“ YVR ” redirects here. For the inheritance railway near Melbourne, see Yarra Valley Railway “ YVR Airport ” redirects here. For the SkyTrain station at the airport, see YVR–Airport station
Vancouver International Airport ( IATA : YVR, ICAO : CYVR ) is a Transport Canada designated international airport [ 5 ] located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia. It is located 12 km ( 7.5 mile ) from Downtown Vancouver. It is the irregular busy airport in Canada by passenger traffic ( 7.1 million ), [ 1 ] behind Toronto Pearson International Airport. It is much described as a trans-Pacific hub, [ 6 ] with more direct flights to China than any other airport in North America or Europe. [ 7 ] It is a hub for Air Canada and WestJet, and an operate base for Air Transat. Vancouver International Airport is one of eight canadian airports that have US Border Preclearance facilities. It is besides one of the few major external airports to have a concluding for scheduled floatplanes .
International arrivals dormitory in 2004 The airport has won several luminary international best airport awards. It won the Skytrax Best North american Airport award in 2007 and 2010 through 2022, for a commemorate of 12 consecutive years. [ 8 ] The airport besides made the top 10 list of airports in the world for the first base prison term in 2012, rated at 9th ( 2012 ), 8th ( 2013 ), and 9th ( 2014 ) overall. [ 9 ] It is the alone north american airport included in the peak 10 for 2013 and 2014. [ 9 ] [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ] YVR besides retains the distinction of Best canadian Airport in the regional results. [ 13 ] Vancouver International Airport is located on Sea Island, and is managed by Vancouver Airport Authority, a nonprofit organization arrangement. [ 14 ]
history [edit ]
In 1929, the City of Vancouver purchased land located on Sea Island to be used for aviation purposes, replacing the master grass airstrip at Minoru Park on Lulu Island. During World War II, the airports and its original terminal, nowadays the South Terminal, were leased to the union government and operated by the Department of National Defence and the Department of Transport as RCAF Station Sea Island. The airport was used for the british Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The crews and their families were housed in a new townsite on the island, named Burkeville, after Boeing president Stanley Burke. Funds from the lease were used to purchase extra estate for fresh hangars and a production plant for Boeing Aircraft of Canada [ 15 ] ( now Boeing Canada ). The present main terminal was completed in 1968 and has since been expanded to include separate domestic and international terminals. A north runway was completed in 1996. [ 16 ] In 2011, the airport announced that it will enact a program drive to encourage airlines to start more flights between Vancouver and Asia. [ 17 ] The airport has much been described as a major trans-Pacific hub, due to its placement in the Pacific Northwest and destinations in the Americas, Asia and Australia which help facilitate connecting flights. In 2019, Craig Richmond, President and CEO of the Vancouver Airport Authority, said that the late growth of Seattle–Tacoma International Airport in the United States could challenge Vancouver ‘s condition as a trans-Pacific hub. [ 6 ]
Terminals [edit ]
Air Canada domestic check-in facilities at the Domestic Terminal
International passing hall
International arrivals hall Vancouver International Airport has two terminals : the Main Terminal, and the South Terminal. The Main Terminal contains Domestic and International concourses. absolve Wi-Fi is available in all sections of the airport. Throughout the terminal, there is trilingual English, French, and chinese signage. [ 18 ] The South Terminal, along with the adjacent floatplane docks, is referred to by airport management as “ Airport South ” .
domestic concourse [edit ]
The Domestic department of the end was constructed in 1968 by the Vancouver -based firm Thompson, Berwick and Pratt [ 19 ] and was given a top-to-bottom renovation in 2005 by Vancouver architect Kasian Kennedy. [ 20 ] The Domestic area consists of three piers ( A-C ) .
Pier A [edit ]
Pier A consists of 6 gates : A6 through A10 and A12. These gates are used by WestJet Encore .
Pier B [edit ]
Pier B consists of 14 gates : gates B13 through B23 and B26 through B28. Gates B14 to B17 allow external arrivals. Gate B23 is a ground loading ramp accessing stands 23A, 23B, and 23C. Pier B is the hub for domestic flights for WestJet, and additionally serves domestic flights by Air North, Air Transat, Flair Airlines, and Sunwing Airlines .
