Transferring @ YYC
 

My apologies if this is not the correct place for this question.
If I am transferring in YYC from A to D (AC-WS YYZ-YYC-YVR) do I need to exit and re-enter security?
Thanks,

I'm not sure what you're doing...flying WestJet YYZ-YYC then flying AC YYC-YVR? I can't imagine why you'd do that but...you won't need to leave airside unless you have a bag. You won't be able to get your bag tagged all the way through. If you've checked in for both flights and have boarding passes and no bag. You should be able to just walk from one gate to the other without issue.

Not sure that is true, is it? You can walk between A and B gates without passing through security, but I don't think you can get all the way to D (WS gates usually). Typically the C gates are used for flights to the USA and are locked off from both B and D because you pre-clear customs in YYC.

Edit: map is here: http://www.yyc.com/portals/0/interac...ame=Departures And the secure American departures area encompasses gates 25A to 32.

Not true. A and D are separate concourses in YYC and you'll need to reclear security.

I didn't think you could go from D to A without going outside security since the US customs sterile area in C is in between. Has anyone done this?

PS. Great minds think alike

+1. Need to reclear security.

If you haven't booked yet, then it would make more sense to do the entire trip with one airline. Especially if you have checked baggage. The bags are quite slow to come out at YYC, and rechecking bags can be a pain because of line-ups.

To clarify.
Flying HKG-YYZ-YYC oc AC (flight pass does not allow HKG-YYZ-YVR and I stay away from the HD). Problem is the last flight out of YYC with AC is too late. WS has an 11:00 flight which works.
Of course, I never check bags. If I had to add up all the time checking in bags and waiting for bags for my flights, it would be an extra week flying ever year!

I did this route a few months ago and found myself having to exit and re-enter security. I was rushing then as the incoming flight was late so I am not sure if there is a way to transfer without exiting first.
It seems that the consensus is no.

I you are talking about 11pm it might be possible to get from A to D. I have walked through the US transborder area before including going right past transborder security screening area.

Preclearance closes at about 7pm and by 9pm all gates are designated for domestic or international departures. Flights arriving from the USA and international have all pax go to the upstairs walkway.

In my case it was a late arrival from YYZ, we parked on the far side of C concourse, so about gate 27. most pax continued walking to the bag belts but I took a left and walked past transborder security area and over to gate 31.

The above however comes with a big YMMV caution. Also if you do get turned back by security or the police; then it is the long way for the detour route, expect the detour to take up 5-8 extra minutes at a brisk walking pace.

Finally you will most likely be arriving at the A gates in the 14-19 concourse A hammerhead. AC has been gating the Q400s at 10-14 and the airbus goes to 14-19 at the hammerhead.

Under this scenario its most efficient to exit concourse, stay on departures level, and walk over to concourse D.

Thanks for the detailed information.

Can you do YEG rather than YYC? Might be simpler in this regard.

Really? I've never had to wait very long for bags at YYC. They even have an ETA countdown. Beats the pants off YYZ in my experience...

The last flight YEG - YVR departs at 9:25.

Well there you have it, I was basing my answer off experiences at other airports and what I THOUGHT I knew about YYC, I'm through there a lot but there's big chunks of the airport I've never needed to go to, I thought it would make sense that any domestic gate could be accessed, but turns out I was wrong. Kudos flyertalkers!