Over recent years, we’ve introduced protocols and cutting-edge technology, reshaping operations to be more resilient and efficient—all while elevating the traveller experience.

Let’s dive into how YVR is prepared to keep people and cargo moving this winter.

Training, planning, and equipment

To do our best to deliver seamless and efficient operations during winter, YVR is equipped with advanced systems, well-trained teams and a fleet of snow and ice removal equipment.

• Real-time weather monitoring: YVR has 24/7 access to meteorologists. Advanced weather monitoring equipment allows for proactive responses to changing conditions such as air temperature, wind speed, and snowfall, among other impacts, ensuring the highest safety standards.
• Trained crews: Ongoing training and simulations ensure maintenance teams are ready to handle diverse winter challenges with precision.
• Around-the-clock maintenance: Extra maintenance staff and dedicated bridge and apron crews are on standby to tackle winter conditions.
• Efficient gate protocols: Protocols are in place to ensure arriving aircraft can deplane passengers within 30 minutes of taxiing, maintaining smooth terminal operations.
• Snow and ice control: During a snowstorm, YVR can deploy more than 140 vehicles to remove ice and snow from the airfield. This impressive fleet includes powerful snow blowers and specialized equipment capable of clearing up to 40,000 tons of snow per hour, ensuring the airport remains operational even in severe weather. Some of the specialized equipment is part of YVR’s own fleet, while additional resources, such as snow blowers, plows, and de-icing vehicles, are provided by Aeromag and other key contractors, all working in coordination as part of the airport's winter operations. Learn more about YVR’s snow removal equipment here.
• De-icing power: YVR’s fleet of 28 de-icing trucks can clear a narrowbody plane in as little as four minutes and a widebody plane in eight minutes, excluding time for the aircraft to get in and out of the de-icing bay. This ensures timely departures even in challenging winter weather, helping keep flights on schedule.

New and enhanced infrastructure

YVR continues to elevate operations with advanced technology and other upgrades to deliver reliable airport operations. These include:

• Baggage system upgrades: Our new High-Level Control (HLC) baggage system will help ensure faster and more reliable baggage delivery.
• Faster security screening: In partnership with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), new Computed Tomography (CT) X-ray equipment, similar to the equipment recently installed at Domestic Checkpoint ABC North will also be available at the Domestic ABC South screening point. As one of a handful of Canadian airports offering this technology, this new equipment allows all passengers travelling domestically to save time by leaving large electronics, such as laptops, and liquids in their bags for a faster security screening experience.
• Efficient de-icing: Select aircraft with early morning departures will be de-iced at the gate under a new trial, which is expected to reduce taxi time.
• Biometrics technology:  Passengers also have more opportunities to use biometric identity verification tools versus having to show boarding passes and physical identification through Air Canada’s Digital ID program and newly installed e-gates for those travelling to the U.S. via U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Traveller Verification Service (TVS) facial comparison technology. YVR has recently installed the first five e-gates in our U.S. Departures pier in collaboration with Air Canada, Transport Canada, and CBP. Available at select gates, the TVS will allow Air Canada passengers flying to the U.S. to have the option of using facial comparison to verify their identity at the gate instead of showing their passport and boarding pass.
   

Passenger preparation

YVR has a variety of programs, services, and tools to make passengers’ journeys smoother during the peak winter travel season:

• Travel checklist: Discover tips to prepare for your travel this winter season.
• Curbside greeting program: This service provides a warm welcome and personalized assistance for all departing passengers, including those requiring additional accessibility support, to ensure a seamless airport experience.
• Parking: Passengers can pre-book parking at YVR for the lowest rates. For a limited time, get 10 per cent off jetSet valet parking when you pre-book with promo code WINTER (valid for stays commencing from December 15 to January 4). For those picking up or dropping off loved ones from the airport, the first 30 minutes of parking in YVR’s parkade is complimentary.
• Travel technology integration: Passengers travelling to the U.S. can submit passport and customs information in advance of their trip through the Mobile Passport Control app, expediting the customs inspection process. For International arrivals, the ArriveCAN app supports advance customs submissions, enabling faster processing through our Advance CBSA Declaration (ACD) Express Lanes.
• Passenger Journey tool: YVR’s Passenger Journey tool is a step-by-step navigation guide, offering detailed instructions based on flight information. Travellers can access it by finding their departing flight information on the departures section of our website and clicking “View Your Journey”.
• Operational dashboard: YVR’s operational snapshot provides near real-time information about peak travel days, passenger volumes, popular destinations, weather conditions and more, helping passengers plan their trips efficiently.

