Line-skipping service at Vancouver airport expanding Tuesday

Staffing issues were blamed for massive lineups at YVR airport in August 2022.

Travellers who are flying within Canada this holiday season will have the option of skipping the security lineups at Vancouver International Airport, officials announced Monday.

The YVR Express service that lets passengers schedule a security screening up to 72 hours before a departure is expanding to domestic travel on Tuesday, and is expected to remain in place indefinitely.

"This means those flying within Canada tomorrow can reserve their spot in security screening today," officials said in a news release.

When the service first launched back in October, it was only available to passengers bound for the U.S. It was advertised as a way to "reduce wait times for security checkpoints" while "creating a more predictable experience for both passengers and staff."

The expansion to domestic flights could save travellers significant time over the holidays, when massive crowds are expected to move through YVR on a daily basis.

Officials are expecting an average of about 58,600 travellers at the airport every day this week – which works out to about 410,000 people from Monday through Sunday.

The busiest travel days are expected on Thursday and Saturday, when about 60,000 travellers are expected at YVR per day. Peak times for check-in are said to be 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. then 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on domestic flights, and 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. then 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on U.S. flights.

While many Canadians are travelling again, the airport still isn't quite as busy as it was before the pandemic. Officials said there were an average of 72,510 passengers per day at the airport on this week in 2019.

Travellers are encouraged to check the status of their departure before heading to the airport, check-in online if possible, and arrive with ample time to clear security and board their flight.