Ultimate Guide to YVR Vancouver International Airport

Explore our complete guide to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and learn everything you need to know about Canada’s second busiest airport.

Important information about YVR Vancouver International Airport

Getting to/from YVR Vancouver International Airport

Where is Vancouver International Airport (YVR)?

Vancouver International Airport is located at 3211 Grant McConachie Way on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia.

The city of Richmond is located just to the south of Vancouver and both the city and the airport are easy to access from downtown Vancouver.

Ultimate Guide to YVR Vancouver International Airport - YVR Guide airport location

How do you get to Vancouver International Airport (YVR)?

To get to Vancouver International Airport (YVR), you can choose from the following transportation options:

public transit
local hotel shuttle
car/taxi/rideshare

Public Transit

The airport is connected to downtown Vancouver and downtown Richmond via the Canada Line, part of Vancouver’s rapid transit rail. The trip between the airport and downtown Vancouver takes 30 minutes, and the trip between Richmond and the airport takes 18 minutes.

There are also long distance buses run by YVR Skylynx available between the Vancouver Airport and Whistler (via Squamish and Creekside Village) and Victoria (via Tsawwassen Bay and Swartz Bay).

Local Hotel Shuttle

Many hotels near the airport offer complimentary shuttle services to help make your journey to the airport easier. You can find a list of nearby hotels with shuttles on the Vancouver Airport’s website, and within the airport, there are direct-dial phones available for you to request a pick-up.

Car/Taxi/Rideshare

Taxis, rideshares (e.g., Uber and Lyft), and airport car/shuttle services are all available to take you to and from Vancouver Airport. You can also choose to drive your own vehicle and park it at the airport for the duration of your time away.

Can you take public transit to Vancouver International Airport (YVR)?

Yes! The Canada Line connects downtown Vancouver and downtown Richmond to Vancouver International Airport, giving you a simple and convenient way to travel.

Ultimate Guide to YVR Vancouver International Airport - YVR Guide public transit Canada Line train

Is there a free shuttle from Vancouver International Airport to downtown Vancouver?

There is no free shuttle between the Vancouver Airport and downtown Vancouver.

The easiest ways to access downtown Vancouver is by taking public transit or a taxi/carshare.

How do I get from Vancouver International Airport to downtown Vancouver?

To get from Vancouver International Airport to downtown Vancouver, you can take a car/taxi/rideshare, or you can take Vancouver’s rapid transit train, which connect to the airport from a number of downtown stations.

How do I get from downtown Vancouver to Vancouver International Airport?

To get from downtown Vancouver to Vancouver International Airport, you can:

take a taxi, rideshare, or hotel shuttle
take the Canada Line, Vancouver’s rapid transit train, which connects to the airport via a number of downtown stations
take your car and park it at the airport

Ultimate Guide to YVR Vancouver International Airport - YVR Guide Vancouver from above

How early should you get to Vancouver International Airport?

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) encourages travellers to arrive at least 2 hours before a domestic flights and 3 hours before international and US-bound flights.

You can get a sense of how long the waits will be at the airport by looking at the airport’s Operational Snapshot which is updated regularly.

Where can I park at Vancouver International Airport?

There are 5 unique parking lots near Vancouver International Airport:

jetSet YVR Parking
Gateway Valet
Value Long Term Parking
Parkade
Cell Phone Waiting Lot

These lots range from ultra-short-term waiting areas for passenger pick-up to long-term parking options for travellers who have an extended journey planned.

To determine which is the best lot for you, the airport has put together a parking flowchart the explains each option, and this chart can be found on their parking information webpage.

Inside the airport

How do I find my way around Vancouver International Airport?

To help you navigate Vancouver International Airport, we recommend that you consult the online terminal maps provided on the airport’s website.

These maps will help you locate arrivals, departures, security, US Customs, airport lounges, food/drink, and more.

How many terminals are there at Vancouver International Airport?

There are two terminals at Vancouver International Airport: the Main Terminal and the South Terminal.

The Main Terminal is where you’ll find the vast majority of the airport’s flights, and it’s home to both domestic and international arrivals and departures.

The South Terminal is the hub for regional and coastal air services, and includes the public Floatplane Facility on the adjacent Fraser River.

