New service lets travellers skip security line at Vancouver airport

There's a new way for travellers to skip the sometimes-lengthy security lineups at Vancouver International Airport.

The YVR Express service lets travellers book an appointment for their security screening up to 72 hours before their flight, allowing them to jump to the front of the queue once they arrive.

The appointments are expected to "reduce wait times for security checkpoints" while "creating a more predictable experience for both passengers and staff," the airport said in a news release.

Over the summer, YVR saw massive lineups caused by a mix of staffing shortages and an influx of travellers, many of whom were flying for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials said passenger traffic over the Labour Day long weekend approached pre-pandemic levels, with more than 67,000 travellers flowing through YVR on the Sunday alone. The airport saw about 77,000 passengers per day in 2019.

While the YVR Express service will likely be an appealing option to many travellers, it's only available for those bound for the U.S. – at least for now.

In a statement, Robyn Mcvicker of the Vancouver Airport Authority said officials "aim to expand YVR Express to our domestic and international security checkpoints at the airport over the coming months so that all travellers at YVR have more control over their travel journey."

To book a screening appointment, travellers have to enter their flight details and email address online. They are then given a QR code they can use to claim their reservation within 15 minutes of their allotted time.

YVR officials acknowledged the delays and congestion that have frustrated travellers over recent months, but said the airport has "not experienced the level of operational disruption that has systemically impacted major airports worldwide through the summer," despite a massive spike in demand.

Passenger traffic increased by roughly 170 per cent from January to August, they said.