Pier C [edit ]
Pier C consists of 24 gates : C29 through C52. This is the hub for Air Canada and Air Canada Express domestic flights. C50, C51 and C52 are swing gates and can be used for external arrivals and departures ( designated as D50 to D52 ). Gates C48 and C49 can besides receive international/US arrivals .
International Concourse [edit ]
The International Concourse was designed by Vancouver -based Architectura, immediately Stantec, [ 21 ] with Kansas City -based HNTB Corporation ( 1994–96 ). [ 19 ] YVR is one of eight canadian airports with United States edge preclearance facilities, which are situated in the International Terminal. All international multitude gates can accept flights arriving from international and US origins ; passengers are directed onto overhead walkways which lead to the Canada Border Services Agency screening area .
Pier D [edit ]
Pier D consists of 17 gates is used by all international-bound and choose US-bound flights from Vancouver. There are 17 gates : D50 to D59, D62, D68 to D78. D56, D57 and D59 are bus topology gates for outback stands. All gates can handle widebody aircraft aircraft ; seven gates are fitted with 2 fountain bridges, two of these gates can handle the Airbus A380. british Airways operates the A380 seasonally to Vancouver. The pier has been expanded to the west to allow for more gates and more remote control stand operations. [ 22 ] D50 to D52 are swing gates that can be used by domestic flights ( designated C50 to C52 ). D71 through D75 are swing gates which may be partitioned off to allow for a higher act of United States surround preclearance flights ( designated E73 through E75 ). A SkyTeam airport loiter [ 23 ] operated by Global Lounge Network [ 24 ] is located near gate D53 and the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is at Gate D52 .
Pier E [edit ]
corridor to the boarding gates after the US edge clearance, with signs in English, french and taiwanese Pier E is the US bound preclearance area and consists of 20 gates : E73 to E88 and E90 to E96. Gates E73 to E78 can accommodate smaller widebody aircraft aircraft and are swing gates which used to be used for external departures ( as gates D75 to D78 ). Gate E85 is a bus gate for outback stands. Gate E95 accesses ground-loading stands 95A and 95B. The majority of US-bound flights operate from Pier E ; the only exceptions are flights from an external origin and flights that depart after 8:30 post meridiem ( chiefly seasonal worker eastbound red-eye flights ) .
Airport South [edit ]
The Airport South complex includes the South Terminal, the Floatplane Facility and early adjacent operations .
South Terminal [edit ]
The South Terminal is a helping of the original pre-1968 terminal which is placid in function. It besides houses the corporate headquarter and chief base of Pacific Coastal Airlines [ 25 ] and Harbour Air. [ 26 ] The South Terminal serves regional airlines which fly by and large within British Columbia, such as Pacific Coastal Airlines and Central Mountain Air, in addition to chartered flights. [ 27 ] A nearby build serves as the YVR end for Helijet. [ 28 ]
Floatplane facility [edit ]
The Vancouver International Water Airport ( TC LID : CAM9 ) is located on Inglis Drive, a short outdistance from the South Terminal. This facility allows floatplanes to land and dock on the South Arm of the Fraser River. The facility is served by all floatplane operators other than Harbour Air, which maintains a separate dock and end at the Flying Beaver Bar and Grill nearby. [ 29 ]
Airlines and destinations [edit ]
passenger [edit ]
cargo [edit ]
Aerial shot showing Georgia Strait near the airport
Statistics [edit ]
annual traffic [edit ]
annual passenger traffic at YVR airport. See informant Wikidata question
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3.2%
–3.4%
ground transportation system [edit ]
rapid transit ( SkyTrain ) [edit ]
The airport has its own place on the SkyTrain network called YVR–Airport, the terminal of the Sea Island ramify of the Canada Line. As separate of the Canada Line ‘s fund, the airport authority contributed $ 300 million towards construction. [ 105 ] A pedestrian footbridge ( $ 117 million, completed in 2007 ) links the international end with the domestic concluding and serves as the arrival and departure area for users of the Canada Line. [ 106 ] The Canada Line itself opened in August 2009 as the third gear line of Vancouver ‘s rapid transit network, in advance of the 2010 Winter Olympics which took put the follow February. [ 107 ] It was the only airport rail liaison overhaul of any kind in Canada until the open of Toronto ‘s Union Pearson Express in 2015 .
