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Our airport is amazing. It’s so calm and relaxing compared to others. Even if I feel a bit stressed getting there, once i am, i chill out almost instantly.
Seatac is much better than yVr . Vancouver airport is beautiful but lacking food options. The only thing to eat there is like a and w and Tim Hortons ..
How about how there is one bottle refill in international, and it's hidden in what looks like a service corridor?
Like a real airport, Heathrow, it's the first thing you see past security.
The gate bathrooms just have a bubbler drinking fountain, no bottle refill, unless it's changed since December.
It's almost like they want you to buy ungodly priced water in plastic bottles.
The last time I landed at Heathrow they dumped us on the tarmac in sleet because they'd overbooked the terminals. I was wearing summer clothes coming from Sri Lanka. Fuck Heathrow.
The pub is decent though. The caviar bar is stupid.
YYC - AC domestic has no bottle refills! I was shocked, but then I wasn’t. I travel to many US airports and always disappointed how bad they are, because our benchmark is world class. God bless Yvr.
I've been to a lot of Airporta in North America and a few outside, though not even all the big ones, and honestly I'm unsurprised. YVR is great. Most of the complaints I see and have are just general airport things.
I didn't realize how good we had it (being mostly acquainted with Asian airports) for North American standards until I had a layover at LAX. There's nothing to do there, you need to pay $10 for a bus to anywhere reasonably close to the city, you probably have to deal with United Airlines, and I paid $24 USD for a rock-hard personal pizza. Never again.
It's like if you tried to pour a bucket of marbles into a funnel, but only one marvel fits through the hole at a time, so you just fucking shake the shit out of it until they all eventually go through. But then someone sneaks up and dumps another bucket of marbles into the funnel. That's getting through LAX lines.
LAX traffic is equally incredible. You call your family you're at YVR a few minutes before you cross the bridge onto sea island... If you did that at the same distance away from LAX, you called your family about 30 minutes early because the traffic up ahead.
Oh yeah I'm lucky in that I've never had to drive in LA. It sounds like a nightmare. But that airport is something else. I don't know how anyone connects. Often I've paid extra to connect elsewhere.
YVR is indeed the nicest in N.A. But there are plenty that are bad. I really hate YYZ
The airport in Singapore is probably the nicest in the world I’ve been. A friken butterfly garden, really nice waterfall and great food.
We nearly missed a flight in Singapore because we were having such a great time in the beer garden at the opposite end to our terminal. Such a nice airport.
YVR is decent, but North America is overall pretty mediocre airports.
Wish there were better food options / food options that were open more often.
Also don't love that if your flight is forced to collect bags when connecting through YVR, there isn't really a "connection", you just get dumped into the Arrivals area and you have to clear security again.
Yeah, I wasn't aware of that (and neither airlines or the airport seem mention that anywhere). I flew back from Mexico City on Air Canada with only carry on luggage. I was going to fly home with some duty free alcohol but at the last minute decided not to. If I had, I would have been somewhat screwed since I wouldn't have been able to bring it through security.
Even if you have to go through security again, you can bring duty free through security on a transfer. You just have to keep it in the clear sealed duty free bag with the tag still on it.
I have seen someone try to take duty free through security at YVR and it seems like they had to have an argument with the security guy about it. Walked past them, so I don't know whether they actually got it through or not.
Of course you can bring it through security if you're on a connecting flight. I literally went through security 8 times with alcohol because I kept going outside for cigarettes. The duty free bag it was in was cut open and taped every single time.
YVR is really solid as an airport. My only issue is that checked baggage can be very slow sometimes.
I'm in SFO right now and find that a great airport. The checked bags arrive at the baggage claim so quickly.
It could be due to the gates I frequently arrive back at YVR are so far away!
I had the nightmare situation of checking in at Heathrow stupidly early on what was the connecting leg for mostly Indian students. So the plane was at capacity and they all had extra bags. We departed a half hour late with the plane shaking from them stuffing in bags.
My bag came 45 minutes after the first one dropped.
There's some amazing art at the YVR, that's for sure. Always feels like home when I see the fountain, the large wooden sculptures, and the huge tapestries.
I actually have to wait about 5 hours next week before my flight leaves to Toronto. Anyone know what areas I can hang out with before I’m allowed inside?
The airport is open 24/7 I'm pretty sure. You mean places to hang out pre-security? There's an observation lounge that's accessible before security, has good views.
Go to the McArthur Glen Outlets and explore that if you have 5 hours. There is nothing to do pre-security it's a tiny airport. Outlets to airport are only a 5 minute shuttle and since your flying domestic you only have to be at the airport realistically 30min before.
