Oct 3, 2021, 9:32 am
Last edit by: Adam Smith
Background
Before COVID, flights were distributed as follows:
During the early days of COVID, the airport made the decision to consolidate operations in the eastern/southern area of the airport. The A pier was closed. WestJet flights were moved to the B pier and C pier. The segregated international area in D was eliminated.
There are many references below to piers and gate numbers. Please note that most YYC gate maps that you will find online are out of date. Many of the prominent Google results still reflect the numbering system from before the new international pier was built, and YYC’s own interactive map has not been updated to reflect any of the COVID-related changes discussed in this thread, because the airport authority is useless and incompetent. For those not familiar with the airport, this is the most useful map the original author of this wiki has found.
Current Situation - Gate Allocation
Although operations are getting back towards normal, the airport authority appears to be sticking with some of its moronic decisions taken during COVID.
The A gates are in somewhat limited use, with most domestic flights going from the B, C, and D piers. Domestic flights can now depart from anywhere between A11 and D97. There appears to be little in the way of logic as to where each airline is operating at any time.
International flights still depart exclusively from D gates.
Transborder flights continue to depart exclusively from the E gates. However, gates 84 and higher are no longer used exclusively for transborder flights. Those gates may be used for domestic, international, or US flights.
Construction is under way on the ramp between the B and C piers, limiting use of certain gates.
Gate Allocation & Layout - Impact on Passengers
YYC is an extremely poorly designed airport, especially the new international wing that was opened several years ago, and is not a great airport to fly through at the best of times. However, many design flaws are compounded by the current situation.
The current dispersal of flights around the airport frequently requires long walks. Approximate distances from the C security checkpoint to:
There are moving walkways that cover part of the distance from the base of the C pier to the bases of the B and D piers, and from the base of the B pier to the base of the A pier, but a fair amount of walking is still required as the walkways only cover a portion of the distance, and there are no moving walkways within the piers themselves.
There are several elevation changes that may be unpleasant for those with mobility issues, including an uphill ramp moving from the C pier to the D pier (just before gate 70), and a long uphill ramp (about 2 stories of vertical movement) moving from the area around gates 80-83 to 84+ (obviously these ramps are downhill in the opposing directions). Many of the ramps around YYC lack customary handrails and flat rest areas as the airport was/is exempt from building codes.
LINK Shuttle
Unlike most major airports that have some sort of train system to shuttle passengers around the airport, YYC relies on oversized golf carts, which the airport authority refers to as the LINK shuttle (some in the AC forum derogatorily refer to these as "meep meeps" since they look like something out of a cartoon).
Also note that the shuttle only runs to the start of the D pier, before gate 70. Therefore up to ~500m of walking could be required to reach one's gate.
Current Situation - Check-In
AC and WS domestic check-in are at their usual locations at C and A respectively.
Flair and Air North are at door 8 (next to AC, between B and C).
Flights to the US (all airlines) - check-in desks in usual locations at E.
International flights are at the D area, including AC and WS
Current Situation - Security
Hours for checkpoints can be found here.
Priority security:
At YYC, only the Verified Traveller lane at the C checkpoint offers expedited screening. The other VT lanes simply get one to the front of the line quicker.
Those looking to avoid body scanners may wish to use the B checkpoint, where there are none.
Connections
As a result of the issues described above, connecting through YYC can be a nightmare at the moment. Some domestic connections require moving from a gate at the end of the A pier to the east end of the D pier, e.g. A20 to D95, which involves around 1.5 km of distance. Many connections will require lengthy walks. Please plan accordingly.
Sterile transit (i.e. International to International, or ITI, connections without clearing Canadian immigration/customs) is not available, since there is no longer a segregated international departures area. It is unknown when, if ever, this will return. All connections therefore require entering Canada.
