Stuck with a long layover at YXE (Saskatoon) next week. Flying AC: YEG-YXE-DEN. Not sure why, but flights are crazy and this was my only one stop option to get back to DEN. There appears to be no Maple Leaf Club. Anything to do to kill time at YXE? Five hour layover, but it gets me to DEN by 5pm, which none of the other options could.

Free wifi in the airport, i hope?

Thanks.

Well, I'm sure Saskatoon can't be too boring!?

Research a new Travel Agent, perhaps?

You are right that there is no MLL at YXE. Post-security there is one small snack counter/bar and micro newsstand. Going outside the secured area, there is a Tim Hortons, a fast food grill and a decent looking small pub/restaurant. And that's about it. I believe they do offer free Wi-Fi.

To give you an idea of how small YXE is, there is no self-serve kiosk for AC. Agent check-in only. And as I'm sure you've figured out, no pre-clearance for US flights, so you'll have to clear customs in DEN.

Absolutely nothing within walking distance of the airport. My suggestion...make sure your I-Pod is fully charged.

I'm not sure about what to do at YXE (I could tell you all about YQR...), but will suggest that you try to get a seat assignment as close to the front of the plane as possible so that you can be further up the immigration line. The last time I went through DEN from YQR in the afternoon we were delayed by 10-15 minutes and that put us in the immigration hall with an LH flight. I hoofed it off the plane and to immigration, and just narrowly missed being at the end of a long long lineup. Other times, we've been ahead of that flight and immigration is a cinch. I think the YXE flight comes in 30 or so minutes later than the YQR flight, so be aware of timing.

Does DEN have Global Entry?

As for YXE. Nothing going on there. For 5 hours you might want to get a cab downtown or the Broadway and walk around.

Or not.

B

Local knowledge here:

Saskatoon isn't boring, the airport sure is! Not designed for layovers etc. There is free WiFi.

Food and drink options at the airport are ghastly and to be avoided.

Cab into the city centre is less than $20 and about 15 mins.

I really wouldn't stay in the airport for that length of time, I'll send you a PM.

YXEG

Are you sure? YQR is similar in size (slightly less traffic, similar destinations) and we have kiosks for both Air Canada and WestJet. If memory serves, we have two AC kiosks. (I always check in from home so I never use them.)

As for what to do, five hours is a fair bit of time. You can be downtown from the airport in about 15-20 minutes. If I recall correctly, Saskatoon now has a city bus that serves the airport.

Regina has a MLL but it's fairly small. Most big city flyers laugh at it but a small lounge is always better than no lounge.

Incidentally your YEG-YXE-DEN route is better than the YQR-YVR-DEN-SAN route I got last month.

No, but I'm told that if you have a CBP GE sticker in your passport, they'll bump you up the line or even let you onto the US citizen side. I've not yet tried it, so don't treat this as reliable.

I think you are bumping up against school March break in Edmonton.

Sometimes, unfortunately, the US citizen line seems just as long as the regular one.

If it is just the YXE flight coming in, then immigration will be a breeze, but sometimes the timing works against a person, alas. Last time through about 10 days ago, I must have passed about 60 + people--they were on the moving walkway and I wasn't so you know I was really moving it (though not quite running!). One tip is to stay to the left on the overpass (it goes over a taxiway/ramp) as the steps down to immigration are on the left for non-US citizens. The moving sidewalk is on the right and people often are confused when they get off there as to where they should go. If time is tight, it is an opportunity to pass people without being rude.

I'd head into Saskatoon to pass the time, likely to Broadway, if I were you, as others suggest.

The post-security snack bar at YXE has beer and wine. Drink there for five hours and document your progress in a FT thread.

In five hours you've got limited options out in that end of town but thankfully you can get a long way away from the airport in five hours. Cabs are unfortunately not the cheapest thing in the world and the bus.... well I have no idea what the bus is like from YXE. But if you want to get away (and trust me, you probably do) then there are a few options.

The first, depends what you're into, but I'd recommend a cab down to 20th to check out the newly-opened Collective Coffee at the Two-Twenty (http://www.facebook.com/TheTwoTwenty), which I haven't yet been back to the city to try but based on the owners it's undoubtedly a good bet. Alternatively there's the perpetually recommended Broadway area (not a very complex drive from the airport) or head down to River Landing, aka "we finally did something with this big chunk of riverbank, but we can't figure out how to finish the job yet". Basically you've got enough time to see at least one thing, possibly two, but it depends what you like. YXE isn't a boring place, per se, but it isn't an obvious one either.

Hi

Given that you get to Denver by 5PM I am presuming you are there mid morning to mid afternoon. If it's a hearty breakfast you need, take a cab to the Park Cafe on 20th St. Fantastic home made sausages etc. You could then head down to the previous poster's recommendation and go the the 220 Coffee Collective..oustanding espresso from people who are passionate about making great coffee. 20th St is a little "rough n ready" but you'll be fine and those 2 places are well worth visiting. The neighbourhood is on the up.

If it's lunch you are after, I would either head Downtown to Souleio on 3rd Ave (excellent deli, interesting lunches) or go over the bridge to Broadway and go to Christie's Il Secondo (802C Broadway) and enjoy some of their fantastic wood-fired pizza (Tues-Sat from 11.30). They also pour a very good shot of espresso.

If you don't mind drinking during the day, and love interesting beer, you could also go downtown to the Senator Hotel and visit Winston's Bar for lunch..good pub food and a fantastic menu of hundreds of bottled beers from around the world and a good list of beers on tap.

Hope this helps. Enjoy your visit

YXEG

Wow five hours in YXE...Lived there from 2007 to 2010, great airport to fly out of, but not for layovers....no MLL, no nothing really, small Tim's in teh centre and a nice clean and open airport with free wifi but really fve hours....you will go nuts unless you sit at the open eating area, plug in your computer into the one wall outlet on the side with a table and facebook for five hours. Take a cab to market mall and you can walk it or downtown along the river.

Your in Saskactwans largest city 240,000 people, clean and friendly city, enjoy the core as the airport will certainly bored you to dealth and you will b ina CRJ 200 to Denver and that two and half hour flight will also bore the crap out of you.

Hmmm... I'm in YXE right now and after St. Paddy's day festivities, there's not a helluva lot going on, even in downtown! You can check out www.planetsmag.com for various goings-on but as a layover city I would avoid it in winter. In summer there's TONS of stuff to do but in winter here's what there is... pubs, outdoor skating, lounges, live theatre, movies, walking up and down the street/river, private "sex-ed" show. Seriously, in winter, there's only a few outdoor things going on - there's a reason why we have a lotta hockey stars from saskatchewan!

Don't get me wrong though, I love YXE but the "daylife" and "nightlife" is mediocre in winter - for a layover destination at least.