bus [edit ]
When Canada Line service is interrupted, such as overnight or other avail disruptions, the N10 night bus topology operated by Coast Mountain Bus Company ( under contract to TransLink ) connects the airport ‘s international and domestic terminals to Richmond and downtown Vancouver. The airport ‘s south terminal is served by the 412 bus, which connects to the Canada Line at Bridgeport Station. [ 108 ] Between 2001 and the Canada Line ‘s opening in 2009, regular bus service was provided by TransLink route 424 .
coach to Whistler, Squamish and Victoria [edit ]
YVR Skylynx [ 109 ] is an official collaborator of YVR Vancouver Airport. YVR Skylynx buses to Whistler runs direct from YVR Vancouver Airport and Vancouver City Centre to Squamish, Creekside Village and Whistler using with up to 16 services a sidereal day. YVR Skylynx besides operates daily services to Victoria from YVR Vancouver Airport via BC Ferries Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay route .
expansion [edit ]
South runway at YVR in 2017 showing the lengthen track In planning for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, YVR completed a $ 1.4-billion multi-year capital growth design, which included a four-gate expansion to the International Terminal Wing, completed in June 2007. Two of the four raw gates are ceremonious wide-bodied gates and two are able to accommodate the Airbus A380. The external terminal summation includes interior design elements intended to represent British Columbia, including a stream in a pathway and pisces and portuguese man-of-war tanks. A five-gate and food and retail expansion was completed in 2009 for Domestic Terminal ‘s C-Pier. The train that links business district Vancouver, YVR and Richmond opened in August 2009. Vancouver International Airport Authority has developed a 2017–2037 master plan, called Flight plan 2037 which includes 75 projects at a jutting cost of $ 5.6 billion. The plan allows for the airport to serve 35 million passengers by 2037. The plan calls for expansion of facilities around the existing large concluding. New piers and gates will be added, angstrom well as a irregular parking garage, taxiways, better vehicle entree. A fresh runway may besides be constructed. Eight extra gates at the international terminal were added in the first phase which was completed in February 2021. [ 110 ] Final approval of the plan by the Ministry of Transport is needed. [ 111 ]
Distinctives [edit ]
computer architecture [edit ]
Indoor flow and shops inside restricted zone
The Jade Canoe Bill Reid ‘s
Graham Clarke atrium
International arrivals lobby in Level 2
aquarium at YVR YVR ‘s interior has a uniquely british columbian composition, featuring an extensive collection of Pacific Northwest Coast Native art, and blues and greens to reflect the color of the land, sea and sky. This subject was designed by Vancouver-based firm Architectura. The airport uses a capital share of carpet and huge expanses of methamphetamine to let in large amounts of natural light. One of the most obtrusive places for an arrive passenger is the International arrivals hall, a large area where customs and immigration procedures are completed. Arriving passengers come down escalators leading to a platform across a large waterfall. In 2020, the expansion of International Pier D was completed with a glassed-in island forest with access to the outdoors and an immersive digital have that explores the rugged british Columbia Coast. [ 112 ]
Pier D expansion with glassed-in island forest completed in 2020
art [edit ]
The YVR native artwork collection includes wooden sculptures and totem poles. Bill Reid ‘s sculpt in bronze, “ The Spirit of Haida Gwaii, The Jade Canoe ”, is displayed in the international departures area. This is the second of two castings of this sculpt ; the first shed, “ The Spirit of Haida Gwaii, The Black Canoe ”, is now displayed outside the canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. [ 113 ] The Pacific Passage area includes artwork workplace by Stan Wamiss and Connie Watts. [ 114 ] The Institute for Stained Glass in Canada has documented the stained glass at Vancouver International Airport. [ 115 ]
handiness [edit ]
Vancouver International Airport is well-regarded as an accessible airport. Since 1992, Vancouver Airport Authority has been working with an independent handiness adviser to eliminate the physical barriers in the build up environment and is “ entrust to providing amply accessible terminal facilities for people of all backgrounds and capabilities ”. [ 116 ] In 2004, the airport received the Rick Hansen Accessibility Award, which recognizes “ facilities and communities that improve the choice of life for people with mobility limitations ”. [ 117 ] Designated short-run park spaces and curb-side ramps are available on each charge of the terminal build for vehicles displaying a valid SPARC license, and are located adjacent to independent doors near check-in counters and baggage claim areas for easier access. Lowered counters with toe headroom for wheelchair users are besides available at check-in, customer caution and all retail outlets in Vancouver Airport. Bathrooms have besides been designed to be wheelchair accessible with