Vancouver Airport Parking (YVR)

Vancouver International Airport parking

Vancouver International Airport Transfers

Guide to Vancouver International Airport

• +1 604-207-7077
• V7B 0A4
• Main terminal and south terminal
• Car, bus, train, bicycle
• free WiFi access
• www.yvr.ca

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is the second-busiest airport in Canada. With over 22 million passengers passing through its doors every year and just under 400,000 aircraft movements annually, the only Canadian airport with more traffic is Toronto Pearson International (YYZ).

Throughout the last decade, Vancouver International Airport has been a regular winner of the Skytrax Best North American Airport award and featured among the Skytrax Top 10 airports in the world.

Location of Vancouver International Airport

Situated on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Vancouver International Airport is roughly 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) from downtown Vancouver. The airport is well connected to downtown Vancouver and its amenities, hotels and entertainment facilities.

The Canada Line is a rapid transit rail connection that transports passengers between YVR and the city of Vancouver in less than 30 minutes, with connections to downtown Richmond taking just 18 minutes. Wheelchair-accessible taxis can also be caught from taxi stands situated on Level 2 of the Domestic and International Arrivals Area at Vancouver International Airport.

Passengers can get to the airport via hotel shuttle buses, provided by a range of local hotels, as well as by bicycle using Sea Island’s cycle routes and bicycle parking at the airport. Anyone traveling to YVR from further afield can drive to the airport and make use of the ample parking facilities or travel via long-distance bus services such as the YVR Whistler SkyLynx bus.

History of Vancouver International Airport

The city of Vancouver has used YVR's location on Sea Island for aviation purposes since 1929 and the airport was first opened to the public in 1931 when it boasted Canada's first hard-surfaced runway. The airport's original terminal was built prior to the airport being used a base for Royal Canadian Air Force training during World War II.

The original terminal is now the South Terminal and the airport was rapidly developed and expanded during the post-war period. YVR's main terminal was completed in 1968, serving 1.9 million passengers in its first year. The terminal has since been expanded from 700,000 square feet (65,000 square meters) to cover 3.5 million square feet (325,160 square meters) and the airport now connects people to more than 120 destinations around the world.

Airport facilities

Vancouver International Airport hotel and parking

While there are no on-site hotels at YVR, many hotels in the Richmond and Vancouver areas offer stay, park and fly programmes in partnership with it. These hotels allow you to use their accommodation and park your vehicle in one of the airport’s parking facilities, before catching a complimentary shuttle bus to and from the airport.

The courtesy shuttle bus drop-off and pick-up areas are located at the green canopy outside Arrivals Level 2 at the International Terminal and outside Arrivals Level 1 at the Domestic Terminal. You can request a shuttle bus to your hotel using the direct dial phones located on Arrivals Level 2 at the International and Domestic Terminal and at the shuttle bus pick-up area. A number of hotels in Richmond offer this service, including Days Inn Vancouver Airport, Executive Airport Plaza, Four Points by Sheraton and Hampton Inn Vancouver Airport.

For an extensive list of hotels that offer shuttle bus services and stay, park and fly facilities, visit the airport’s website here.

Top things to do in Vancouver International Airport

Pamper yourself

Equipped with four branches of Canada’s best-loved spa and salon chain, Absolute Spa, Vancouver International Airport is a great place to relax and indulge in a touch of luxury before your flight.

Absolute Spa offers pamper packages and a range of treatments, including massage, hair styling and removal, as well as makeup application, eyebrow waxing, foot care, hand and nail treatments, facials and tanning.

Feel revitalized at the airport and kick back in the tranquil haven that is Absolute Spa.

Luxuriate in the airport’s lounges

Vancouver International Airport has a wide range of premium lounges, including the Plaza Premium Lounge, the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, the British Airways Lounge and the Cathay Pacific Lounge. While some of these are provided specifically for the use of passengers traveling with certain airlines, the Plaza Premium Lounge is open to all passengers, regardless of which airline is carrying them. The lounge's first-rate facilities include plush soft furnishings, nap rooms and showers, as well as signature hot food dishes and refreshments, free WiFi, workstations and charging stations.

Take home a taste of Canada

Among the retailers and designer shops at Vancouver International Airport are specialized souvenir and gift stores offering unique Canadian products. Discover BC stocks a great range of gourmet and locally made foods, including maple syrup, teas, almond bark and tasty chocolates, while Crafthouse provides travelers with handmade souvenirs from artists and creators from around British Columbia. Bring your friends and family a slice of Canada from the extensive gift ranges in the airport’s souvenir stores.