ITD OSS, a.k.a. One-Stop Security, which allows passengers to connect from an international flight to a domestic one without re-clearing security, is available. Passengers must be travelling on a single ticket and should be eligible if they are coming from the US or Europe. From Mexico or the Caribbean, it’s less clear. Note that OSS requires both an eligible origin and eligible airline combination - WS to WS and AC to AC are fine. KL to WS is eligible. But KL to AC, for instance, is not eligible.
Connecting to the US always requires re-clearing security at the E gates, regardless of where you're coming from. US security is located before the CBP area.
When Will Things Get Better?
Probably never, given the incompetence of the airport authority.
Despite the A gates in use, there doesn't actually appear to be any immediate desire to eliminate the use of the D gates for domestic flights. On November 1, 2021, the useless airport authority actually published a video highlighting the use of the D gates for domestic flights, and modifications to the international terminal to create a specific exit pathway for domestic passengers back to the A, B, C gates, among other changes.
Lounges
The following lounges exist at YYC. You should consult your airline for further details on access, but a rough summary follows:
Customers connecting from a domestic flight to a transborder one are physically able to access one of the domestic/international lounges, but beware that getting to your flight requires re-clearing security and going through US customs. TB passengers originating at YYC may be able to access the domestic/international area before their flight, but are at the whim of CATSA. Before COVID, this was generally not a problem, but since COVID, CATSA may have adopted a different policy. YMMV.
Before COVID, flights were distributed as follows:
- A: WestJet domestic flights
- B: shared between WestJet, Air Canada, and others, domestic flights
- C: Air Canada domestic flights
- D: international flights (excluding US)
- E: transborder (“TB”, i.e. to the US) flights
During the early days of COVID, the airport made the decision to consolidate operations in the eastern/southern area of the airport. The A pier was closed. WestJet flights were moved to the B pier and C pier. The segregated international area in D was eliminated.
There are many references below to piers and gate numbers. Please note that most YYC gate maps that you will find online are out of date. Many of the prominent Google results still reflect the numbering system from before the new international pier was built, and YYC’s own interactive map has not been updated to reflect any of the COVID-related changes discussed in this thread, because the airport authority is useless and incompetent. For those not familiar with the airport, this is the most useful map the original author of this wiki has found.
Current Situation - Gate Allocation
Although operations are getting back towards normal, the airport authority appears to be sticking with some of its moronic decisions taken during COVID.
The A gates are in somewhat limited use, with most domestic flights going from the B, C, and D piers. Domestic flights can now depart from anywhere between A11 and D97. There appears to be little in the way of logic as to where each airline is operating at any time.
International flights still depart exclusively from D gates.
Transborder flights continue to depart exclusively from the E gates. However, gates 84 and higher are no longer used exclusively for transborder flights. Those gates may be used for domestic, international, or US flights.
Construction is under way on the ramp between the B and C piers, limiting use of certain gates.
Gate Allocation & Layout - Impact on Passengers
YYC is an extremely poorly designed airport, especially the new international wing that was opened several years ago, and is not a great airport to fly through at the best of times. However, many design flaws are compounded by the current situation.
The current dispersal of flights around the airport frequently requires long walks. Approximate distances from the C security checkpoint to:
- D70 (base of D pier) 300m
- D76 (south end of D pier) 500m
- D80 500m
- D97 (east end of D pier) 800m
- WS lounge (base of B pier) 150m
- B39 (end of B pier) 350m
- A20 (end of A pier) 600m
There are moving walkways that cover part of the distance from the base of the C pier to the bases of the B and D piers, and from the base of the B pier to the base of the A pier, but a fair amount of walking is still required as the walkways only cover a portion of the distance, and there are no moving walkways within the piers themselves.
There are several elevation changes that may be unpleasant for those with mobility issues, including an uphill ramp moving from the C pier to the D pier (just before gate 70), and a long uphill ramp (about 2 stories of vertical movement) moving from the area around gates 80-83 to 84+ (obviously these ramps are downhill in the opposing directions). Many of the ramps around YYC lack customary handrails and flat rest areas as the airport was/is exempt from building codes.
