YVR minimum connecting time
 

Question about YVR connection procedure, as my prior flight is from BOS via SFO to YVR (UA, Y), landed at 1 pm and then YVR via HND to SYD (ANA, J), depart at 4:15 pm.
Will 3 hours 15 mins layover enough to transit at YVR (not a US or CA citizen)? Do I need to collect my checked bag at YVR? or maybe the checked luggage can straight forward to the final destination, SYD (Separate tickets)?

Thx!
Kyle

This is more than plenty enough time assuming your documentation is all in order. Anything more than 90 minutes in YVR is well into the safe zone for a US to international or domestic connection.

I don't check bags, so I can't help you with that one.

You can ask UA to check it thru to final destination. Whether or not they will given it's interlining on ANA I am unsure, you could post that question on the UA board (I believe reposting just that bit is allowed) but it may very well depend upon the quality of the agent you find.

And you would want to (re)checkin at the airport (BOS that is). A bag drop line from kiosk ticket is not going to work here. Hopefully BOS beats SFO UA here where they seemed completely devoid of humans.

If you are able to check your bags through and have your BP pre-printed (at home or on mobile), there is a special transfer area when you arrive at YVR that allows you to clear Canadian immigration and customs very quickly (usually no wait to see an officer) and avoid the main queue. It's located on the level you arrive from, follow the signs and don't go down the escalators. Because you're coming from the US, you'd also skip re-clearing security. From the door of your UA flight to the gate of your NH flight, it could be done in as little as 15 minutes if you rushed.

If you cannot get your bags checked through or your BP issued, you need to clear the regular queue (up to 30 minutes during peak), collect your bag, exit the secure area and go upstairs, check in with your airline, then go through security. Flying J, one hour is enough from arrival on UA to getting to your NH gate.

In my experience a US carrier is unlikely to interline your bag with another carrier if you are on different tickets.

In any event, you have 2 hours to spare even at the worst of times.

Thanks guys!