Ultimate Guide to YVR Vancouver International Airport - YVR Guide Terminal map

What airlines fly out of Vancouver International Airport?

The Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is served by over 50 airlines, connecting the west coast of Canada with destinations around the world.

The full list of airlines that operate to/from the Vancouver airport can be found on the airport’s website.

What terminal does Air Canada fly out of at the Vancouver airport?

Air Canada operates out of the Main Terminal at Vancouver International Airport.

This includes arrivals and departures for all domestic, US-bound, and international flights.

What terminal does WestJet fly out of at the Vancouver airport?

At Vancouver International Airport, all of WestJet’s flights arrive to and depart from the Main Terminal.

What airlines fly out of the South Terminal at Vancouver International Airport?

The following airlines and organizations fly out of the South Terminal at Vancouver International Airport:

Air North
Pacific Coastal Airlines Ltd.
Central Mountain Air
North Cariboo Air
Iskwew Air
Summit Air
Seair Seaplanes
Gulf Island Seaplanes
Harbour Air Ltd.
SaltSpring Air
Helijet

Do you go through US Customs at Vancouver International Airport?

Yes, if you’re flying to a destination in the US from the Vancouver International Airport, you will proceed through the US Customs preclearance facilities before you depart.

Ultimate Guide to YVR Vancouver International Airport - YVR Guide airport runway with mountain

Hotels in Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

For travellers in need of a comfortable place to spend the night near the airport, you can’t get much closer than the Fairmont Vancouver Airport, which is located directly inside the Vancouver International Airport.

This hotel participates in the Accor Live Limitless loyalty program, giving you the opportunity to earn and/or redeem points while enjoying its incredibly convenient location.

Hotels near Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

If you’re looking for a hotel near the Vancouver International Airport, you’ll be spoiled for choice, with properties available from all the major hotel brands.

For example, the following popular properties are very near the airport:

Additionally, downtown Vancouver is only a 30-minute drive away, so you can always choose to stay a little further from the airport and closer to activities like harbour cruises, walking in Stanley Park, and exploring Gastown.

For travellers looking to earn or redeem their hotel loyalty points during their stay in Vancouver, there are lots of choices for fans of the Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, or Accor Live Limitless programs.

Check out our reviews of some hotels near the airport and in downtown Vancouver to find the best option for your next trip:

Car rentals near Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Renting a car at Vancouver International Airport is easy thanks to rental facilities located on the ground floor of the parkade, moments from the Main Terminal.

On-site car rental companies include:

Avis
Alamo
Budget
Dollar
Enterprise
Hertz
National
Thrifty

There are also additional rental options available via shuttle service that can accessed from the curbside Courtesy Shuttle Zones. These companies include:

Europcar
Routes Car Rental
SIXT Rent a Car
West Coast Car Rental

If you’re interested in learning how to save on your next car rental, check out guides to using the right credit cards and loyalty points and programs to keep your car rental budget under control:

Lounges at Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

After you’ve made your way through the check-in, security, and customs processes at Vancouver International Airport, we highly recommend treating yourself to one of the available airport lounges.

An airport lounge is a great place to relax before your flight since they’re typically quieter than a departure gate and they tend to offer more comfortable seating and some complimentary food and drinks.

Lounges can be accessed by business class and first class passengers, and by travellers who have a credit card that gives them complimentary membership and passes through programs like DragonPass/Visa Airport Companion and Priority Pass.

We’ve got a handful of helpful guides to help improve your airport experience, so consider exploring these and our Vancouver Airport lounge reviews before you head out:

FeaturedCompare

Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card

American Express Marriott Bonvoy

Annual fee: $120
Our valuation: $990Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$990Total$990Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer: Up to 110,000 points

Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

The Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.

New Cardmembers can earn up to 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points with the current offer:

Earn 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on your Card in your first 6 months of Cardmembership.
Plus, earn 30,000 points by making a purchase during your 15th month of Cardmembership.

This offer ends on September 22, 2026. The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.

To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.

The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.

You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 110,000 point welcome offer is worth about $990, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.

You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.

The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.

Legal

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Annual fee

Primary card$120

Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0

Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,437

2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500

Lost BaggageUp to $500

Flight DelayUp to $500

Hotel BurglaryUp to $500

Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded

Extended Warranty+1 years

Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days