doorless and no-touch entry features, lowered sinks and handsfree bathroom dispensers. Grab bars and emergency call buttons are besides present in all wheelchair accessible gutter stalls. [ 118 ] low immunity carpet and other materials such as laminate deck have been utilized throughout the airport to make it easier for people using wheelchairs and walkers to move throughout the airport. Elevators are large and allow for easy turn in a wheelchair and especial wheelchairs designed to fit down aircraft aisles are utilized to assist with boarding and de-planing. Wheelchair lifts have been installed at aircraft gates to provide disabled passengers with their own wheelchairs american samoa quickly as possible after an aircraft lands in Vancouver. [ 116 ] Features that have been implemented throughout the airport to aid those with hear loss include a populace address organization to reduce noise pollution for those with hearing aids. Vancouver International Airport has installed more individual speakers in a given space than is standard, which allows the book of the speakers to be turned down and provides a better choice of voice. At check-in counters, amplified handsets are available to aid those with hearing aids, and all telephones throughout the airport have adjustable volume controls. “ ocular pagers ” are dedicated video monitors that are located throughout the airport and convey important information to travellers that have hearing impairments. In the consequence of an emergency, a television override system displays big bold messages on all entertainment systems, and provides data about the type of emergency and the ask class of action from the public. Strobe open fire alarms have besides been installed throughout the airport and have been cautiously programmed to prevent seizures to those with epilepsy. [ 118 ] Vancouver Airport has its own TTY telephone number for incoming inquiries about airport operations and within the end there are besides 23 public telephone equipped with TTY at both stand up and seat positions. [ 118 ] Vancouver International Airport besides has numerous features that have been implemented to assist visually afflicted travellers. Three types of flooring are utilized throughout the terminal and function as a texturized guidebook to assist travellers in identifying their placement within the airport. In areas with tile or terrazzo, patterns in the tile serve to identify exits. Areas that have carpet help to identify that a gate is close by and areas with laminate deck bespeak retail spaces. [ 116 ] Tactile maps are besides available at customer servicing counters throughout the airport, and braille and tactile letter are used throughout the airport to indicate build features such as washrooms. [ 118 ]
k Coat Ambassadors [edit ]
Vancouver Airport Authority was one of the first airports in North America to institute a unpaid program in 1989. [ 119 ] Volunteers in green vest/jacket are deployed around the airport to provide data, customer military service and be the ‘eyes and ears ‘ for the respective partners in the airport community between the hours of 6 am to 10 pm every day. [ 120 ] Volunteers are given basic train in airport operations and undertake many of the exchangeable trainings mandated to airport employees. Each volunteer is required to obtain Transportation Security Clearance and Restricted Area Identification Card for the purposes of accessing the restricted and sterile areas of the terminal .
YVR Sustainability [edit ]
For more information, see YVR Sustainability
Operation Yellow Ribbon [edit ]
As a result of the September 11 attacks, the airspace over the United States was shut down. aircraft over the North Atlantic and Pacific jump for the United States were consequently diverted to canadian airports. Being the lone major airport in western Canada with the ability to receive large-body planes, Vancouver International Airport accommodated 34 of these flights ( 3rd highest after Halifax and Gander ) amounting to a sum of 8,500 passengers. The airport won the 2001 Airport Management Award from the B.C. Aviation Council [ 121 ] and was cited for overcoming many challenges in a professional and compassionate direction. [ 122 ]
emergency Services [edit ]
Vancouver International Airport Emergency Services Team is the chief arouse services at the airport. The airport displace station and tenders ( 4 ) are owned by the Vancouver Airport Authority. Richmond Fire has extra resources when required from Richmond Fire Hall # 4 ( Sea Island ) at 3900 Russ Baker Way, arsenic well as the Canadian Coast Guard. Policing at the airport is provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Richmond detachment. Airport emergency health services are provided by the british Columbia Ambulance Service, with Station 270 providing a dedicated motorcycle team for rapid EMS answer to passengers and staff. In addition, BCAS air ambulance Station 280 is located near the YVR South Terminal, providing air ambulance service with two Sikorsky S-76 helicopters, two Beechcraft Super King Air propjet aircraft, and one Cessna Citation Bravo jet .
Accidents and incidents [edit ]
nearby major airports [edit ]
References [edit ]
Citations [edit ]
General [edit ]