LINK Shuttle
Unlike most major airports that have some sort of train system to shuttle passengers around the airport, YYC relies on oversized golf carts, which the airport authority refers to as the LINK shuttle (some in the AC forum derogatorily refer to these as "meep meeps" since they look like something out of a cartoon).
Also note that the shuttle only runs to the start of the D pier, before gate 70. Therefore up to ~500m of walking could be required to reach one's gate.
Current Situation - Check-In
AC and WS domestic check-in are at their usual locations at C and A respectively.
Flair and Air North are at door 8 (next to AC, between B and C).
Flights to the US (all airlines) - check-in desks in usual locations at E.
International flights are at the D area, including AC and WS
Current Situation - Security
Hours for checkpoints can be found here.
Priority security:
- A checkpoint: ???
- B checkpoint: 1 line for Verified Traveller + families
- C, D, and E checkpoints: 1 line for Verified Traveller, 1 line for families + airline priority (business class, status, etc)
At YYC, only the Verified Traveller lane at the C checkpoint offers expedited screening. The other VT lanes simply get one to the front of the line quicker.
Those looking to avoid body scanners may wish to use the B checkpoint, where there are none.
Connections
As a result of the issues described above, connecting through YYC can be a nightmare at the moment. Some domestic connections require moving from a gate at the end of the A pier to the east end of the D pier, e.g. A20 to D95, which involves around 1.5 km of distance. Many connections will require lengthy walks. Please plan accordingly.
Sterile transit (i.e. International to International, or ITI, connections without clearing Canadian immigration/customs) is not available, since there is no longer a segregated international departures area. It is unknown when, if ever, this will return. All connections therefore require entering Canada.
ITD OSS, a.k.a. One-Stop Security, which allows passengers to connect from an international flight to a domestic one without re-clearing security, is available. Passengers must be travelling on a single ticket and should be eligible if they are coming from the US or Europe. From Mexico or the Caribbean, it’s less clear. Note that OSS requires both an eligible origin and eligible airline combination - WS to WS and AC to AC are fine. KL to WS is eligible. But KL to AC, for instance, is not eligible.
Connecting to the US always requires re-clearing security at the E gates, regardless of where you're coming from. US security is located before the CBP area.
When Will Things Get Better?
Probably never, given the incompetence of the airport authority.
Despite the A gates in use, there doesn't actually appear to be any immediate desire to eliminate the use of the D gates for domestic flights. On November 1, 2021, the useless airport authority actually published a video highlighting the use of the D gates for domestic flights, and modifications to the international terminal to create a specific exit pathway for domestic passengers back to the A, B, C gates, among other changes.
Lounges
The following lounges exist at YYC. You should consult your airline for further details on access, but a rough summary follows:
- Accessible to customers on domestic or international flights:
- Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge: base of C pier
- WestJet Elevation lounge: base of B pier
- Aspire (formerly international) lounge: D gates, entrance near D80
- Accessible to customers on transborder flights ONLY:
- Aspire TB lounge: E gates, do a 180 to the left after coming out of duty-free
Customers connecting from a domestic flight to a transborder one are physically able to access one of the domestic/international lounges, but beware that getting to your flight requires re-clearing security and going through US customs. TB passengers originating at YYC may be able to access the domestic/international area before their flight, but are at the whim of CATSA. Before COVID, this was generally not a problem, but since COVID, CATSA may have adopted a different policy. YMMV.
Flying through YYC (security, connections, customs, etc) Sep 2021 onwards
Mar 23, 2022, 11:21 pm
#46
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,774
Security was an absolute GONG SHOW at just before 11PM Sunday night, which is why I suspect a lot of WestJet's 11PM-midnight bank was so heavily delayed that night. Not sure whether it has been any better in recent evenings, but those flying out in the next few days may want to add some extra time.
Apr 26, 2022, 6:47 pm
#47
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 564
Any recent perspectives on how much time I should plan on to get through US preclearance? ~6a Sat flight in early summer. Do have Global Entry. Been a while since I've done a preclearance flight - does checking vs. carrying on a bag make a difference? Thanks!