Explore Canada's creative side

Vancouver International Airport proudly promotes the art and culture that the city has to offer. The works of local artists and items from British Columbia’s distinguished cultural history are on display for all passengers to see at the Lattimer Gallery, located adjacent to The Jade Canoe before security in the International Terminal.

Passengers can purchase artworks from the gallery and take home their very own piece of Canadian culture. YVR’s interior and architecture is inspired by British Columbia’s natural landscape and is decorated with art reflecting its First Nations heritage.

Visit the airport’s various sculpture and art exhibitions, such as the spectacular 'Spirit of the Sea' collection, and let Canada stay with you.

Take in the sights

The public observation area at Vancouver International Airport is free of charge for all passengers and is an excellent spot from which to see planes coming and going while you take in the surrounding landscape.

There is seating for at least 150 people to gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows and survey the airfield. The observation area is fun and educational for adults and children alike and even boasts information-packed touchscreen panels along with games, telescopes and an interactive model of Sea Island.

You will find the observation area before security on Level 4 of the Domestic Terminal.

Top things to do near Vancouver International Airport

Experience life under the ocean

Just 10.9 miles (17.6 kilometers) from Vancouver International Airport is the Vancouver Aquarium. This non-profit attraction is committed to conserving marine life through education and research.

This aquarium is home to a staggering 50,000 different creatures, as well as a range of activities, exhibitions and galleries for all the family to enjoy. Get up close and personal with otters, dolphins, penguins and a whole host of other aquatic animals at the Vancouver Aquarium.

Learn about the wonders of science

Vancouver’s TELUS World of Science is a great family day out where you can make your own scientific discoveries. You can visit the OMNIMAX theater, gaze upon art displays and exhibitions, watch an outdoor science show and play interactive games such as BodyWorks, which allows you to power a drum with your own heartbeat. You can also have a go at various puzzles and illusions.

Just nine miles (14.9 kilometers) from YVR, the World of Science combines education and entertainment to create a memorable day out.

Go for a stroll

The Seawall in Vancouver’s Stanley Park is a footpath that makes its way through many of the city’s parks and residential areas, providing an ideal way to explore the environment on foot.

Located just 9.8 miles (15.8 kilometers) from Vancouver International Airport and originally constructed around the edge of the park to stop the erosion of the park’s foreshore, the Seawall is a great place for cycling, walking and rollerblading while taking in all the natural and manmade sights that Vancouver has to offer.

Experience the tropics in North America

The Bloedel Conservatory sits at Vancouver’s highest point and is a magnificent domed glass building housing over 100 free-flying exotic fowl as well as 500 exotic plants and flowers in an environment that is temperature-controlled for their survival.

This botanical paradise boasts three different climate zones: the tropical rainforest habitat, the subtropical rainforest habitat and the desert zone. The building also hosts special exhibits and is home to a healing garden and a gift shop.

Explore many of the world's unique ecosystems and environments at the Bloedel Conservatory, located just 7.2 miles (11.7 kilometers) from Vancouver International Airport.

Watch a play beneath the night sky

Theatre Under the Stars, also known as TUTS, is one of Vancouver’s biggest musical theater companies and is a charitable, non-profit organization. Seeking to express the energy and diversity of Vancouver through the art of song and performance against the backdrop of the city's scenic landscape, Theatre Under the Stars focusses on creating some of Vancouver’s best audience-driven performances.

This unique theater company was first established in 1940 with the aim of allowing local theater enthusiasts to put on plays for tourists and Vancouver’s inhabitants and it has since gone from strength to strength.

Visit TUTS and watch an inspiring performance in Canada’s great outdoors, just 13.5 miles (21.7 kilometers) from Vancouver International Airport.

Taste Vancouver's local brew

Granville Island Brewing is an independent brewery that originally opened in 1984 as Canada’s first microbrewery. Granville Island’s ethos when it comes to brewing its own lagers and ales is centered on using locally sourced ingredients in an eco-friendly process.

It is British Columbia’s first 'Bullfrog-powered' brewery, making use of green electricity and natural gas in its brewing processes, and recycles its glass bottles so that they can be re-used up to 13 times.

