Cheap flights to Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver Travel Guide

The city by the Pacific Ocean is framed by snow-capped mountains and shimmering seas. Vancouver’s climate (milder than the rest of Canada’s), natural wonders, friendly multicultural vibe, gastronomy and shopping mark it out as a must-visit city. Once travelers arrive on their flights to Vancouver, they may just decide to spend the rest of their lives there. Vancouver is a regular in the list of most livable cities.

A multicultural mosaic, there are busy Chinese, East Indian and Italian districts. The heart of the city beats most strongly in the 988 acre Stanley Park. It contains such world-famous features as Siwash Rock, the Lost Lagoon and the 5.5 miles seawall walk. Within a 30-minute drive of downtown Vancouver are Cypress Mountain, Grouse Mountain and Mount Seymour, all with night-skiing facilities.

BC Ferries sails the Georgia Strait connecting Vancouver with Vancouver Island (and, of course, Victoria, the capital of British Columbia), and the gulf islands, Galiano and Saltspring, are the best known. Within closer reach is Bowen—just a 20-minute ferry trip from Horseshoe Bay—an enchanting little island where the rain forest meets the ocean.

Why do millions of people book Vancouver flights each year? Vancouver is so captivating that even Hollywood fell in love with the Canadian city. Blockbuster hits including, “The Butterfly Effect,” “Best in Show,” “I Robot,” “The Accused,” and “X 2” were filmed on location in Vancouver.

Cheap plane tickets to Vancouver are easy to come by and accommodations range from moderate to luxury in this bustling city. Flights to Vancouver are packed with people eager to explore the young, vibrant and diverse city that beams with natural beauty. Vancouver is one of a handful of cities that caters to the winter season. Peak travel Vancouver planes are packed with skiers and snowboarders from mid-December to late-January. Snow sports are revered in Vancouver. In 2003, the International Olympic Committee awarded Vancouver the right to host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Since the late 1990s, Vancouver has earned a reputation for being one of the top restaurant cities in the world. In fact, culinary experts are reserving seats on Vancouver flights to test out the latest creations and novelties by some of the world’s top chefs.

No need to worry about booking flights to Vancouver and not enjoying your vacation. According to Conde Nast Traveler, Vancouver is one of the 10 best cities to visit, so hop on a plane to Vancouver and see for yourself.

Getting to and around the city of Vancouver

The Canada Line is a very reliable and frequent way to get from the airport into the city, only taking around 25 minutes. Another option is to check with your hotel if they provide a courtesy shuttle bus, as most tend to. You can call your hotel to arrange a shuttle pick up from levels 2 at the airport; however it’s best to check before you travel that they do provide the service. Taxis are very expensive in Canada, and getting to the city is no different. That said, if there are a few of you to split the fare then it can work out okay, just be sure to agree on a fee beforehand and ask for a receipt.

Vancouver’s public transportation system, TransLink, consists of an efficient and reliable network of electric trolley buses, SeaBus passenger ferries, buses, the SkyTrain elevated light-rail and West Coast Express trains. Save some money by buying a FareSaver book of ten tickets, which you can find at newsagents. You can also get a day pass for unlimited travel on buses, SkyTrains and SeaBuses. Don’t rent a car and save yourself the hassle of dealing with congested traffic. You can hail a taxi on the street if you need one, or you can pedal yourself around the city one of the 16 cycling routes covering 80 miles of Vancouver’s neighborhoods.

Tips for your stay in Vancouver

• Stanley Parkis less than a mile from Vancouver city center. It’s a beautiful space with lots of things to do. Watch out for the locals roller-blading, cycling, power walking and jogging along the Sea Wall, a 6.2 mile walk that will take you from the entrance of the park downtown to English Bay. Keep an eye out for the piles of yellow sulfur across the water, the Lions Gate Bridge, and North Shore Mountains. Pass the Little Mermaid Statue and Siwash Rock and later on, at English Bay, the giant Inukshuk, an Inuit sculpture.
• Take the sea bus from Waterfront Station across the Burrard Inlet to North Vancouver. The Lonsdale Quay Marketis great for souvenir shopping.
• The Vancouver art gallery—in an impressive neo-classical building (the former courthouse)—is on Hornby Street. It is the largest art gallery in western Canada and has more than 200 major works by Emily Carr, the British Columbia artist. It has a permanent collection of almost 8,000 items.
• Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden is on the edge of China Town. This peaceful garden is the first authentic classical Chinese garden ever built outside of China.
• The Vancouver Lookout, in the Harbor Center, is on the 50th story. It offers 360-degree views of Vancouver and the beautiful North Shore Mountains.
• The Museum of Anthropologyat the University of British Columbia sits on the cliffs of Point Grey. On show is Bill Reid’s enormous sculpture, The Raven and the First Men, totem poles from the Haida, Gitxsan, Nisga’a, Oweekeno and other First Nations, and the Koerner Ceramics Gallery, which houses 600 pieces of 15-19th century pottery.
• Climbing Grouse Mountainis a Sunday tradition and Capilano Suspension Bridge is a tourist must-do. About 230 feet above Capilano River, it is 450 feet across.
• Don’t be surprised when you’re asked to pay a tax to leave the city. Vancouver flights will include an international surcharge for those travelers leaving North America, a lower one for tourists traveling within North America, and an even lower one for passengers on flights within British Columbia or the Yukon. Be sure to check your Vancouver flights at the time of purchase to ensure this surcharge is added on.

Finding Flights from Vancouver

Vancouver is a popular hub for flights entering and leaving Canada, so it’s easy to find flights to numerous destinations. Major US-based airlines, including Delta, United and American, offer plenty of options to fly back to the US. American citizens and permanent residents are also eligible for a pre-clearance system offered by Vancouver International Airport and US Customs and Border Protection, which allows you to go through most of the Customs and Border Protection screening while you’re waiting for your flight instead of doing it after arriving in the US.