Apr 27, 2022, 7:21 am
#48
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: The World
Programs: WS Platinum, Marriott Titanium, DL Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 1,478
Cross-border is getting really busy at YYC … travel out of Calgary is definitely back. Having said that, entering for a flight to the U.S. is still pretty quick and easy — especially if you have GE (and, presumably, NEXUS).
NEXUS at the E gate security line is always up and running, so minimal wait for security. (Unlike Pre, NEXUS only gets you front-of-line access. You’re then mixed in with general travellers, and still need to do shoes/liquids/etc. NEXUS isn’t as fast and efficient as Pre, but still a big advantage.)
US Customs pre clearance is definitely getting a lot busier, but that mostly impacts non-GE people who are waiting in longer lines. As GE, I’ve never had to wait for access to a GE kiosk, and then the longest wait to see the officer at the exit has been a couple of minutes.
The only caution: don’t push it much. There are big waves of passenger volume at US security and CBP — all US departures here seem to leave in two big banks of flights. Your 6am departure will be the first in the early morning bank of flights, but it will get really busy behind you.
The only impact of checking a bag: you’ll have to spend time at airline check-in pre security. Depending on the airline and whether you have status, that might be a long wait. While CBP is working with pretty well at YYC, most airlines are struggling with really long lines and waits.
NEXUS at the E gate security line is always up and running, so minimal wait for security. (Unlike Pre, NEXUS only gets you front-of-line access. You’re then mixed in with general travellers, and still need to do shoes/liquids/etc. NEXUS isn’t as fast and efficient as Pre, but still a big advantage.)
US Customs pre clearance is definitely getting a lot busier, but that mostly impacts non-GE people who are waiting in longer lines. As GE, I’ve never had to wait for access to a GE kiosk, and then the longest wait to see the officer at the exit has been a couple of minutes.
The only caution: don’t push it much. There are big waves of passenger volume at US security and CBP — all US departures here seem to leave in two big banks of flights. Your 6am departure will be the first in the early morning bank of flights, but it will get really busy behind you.
The only impact of checking a bag: you’ll have to spend time at airline check-in pre security. Depending on the airline and whether you have status, that might be a long wait. While CBP is working with pretty well at YYC, most airlines are struggling with really long lines and waits.
Apr 27, 2022, 3:21 pm
#49
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 564
Thanks for the thorough answer, @FlyerJ! Quick follow-up. I rarely make it up to Canada, so don't have NEXUS, and not familiar with the preclearance process there. How are the queues setup? Like is there a NEXUS line, a Global Entry line, and an everyone else line? Or is it just NEXUS and non-NEXUS? In which case, I go through the non-NEXUS line but get to use the GE machines instead of seeing an agent? Thanks again for the help!
Apr 27, 2022, 4:42 pm
#50
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: The World
Programs: WS Platinum, Marriott Titanium, DL Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 1,478
First, airline check-in.
Then, Security. There, there are three lines: general, priority (ie status and business class), and NEXUS. Both NEXUS and priority just go to the front of the line. Everyone merges together there for security screening.
Finally, US CBP preclearance. After you leave security, you head straight into CBP — which effectively has two queues. One for general — a big line, with a bunch of ‘regular’ kiosks — where most people go. The second queue is for Global Entry and NEXUS — which is effectively all the same thing inside US Customs. (I can’t recall if the signage says GE or NEXUS or both … but it doesn’t matter. It’s all the same thing at a Canadian preclearance site)
Tell the person sorting/directing people who is standing at the entrance to Customs that you have GE, and then keep walking to the far right side of the customs hall. There are probably a dozen GE machines along that wall. Rarely a wait to get to a GE kiosk. You’ll probably just walk straight to a machine.
As soon as you have your receipt, walk to the short GE line (right after the kiosks) to see an officer. (There’s an occasional wait there, mostly because flight crew will merge in at that point.). CBP does a great job at keeping GE members moving through quickly, so you’re unlikely to have much of a wait.
