US-EU via YVR
Nov 9, 2010, 4:16 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: SLC
Programs: DL DM, UA, IC Royal Amb, HH Diamond, SPG Plat, Avis First
Posts: 100
US-EU via YVR
I'm planning a trip to Europe for next month, and I'm wondering how difficult it would be to connect via Vancouver. Has anyone done this? Is a 3 hour layover long enough? Should I expect to be hassled at customs? How far would I need to go from the Delta gates to the KLM gate? Thanks in advance!
Nov 9, 2010, 4:29 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 2,290
It's actually incredibly easy, and (usually) quick. At busier times, there's a special immigration post set up for connecting passengers with a bridge into the international part of the terminal. Even if you have to immigrate and re-clear security, three hours is ample. (Last time I did it, I went from Horizon arrival gate to AC lounge in 15 minutes.)
YVR has a handy tool with more info: http://www.yvr.ca/en/navigating-yvr/...rough-yvr.aspx
(Coming back can be more involved -- you have to go through US pre-clearance, which can be unpredictable. But it's still a smooth process.)
YVR has a handy tool with more info: http://www.yvr.ca/en/navigating-yvr/...rough-yvr.aspx
(Coming back can be more involved -- you have to go through US pre-clearance, which can be unpredictable. But it's still a smooth process.)
Nov 9, 2010, 5:19 pm
#3
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,396
It's actually incredibly easy, and (usually) quick. At busier times, there's a special immigration post set up for connecting passengers with a bridge into the international part of the terminal. Even if you have to immigrate and re-clear security, three hours is ample. (Last time I did it, I went from Horizon arrival gate to AC lounge in 15 minutes.)
YVR has a handy tool with more info: http://www.yvr.ca/en/navigating-yvr/...rough-yvr.aspx
(Coming back can be more involved -- you have to go through US pre-clearance, which can be unpredictable. But it's still a smooth process.)
YVR has a handy tool with more info: http://www.yvr.ca/en/navigating-yvr/...rough-yvr.aspx
(Coming back can be more involved -- you have to go through US pre-clearance, which can be unpredictable. But it's still a smooth process.)
Nov 9, 2010, 5:23 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 2,290
If lounge access matters to you, research the airport set-up carefully. A colleague did this outbound US-EU connecting through Eastern Canada (I don't remember all the details) at an airport with a SkyTeam lounge that he could not use because transit passengers couldn't get into that area. I believe it might have been a KLM lounge and a KLM flight.
Nov 9, 2010, 9:30 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: SLC
Programs: DL DM, UA, IC Royal Amb, HH Diamond, SPG Plat, Avis First
Posts: 100
It's actually incredibly easy, and (usually) quick. At busier times, there's a special immigration post set up for connecting passengers with a bridge into the international part of the terminal. Even if you have to immigrate and re-clear security, three hours is ample. (Last time I did it, I went from Horizon arrival gate to AC lounge in 15 minutes.)
YVR has a handy tool with more info: http://www.yvr.ca/en/navigating-yvr/...rough-yvr.aspx
(Coming back can be more involved -- you have to go through US pre-clearance, which can be unpredictable. But it's still a smooth process.)
YVR has a handy tool with more info: http://www.yvr.ca/en/navigating-yvr/...rough-yvr.aspx
(Coming back can be more involved -- you have to go through US pre-clearance, which can be unpredictable. But it's still a smooth process.)
Nov 10, 2010, 8:13 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA Gold/1MM, AS MVP 100K, AA Gold
Posts: 1,424
I did this through YYC and it took a good hour and a half to go through immigration (line was crazy), pick up my bags, go through customs, recheck my bags, and go through security. Maybe that's not normal, but it wasn't as smooth as I thought.
Nov 10, 2010, 10:49 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
Sounds a lot faster than ATL though.
Nov 10, 2010, 12:27 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 2,290
(Border Services is just the Canadian version of US CBP.) There's just a small CBSA counter above the main hall where transit passengers are processed into the international area.