Victoria Airport (YYJ) Information

Where is Victoria Airport?  

Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, Canada, is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. Along with some of the Gulf Islands, it is the only part of British Columbia that is south of the 49th Parallel. It's so close to Washington state that you can see the Olympic Mountains and Mount Baker on most days.

Yet, Victoria is distinctly Canadian, boldly showing off her British roots. Visitors to the area are as likely to enjoy afternoon tea as they are to visit the world-famous Butchart Gardens.

Victoria International Airport (IATA: YYJ, ICAO: CYYJ) is 22 located kilometres (14 miles) north of the city, in North Saanich, quite close to the town of Sidney on the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island. Victoria also has a seaplane base, Victoria Harbour Airport (YWH), located downtown.

In 2013, Victoria Airport served 1,556,960 passengers, making it Canada's 10th busiest airport, and the 2nd busiest in British Columbia.

Airlines operating out of Victoria Airport include Air Canada, WestJet, Horizon Air and United, plus local operators such as Pacific Coastal.

There are direct flights from Victoria International Airport to San Francisco, Phoenix, Seattle, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Abbotsford and Kelowna, as well as destinations on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Seasonal direct service is offered Cancun, Puerta Vallarta, Los Cabos, Las Vegas and Honolulu.

In order to offer flights to Europe, YYJ requires a CAD 32 million runway expansion; after four years of failed attempts to get government funding, the Victoria Airport Authority is considering taking on the project themselves.

Victoria International Airport was named among the 10 most loved airports in the world in a 2011 poll conducted by CNN on Facebook. "Canada's favourite little airport has earned its stripes on a reputation for ease, efficiency and friendliness," says CNNGo. Victoria Airport captured 8th spot, and was the only Canadian airport to make the list. Proof that bigger is not necessarily better.

In July 2014, Victoria International Airport was featured on Amazing Race Canada.

Planespotting is a popular activity, in and around the airport. While YYJ is not a floatplane base, don't be too surprised if you see a seaplane coming in to land: it will be headed to the adjacent Pat Bay Seaplane Base (also known as Victoria Airport Water Aerodrome). The RCAF 443 Squadron operates a heliport here, which they refer to as Patricia Bay Heliport.

The "YYJ Flight Path" is a 9.3 kilometre (5 mile) paved trail that surrounds the YYJ airport for walking, running, and cycling. This is a great way to see the entire Victoria airport area, and there are washrooms and hpydration stations along the way. Unfortunately, there are no showers at YYJ, so you will need to get creative to freshen up before your onward flight.

• Explore the YYJ Flight Path Interactive Map, or
• Download the YYJ Flight Path Printable Map

Services at YYJ include:

• Red Coat Information Desk staffed by volunteers
• Starbucks
• Tim Horton's
• White Spot Restaurant
• Duty Free
• Observation Lounge - upstairs , open to the public (look for the elevator behind Tim Horton's)
• Pet relief area, equipped with waste bags and receptacles
• Children's Play Area - upper passenger departure lounge 
• Free downloadable Children's Activity Book
• Business workstations - upper passenger departure lounge

YYJ's closes at night between 01:30 and 03:30 - 01:30, but they will let you in if you arrive early to catch a morning flight, and won't kick you out if you arrive very late and are scheduled for a flight early the next morning.

• Official YYJ Victoria International Airport Website    

• Read YYJ Victoria Airport Tweets