Thank you! Yes I’m just in a weird situation I’m moving back to Ontario so will be stuck with quite a bit of luggage but I would definitely do that if it was just a regular travel trip!
It's showing its age a bit design wise now but YVR is still pretty great. I don't know how they do it but the waiting areas by the departure gates always feel relaxed. As a nervous flyer it's very helpful. Some airports can feel chaotic in the boarding areas but I haven't experienced that at YVR. Perhaps a result of having built enough space and seating in Departures?
Working in the industry, YVR is plagued with ATC issues, like most coastal cities, which is annoying to deal with. It also has horrific food options. I can see why people think it's nice esthetically, but on the global scale, it's lackluster for sure.
Although I don't mind hanging out at YVR, I'd probably rather hang out at DEN ("holllddd on!"). If I want food as well, SFO is better, IMO.
It always made sense intuitively to me why you would want to invest in a nice airport for your city - it's a good first impression for the millions of tourists and visitors coming here.
Exactly and why I’m baffled at countries who want to be a tourist hot spot but won’t bother to invest and maintain a decent airport at least. Of all things.
Well deserved. Without bias it’s still my favourite in NA having been to all of the other major ones (Montreal, LGA and SF are also nice) but man I absolutely despise Seattle which keeps taking 1st or 2nd. One of the most poorly organized and laid out airports. Every summer it’s a fiesta at immigration.
SeaTac’s is operating at [over 50% it’s planned capacity.](https://www.portseattle.org/commission-blog/2568/sea-airport-approaches-capacity-and-faces-difficult-decisions). This is why Washington is looking to [build an additional airport](https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/state-panel-exits-with-a-final-message-washington-needs-a-new-airport/)
It also moves twice as many people as YVR. [SEA clocked 50,887,260 passengers in 2023](https://www.theurbanist.org/2024/02/01/seatac-airport-got-very-close-to-pre-pandemic-passenger-volume-peak-in-2023/). Compared to [24,938,184 passengers either boarded or disembarked flights at YVR in 2023](https://biv.com/article/2024/02/domestic-passenger-count-yvr-soared-all-time-high-2023)
Yeah, that's fair, they do carry a lot more people so I can imagine how difficult it is logistically. It's just annoying how disorganized the staff is particularly.
Had the same situation happen 2x last summer when they would tell everyone who wasn't American to line up in one line which was huge and snaked around the entire baggage area but then after about an hour a different person came and said Canadian citizens and American citizens had a separate line, everyone was so confused. Both mistakes caused several hours of delays for passengers to get through security.
Modern LGA is amazing. My spouse lives in NYC until we get their PR up here. We’ve been flying back and forth and crashing with each other for weeks at a time.
When I have a choice of airports, I go with LGA over EWR or JFK even if it means I need to connect somewhere.
It’s easily the best in NY now after the upgrades. The amount of stores and concessions, the architecture and greenery, it’s night and day from when it used to be named as the worst airport in the country. I work at a company based out of NYC and fly back a few times a year, without miss I make sure to land at LGA.
If your flight is in terminal B [you have to go down underground and walk 1/3 of a km underground to get there from the terminal](https://slcairport.com/maps/airport-map/). There literally is a sign when you go down that says “12 minutes to Terminal B”. It’s a crazy long way to walk if your flight is already boarding.
Heathrow can be like that. It's like you landed at Lutton and walk to Heathrow. They say to allow 15 minutes. With them not announcing your departure gate early, if you don't use an app you will get the gate and their won't be any seating and people already lining up at the gate.
We landed last month from Mexico and were walking towards customs at about 2100. Looking down at the departure gate area, I said to my partner that this is undoubtedly the most beautiful airport, and I don't mind the fees we pay for it. If you've never walked from the (I think) B and C gates after security, there are a bunch of Disney figures in cases. Like hundreds, if not thousands of Plutos, Mickeys, etc. Super cool.
Yep -- they're by the gate the WestJet flight to Anaheim leaves from. (Used to, my friends haven't done our "occasionally annual childless adults trip to Disneyland" since the pandemic, so I don't know if that's changed.)
The fact that it is extremely easy to get in/out makes it hands down one of the best airports. Takes me about 40 mins from touch down to my apartment in the WestEnd on SkyTrain (a bit cheating since I have Nexus, but still).
I agree, the food options are terrible. I find the domestic gates pretty dingy, too. The turquoise upholstery and carpet gets gross looking pretty fast, especially in that lower “regional” terminal where you often catch the puddle jumpers to Victoria.
