutuma
Profession: A professional travel consultant with a focus on airport activities to do during layovers
Email: Alex@airportllc.com
Phone: +1 945 348 889
Website: airportllc.com
Location: 322 Main Packway Street, Boston, US
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