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YVRCYVR

Vancouver International Airport

Vancouver, CA

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YVRCYVRNormal

Vancouver International Airport

Vancouver, Canada · North America

A pleasant Pacific hub with standout Canada Line access, strong Priority Pass coverage, and a beautiful main terminal—offset by three security streams and U.S. preclearance queues that punish anyone treating YVR like simple domestic flying.

Airportist Score

8.0/ 10

Very good

Ease of use7.6
Comfort & amenities8.4
Food & retail7.8
Ground access9.2
Reliability7.0
Lounges8.1

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

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All airports Official site

YVRCYVRNormal

Vancouver International Airport

Vancouver, Canada · North America

A pleasant Pacific hub with standout Canada Line access, strong Priority Pass coverage, and a beautiful main terminal—offset by three security streams and U.S. preclearance queues that punish anyone treating YVR like simple domestic flying.

Airportist Score

8.0/ 10

Very good

Ease of use7.6
Comfort & amenities8.4
Food & retail7.8
Ground access9.2
Reliability7.0
Lounges8.1

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare YVR with another airport

Typical security
12 min
editorial average, not live
Best way to city
25–26 min to Waterfront
Canada Line (YVR–Airport → Waterfront)
Lounges
9
6 rated worth it
On time
72%
of departures
Terminals
1
main terminal (Domestic + Int'l Pier D + U.S. Pier E) + South Terminal
Passengers / year
26.9M

7 photos

Alternatives

Nearby airports

Passenger airports within about 150 km. Scored airports show their Airportist Score so you can weigh a switch.

CXHVancouver Harbour Flight Centre Airport
Vancouver
12 km
YDTBoundary Bay Airport
Vancouver
18 km
YLYLangley Regional Airport
Langley
42 km
YMFMontagne Harbor Airport
Galiano Island
42 km
YBQTelegraph Harbour Seaplane Base
Thetis Island
43 km
YGGGanges Harbor Airport
Ganges Harbor
44 km

CXHVancouver Harbour Flight Centre Airport
Vancouver
12 km
YDTBoundary Bay Airport
Vancouver
18 km
YLYLangley Regional Airport
Langley
42 km
YMFMontagne Harbor Airport
Galiano Island
42 km
YBQTelegraph Harbour Seaplane Base
Thetis Island
43 km
YGGGanges Harbor Airport
Ganges Harbor
44 km

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YVRGuide

YVRGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

Budget CBP for U.S. flights

Domestic often needs 90–120 minutes; international and U.S. preclearance need more on Asia morning and U.S. afternoon banks.

CATSA can look short while Pier E CBP is the real bottleneck. Live CATSA boards help for A/B/C/D/E, but U.S. preclearance time is separate and not in those figures.

Terminal

Domestic ≠ International ≠ U.S.

After check-in, follow Domestic, International, or United States signs—those airside zones do not freely interconnect.

Wrong stream means exiting and re-clearing. Pier D is non-U.S. international; Pier E is only after U.S. preclearance. South Terminal is a separate building.

Food

Eat after the correct security

The best Pacific Northwest options sit airside in your departure pier—don’t linger landside hoping to cross over.

Domestic has the densest casual cluster; Pier D clusters around the international food court near D67–D68; Pier E is thinner after CBP, so eat before preclearance if needed.

Status

Match lounge to pier

Priority Pass covers Plaza Premium (B15 / C29 / D67–D68 / E88) and SkyTeam near D53—not Maple Leaf or Cathay.

Maple Leaf Lounges (C29, D52, E85) are Air Canada/Star pathways only. Cathay’s Pier D lounge is oneworld/CX premium traffic, not PP. Plaza Premium First is a paid upgrade, not PP.

Live conditions

Right now at YVR

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Canada Line riders heading downtown without a car
Asia–Pacific long-haul connections on Pier D
U.S. preclearance departures when you budget CBP time
Priority Pass travelers who can hit Plaza Premium or SkyTeam

Watch out for

Entering the wrong CATSA stream (Domestic vs International vs U.S.)
U.S. Pier E lounge/food scarcity before you clear CBP
Outbound Canada Line AddFare stacking on top of zone fares
Pacific weather and winter on-time dips on evening banks

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

7.6

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

8.4

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

7.8

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

9.2

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

7.0

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

8.1

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

26.9M

Terminals

1 main terminal (Domestic + Int'l Pier D + U.S. Pier E) + South Terminal

On-time departures

72%

Typical security

12 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for YVR.

