YVRCYVRNormal15°C / 59°F

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

Editorial 0–10 from comfort, navigation, food, transport, and disruption resilience — not a Google rating.

Passengers

26.9M

Average security

12 min

YVRGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for YVR.

Updated Sep 6, 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 (Airport Authority)
Major carriers: Air Canada (Star hub), WestJet, plus dense Asia–Pacific long-haul and U.S. transborder banks
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; outbound trips add TransLink’s $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare

11 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort8.4

Navigation7.6

Food7.8

Transport9.2

Disruption resilience7.0

Key Stats

Annual passengers

26.9M

Terminals

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

On-time departures

72%

Average security

12 min

Best For

Canada Line riders heading downtown without a carAsia–Pacific long-haul connections on Pier DU.S. preclearance departures when you budget CBP timePriority 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 CBPOutbound Canada Line AddFare stacking on top of zone faresPacific weather and winter on-time dips on evening banks

7 photos

Interior of Concourse D of the International Terminal at Vancouver International Airport, British Columbia

Interior of Vancouver International Airport

American Airlines Airbus A321 N156UW at gate E79 at Vancouver International Airport. Note the extensive amount of speed tape on the nose.

Late evening at Vancouver International CYVR in February 2017. The gates are in Pier E, which handles US flight arrivals and departures.

Vancouver, Canada - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance operations at Vancouver International Airport. Seen here passengers arrive at the airport. Photographer: Donna Burton

YVR Vancouver International Airport during coronavirus pandemic

A Denver-bound United 737-9 MAX is pushed back while an Air Canada 737-8 MAX from Calgary lands at Vancouver International Airport.

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. YVR reported 97% of passengers waited ≤15 minutes at security in 2025—that average hides preclearance peaks.

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 / D67–D68 / E88) and SkyTeam near D53—not Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges.

Maple Leaf Lounges (C29–C30, D52, E85–E86) are Air Canada/Star pathways only. Cathay’s Pier D lounge is oneworld/CX premium traffic, not PP.

Nearby airports

Passenger airports within about 150 km.

YVRGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for YVR.

Updated Sep 6, 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 (Airport Authority)
Major carriers: Air Canada (Star hub), WestJet, plus dense Asia–Pacific long-haul and U.S. transborder banks
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; outbound trips add TransLink’s $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare

11 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort8.4

Navigation7.6

Food7.8

Transport9.2

Disruption resilience7.0

Key Stats

Annual passengers

26.9M

Terminals

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

On-time departures

72%

Average security

12 min

Best For

Watch Out For

YVRGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for YVR.

Updated Sep 6, 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 (Airport Authority)
Major carriers: Air Canada (Star hub), WestJet, plus dense Asia–Pacific long-haul and U.S. transborder banks
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; outbound trips add TransLink’s $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare

11 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort8.4

Navigation7.6

Food7.8

Transport9.2

Disruption resilience7.0

Key Stats

Annual passengers

26.9M

Terminals

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

On-time departures

72%

Average security

12 min

Best For

Watch Out For

YVRGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

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

Delays reported

Departure delays

Flights are taking off 14m late on average.

Delay range: 14m avg

Arrival delays

Flights are landing 26m late on average.

Delay range: 26m avg

Status update: 22:51 PDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 6, 07:29 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for YVR.

Updated Sep 6, 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 (Airport Authority)
Major carriers: Air Canada (Star hub), WestJet, plus dense Asia–Pacific long-haul and U.S. transborder banks
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; outbound trips add TransLink’s $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare

11 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort8.4

Navigation7.6

Food7.8

Transport9.2

Disruption resilience7.0

Key Stats

Annual passengers

26.9M

Terminals

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

On-time departures

72%

Average security

12 min

Best For

Watch Out For

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. YVR reported 97% of passengers waited ≤15 minutes at security in 2025—that average hides preclearance peaks.

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 / D67–D68 / E88) and SkyTeam near D53—not Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges.

Maple Leaf Lounges (C29–C30, D52, E85–E86) are Air Canada/Star pathways only. Cathay’s Pier D lounge is oneworld/CX premium traffic, not PP.

YVRGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for YVR.

Updated Sep 6, 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 (Airport Authority)
Major carriers: Air Canada (Star hub), WestJet, plus dense Asia–Pacific long-haul and U.S. transborder banks
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; outbound trips add TransLink’s $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare

11 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort8.4

Navigation7.6

Food7.8

Transport9.2

Disruption resilience7.0

Key Stats

Annual passengers

26.9M

Terminals

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

On-time departures

72%

Average security

12 min

Best For

Watch Out For

YVRGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

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

Delays reported

Departure delays

Flights are taking off 14m late on average.

Delay range: 14m avg

Arrival delays

Flights are landing 26m late on average.

Delay range: 26m avg

Status update: 22:51 PDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 6, 07:29 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for YVR.

Updated Sep 6, 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 (Airport Authority)
Major carriers: Air Canada (Star hub), WestJet, plus dense Asia–Pacific long-haul and U.S. transborder banks
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; outbound trips add TransLink’s $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare

11 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort8.4

Navigation7.6

Food7.8

Transport9.2

Disruption resilience7.0

Key Stats

Annual passengers

26.9M

Terminals

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

On-time departures

72%

Average security

12 min

Best For

Watch Out For

YVRGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

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

Delays reported

Departure delays

Flights are taking off 14m late on average.

Delay range: 14m avg

Arrival delays

Flights are landing 26m late on average.

Delay range: 26m avg

Status update: 22:51 PDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 6, 07:29 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for YVR.

Updated Sep 6, 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 (Airport Authority)
Major carriers: Air Canada (Star hub), WestJet, plus dense Asia–Pacific long-haul and U.S. transborder banks
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; outbound trips add TransLink’s $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare

11 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort8.4

Navigation7.6

Food7.8

Transport9.2

Disruption resilience7.0

Key Stats

Annual passengers

26.9M

Terminals

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

On-time departures

72%

Average security

12 min

Best For

Watch Out For

YVRGuide

Live airport status

Current operations

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

Delays reported

Departure delays

Flights are taking off 14m late on average.

Delay range: 14m avg

Arrival delays

Flights are landing 26m late on average.

Delay range: 26m avg

Status update: 22:51 PDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 6, 07:29 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for YVR.

Updated Sep 6, 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 (Airport Authority)
Major carriers: Air Canada (Star hub), WestJet, plus dense Asia–Pacific long-haul and U.S. transborder banks
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; outbound trips add TransLink’s $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare

11 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort8.4

Navigation7.6

Food7.8

Transport9.2

Disruption resilience7.0

Key Stats

Annual passengers

26.9M

Terminals

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

On-time departures

72%

Average security

12 min

Best For

Watch Out For