Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver

YVR is Canada's second busiest airport, with some 16.9 million passengers (including same plane transit), approximately 222,900 tonnes of cargo and 270,000 take-offs and landings in 2006. It's also currently being billed as Canada's portal to the 2010 Olympics. One of the most state-of-the-art airports I've been to, its one of my favorites. I don't care much for the location and handlings of the rental car agencies, and the fact that wifi isn't free, but its comfortable, speedy, high-tech, and great service. International Customs is a breezeway - especially from Canada into the US. Very professional and making the whole process a smooth transition. Rating 5 stars out of 5. Visited 3/21/08; 3/31/08.

Operated by Air Canada, partnered with United Airlines. This plane is a small city-hopper jet and when I emphasize small, I mean small. Too small to dock with the terminal, so as the Air Canada flight arrived, I walked down the catwalk stairs, out onto the runway around the baggage carts and up the stairs to the Air Canada Jet, very small, my carry-on didn't fit in the overhead, but was able to half-scrunch under the seat. It was tight, friendly, and like an airline out of the past. I haven't been on one of these city-hoppers for ages. Even though it was only a 1/2 hour flight, they still served beverages. Crazy. Very pleasant staff anyhow. They were on top-of-it with the customs forms and gave them as you boarded the flight. Luggage arrived quickly and efficiently, fastest luggage delivery I've experienced in my travels, that was impressive. Even though it was cramped, I enjoyed the flight. Rating 3.75 stars out of 5 (for city-hopper jet experience) .. flown 3/21/08.

When arriving or leaving Vancouver, you can take this bus to the aiport/hotel.
From the airport, it departs from the arrivals level. You can purchase your ticket directly from the bus operator or at the ticket office at the arport (located on level II, outside the main terminal). If leaving Vancouver, buy it through the concierge at your hotel.

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There are many ways to get to Vancouver. I have flown both with Japan Airlines and Mexicana de Aviacion in a 5-hour flight from Mexico City. Vancouver Airport is huge, beautiful and full of totem poles. It's considered one of the world's most architecturally appealing airports.

Easy way to get from airport to downtown is by Airporter bus. Bus leave from front of arrival hall and it will drop you front of your hotel. One way ticket cost 13CAD and it will take around 40 minutes, depending rushs and hotel location.

A cheap and efficient way to get from the international airport to the city centre and downtown area is to take the airport shuttle bus, which costs C$13. The counter to buy a ticket is on your left as you come through the arrivals section into the terminal. Buses leave on the half-hour. Buses stop at major city hotels and from there you can walk to your accommodation if it is in the area.

DO NOT USE, get a cab instead, it will save a lot of time and worry.

We used this to get from the airport to our hotel and had no trouble, it was getting back. The schedule on there website is confusing and misleading. We needed to be at the airport for around 4pm so we took the 15.39 from the Quality Hotel. Now looking at the schedule it was due at the airport at 16.08. what happened was we drove around Vancouver picking up and dropping off people only to end up at the Ramada Hotel on Granville, 2 minutes for where we were picked up. We were told that another bus would be along shortly to take us to the airport, did that show up???? Well after waiting 20 minutes, by which time we where cutting it fine on getting there in time to check in we went into the Ramada and booked a cab. We got to the airport 5 minutes before the desk closed.

DO NOT USE, SPEND THE EXTRA $20 AND GET A CAB. Price for us to the airport from Ramada Downtown was £27, we give him $35 as we were so glad he got us there!!!!!

Vancouver International Airport is the second busiest airport in Canada, with non-stop flights daily to Asia, Europe, the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and other airports within Canada. Vancouver International Airport has three terminals: The domestic terminal, which was constructed in 1968 and recently given a top-to-bottom renovation; the International Terminal, which was newly constructed in the early 1990s, and the South Terminal, which is a portion of the original terminal that is still in use. The International and Domestic terminals can effectively be considered to be one building divided into two sections, while the South terminal is located in a remote part of the airport.

In Vancouver you can clear US customs before you board the plane, so give yourself some extra time to check-in when you leave Vancouver for U.S. destinations. Note that this also means that duty-free purchases are not available at U.S. bound gate lounges or on the plane since technically you are already in the U.S. This also means that there are direct flights from Vancouver into cities that do not have customs clearance facilities.

The cheapest way from the airport to downtown is public bus, $3 one way, exact change only, but this involves a transfer. The bus into downtown tends to be quite crowded and not convenient for carrying your suitcases. More convenient is the YVR Airporter (1-800-668-3141) which costs $12 one way or $18 return, and drops off at major hotels downtown. A taxi ride downtown will cost about $25. The taxi ride is under half an hour. By November 2009 a rapid transit line running from Richmond to the airport to Vancouver is scheduled to be completed

If you are departing from the International Terminal to destinations other than the USA there are painfully few eating places on the other side of security. If you want something more substantial than coffee shops then eat before going through security.