Vancouver International airportArrivals and Departures

YVR Airport is a hub for Air Canada, Canada’s flagship airline. It’s also a main destination for WestJet Airlines, Canada’s largest budget carrier. The airport is served by 56 airlines, including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, and British Airways.

Vancouver Airport Departures Information

YVR departures and YVR arrivals use the same concourses and gates in the main terminal. The terminal is divided into two sections; one section handles domestic flights, and one handles international flights.

All Vancouver airport departures must go through security clearance in order to board their planes. Security is the domain of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA). The time it will take you to clear security typically depends on upon the number of Vancouver airport departures at any given time. You can check current wait times at YVR by looking them up on CATSA’s website.

The U.S. border preclearance area is located between Concourse D and Concourse E. Moveable glass partitions allow this area to be expanded or contracted depending on the number of international flights into the United States at any given time. Passengers who will be departing from Concourses A, B, or C can use overhead walkways to get to their departure gates after they’ve passed through security.

Every airline makes its own recommendations for the time you should allot for check-in, security clearance, and boarding. To facilitate the check-in process, many airlines allow you to print your boarding passes from home or from self-service kiosks located throughout Vancouver International Airport.

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Vancouver Airport Arrivals Information

Keep updated with YVR arrival times from the information above. You can easily view American Airlines flight status, Air Canada flight status, and Delta flight status, updated in real time.

Arrivals at YVR from abroad will be asked to fill out a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Declaration Card while still on the plane. You’ll be asked questions about the purpose of your trip and how long you intend to stay. Canadian arrivals at YVR will also be asked to declare all purchases made abroad.

After you disembark from your plane, if you’re arriving from an international destination, you’ll be asked to proceed down the escalators or stairs to Level 2. This is where Canada Border Services & Immigration is located. If you’re not a Canadian national, a representative from the CBSA will evaluate both your passport and Declaration Card. This evaluation is carried out to make sure that all Vancouver arrivals meet Canada’s requirements for entering the country.

YVR arrival is made even easier for passengers through customized Passenger Guides available on the airport website. These guides provide step-by-step instructions on navigating through the airport, claiming baggage, and processing through Border Services and Immigration.

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Pick up and drop off at Vancouver airport

Vehicles can pick up and drop off passengers at the curb alongside Vancouver International Airport so long as such transactions occur quickly. Arrivals at YVR can be picked up on Level 2. Those leaving on YVR departures can be dropped off on Level 3. There is 15-minute curbside parking for both YVR arrivals and departures, and it’s available for vehicles with SPARC disability parking permits. Vancouver International Airport also has a number of lots where parking is available on an hourly, daily, and weekly basis.

How to get to and from Vancouver airport

If you’re staying in Richmond, many hotels offer shuttle bus service to and from the airport. There are 16 cab companies that provide transportation between Vancouver International Airport and downtown Vancouver. Most of them charge flat rates that depend on your destination. A ride into downtown Vancouver, for example, will set you back approximately $27 not including a tip. If you haven’t yet had time to exchange currency, don’t worry; all taxi companies accept credit cards.

Limousine services also offer transportation into Vancouver. The flat rate will depend on your destination as well as the type of vehicle you ride in. Typically, a limo trip from the airport to downtown will cost you $46 not including a tip.

Canada Line, which is the underground train system operated by Vancouver’s regional transportation authority, offers less expensive transportation. If you’re traveling between the airport and the city Monday through Friday before 6:30 p.m., the fare is $2.85. If you’re traveling weekdays after 6:30 p.m. or on weekends or holidays, the fare is $1.90. Canada Line imposes a flat-rate surcharge of $3.80 on all passengers traveling from the airport into the city. During peak hours, trains leave every seven minutes, and the entire trip takes approximately half an hour.

A number of rental car services operate within the YVR airport complex, and others are only a brief shuttle ride away. This is a convenient option for passengers who will be beginning their Canadian stay in Vancouver but plan to travel elsewhere, too. The main road between YVR and Vancouver is Highway 99, which crosses over the Lions Gate Bridge into West Vancouver near Stanley Park.

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