Halifax International Airport Departures (YHZ)

Halifax International Airport (YHZ) is located approximately 35km, or 22 miles from the city of Halifax, and is a large international airport serving many areas in the Nova Scotia province of Canada. The airport is known to be efficient in its operations, and has won numerous awards for its services. The Halifax International Airport departure area is well equipped for passengers on airport departure flights, with all essential facilities. Departure flights from Halifax are offered to a wide variety of destinations, and from several important Canadian airline companies.

The airport of Halifax, also known as the Halifax Robert L. Stanfield International Airport, is easy to locate along the Veteran’s Memorial Highway (Highway 102). It is in the area of Enfield, a few kilometres south of the town of Elmsdale, and just east of the Shubenacadie Grand Lake. The airport is located north of Halifax, the city that it primarily serves, and to the south of Truro, a city of reasonable size to the far southwest of Moncton. Passengers on Halifax Airport departure flights can easily drive to the airport, by using the Highway 102. This road has connections to the Highway 118 from Dartmouth, to the Highway 101, which passes towns such as Windsor, Wolfville and Kentville, and to the Highway 103 that runs from Barrington and Shelburne on the south-western coast towards the city of Halifax. The 107 is a highway to the east of Halifax and Dartmouth. The journey to the airport will take between thirty and forty-five minutes from downtown Halifax, depending on traffic conditions, and motorists can park in the airport Parkade for short-term stays, or in the Exterior Lot or Park’N Fly car park for stays of a longer duration.

Departing passengers can travel to Halifax Airport by bus or taxi as well, but there is no direct railway connection available. The Airporter is a shuttle bus that transports passengers from various hotel locations in Halifax to the airport, and is considered as a convenient way to reach the airport. Long distance buses may be available from various towns nearby as well. A taxi may be more expensive, but is perhaps the quickest and most hassle-free way to the airport. A taxi journey from downtown Halifax will cost about $50.00.

Although not a hub for any airline company, Halifax is part of the National Airports System and is the headquarters of Chorus Aviation. The airport handles over three million passengers per annum, and is rated as the seventh busiest in the country. The regular scheduled airline companies of the airport include Air Canada, Air Saint Pierre, Continental/United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Porter Airlines, US Airways and WestJet. Many of these airline carriers offer departure flights to Canadian destinations, such as Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Deer Lake, Charlottetown, Moncton, Saint John and Sydney, while US flights travel to New York, Detroit, Atlanta, Washington-Dulles, Chicago, Newark, Boston and Philadelphia. A wide range of other international destinations are served from Halifax Airport as well, such as Bermuda, Cancun, Punta Cana, London, Frankfurt and Puerto Plata. The airline companies popular for international departures include Icelandair, Condor, Air Transat, Thomas Cook and Air Canada.

In addition to the regular scheduled airline companies just mentioned, Halifax International Airport is served by several vacation package providers which include Air Canada Vacations, Canadian Affair, Hola Sun Holidays, Sunwing Vacations, Transat Holidays and WestJet Vacations, and by small aircraft charters, such as Maritime Air Charter, Prince Edward Air Ltd. and Provincial Airlines Ltd.

Halifax International Airport consists of a single terminal building for all passenger facilities and operations, including the airport departure lounges and check-in desks. There are conventional check-in desks for passengers, as well as self-service check-in kiosks. Passengers, depending on the airline company with which they are travelling, may be able to take advantage of online check-in options as well. The check-in times for each airline company differ, but in general, passengers on all flights departing from Halifax Airport are recommended to be present at least two hours before their flight. This will ensure enough time for the check-in process, and for passing the security points before entering the secure departure lounges. Before and after security there are many shops and restaurants for the convenience of passengers. At the Airport Square on the main level, before security, there is Burger King, the Chickenburger and Tim Hortons for food and beverage services, and shops which include Kids Works, Relay Books, Travel and Leisure and the Atlantic Sweet Shoppe. Beyond security, passengers will find Booster Juice, the Beaches Bar and Café, Starbucks and Tim Hortons, as well as shops that include the Halifax Market, Runway Duty Free and Tech On The Go.

Within the terminal building of the airport, departing passengers have access to a wide range of facilities. There are wireless internet connections available throughout the building, as well as workstations which provide more privacy, several children’s play areas equipped with padded floors, Travelex Canada providing postal services, currency exchange services and travel insurance, an airport chapel and an area where luggage can be stored for a short period of time (up to twenty-four hours). Banking facilities on site include eight DirectCash ATMs, as well as a full service Royal Bank of Canada machine. There are no meeting room facilities at the airport, but arrangements can be made at the nearby Quality Inn, or at the Hilton Garden Inn Halifax. The Holiday Inn Express is also just a short distance from the airport. Halifax International Airport is also one of the eight in Canada that have US border pre-clearance facilities, in order to simplify the journey from Canada into the United States of America.

The airport has facilities to support disabled passengers on departure flights as well, and have ensured that all is in place for their comfort. There are lowered check-in counters, an accessible ‘Ask Me’ kiosk for airport information, all doors are equipped with automatic push bars and the shuttle service from the further car park is accessible. On all levels of the terminal, accessible restroom facilities are available. Further assistance can be arranged with airport staff, at least three weeks prior to your arrival at the airport.

Live Halifax International Airport departure flights can be viewed on various online websites, or the airport can be contacted for further information, at 902-873-4422. An email address for the airport is info@hiaa.ca.