Granville Island Brewing is just eight miles (13 kilometers) from Vancouver International Airport, offering you the chance to enjoy a brewery tour, indulge in beer tasting, sup a drink in the taproom or purchase souvenirs and drinks from the brewery shop.

Which terminal?

Vancouver International Airport has two terminals, though its main terminal is the primary one used by passengers on charter flights. The main terminal houses both the Domestic Terminal and the International Terminal. As the second-busiest airport in Canada, Vancouver International Airport operates flights from over 40 different airlines, including KLM, Air Canada, British Airways and American Airlines.

Below is an extensive list of all airlines operating at YVR’s main and south terminals:

How to get to Vancouver International Airport

Useful tips

Seek out green coat volunteers if you need assistance

Vancouver International Airport’s green coat volunteers have been helping passengers for over 27 years. You can easily spot them throughout the terminal thanks to their distinctive green uniforms. The members of this team of around 500 volunteers speak 21 different languages and they are renowned for going the extra mile to assist and guide passengers at the airport.

Head to the quiet area for some peace

A serene space for respite and reflection, Vancouver International Airport’s quiet area features low lighting, cosy seating, quiet speakers and a stretching mat. A great place to relax and unwind before a long flight, this area offers tranquillity throughout the day. It is located after security in the International Terminal at Gate D67.

Enhance your travel experience with the Airport Butler service

The Airport Butler service at Vancouver International Airport is a ‘meet and greet’ facility that gives passengers the smoothest journey possible. You can customize the services you receive to suit you and your family perfectly and choose from a personal escort or security guard, lounge reservations, a personal shopper at the airport, flowers or personalized gifts and private meeting rooms, among other luxuries.

For an extensive list of the benefits of the Airport Butler facility, visit the airport’s website here.

Hit the pharmacy for your last-minute health needs

When traveling to new places, changes in climate, diet and environment can leave you feeling under the weather. Luckily, Vancouver International Airport has its own pharmacy, equipped with prescription and over-the-counter medicines, as well as beauty products, vitamins and supplements.

It is located before security in the Domestic Terminal on Level 1 and is conveniently close to the airport’s medical clinic. This walk-in medical center provides passengers with specialized care and its well-trained health professionals and doctors are able to issue injury management services and travel medicine, among other things.

Download the airport’s specialized brochure before travel for accessibility tips

Vancouver International Airport prides itself on providing total access to all parts of the airport for every passenger. The airport’s detailed travel guide focusses specifically on on-site accessibility for passengers who struggle with mobility or have special requirements for traveling. You can plan your trip in advance with the help of the downloadable accessibility brochure by visiting the airport’s website here.

Vancouver International Airport FAQs

What should I do if I lose something at the airport?

If you realize that you have lost something while on-site at YVR, visit the airport's Lost and Found service desk, which is located at the customer service counter on Departures Level 3 of the International Terminal and open between 9:30am and 5:30pm every day. You can also call the customer service counter on +1 604 276 6104 or toll-free on +1 866 817 5343.

If you discover that you have lost something in the airport after arriving home, visit the airport’s website and fill in their lost and found form with as much detail as possible about the item and where you think you lost it. You should receive a response to your query within 48 hours. The form can be filled in online here.

Any items left onboard an aircraft will remain in the care of the airline if they are found. You can view a list of the airlines that operate from Vancouver International Airport and their contact details here.

What food is available at the airport?

Vancouver International Airport has a huge selection of eateries, cafés, fast food outlets and restaurants both before and after security. This airport offers a wide variety of international cuisines and hot and cold snacks and is guaranteed to have something to suit all tastes. For a full list of restaurants and their opening times, visit the airport’s website here.

Is there WiFi at the airport?

All passengers of Vancouver International Airport have free access to its high-speed internet connection. This can be best utilized in lounges such as the Plaza Premium Lounge, which is open to all travelers and features power sockets and work stations.

What is YVR airport’s address?

Vancouver International Airport’s full address is 3211 Grant McConachie Way, Richmond, British Columbia, V7B 0A4.

Can I rent a car at the airport?

There are many on-site rental car companies operating from Vancouver International Airport. The rental facility is located right by Vancouver International Airport’s terminal on the ground floor of the Parkade. If you wish to hire a vehicle with special accessibility features, make sure to let the rental company know about your requirements 48 hours in advance of travel to ensure they can meet your needs.