Timing - Vancouver Airport for early flight to U.S.

We originally selected a post-10:00am flight out of Vancouver, but United Airlines pulled a fast one on us and changed the flight schedule.

Our new flight to the U.S. departs YVR at 8:50am on a Thursday. We are staying downtown at the Marriott Pinnacle.

What time should we leave the hotel by cab in order to arrive at the airport in plenty of time to deal with security and Customs and grab a cup of coffee before our flight? How is the traffic from downtown to the airport on weekday mornings?

I'm not familiar with YVR, but I've had horrendous experiences getting through security and Customs in both Toronto and Montreal.

Any advice would be appreciated.

You need two hours at the airport, it's about a 45 minute drive from downtown to the airport so base your hotel departure on that.

If you are easily-stressed travelers in theory YVR recommends you be there 3 hours before your flight for US-bound planes, but I agree with CYYC - leave your hotel at ~7am if you're cabbing it.

You'll be traveling mostly against the traffic, but since we have no highways inside Vancouver it's still surface streets, traffic lights, stop & go traffic regardless of direction - if you hit a bunch of green lights you might arrive in 30mins from the Marriott, but more likely 35mins.

The timing is good to avoid the surge of cruisers though - nobody is going to be fighting with you for a cab at 7am or for the security queue as even the earliest folks off a ship are 7-7:15am and they still need to get through customs/immigration at the pier.

We originally selected a post-10:00am flight out of Vancouver, but United Airlines pulled a fast one on us and changed the flight schedule.

 

Our new flight to the U.S. departs YVR at 8:50am on a Thursday. We are staying downtown at the Marriott Pinnacle.

 

What time should we leave the hotel by cab in order to arrive at the airport in plenty of time to deal with security and Customs and grab a cup of coffee before our flight? How is the traffic from downtown to the airport on weekday mornings?

 

I'm not familiar with YVR, but I've had horrendous experiences getting through security and Customs in both Toronto and Montreal.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

You might want to consider changing hotels. The Fairmont is RIGHT AT the airport. The Pacific Gateway is very close and has a shuttle service beginning at around 4:00 am. Many other Richmond area hotels also have shuttle service.

...VTX-Al

If you are easily-stressed travelers in theory YVR recommends you be there 3 hours before your flight for US-bound planes, but I agree with CYYC - leave your hotel at ~7am if you're cabbing it.

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They should be at the airport at 6:50 so leaving the hotel at 7:00 doesn't exactly work. I would get a cab at 6:00 am

They should be at the airport at 6:50 so leaving the hotel at 7:00 doesn't exactly work. I would get a cab at 6:00 am

Thanks for the correction. I misread their flight time as 9:50am... I'll clean my monitor and hope that's the problem and not that my eyes are failing!

As to changing hotels, while being right next to the airport will gain you perhaps 30mins extra sleep on the day of your flight, it will also waste more time getting out there in the evening than it will taking a cab early in the morning next day. And unless you also want to pay for storage of luggage for the day, you'll have to spend even more time and money going out to drop bags and check in then coming back downtown. Plus shuttle waiting time if you are in any 'airport' hotel that is not the Fairmont. The only reason to stay near YVR is to save money, not time.

Thanks for the correction. I misread their flight time as 9:50am... I'll clean my monitor and hope that's the problem and not that my eyes are failing!

 

As to changing hotels, while being right next to the airport will gain you perhaps 30mins extra sleep on the day of your flight, it will also waste more time getting out there in the evening than it will taking a cab early in the morning next day. And unless you also want to pay for storage of luggage for the day, you'll have to spend even more time and money going out to drop bags and check in then coming back downtown. Plus shuttle waiting time if you are in any 'airport' hotel that is not the Fairmont. The only reason to stay near YVR is to save money, not time.

I agree. We get off our ship on Wednesday morning and want to make the most of our short time in Vancouver. It makes sense for us to drop our bags at our downtown hotel then have the maximum amount of time to see the sights that day and evening. Our room at the Marriott is free (Rewards points), so cost is not an issue.

The early start the next morning is a bummer, but it sounds like a 6:00am departure is the safe bet. Maybe United will give us a break and change our flight time back to 10:15am. But I doubt it!

Thanks everyone for the advice.

A couple of things about that early in the morning, unless things have changed recently CBP doesn't begin clearing passengers until 0600, you will be going against traffic such as it is at that time of the morning and other than the little Silver Shadow which arrives at Canada Place every other Thursday there are no ships in port on Thursday during the main part of the cruise season....so there is no need to stress.

Our new flight to the U.S. departs YVR at 8:50am on a Thursday. We are staying downtown at the Marriott Pinnacle.

 

What time should we leave the hotel by cab in order to arrive at the airport in plenty of time to deal with security and Customs and grab a cup of coffee before our flight? How is the traffic from downtown to the airport on weekday mornings?

 

I'm not familiar with YVR, but I've had horrendous experiences getting through security and Customs in both Toronto and Montreal.

• 5:15am order cab for hotel pickup
  
• 5:30am get into cab for the 30 minute trip to the airport. Traffic on airport bridges does not get busy until 8am on weekdays and it's the afternoon rush that it gets really heavy.
  
• 6am at yvr for the 3 hour contingency. If you have problems with security... blame the homeland guards.... you are going through US customs... not Canada once you walk past the metal detectors.
  
• 7am order your coffee post security. Last chance for sushi or dim sum, then again.... not sure it's offered before 9am.
  
• 8:50am wheels up
  

Next month I have an 06:50 flight from YVR to the US. If CBP doesn't open until 06:00 is there any reason for me to arrive at the airport before 05:30? That is only 80 minutes before the flight which seems close, however if all I will be doing is standing in a queue it may be fine.

Next month I have an 06:50 flight from YVR to the US. If CBP doesn't open until 06:00 is there any reason for me to arrive at the airport before 05:30? That is only 80 minutes before the flight which seems close, however if all I will be doing is standing in a queue it may be fine.

Sorry, I have just rechecked and found that CBP now opens at 0430 and operates until 2030. From a practical point of view you will be fine with your time at that hour of the morning but if you want to be 110% safe and visit Starbucks or Tim Horton's in the departure lounge then arrive at 0500.