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Victoria International Airport (YYJ) is located on the Saanich peninsular some 22 km. north of Victoria. It is the major airport on the island, other smaller ones being at Comox and Campbell River. It is considered to be about the ninth busiest in Canada and handles about a million and a half passengers a year. (actually 1 481 606 for 2007!)and early 2008 numbers are up about 7%. This meant about 164 600 planes visiting this particular airport in 2007, mostly national. (i.e. not cross-border)
Expansion is underway as the use of this airport is growing substantially. Travel vancouver Island is booming!
It is a very modern, well equipped airport, served by seven major airline groups.
Air Canada Jazz
"Jazz" connects with the Air Canada system, which links internationally.
Airspeed Aviation
This is a small company with twin engine planes that connect Victoria with Abbotsford in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia.
B.C.West Air
This is a local company with small twin engine planes that service local Vancouver Island spots such as Nanaimo and mainland cities such as Vancouver and Abbotsford.
Horizon Air
This is the connector for Alaska Air, the Pacific West Coast International Airline. Horizon Air connects Seattle and Vancouver with Victoria.
Pacific Coastal Airlines
This company operates the bigger twin engine aircraft that connect the Okanagan (Central British Columbia) with Victoria.
Westjet
This company serves cross Canada and Internationally including many stops in the U.S. It also flies into Comox.
Sunwing Vacations
This is more of a "Sun Package" airline. Charter vacations to sun destinations of all kinds.
These connections will take you to Toronto, or Seattle and then connect to wherever. The Comox airport, which was once a small military airport, still serves western Canada, particularly Calgary and Edmonton.
To find arrivals and departures at Victoria International (YYJ), or check out the latest building improvements, go to the following official website:
Check Out Victoria International Airport (YYJ)
The story is that the second busiest airport on Vancouver Island is the Victoria Inner Harbour! It's where many of the floatplanes land and it accounts for more than 300 000 passengers to the island every year. A rather unique way to travel vancouver island.
Don't Believe Me? then check out this one minute five seconds of a floatplane landing in the Victoria Harbour (Victoria is on your left)from the INSIDE--->
And now one from the outside, landing in Victoria Harbour by floatplane. Just 20 seconds, but what a thrill to arrive this way! Check it out-->
Pacific Coastal Air and Central Mountain Air both serve Vancouver Island through Comox and Campbell River. Pacific Coastal Air goes as far as Calgary and the Okanagan.
Floatplanes, of course, don't need airports, just water and so they can really land on any lake or waterway. For this reason they are used more for fishing trips and have less of a scheduled flight agenda. Many, however, use the Victorisa Harbour or the Nanaimo Harbour or the open water in Campbell River. Many of these floatplanes also connect with the Gulf Islands.
Floatplane companies include:
Corilair, Harbour Air and Vancouver Island Air two of which connect with Vancouver and the Victoria Harbour and the third, Vancouver Island Air connects Vancouver with Campbell River.
Amigo Airways connects to Nanaimo and Kenmore Air works the west coast stops.
Kenmore Air also goes to Seattle as do Northwest Seaplanes, and Soundflight.
There are others not mentioned, and it should be remembered that many of these planes can be chartered and, by private arrangement, go wherever you want! Because of this they often do not have a scheduled route system...just ask!
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