Happy to report US-INTL is as easy as can be.

arrived, walked to central area where the international connections section is clearly visible. An agent asks where you’re going and you go to a kiosk (did arriveCAN so it was pretty quick) then a boarding pass scan for arriving and departing BP. Then stay to the right for US/EU flights and then go downstairs to departures!


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sent my mom this route with my carryon since I had to clear CBSA downstairs and claim and re check my bag. She was in the gate area before I even made it to baggage claim

First time I am connecting from the outside world through Canada to the USA: do I need to re-check my bags?

I am flying ICN-YVR-SEA. I only have exactly 1 hour and 40 mins in YVR. I do have NEXUS.

1) I take it this is very doable with that connecting time?

2) Do I have to pick up my bags to re-check? Or are they automatically checked through to SEA?

Zero issues with that connection time, especially with Nexus. As long as the inbound flight is on time.

Depends who you are flying with for the bags. If it's AC, they should be checked through and you don't need to collect them. If you're coming off the pointy end of the plane and breeze through CBSA and security thanks to Nexus, you'll likely have to wait for the bags to be unloaded and brought to wherever they go in the bowels of the building for CBP to be able to bring them up on screen.

I am flying business class on Air Canada, on a 787, then connecting onwards to another AC flight, on a Q400 (economy only).

Booked SEA-YVR-YYZ on one AC ticket for December. As it appears that we don't need to clear security in YVR, I'd assume no issue with picking up duty-free liquor in SEA?

yeah no issues, did a similar itinerary from Seattle on AC the other day.

Even if you did have to reclear, you can bring duty-free with you, provided the store in SEA uses a security bag and includes a copy of the receipt. [CATSA information page on duty-free purchases](https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/duty-free-purchases)

I did have to reclear at YVR (going EWR-YYZ-YVR-Onwards), but that was on me, because I had an overnight connection and left the airport for a hotel. The next morning, CATSA cut a small slit in the bag to do a swab, then resealed the bag before letting me proceed.

Sorry if this question is asked multiple times a week, please bear with me

Our itinerary is BNE>YVR>YYZ, all on one ticket with AC. There is a 1h10m connection in YVR which I realise is the minimum, so technically it is possible, my question is how stressful is it likely to be? I checked the AC connections page, and it helpfully said 'maybe' to baggage trasnfer, and the YVR website said to check with AC, so that's why I'm asking here. We're four people, AUS passports, flying economy. Thanks in advance!
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There are near-hourly flights to YYZ so that helps. A matter of feeling lucky. Might depend on where you sit in the a/c (deplaning can take what seems like an eternity if seated in the back row), and a timely arrival. Assuming bags are permitted to be cleared on arrival at final destination (YYZ) - listen for the announcement closer to landing, it is just a matter of a possibly very long walk with just a stop for immigration clearance and possibly security too. Have boarding passes for both flights handy as you;ll need it.

Thanks for taking the time to reply! I think I'm more concerned about landing on time but being delayed in immigration or security, and therefore it being 'our fault' not the airline's. Because yes, if we land late AC will put us on the next flight to YYZ, so that doesn't worry me at all.
When you say very long walk, is it 10-20min?

In my (admittedly limited 1st hand) experience, AC will protect your connection even if you're delayed in immigration or security. You will be part of a fairly large group of people connecting from BNE to YYZ, and if your flight is late, there is a customs IT meltdown, or some other reason for AC not to expect everyone's connections to go smoothly, there should be someone at the end of the jetway to advise.

The furthest international gate is about a 600m walk to the entrance to the customs hall. However, absent IRROPS throwing a wrench in the plans, the plane from BNE is used for a morning flight to YYZ/YUL afterwards (I'm often on these flights and track the inbound aircraft from BNE), which means it parks at a swing gate much closer to the customs hall.

ITD connection security is generally well staffed and I've never seen much of a line there, if any. (It shares a room with the Verified Traveller security lane that I pass through regularly)

That is super helpful, thank you so much!

Follow up question to my earlier one. SEA-YVR-YYZ all on one AC ticket. They’ve now changed the plane for SEA-YYZ to a CRJ900 so we will be forced to check our carryon for this leg. I plan to have the bags tagged only to YVR, but if we have to collect them in YVR, will we need to go through security again? Thanks in advance.

Yes, you will. I don't find the SEA AC contractors very knowledgeable on the AC program, I sure hope they're OK with short-checking your bag.

The baggage claim for international arrivals is through the downstairs CBSA hall, follow signs for "Welcome to Vancouver". It will spit you landside and then you'll have to go through security again upstairs at the domestic departures hall.

Recent ITD experience at YVR, AF=> WS (or rather, WR). Usually terminate at YVR so the domestic connection is new for me (thought did have a TB=>D all-WS last year.

No OLCI on WS possible (via AF/KL, WS or DL). AF check-in agents were not able to issue BPs for the WS connection upline.

Onboard prior to YVR arrival, announcement made re: checked bags but it was a bit ambiguous. It would appear that through-checked bags are usually put through domestically so one does not have to reclaim/clear (most of the time).

BP available at the ITD transit point (WS was staffed, AC wasn't so maybe AC usually has no BP issue). The WS system mismatch appears here as WS BPs add a gender (so title is MR/MS added to end of name) so the immigration check (incoming and connecting BP scan) results in a red light. Have to get an override. Same thing with security assessment (no further securitty required).

There is a electronic sign at the ITD entry point indicating which (inbound) airline pax are eligible to use the connection and which ones are not. Saves much of the walk of doubling back if ineligible.

All-in-all, took some 35 minutes from touch down, quick taxi to one of the farthest reaches of the E pier to base of the C/B pier, mostly walking with maybe 5 minutes getting a new BP and getting through immigration/customs through the ITD transit channel.

Nexus would not have saved any time though may be different on busy days. Our arrival was late morning. Security reclearance, if required, seemed to be o.k. when we went through, but a substantial line seemed to have developed by the time I went through (early afternoon) the VT lane after meeting a friend briefly landside.