Vancouver International Airport YVR, which celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2011, is Canada's second-busiest airport, and serves also as the closest, and a major West Coast airport to Asia - the emerging economic powerhouse. The Airport Authority's vision is to continue to develop YVR as a premier global gateway, connecting the Asia-Pacific region and the Americas. It has embarked on a 20-year Master Plan to achieve its gateway strategy and sustainability objectives. Again, Skytrax awarded YVR Best North American Airport 2011, and won second place for Staff Service Excellence in North America.

Vancouver International Airport is located approximately 12 kilometers (9 miles) from downtown Vancouver, on Sea Island (West Coast) in British Columbia, Canada, and directly accesible by the Grant McConachie Way leading over the bridge to Hwy 99, which connects to the south to Hwy 91, the East-West Connector.

With four runways and an estimated 16.8 million passengers a year, Vancouver International Airport is hub for Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz & Air Transat, is Canada's major gateway to Asia with the most transpacific flights, and is served by numerous domestic and international airlines offering nonstop flights within Canada and direct & connecting flights to all points of the globe.  3 weekly nonstop flights by China Southern to Guangzhou, China were recently added.

The on-Airport Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel (tel. 604-207-5200), a sound-proof luxury hotel, is located above the US. Terminal and is accessible from level 3.  Aside from outstanding amenities it also offers meeting or conference rooms for up to 200 persons.

The passenger terminal complex at Vancouver International includes two main terminals - Domestic & and International Terminals, connected to each others and to their concourses. It also includes the South Terminal, a small regional hub.(For detailed terminal information, click on 'Terminal Map'.) 

Rental car facilities at Vancouver Airport for Hertz, Avis, National/Alamo, Budget or Dollar/Thrifty are located on the ground floor of the Parkade across from the main terminals, including pickup & dropoff areas.  Offsite rental car Enterprise has shuttles at the rental car bus shelter in the Economy parking lot.

To get from Vancouver International Airport to your destination, you can rent a car, take a taxi, a train, a hotel shuttle, or a bus: 

1.  If you head from Vancouver to Airport South, take the Canada Line to Bridgeport Station, transfer to the C-93 bus stopping in front of South Terminal & the Floatplane facility.

2.  The ‘Canada Line’ train station is between the Domestic & International terminals, accessible by escalators. Trains take you to downtown Vancouver in 26 minutes, and to downtown Richmond in 18 minutes. In order to avoid having to pay the Add Fare of $5, it is recommended that you purchase tickets for either DayPass, Monthly FareCards or FareSaver, available at 7-Eleven and Pharmasave in the Domestic Terminal’s arrivals level 1.
3.  Late at night and during Canada Line service interruptions, the N10 night bus connects the airport's international and domestic terminals to Richmond and downtown Vancouver. The airport's south terminal is served by the C92 bus, which connects to the Canada Line at Bridgeport Station.

4.  Courtesy hotel shuttle stops are at the green canopy outside Arrivals Level 2 at International Terminal, and at the Arrivals Level 1 of Domestic Terminal.

5.  For long-distance scheduled buses to Whistler, Victoria on Vancouver Island, or even to Washington State across the border, you can take the following buses: (a) YVR Whistler/ SkyLynx (tel. 604-662-8074, 250-385-4411 or 1-800.661-1725) to Whistler & Squamish; or (b) Pacific Coach Lines  to Victoria; and (c) QuickShuttle (tel. 604-940-4428 or 1-800-665-2122) to Bellingham, Everett and Seattle.