Flew AF back to YVR the other day. Cabin crew announcement re: connection was a bit hard to understand (and I was terminating at YVR anyway). I think for that flight, AF=> WS domestic were transferred so one could avail the connection, but all other domestic connections required baggage reclaim and clearance. If tagged, connections to US and other international was transferred so one could use the connections facilities.

I see the connections are now at the top level before one descends from the elevated walkway (via the main departure level) to the main arrival hall.

Might be a bit too long for the airline to hold onto the bags. Can/have to ask the airline at checkin @ PHX. 16 hrs is a lot of time to kill and gives you ample time in Vancouver.

Absolutely no wait at 4:40AM this morning and the woman monitoring the Glibal Entry / NEXUS queue told us that we didn’t have to show our cards as our BPs stated TSA PreCheck.

Thanks again for the information.

I am flying Ottawa to Hawaii with a very long layover in Vancouver. I'd like to leave airport and head to a hotel for a few hours sleep. I am flying all routes using Westjet. Will I need to pickup luggage and check back in and will I need to go through security again?

How long a layover? There may be a maximum your bags will be kept in transit. Other issue is that you'll most likely be on a preclearance flight so the bags - even if you don't see them - have to be availabel for U.S. inspection if required. You can leave the airport but you will have to clear security (and U.S. pre-clearance) before the onward flight.

Data point : Transferred from BA to WS through YVR last night. When landing, the BA crew announced that all passengers, regardless of the final destination, must clear baggages and head for the next flight. We landed pretty early thankfully and that created a bit of a buffer zone for me. My bags were one of the first ones out (this was the first ever time that the priority tags worked on BA for me). The Westjet transfer desks were right after the exit, checked them in again and headed right away for the next flight on the other end of the terminal. It was a really easy process that was made extremely smooth by an early arrival into YVR.

So, if you have an upcoming BA->WS connection, you'll have to retrieve your bags at the first port of entry unfortunately, so plan your Intl->Dom connections accordingly.

Thanks for sharing the information.

Yes, unlike AF and KL from Europe and DL from the U.S., BA does not participate in the ITD programme when connecting to WS domestic flights. This is a major disadvantage.

It would be a good idea to write or e-mail BA to remind them that this is a factor when customers are choosing airlines with which to travel. BA needs to get onboard, and maybe if enough customers lobby them, they'll get their act in gear.

Yes if your bags are tagged through to your final destination and your airline participates in ITD, then you can stay upstairs. So much easier than going down into the main hall, reclaiming bags, rechecking them and going through security again for an onward flight. Obviously this wouldn't have mattered in your case as your journey ended at YVR but it's a big step forward for those of us who use YVR as a connecting hub.

Hopefully more airlines begin to participate in the programme soon.

Thanks! Will do.

I'm not sure which subforum this belongs in, but if arriving domestic with connection to transborder, could I conceivably enter the Maple Leaf Lounge or Plaza Premium Lounge in the international section for a few hours before heading through transit security and US preclearance? Has anyone done this?

No, but there is a PP (and of course ML) lounge in the domestic area as you will not be able to slip into the Int'l area w/o the appropriate BP. There are smaller versions of both lounges in the US pre-cleared area.

The last time I made this walk (on Christmas Eve), I had to walk through the International area, directly in front of the Plaza Premium and MLL/SS lounges to get to the transborder security checkpoint.

As far as I know, most lounges in America don't bother checking if you're departing from the same terminal (e.g. I can freely go to Amex Centurion or Star Alliance lounges at LAX TBIT when flying UA out of T7/T8).

I was curious if this was also the case at YVR. Would anyone challenge me at the international lounges if I held a valid boarding pass for a transborder flight?

If you can go through the int'l section go for it. I was under the impression the D=> Transborder took you to the security and then CBP, w/o going through I (have to admit I haven't taken this route for a while).

FWIW, couple of maps for transfers that I hadn't noticed a few weeks ago./
Terminal Maps | YVR

When arriving from YYJ, and have enough time, I'll hit up MLL on the way to Transborder and then the one inside Transborder terminal :)

From what I recall being posted earlier, you will not be allowed inside Int'l terminal with a BP for US.

Based on that, I've never tried it.

Side note, on my last flight ex YVR to US, I thought the MLL at Transborder had a major downgrade from prior to Covid, last time I flew to US from YVR :(