Then, Security. There, there are three lines: general, priority (ie status and business class), and NEXUS. Both NEXUS and priority just go to the front of the line. Everyone merges together there for security screening.
Finally, US CBP preclearance. After you leave security, you head straight into CBP — which effectively has two queues. One for general — a big line, with a bunch of ‘regular’ kiosks — where most people go. The second queue is for Global Entry and NEXUS — which is effectively all the same thing inside US Customs. (I can’t recall if the signage says GE or NEXUS or both … but it doesn’t matter. It’s all the same thing at a Canadian preclearance site)
Tell the person sorting/directing people who is standing at the entrance to Customs that you have GE, and then keep walking to the far right side of the customs hall. There are probably a dozen GE machines along that wall. Rarely a wait to get to a GE kiosk. You’ll probably just walk straight to a machine.
As soon as you have your receipt, walk to the short GE line (right after the kiosks) to see an officer. (There’s an occasional wait there, mostly because flight crew will merge in at that point.). CBP does a great job at keeping GE members moving through quickly, so you’re unlikely to have much of a wait.
Apr 28, 2022, 10:45 am
#52
Join Date: May 2017
Location: YEG, SFO, VCA, JR JY-13
Programs: hahaha
Posts: 921
AC 529 departed from E84 a couple of weeks ago and today it looks like to be flying from E89. Looks like the end of the pier is seeing some use!
I definitely underestimated the walk (run, actually, toward the end) to E84 from the transborder lounge and ended up being last to board.
I definitely underestimated the walk (run, actually, toward the end) to E84 from the transborder lounge and ended up being last to board.
May 5, 2022, 11:45 am
#53
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta
Posts: 27
We fly from YQL to YYC, and then YYC - MCO on WJ. Does anyone have any guidance as to if we have to leave the secure area to go to customs? or do we have to collect our bags, recheck them in and go through Security/Customs in the USA Departures side.
May 5, 2022, 12:35 pm
#54
Join Date: May 2017
Location: YEG, SFO, VCA, JR JY-13
Programs: hahaha
Posts: 921
If you need to collect your bags because YQL for some reason (unlikely) can't check them through to the United States, you would be told this at YQL and that information would be indicated on your baggage receipt
May 5, 2022, 9:26 pm
#56
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,774
Other than my post from March about the ridiculous lines late at night, they've generally been fine when I've been there over the past month or so (~1x a week). No issues around midday last week. Flying out again tomorrow morning, will report if there's anything really bad.
May 6, 2022, 1:29 pm
#57
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,774
Zero line at the C checkpoint around 9AM today.
In general, I would say C is the place to be. It seems to consistently be the best staffed and usually has both NEXUS and priority line. B in theory has a NEXUS line, but whether they're using it at any given moment is variable. B also seems to be very FOTSG-heavy, meaning you're more likely to get stuck behind someone who doesn't know what they're doing. But it has also been okay - not the cluster that we're seeing at YYZ/YVR.
I've not done the A or D checkpoints in ages though.
In general, I would say C is the place to be. It seems to consistently be the best staffed and usually has both NEXUS and priority line. B in theory has a NEXUS line, but whether they're using it at any given moment is variable. B also seems to be very FOTSG-heavy, meaning you're more likely to get stuck behind someone who doesn't know what they're doing. But it has also been okay - not the cluster that we're seeing at YYZ/YVR.
I've not done the A or D checkpoints in ages though.
May 6, 2022, 3:06 pm
#59
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,774
I don't think those are at all reliable. I have seen the similar displays in the airport sometimes indicate a very long wait time when there was no one there.
May 9, 2022, 9:40 am
#60
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: YOW
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 583
Thanks @Adam Smith for the info. I went through C at 3pm on Saturday and it was a ghost town - took less than 2 minutes to get through. One lady asked a CATSA employee where the crazy lineups were that she had read about in the news, and they told her it wouldn't start getting busy until 430/5pm.