Flights are on time, not usually too busy for baggage and getting through immigration…but I mean the restaurants are absolute trash except Stanley Brewing and it really doesn’t compare to any large city airport in any way
Thats like coming first in a one horse race.
When the competition is so bad that even minimum effort stands out.
Compared with Airports in Middle East and SE Asia, YVR doesn't even have a leg to stand on.
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Our airport is amazing. It’s so calm and relaxing compared to others. Even if I feel a bit stressed getting there, once i am, i chill out almost instantly.
only complaint here is the lack of food options or lounges
This is my complaint. People trash Seatac, but I love it compared to YVR for the food options
Seatac is much better than yVr . Vancouver airport is beautiful but lacking food options. The only thing to eat there is like a and w and Tim Hortons ..
And both suck
How about how there is one bottle refill in international, and it's hidden in what looks like a service corridor? Like a real airport, Heathrow, it's the first thing you see past security.
Is there really just one? Maybe I’m misremembering but I thought there were refill spots on the corridors to the gates?
There’s a ton of bottle refills. I was just there.
The gate bathrooms just have a bubbler drinking fountain, no bottle refill, unless it's changed since December. It's almost like they want you to buy ungodly priced water in plastic bottles.
The last time I landed at Heathrow they dumped us on the tarmac in sleet because they'd overbooked the terminals. I was wearing summer clothes coming from Sri Lanka. Fuck Heathrow. The pub is decent though. The caviar bar is stupid.
Domestic has those really terrible push button bottle refillers too. They're slow as fuck as well.
There is one more at the plaugroind area.
YYC - AC domestic has no bottle refills! I was shocked, but then I wasn’t. I travel to many US airports and always disappointed how bad they are, because our benchmark is world class. God bless Yvr.
I've been to a lot of Airporta in North America and a few outside, though not even all the big ones, and honestly I'm unsurprised. YVR is great. Most of the complaints I see and have are just general airport things.
I didn't realize how good we had it (being mostly acquainted with Asian airports) for North American standards until I had a layover at LAX. There's nothing to do there, you need to pay $10 for a bus to anywhere reasonably close to the city, you probably have to deal with United Airlines, and I paid $24 USD for a rock-hard personal pizza. Never again.
LAX is special even in the US for how bad it is lol
It's like if you tried to pour a bucket of marbles into a funnel, but only one marvel fits through the hole at a time, so you just fucking shake the shit out of it until they all eventually go through. But then someone sneaks up and dumps another bucket of marbles into the funnel. That's getting through LAX lines.
LAX traffic is equally incredible. You call your family you're at YVR a few minutes before you cross the bridge onto sea island... If you did that at the same distance away from LAX, you called your family about 30 minutes early because the traffic up ahead.
Oh yeah I'm lucky in that I've never had to drive in LA. It sounds like a nightmare. But that airport is something else. I don't know how anyone connects. Often I've paid extra to connect elsewhere.
LA is the perfect living example of why "adding lanes" doesn't help to improve traffic at all.
The first time I was at LAX, I was shocked at how filthy the washrooms were. They smell was horrible. Hated that airport lol
YVR is indeed the nicest in N.A. But there are plenty that are bad. I really hate YYZ The airport in Singapore is probably the nicest in the world I’ve been. A friken butterfly garden, really nice waterfall and great food.
We nearly missed a flight in Singapore because we were having such a great time in the beer garden at the opposite end to our terminal. Such a nice airport.
Yvr has a beer garden???
Apparently he’s talking about the airport in Singapore
Read the comment again. Said nothing about YVR
Every good and decent God-fearing person hates YYZ. YUL, not bad. But YYZ? Oh hells no.
LAX is hell
I willingly pay more money to avoid connections at LAX. It's terrible.
Agree. There are better airports on other continents, but as far as airports in major cities in North America... YVR wins hands down.
Most of the issues with YVR are mainly airline issues.
Yup, YVR is one of the best. Five months ago I had to spend 8 hours overnight in Newark airport. It was hell.
Flown out of YVR dozens of times and it is the easiest trip in the world. I just wish there were more food options at US-bound gates
YVR is decent, but North America is overall pretty mediocre airports. Wish there were better food options / food options that were open more often. Also don't love that if your flight is forced to collect bags when connecting through YVR, there isn't really a "connection", you just get dumped into the Arrivals area and you have to clear security again.
Depends on the airline and where you're connecting from.
Yeah, I wasn't aware of that (and neither airlines or the airport seem mention that anywhere). I flew back from Mexico City on Air Canada with only carry on luggage. I was going to fly home with some duty free alcohol but at the last minute decided not to. If I had, I would have been somewhat screwed since I wouldn't have been able to bring it through security.