Updated Sep 17, 2026

Main Terminal on Sea Island (Richmond) with Domestic Piers A–C, International Pier D, and U.S. Pier E after CBP preclearance; South Terminal handles some regional turboprops/floatplanes
26,913,561 passengers in 2025 (+2.7% vs 2024) and 297,350 movements — Canada’s #2 airport and YVR’s all-time passenger record (Vancouver Airport Authority, Feb 2026)
Major carriers: Air Canada (Star hub), WestJet, plus dense Asia–Pacific long-haul and U.S. transborder banks; 57 airlines / 129 non-stop destinations in YVR’s 2025 recap
Three CATSA streams — A/B/C Canada, D International, E United States — choose from your boarding pass before queuing
U.S.-bound passengers clear CBP preclearance at YVR, then often arrive as domestic in the United States
Canada Line (YVR–Airport, Level 4) reaches Waterfront in ~25–26 minutes; eastbound Sea Island starts add TransLink’s $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare (raised from $5 on 1 Jul 2026)

15 official sources

https://www.yvr.ca/
https://news.yvr.ca/yvr-marks-record-breaking-year/
https://www.translink.ca/transit-fares/pricing-and-fare-zones
https://www.translink.ca/transit-fares/transferring-and-addfare
https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/airport/vancouver-international-airport
https://www.prioritypass.com/lounges/canada/vancouver-international/yvr7-plaza-premium-lounge-international-departures
https://www.prioritypass.com/lounges/canada/vancouver-international/yvr9-plaza-premium-lounge-domestic-departures
https://www.prioritypass.com/lounges/canada/vancouver-international/yvr11-plaza-premium-lounge-domestic-departures
https://www.prioritypass.com/lounges/canada/vancouver-international/yvr10-plaza-premium-lounge-usa-departures
https://www.prioritypass.com/lounges/canada/vancouver-international/yvr12-skyteam-lounge-international-departures
https://www.yvr.ca/en/passengers/shop-dine-and-services/420
https://www.yvr.ca/en/passengers/shop-dine-and-services/422
https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_CA/destinations/lounges/vancouver-yvr/cathay-pacific-lounge.html
https://www.plazapremiumlounge.com/en-uk/find/americas/canada/vancouver
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/fly/premium-services/maple-leaf-lounges.html

Full guide

Explore the YVR guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Map
Vancouver International Airport, the Vancouver city center, and 2 other airports in the city
City center2 other airports
View Map
Getting There
4 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: Canada Line (YVR–Airport → Waterfront)
View Getting There
Lounges
9 lounges with access rules, hours, and verdicts. 6 rated worth it.
Plaza Premium Lounge (Domestic)Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (International)Cathay Pacific Lounge
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
Ride Canada Line from YVR–Airport (Level 4). Outbound AddFare is $6.50 on top of the zone fare (eastbound from YVR–Airport / Sea Island Centre / Templeton toward Bridgeport and beyond); inbound to the airport has no AddFare. Adult Compass Stored Value after 1 Jul 2026: 1-zone $2.85, 2-zone $4.20, 3-zone $5.40; adult cash/contactless 1/2/3-zone $3.50 / $5.10 / $6.70. Weekday daytime downtown is usually 2 zones; after 18:30 weekdays and all weekend/holiday travel is 1-zone system-wide.
11 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
6 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
Canada Line in-terminalPlaza Premium + SkyTeam PP stackPacific Northwest dining
View Amenities
Water
Where to refill for free, and where a bottle costs the least airside.
3 spots3 free or refill
View Water
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

🌙12°C / 54°F

Security wait times

Current security wait information is not available for this airport. Check the airport's official website or app before travel.

Official airport site

Operational status

Normal operations

No Flighty-reported operational issues for this airport.

Status update: 01:51 PDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Oct 21, 08:51 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.