Vancouver Airport takes flight

Vancouver International Airport's growing popularity among Australian business travellers as a gateway to North America received another boost recently following the launch of Air Canada’s non-stop Dreamliner service from Melbourne.

The airport is one of the most celebrated facilities in the world and was recently named the ‘Best in North America’ for a record ninth consecutive year at the Skytrax World Airport Awards.

It is also one of the fastest-growing airports in North America, with a record 24.2 million passengers passing through in 2017 – a 37% increase over the past five years. By 2022 the number of passengers is forecast to reach 32 million.

Thanks to the expansion of Air Canada’s Australian network, Vancouver Airport has seen the number of Australian passengers grow by 100% over the past five years. And with the airline launching its first year-round non-stop Dreamliner service between Melbourne and Vancouver in June that trend shows no sign of waning.

With almost half of Australian passengers continuing on to points across Canada and the US, it’s clear that one of the key drivers behind the airport’s growth is its appeal as a transit port for Australians keen to avoid more crowded and less convenient US gateways such as LAX.

But there are plenty of reasons the airport is luring Australian passengers.

As the first and last building visitors to British Columbia experience, the airport has worked hard to offer an aesthetic experience that reflects the province’s landscape and people. As a result it is now home to the largest collection of Northwest Coast Native art in the world.

Vancouver Airport also offers more than 170 shops, services and restaurants, and is linked via a three minute train ride to the award-winning McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport, which offers savings of up to 70% on popular luxury retail brands. The centre is on track to open another 84,000 square feet of retail space in early 2019, with the expansion introducing up to 35 new brands.

For those visiting Vancouver, the airport offers a rapid transit rail that delivers passengers to downtown Vancouver in less than 30 minutes. And it’s also home to Fairmont Vancouver Airport, which in 2018 was voted Best Airport Hotel in North America for a fifth consecutive year in the Skytrax World Airport Awards.

Visit www.aircanada.com