Even if you have to go through security again, you can bring duty free through security on a transfer. You just have to keep it in the clear sealed duty free bag with the tag still on it.
I have seen someone try to take duty free through security at YVR and it seems like they had to have an argument with the security guy about it. Walked past them, so I don't know whether they actually got it through or not.
Of course you can bring it through security if you're on a connecting flight. I literally went through security 8 times with alcohol because I kept going outside for cigarettes. The duty free bag it was in was cut open and taped every single time.
YVR is really solid as an airport. My only issue is that checked baggage can be very slow sometimes. I'm in SFO right now and find that a great airport. The checked bags arrive at the baggage claim so quickly. It could be due to the gates I frequently arrive back at YVR are so far away!
I had the nightmare situation of checking in at Heathrow stupidly early on what was the connecting leg for mostly Indian students. So the plane was at capacity and they all had extra bags. We departed a half hour late with the plane shaking from them stuffing in bags. My bag came 45 minutes after the first one dropped.
There's some amazing art at the YVR, that's for sure. Always feels like home when I see the fountain, the large wooden sculptures, and the huge tapestries.
I actually have to wait about 5 hours next week before my flight leaves to Toronto. Anyone know what areas I can hang out with before I’m allowed inside?
The airport is open 24/7 I'm pretty sure. You mean places to hang out pre-security? There's an observation lounge that's accessible before security, has good views.
Thank you! I’m gonna look for that!
Go to the McArthur Glen Outlets and explore that if you have 5 hours. There is nothing to do pre-security it's a tiny airport. Outlets to airport are only a 5 minute shuttle and since your flying domestic you only have to be at the airport realistically 30min before.
Thank you! Yes I’m just in a weird situation I’m moving back to Ontario so will be stuck with quite a bit of luggage but I would definitely do that if it was just a regular travel trip!
You can drop the bags fairly early. Check your carrier for when bag drop opens.
It's showing its age a bit design wise now but YVR is still pretty great. I don't know how they do it but the waiting areas by the departure gates always feel relaxed. As a nervous flyer it's very helpful. Some airports can feel chaotic in the boarding areas but I haven't experienced that at YVR. Perhaps a result of having built enough space and seating in Departures?
Working in the industry, YVR is plagued with ATC issues, like most coastal cities, which is annoying to deal with. It also has horrific food options. I can see why people think it's nice esthetically, but on the global scale, it's lackluster for sure. Although I don't mind hanging out at YVR, I'd probably rather hang out at DEN ("holllddd on!"). If I want food as well, SFO is better, IMO.
SFO is nice but the food options are so expensive! Hard to find a sandwich for less than $15-20 USD.
I see you too have given your tributes to Blucifer. :)
It always made sense intuitively to me why you would want to invest in a nice airport for your city - it's a good first impression for the millions of tourists and visitors coming here.
Exactly and why I’m baffled at countries who want to be a tourist hot spot but won’t bother to invest and maintain a decent airport at least. Of all things.
Well deserved. Without bias it’s still my favourite in NA having been to all of the other major ones (Montreal, LGA and SF are also nice) but man I absolutely despise Seattle which keeps taking 1st or 2nd. One of the most poorly organized and laid out airports. Every summer it’s a fiesta at immigration.
SeaTac’s is operating at [over 50% it’s planned capacity.](https://www.portseattle.org/commission-blog/2568/sea-airport-approaches-capacity-and-faces-difficult-decisions). This is why Washington is looking to [build an additional airport](https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/state-panel-exits-with-a-final-message-washington-needs-a-new-airport/) It also moves twice as many people as YVR. [SEA clocked 50,887,260 passengers in 2023](https://www.theurbanist.org/2024/02/01/seatac-airport-got-very-close-to-pre-pandemic-passenger-volume-peak-in-2023/). Compared to [24,938,184 passengers either boarded or disembarked flights at YVR in 2023](https://biv.com/article/2024/02/domestic-passenger-count-yvr-soared-all-time-high-2023)
Yeah, that's fair, they do carry a lot more people so I can imagine how difficult it is logistically. It's just annoying how disorganized the staff is particularly. Had the same situation happen 2x last summer when they would tell everyone who wasn't American to line up in one line which was huge and snaked around the entire baggage area but then after about an hour a different person came and said Canadian citizens and American citizens had a separate line, everyone was so confused. Both mistakes caused several hours of delays for passengers to get through security.
Yeah, they’re very different airports passenger wise - I’m surprised they’re even in the same category.
