Kelowna Airport Arrivals (YLW)

Kelowna International is a Canadian airport, in the province of British Columbia. It serves the city of Kelowna, as well as surrounding areas, such as Vernon, Peachland and Summerland. The airport is known by its IATA code of YLW, used by the airport as an acronym for Your Link to the World, and handles approximately 1.39 million passengers per annum, which ranks it as one of the busiest airports in the country. Passengers on Kelowna International Airport arrival flights will find the terminal to be modern and efficient in its operations, and equipped with all the useful amenities they require. A few options for ground transportation are available as well.

The airport is located approximately 11.5km, or 7.1 miles to the northeast of Kelowna city centre, and to the eastern side of the famous Okanagan Lake. The airport is also nearby to the Shadow Ridge Golf Club, the Okanagan Golf Club, Stephens Coyote Ridge Regional Park and the Highway 97, which is one of the main roads for airport access. On a larger scale, and in the province of British Columbia, Kelowna Airport is about 400km to the northeast of Vancouver, and is found to the southeast of Kamloops. Further south is the border between Canada and the United States of America, and the Highway 97 leads into the state of Washington. The border is about 150km from Kelowna.

Passengers can arrive at Kelowna Airport from a number of near and far destinations. A large number of the airport’s passengers arrive from other Canadian cities, such as Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary, and the airline companies offering domestic flights are Air Canada, WestJet, Central Mountain Air and Northwestern Air. There are also flights between Kelowna and Kamloops, Edmonton, Nanaimo, Victoria, Ottawa, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Prince George, Regina, Red Deer and Saskatoon. Most of the domestic flights are offered on a daily basis. International flights are offered from the United States of America and Mexico. WestJet, Alaska Airlines and United Airlines operate international flights, as well as the charter companies of Sunwing Airlines and CanJet. Passengers can reach Kelowna from Seattle, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun.

By the fall of 2012, there is planned to be a new international arrivals area at the airport. Phase one of the expansion project is underway, and will include a new Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) Primary Inspection area for the screening of international arriving passengers. The north side of the terminal will therefore be expanded to accommodate the new facilities. It will be a one-storey addition, and will include public washrooms, an extension to the airside corridor and a mechanical and electric room. This latest expansion is part of the ‘Drive to 1.6 Million Passengers Airport Development Program’, and has been made a priority as the current international arrivals area has reached its full capacity, and can get too crowded at times.

Kelowna International Airport is only a single-terminal airport, and has just a single runway as well. Its current capacity is around 400 passengers per hour, but by the year 2025, it should be able to process at least 900 per hour. This means that the terminal building will eventually be almost double its current size. By 2015, the airport’s goal is to be able to handle up to 680 passengers per hour.

Facilities of Kelowna Airport include several shops and restaurants. On the landside of the airport passengers can enjoy specialty teas, premium coffee, soups, fresh sandwiches and many other freshly baked foods at Tim Hortons, or there is also a full-service restaurant by the name of the WhiteSpot Restaurant and Lounge. WhiteSpot also offers a take-out service. In the centre of the terminal there is a board room that can be hired for business use. It is equipped with a TV and VCR, as well as an overhead projector and whiteboard. The minimum rental for the room is $50.00 for four hours, but it can be arranged for the whole day for just $80.00. The entire airport complex is accessible to passengers with reduced mobility, with elevators and pavement ramps, suitable restroom facilities and handicapped parking spaces. Assistance for arriving passengers can also be arranged with the airline company concerned.

Tourists at the airport will find the Tourism Kelowna Kiosk of interest. It is located in the arrivals area, nearby the three baggage reclaim carousels, and provides information regarding all the attractions of the Okanagan region. The kiosk is open seven days a week, and is staffed by trained and dedicated Visitor Information volunteers. Airport Ambassadors are also found in the terminal should any passenger require assistance with any airport procedure.

Arriving passengers can leave the airport by public bus, private shuttle or taxi, but the airport does not have any train station. Shuttles are available to the city centre of Kelowna, Vernon as well as to the famous ski resorts of the region, including Big White and Apex. The shuttle companies are the Okanagan Airport Shuttle, the Vernon Airporter and Falcon Bus Charters. Taxis are always available outside the airport’s arrival area, and can be used for travel to any area. Within the terminal as well, there are car hire companies available, such as Budget, Avis, National, Enterprise and Auto Europa. The airport car rental companies all offer a wide range of vehicles for hire, and various services for business and leisure travellers. A private vehicle is one of the best ways to explore the magnificent area of Kelowna.

Live Kelowna International arrival flights can be viewed on several online websites, or passengers can contact the airport for more information at 250-765-5125.