🛫 Pier C — Domestic (Canadian Carriers)

Airlines: Air Canada (dominant), WestJet, Porter Airlines, Flair, Lynx Air. All Canadian domestic departures.

Lounges: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (Domestic, between gates C29–C30), Plaza Premium Lounge (near gate C29), Air Canada Café (gate C50, opened recently for grab-and-go).

🌎 Pier E — US Transborder (Preclearance)

Airlines: Air Canada to US, Delta, United, Alaska, American — all carriers serving US destinations.

Critical: US Customs and Border Protection runs Preclearance here. You clear US immigration at YVR before boarding — when you land in the US, you walk off as a domestic arrival. Add 1 hour to your buffer; the queue at peak hours can be 45+ minutes.

🌐 Pier D — International (Long-Haul)

Airlines: Air Canada long-haul (to Asia, Europe, Latin America), Cathay Pacific, ANA, Korean Air, Lufthansa, KLM, BA, Qantas, Air China, EVA Air.

Lounges: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (International, near gate D52), Plaza Premium Lounge International, and the new Plaza Premium First (opened December 2024 — premium tier with à la carte dining).

Canadian eTA — $7 CAD for VWP Foreign Visitors

UK, EU, Australia, Japan, Korea and other VWP nationals need an eTA at $7 CAD, valid 5 years. Apply at the official canada.ca/eta portal. Beware look-alike sites charging $50+. Apply 72 hours pre-travel; same-day approval usually works.

US Preclearance at Pier E

CBP staffs Pier E. Clear US immigration BEFORE boarding — when you land in SEA, LAX, JFK, you walk off as a domestic arrival, no further customs. Bring all required US entry documents (passport, ESTA if applicable, customs declaration). Allow 45–60 min at peak.

NEXUS — The Border-Skipping Card

NEXUS membership ($50 USD for 5 years, joint US/Canadian) gives access to dedicated lanes at Canadian customs, US Preclearance, and CATSA security. Cuts queue time from 45+ minutes to 5. Apply at trustedtraveler.gov 6+ months ahead.

⭐ Canada Line SkyTrain — $9.55 to Waterfront

TransLink’s Canada Line SkyTrain terminates at YVR-Airport Station, accessed via a Level 4 bridgeway from the main terminal. Trains every 7–10 minutes peak, ride ~25 minutes to Waterfront Station (downtown core). $4.55 base fare + $5.00 YVR AddFare = $9.55 single.

📱 Lyft, Uber & the Pickup Reality

Both apps work with dedicated pickup zones at the kerb outside arrivals. Surge spikes during the 16:00–20:00 evening departure wave. Off-peak prices are competitive. Both Lyft and Uber operate Vancouver under TransLink-licensed contracts.

🚖 Taxi — Metered + Airport Fee

Licensed taxis at the kerb outside arrivals. Metered fares + $7 airport fee added. Most rides to downtown are $35–45 metered + fee. Tip 15% on metered fare; cards accepted in all licensed cabs.

✨ Plaza Premium First (Pier D International, Dec 2024)

Vancouver is arguably North America’s sushi capital outside Tokyo. Tap & Barrel at the Pier C departures level serves a credible Pacific NW sushi roll set, $18–25. Globe@YVR at Pier D international does upscale Pacific Salmon dishes. Skip the airport McDonald’s and Burger King — Vancouver food is a feature, not an afterthought.

If you’re lounge-eligible: the Maple Leaf Lounges and Plaza Premium First all serve fresh Pacific Northwest salmon — sashimi, smoked, baked. Vancouver salmon is genuinely better than the Atlantic farmed variety. The Plaza Premium First chef program rotates seasonal Coastal-BC ingredients.

Take-home picks: Vacuum-packed BC smoked salmon (cleared customs in vacuum-sealed packs), Canadian maple syrup in Grade A Amber (Quebec is the producer; Vancouver is just the gift hub), First Nations Coast Salish art at the airport boutiques (carved cedar, prints — but verify authenticity certification, the airport stocks reputable artists), and Vancouver Mountains coffee (Pacific NW espresso). Avoid airport-priced jewellery — Granville Island and Robson Street downtown are 30–40% cheaper.

November–March bring atmospheric river events — concentrated bands of Pacific moisture that dump weeks of rain in 48 hours. YVR rarely closes, but ground transport into the airport from Surrey, Burnaby, North Shore can stall for hours during peak events. For winter departures, monitor the storm tracker 24+ hours ahead. The Canada Line is rain-immune.

Vancouver tap water is among the cleanest in North America — sourced from the Capilano, Coquitlam, and Seymour watersheds in the Coast Mountains, treated to high municipal standards. Free refill stations widespread airside. Bottled water at HMSHost runs $4 CAD for 500 ml; refill, don’t buy.

Telus, Rogers, and Bell all sell tourist SIMs at the arrivals kiosks. ~$50 CAD for a 30-day plan with 10 GB. EU roaming via your home plan does NOT cover Canada — your EU phone’s Roam Like At Home does not apply outside the EU/EEA. Buy local SIM or eSIM (Airalo / Holafly).

British Columbia adds 5% GST + 7% PST = 12% combined sales tax on most goods. This gets added at checkout, not included in price tags. Tip 18–22% on restaurant subtotals; auto-added 18% for parties of 6+. Lyft/Uber tips optional but in-app.

Vancouver consistently ranks among the world’s safer big cities for solo female travellers. The Canada Line is CCTV-monitored and well-lit; the airport has dedicated assistance points. For arrivals after 01:00 when Canada Line stops, prefer Lyft/Uber. Hotels offer 24-hour reception.

Cannabis is legal for adults 19+ in BC, but you cannot fly with cannabis across the Canadian border (in either direction) — federal law prohibits cross-border cannabis transport even between Canadian provinces by international flight. Domestic flights within Canada allow up to 30g. Don’t bring cannabis to the US Preclearance area at Pier E; it’s a federal US offense.