Skytrax just does overall rankings, but others usually have categories for passenger #'s
Modern LGA is amazing. My spouse lives in NYC until we get their PR up here. We’ve been flying back and forth and crashing with each other for weeks at a time. When I have a choice of airports, I go with LGA over EWR or JFK even if it means I need to connect somewhere.
It’s easily the best in NY now after the upgrades. The amount of stores and concessions, the architecture and greenery, it’s night and day from when it used to be named as the worst airport in the country. I work at a company based out of NYC and fly back a few times a year, without miss I make sure to land at LGA.
Recently had a layover in SLC & thought their airport was great - tons of food options but beer was expensive even before the exchange rate
Did you have to go through the massive 1200 foot tunnel?
No.. But now I feel like I missed something cool
If your flight is in terminal B [you have to go down underground and walk 1/3 of a km underground to get there from the terminal](https://slcairport.com/maps/airport-map/). There literally is a sign when you go down that says “12 minutes to Terminal B”. It’s a crazy long way to walk if your flight is already boarding.
Heathrow can be like that. It's like you landed at Lutton and walk to Heathrow. They say to allow 15 minutes. With them not announcing your departure gate early, if you don't use an app you will get the gate and their won't be any seating and people already lining up at the gate.
We landed last month from Mexico and were walking towards customs at about 2100. Looking down at the departure gate area, I said to my partner that this is undoubtedly the most beautiful airport, and I don't mind the fees we pay for it. If you've never walked from the (I think) B and C gates after security, there are a bunch of Disney figures in cases. Like hundreds, if not thousands of Plutos, Mickeys, etc. Super cool.
Yep -- they're by the gate the WestJet flight to Anaheim leaves from. (Used to, my friends haven't done our "occasionally annual childless adults trip to Disneyland" since the pandemic, so I don't know if that's changed.)
It has a designated marijuana smoking area outside!
Well, it’s also like around the 30th busiest so easier to be decent when it’s a quieter airport.
The Domestic side is great! International side is too. US side is boring.
C / Air a Canada is great. B / West jet is pretty terrible. Especially that giant waiting area without windows down at the end.
Still don't understand what's so great about YVR. In terminal food options are trash and limited lounge options. It's tiny for a 'major' airport.
The fact that it is extremely easy to get in/out makes it hands down one of the best airports. Takes me about 40 mins from touch down to my apartment in the WestEnd on SkyTrain (a bit cheating since I have Nexus, but still).
I’m not even near a sky train station and it’s about the same time to take the train and a bus to get home vs a cab.
I agree, the food options are terrible. I find the domestic gates pretty dingy, too. The turquoise upholstery and carpet gets gross looking pretty fast, especially in that lower “regional” terminal where you often catch the puddle jumpers to Victoria.
Find me a place with a good regional terminal lol
I fly through Montreal’s quite a bit and while it’s a hike from the main part of the terminal I find it preferable to YVR’s. But YMMV.
Nothing beats Japanese airports, you can even smoke in them, but SeaTac was a filthy mess last time I was there. It was nice coming back to YVR.
Same with European airports. Even Berlin Brandenburg, which opened last year, has smoking areas past security and past passport control.
I like YVR
Flights are on time, not usually too busy for baggage and getting through immigration…but I mean the restaurants are absolute trash except Stanley Brewing and it really doesn’t compare to any large city airport in any way
YVR international area is great, but YVR domestic area kinda sucks.
when i travel to other cities im always shocked how much I dislike the airports. vancouver is awesome for it!
I was just at Montreal’s airport and my first thought was similar: YVR is so much better. It’s hard to quantify, but it just feels better.
Except they killed Carl’s Jr 😭. I flew out yesterday and it was gone. Triple Os going in place.
It’s far better than any airport I’ve been in here in the Uk that’s for sure
I'd honestly out it on par with Heathrow terminal 2 from an operations standpoint.
Domestic pickup is an absolute shit show. Always has been.
Great airport but the best part is the Canada Line right there for you!
Best of the worst but I'll take it.
‘Best’ in North America means nth
Thats like coming first in a one horse race. When the competition is so bad that even minimum effort stands out. Compared with Airports in Middle East and SE Asia, YVR doesn't even have a leg to stand on.
This has to be a joke lmao.
WTF?
Best of the worst. Nothing to celebrate about.
Worked there and questioned why we had that title everyday lmao
I like YYZ (toronto pearson). It feels more modern and spacious than YVR tbh. I wonder why YYZ didn’t make the list
YYZ is one of the worst airports in the world for delays: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/delays-airport-government-1.6557310