With more than 3 million passengers travelling through YVR over the peak winter travel season, from December 1 through January 12, YVR’s convenient parking options, new technology solutions, and operational enhancements will help passengers travel seamlessly.

Snow events significantly affect YVR's operations. As part of an integrated snow response program, a large part of the airport’s focus is on maintaining clear runways, taxiways, and aprons in the event of a snow event. With our runways covering an area equivalent to 20–24 CFL football fields, maintaining operations during snowstorms requires a well-coordinated effort.

• YVR’s snow response fleet can clear an entire runway in under 20 minutes.

• YVR’s runway and taxiway snow removal fleet includes the following specialized equipment:

  • Six multi-hogs that are equipped with a broom, plough and chemical applicator to clear apron markings and roadways.

  • Two Overaasen and Five OshKosh snow blowers, which have a combined capacity to blow 40,000 tons of snow every hour as far as 150 feet off the airport’s runways and taxiways.

  • Five OshKosh P-Series/MB 4600 ‘all-in-one’ trucks, each capable of ploughing and sweeping a 22-foot-wide path on the airport’s runways and taxiways.

  • Three OshKosh H-Series sweeper with 22-foot-wide high-speed brooms.

  • Two OshKosh P-Series trucks, each equipped with a 24-foot high-speed snow plough.

  • Three trucks that spread solid and liquid de-icing solutions to manage YVR’s runways and taxiways in sub-zero temperatures.

  • Three Boschung jetbroom combination units that plough, broom and spread de-icing solutions.

  • Four Overaasen RSC250s that plough, sweep, air blast, and apply de-icing solutions.
     

• On our aprons, YVR uses three high-tech snow-melting machines (also known as hot tubs) that are each equal in size to a semi-trailer and capable of melting the equivalent of 20 truckloads of snow every hour.

  • Two new Salt Doggs and three new Multihogs have been added to our fleet, increasing efficiency in salt distribution and snow and ice removal from aprons.
     

• Aircraft de-icing services are provided to YVR by Aero MAG, which services all aircraft with its fleet of:

  • 28 de-icing trucks, including six hybrid vehicles

  • 6 Vestergaard eBetas

  • 4 Vestergaard Beta NGs

  • 2 Vestergaard Beta 15s

  • 9 Vestergaard Betas

  • 3 Vestergaard MYs

  • 4 JBT Tempests

• 10 communal de-icing bays to de-ice aircraft.

• Aircraft with early morning departures will be de-iced at the gate ahead of time under a new pilot program expected to reduce taxi time.

• It takes an average of eight minutes to de-ice a widebody plane and four minutes to de-ice a narrowbody plane. This does not include time for the aircraft to get in and out of the de-icing bay.

This means on average, YVR will welcome almost 70,000 passengers daily over this period. The busiest travel days are projected for the back half of December, with more than 76,800 passengers expected on Thursday, December 18 followed closely by December 22 and December 29, as passenger traffic surges a few days before both Christmas and New Year’s.

Peak holiday passenger traffic will flow even more smoothly this year thanks to new YVR innovation investments for both passengers and their luggage at security screening and boarding gates:
 

• Computed Tomography (CT) X-ray equipment at more Domestic checkpoints allows passengers travelling domestically to save time by leaving large electronics, such as laptops, and liquids in their bags for a faster security screening experience.
   

• Passengers also have more opportunities to use biometric identity verification tools versus having to show boarding passes and physical identification through Air Canada’s Digital ID program and newly installed e-gates for those travelling to the U.S. via U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Traveller Verification Service (TVS) facial comparison technology.
   

Expectations for winter passengers at YVR by the numbers:

• 69,842 average daily passengers

• 76,887 passengers at YVR’s peak on December 18

• 147,204 passengers travelling the weekend before Christmas (December 20-21)

• 145,618 passengers travelling the weekend before New Years (December 27-28)

• 902,826 Domestic travellers arriving at YVR

• 458,885 International travellers arriving at YVR

• 884,949 Domestic travellers departing from YVR

• 449,799 International travellers departing from YVR

With millions expected to arrive and depart from YVR this winter, where are they planning to go? YVR data shows that many are bound for Canada this season, representing the top five destinations.

Top destinations for passengers from YVR this winter:

1. Toronto

2. Calgary

3. Edmonton

4. Kelowna

5. Montreal

6. Hong Kong

7. San Francisco

8. Victoria

9. Los Angeles

10. Seattle 

For passengers travelling this season, a step-by-step guide for a smooth trip can be found on 10 Tips from YVR for a Seamless Winter Travel Journey page.

YVR looks forward to welcoming passengers this winter!