sinalet

If she doesn't have a printed boarding pass, she'll have to clear Canadian
Customs at YVR then proceed to the UA check-in desks. There are no transfer desks before the US connections area and she won't be allowed to clear US Customs (or even take the special escalator from the international arrivals area pre-customs) without a onwards boarding pass.

dochazmat

I've done the airside transfer with checked bags before, but here's a new one I haven't seen covered in this thread: has anyone gone landside with checked bags? Later this month I've got a YYJ-YVR-SFO trip coming up where I'm going to have to check a bag, but I also need to get landside while in Vancouver. The last time I went through this route, I seem to recall seeing the same kinds of terminals they're using airside to identify bags, but I'm curious whether anyone's successfully managed this particular trick.

(The only thing I don't like about the airside transfer at YVR is the lack of a Nexus machine through that route. Otherwise it's wicked fast. After the adventures at YYZ last month, I'm never going to complain about YVR transborder ever again.)

g46r

If it's wicked fast, it doesn't really matter if there's no Nexus, isn't it?

I'm based at SEA and I route all my international flights through YVR. The consistently fast U.S. custom at YVR is one of the important reasons. I've never been through any other U.S. custom that is nearly as fast as YVR on a consistent basis - it's truly wicked fast. Just this past Sunday I stepped off the LHR-YVR flight at 12:30, spent less than 5 minutes through the preclearance (including the security), and caught the 1:05 flight to Seattle!

RHP-997

What about the other way? I am going LAX-YVR-AKL coming in on United Express and transiting to NZ. I have 1:50, will that allow me enough time?

g46r

Yep. That's plenty of time. Follow the "international connections" sign. You do have a passport that can transit Canada without visa right?

RHP-997

I have a US passport. I don't think I need a visa to transit but I could be wrong.

InTheShed

You don't need a visa to transit in or enter Canada.

GoAmtrak

Any recent experiences transiting YVR US->Canada during the Saturday nighttime bank? We'll be going LAX-YVR-YYZ, with a 1'20" connection. That's way tighter than I'd like, but unfortunately there's no earlier flight out of LAX available. My +1 (a US citizen) does not have NEXUS, while I do.

The only saving graces may be the day, the time of day, and the fact that we'll have no checked bags. I see the "Connecting through YVR" page also lists an "option 2" for flights arriving after 9pm. Is there any advantage to taking that path instead of the usual Canada Connections route? Or does that mean that the Connections route is entirely closed late at night and that we'll be stuck with the main domestic security? Is there at least a *G/J priority security line?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

worldtraveller73

You should not have any difficulties. I believe this could be do-able in as little as 30 minutes if you were really delayed.

Your biggest hang up will be CBSA (immigration). Unless you have Nexus, you will have to line up with all those getting off your plane to get admitted into Canad. This will likely be the longest line.

Assuming you are connecting onto AC, if the elevator is available to you (option 1) then it is slightly quicker. It just leads you to a semi secure hallway where you can get re-security screened without new passengers coming into the line.

Of course, on Saturday night, there is not a lot of activity at YVR. I wouldn't anticipate any lines at security screening, even if you pass to the public side.

Shareholder

Any problems will come from your +1 as they're using a US passport. YVR has NEXUS as well as the passport scan devices to speed Canadians through. But Saturday night is not peak travel time and any Asian or European flights will have arrived hours before.

GoAmtrak

Thanks, appreciate the responses.

Yeah, I figure any competition might be from a handful of other transborder flights. At least we'll be in J and can easily scurry ahead of everyone else from our flight.

YYCYYZ

My last three Canada-->US transfers at YVR have been disasters, so I surprised to read this thread where people were complimentary on how fast the Canada/US transfers were. Granted you don't need to pick up your bag, but I never check bags so really this doesn't help.

The lack of a Nexus machine and apparent use of only one security lane make me want to leave the secured area, go out to the main area and in through the regular check-in area where I'd be able to use the Nexus line for security and customs.

Is anyone else finding this to be an issue? On my last YYC-YVR-SFO jaunt, I was 35 minutes from walking into the secured area to clearing customs. I have Nexus and yet I still had to undergo a grilling from the grumpy US customs officer. Is there any plan to include a Nexus lane/machine here in the future?

A previous trip with my family (so admittedly I wouldn't have used Nexus) we were well over an hour to clear security and customs (the line was back to the desk in the international wing).

And the flight before that was still in the 40 minute mark just for security/customs.

I'd be very hesitant to book a connection any tighter than 1.5 hours based on these experiences.

superangrypenguin

Hello!

I'm going from YYZ to YVR to SEA. May grab a day room at the Fairmont.

If I check a bag, do I have to pick it up in YVR as I want to go to the hotel, or will it meet me in SEA if my BP shows SEA?

I know with the new YVR transit rules, if I didn't want to stay at the hotel, I could transit straight through, but thought i'd ask since this isn't a typical request!

canadiancow

If you don't check a bag, do exactly as you described.

FlyerGoldII

Why can one only without a checked bag transfer from a incoming Canadian flight to a departing US bound flight through the pure landside to airside preclearance/security rather than the semi-airside to airside preclearance and security? I am contemplating next time doing so with a checked bag - leave the secure area and then re-entering it (perhaps through fast track - one can easily get the fast track stickers at the domestic YVR MLL).