Victoria International Airport Arrivals (YYJ)

Victoria International Airport is found in the country of Canada and serves as a gateway to Vancouver Island. The airport is particularly useful for people who are travelling to the city of Victoria, and to other areas that are close by to the Saanich Peninsula. Victoria is about 22km, or 14 miles south of the airport. International and domestic flights arrive at Victoria Airport, and the arrival areas are well equipped for the needs of all its passengers. Passengers on Victoria International Airport arrival flights will also be able to travel from the airport to various nearby destinations, as there are plenty of options for ground transport available.

The airport of Victoria International is known by its IATA code of YYJ, and also as the Sidney Airport, as it is located in the area of Sidney. It is also one of the main airports found in the province of British Columbia, handling around 1.5 million passengers per annum. The airport is very nearby to the Glen Meadows Golf and Country Club and Rotary Park, and is to the northern end of the Saanich Peninsula. Sidney is to the east and the city of Victoria is to the south. Victoria is an attractive place for tourists, and the Victoria International Airport is the perfect arrival point for many visitors. Cruises in the city’s beautiful harbour are very popular, as well as whale watching cruises. There are many lovely beaches to enjoy, and one of the attractions of the city is the Victoria Bug Zoo, with a wide range of creepy crawlies. Many places of interest are also within easy driving distance of the airport and Victoria, such as Duncan and the Cowichan Valley. Another popular place to visit is the Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park, and the city of Nanaimo is about 110km along the Trans Canada Highway.

Passengers on Victoria International Airport arrival flights will find a terminal building that is modern and well equipped for their needs. There is one baggage reclaim carousel for international passengers, and two for passengers who are arriving on domestic flights. In the arrival area there is a Red Coat Information Desk that is manned by the Red Coat Airport Ambassadors, who are volunteers at the airport. They provide assistance with all aspects of the airport operations, and are always available to answer questions. The ambassadors can provide information regarding directions and the general area, ground transportation and basic flight details. The Red Coat Information Desk is open from Monday to Saturday, between the hours of 08:30 and 17:30, and on Sundays from 10:00 to 16:00. The terminal building of the airport is open from 03:30 to 01:30, seven days a week.

Facilities for arriving and departing passengers are all found within easy walking distance of the baggage reclaim area and check-in counters. The airport has a branch of ICE (International Currency Exchange), which is one of the largest currency exchange brands in the world. Its services include foreign exchange, travel insurance, automated bank tellers and international phone cards. In the airport’s terminal there are wireless internet connections that can be used free of charge, a lost and found office, public telephones, a family room and a children’s play area. A couple of shops and restaurants are also available for passengers, and they include the LS Travel Retail North America, White Spot at the Airport Restaurant, Tim Hortons, Starbucks Coffee and the Airside Cafe.

The terminal building of Victoria International Airport is able to welcome arriving passengers with disabilities, as there are accessible restrooms, elevators and pavement ramps. The entrances of the terminal building are equipped with automated sliding doors. Personal assistance can be acquired from the Red Coat Airport Ambassadors, and a wheelchair service is provided by the airline companies. In addition, Victoria Airport has a TTY phone in the arrivals area, an ATM with tactile markers and various Braille signage.

Once ready to leave the airport, arriving passengers have a choice of various ground transport options. There are three public buses that serve the airport (routes 83, 86 and 88), and they travel to a number of nearby destinations, including the McTavish Transit Exchange. They are the cheapest form of transport from the airport, but they may not accommodate oversized baggage items. A private bus available is the Akal Airporter, and this bus takes passengers to their hotels in downtown Victoria, and can provide transport to various other locations in the city as well. There are no train services available at the airport, but taxis are found outside the arrival area, and will cost around $56.00 for a trip to Victoria. Passengers who need to travel further can make a booking with one of the coach services of the airport, such as Greyhound Bus Lines. Another good way to travel from Victoria International Airport is by rented car, and there are several car rental companies available in the arrivals area. They are open at times which are convenient for arriving flights, and have many quality vehicles for hire. The airport car hire companies include Hertz, Avis, Budget, National and Auto Europa, and Enterprise has shuttle services to their offices a short distance from the terminal building.

Victoria International Airport is served by several important airline companies, including Air Canada, CanJet, WestJet, Flair Airlines, Sunwing Airlines, Pacific Coastal Airlines, Orca Airways, SkyWest Airlines and Horizon Air. These airline companies have flights from many local cities, such as Vancouver, Kelowna, Toronto and Calgary, as well as from a few cities in the United States, such as San Francisco and Seattle. International flights arrive from Cancun in Mexico, as well as from several other locations.

Live Victoria International Airport arrival flights can be seen online, or passengers can contact the airport for further information regarding flight schedules and airport services. The airport’s telephone number for the Red Coat Information Desk is (250)953-7533.