Vancouver Airport during the Pandemic

What is it like in the YVR airport in Vancouver, Canada during the pandemic? This short blog post will give a glimpse into the current situation regarding travel from Canada.

As the pandemic starts to fade and restrictions loosen, travel is seeing an uptick for the first time in over a year. I recently travelled to Dallas, Texas from Vancouver, Canada, on my way to Liberia, Costa Rica. Here’s a look at the current airport situation.

Pre-Arrival

In the days leading up to departure, I had to take a covid test and receive a negative result. For my Monday flight, I headed to a clinic to take the test on Friday. The test was a painless although intrusive nasal swab, which the nurse described as feeling like ‘the burn in your nose from wasabi’. The results came back within 24 hours which was faster than the allotted 48. Results were visible online, via text message or over the phone. I needed to upload my negative test result to the American Airlines app, VeriFLY. This app prompted me to answer questions about my health status and complete a verification of my identity as well.

24 hours before my departure, I was able to check in through the American Airlines app. I packed my bags and was ready to head out the next morning.

Arrival at YVR

I took an Uber to the airport on Monday morning, three hours before my scheduled departure time. The Uber was very efficient and the driver was friendly. He dropped me off at the international departure gate for American Airlines. The airport was very empty when I headed to the check in kiosk. There were a handful of people checking in to the same flight as me, but there was hardly any wait time. The airport during the pandemic was definitely more quiet than ever before.

I checked my bag on the spot with the help of a friendly clerk. She made sure my insurance for Costa Rica was in order, and that I had an exit flight and the Costa Rican health pass QR code.

Clearing Customs

There was no wait to get through customs to enter the US. I had to remove my mask to take a picture at one checkpoint. The clerk asked to see my onward flight from Dallas to Liberia. They waved me through in a friendly manner without any more questions.

At the Airport

I cleared customs and was checked in so quickly that I had a lot of time to spare before my flight. I headed to my gate and set up my laptop to do some work. People started arriving to the gate over time, but it was never crowded. Everyone wore masks unless they were eating. Some food vendors were open, such as Starbucks, but many sat closed. Shopping areas were open. Water fountains were covered in plastic, but I could fill up my water bottle at a touch less water station. There were hand sanitizer dispensers placed around the airport and the bathrooms were perfectly clean.

Aboard the Plane

My flight was delayed boarding by 20 minutes due to a storm in Dallas. Nevertheless we boarded promptly, with the plane fully boarded in the quickest time I have ever experienced. Business class was packed, with every seat filled. In contrast, economy class only had one person per row, meaning the cheaper ticket also had more room. After a smooth takeoff, the friendly flight attendants passed out light refreshments. I enjoyed my cranberry-apple juice while marveling at the view of the mountains between British Columbia and Washington.

Arriving in Dallas

I arrived with a smooth landing in Dallas, and the baggage was quickly loaded onto the carousel. After picking up my backpack I needed to print my onward boarding pass and go through security again. It was very fast as it had been earlier that morning. I then had hours to spare before my flight the next morning so I wandered around the huge airport.

DFW Airport

Dallas/ Fort Worth airport has five terminals which are connected by an electric train. This is much faster than walking between terminals, but the signage wasn’t obvious to me and had me looping a circle in the airport before I realized that the train was for internal airport use.

Despite the pandemic, the airport was in full swing in terms of the amount of people around. Everyone wore masks but often had to avoid each other in close quarters. It was a huge difference from the ghostly YVR airport in Canada.

Many restaurants and take out food stores were already closed by my 7pm local time arrival. I managed to get in line for a table at a restaurant with a bar, which was slammed, as it was one of the few spots still serving food and drinks. I had an Austin East Pineapple cider – much needed after a long travel day! – as well as some fish tacos. By the time I left the restaurant, they had announced last call, and many people who hadn’t been seated were left confused and hungry, asking the staff where they could still get food within the airport.

Afterwards, I found a corner to settle into for a mostly sleepless night before heading on the next leg of my journey to Costa Rica.

Airports During the Pandemic

Have you travelled since the onset of the pandemic in winter 2020? Have you been in an airport during the pandemic? What have your experiences been like? Although I waited over a year and a half to travel again, I am so happy I did. The YVR and DFW airports both were incredibly different in terms of the amount of people passing through, and I hope they continue to be used as people feel more comfortable to travel once more.

Are you travelling to Vancouver, Canada? Check out this blog post for the best things to do while in town, and this link for hotel bookings!