Record setting 25.94 million passengers streamed through YVR Airport in 2018

Feb 5 2019, 2:53 pm

Vancouver International Airport experienced an extremely busy final few weeks of December last year, pushing the airport’s total number of passengers throughout 2018 to a staggering record of 25,936,907.

That is nearly a million more passengers within a two week span, considering airport officials celebrated the 25-millionth passenger on December 18.

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The year’s entire total is nearly 1.8 million more passengers than the previous record attained in 2017 of 24,166,122 passengers — an increase of 7.3%.

Here is a breakdown of 2018’s passenger growth at YVR by market, based on the official statistics released by the Vancouver Airport Authority:

  • Domestic
    • Total passengers: 12,446,722
    • Year-over-year growth: +6.1%
  • Transborder (United States)
    • Total passengers: 6,332,091
    • Year-over-year growth: +5.6%
  • Asia Pacific
    • Total passengers: 4,465,253
    • Year-over-year growth: +9.6%
  • Europe
    • Total passengers: 1,754,538
    • Year-over-year growth: +9.4%
  • Miscellaneous
    • Total passengers: 938,303
    • Year-over-year growth: +23.8%
  • International total (including Transborder)
    • Total passengers: 13,490,185
    • Year-over-year growth: +8.5%

The total number of aircraft movements rose from 289,371 in 2017 and 295,870, representing a 2.2% increase over 2017. Of this number, 157,320 were jets, which was up by 3% compared to the previous year.

In 2015, YVR announced its target of reaching 25 million passengers per year by 2020, but not only has it exceeded that target much earlier than anticipated. New highly competitive measures were implemented to attract new airlines and routes, and to put it simply: it worked.

On the current trajectory, YVR is now forecast to see 31 million passengers per year by 2022 — reaching the same levels that were experienced by the much larger Toronto Pearson International Airport in 2011.

To accommodate all the new growth, earlier this year, the airport embarked on a $9.1-billion expansion that will expand the airport’s capacity significantly over a 20-year timeline.

Vancouver International Airport Traffic History

  • 1992
    • Passengers: 9,935,285
    • Cargo (tonnes): 144,404
    • Aircraft Movements: 290,297
  • 1993
    • Passengers: 10,235,015
    • Cargo (tonnes): 151,467
    • Aircraft Movements: 289,371
  • 1994
    • Passengers: 10,830,796
    • Cargo (tonnes): 182,372
    • Aircraft Movements: 301,416
  • 1995
    • Passengers: 12,006,973
    • Cargo (tonnes): 214,472
    • Aircraft Movements: 311,829
  • 1996
    • Passengers: 14,037,174
    • Cargo (tonnes): 249,201
    • Aircraft Movements: 330,364
  • 1997
    • Passengers: 14,818,564
    • Cargo (tonnes): 260,773
    • Aircraft Movements: 343,068
  • 1998
    • Passengers: 15,508,109
    • Cargo (tonnes): 249,297
    • Aircraft Movements: 369,728
  • 1999
    • Passengers: 15,806,499
    • Cargo (tonnes): 269,129
    • Aircraft Movements: 367,249
  • 2000
    • Passengers: 16,032,531
    • Cargo (tonnes): 251,771
    • Aircraft Movements: 337,397
  • 2001
    • Passengers: 15,476,762
    • Cargo (tonnes): 228,694
    • Aircraft Movements: 312,078
  • 2002
    • Passengers: 14,877,536
    • Cargo (tonnes): 235,039
    • Aircraft Movements: 296,626
  • 2003
    • Passengers: 14,321,504
    • Cargo (tonnes): 214,882
    • Aircraft Movements: 290,382
  • 2004
    • Passengers: 15,725,694
    • Cargo (tonnes): 229,913
    • Aircraft Movements: 314,986
  • 2005
    • Passengers: 16,418,993
    • Cargo (tonnes): 223,678
    • Aircraft Movements: 322,949
  • 2006
    • Passengers: 16,922,226
    • Cargo (tonnes): 222,730
    • Aircraft Movements: 322,396
  • 2007
    • Passengers: 17,495,049
    • Cargo (tonnes): 226,233
    • Aircraft Movements: 328,008
  • 2008
    • Passengers: 17,852,459
    • Cargo (tonnes): 211,693
    • Aircraft Movements: 339,022
  • 2009
    • Passengers: 16,179,312
    • Cargo (tonnes): 197,490
    • Aircraft Movements: 314,437
  • 2010
    • Passengers: 16,778,774
    • Cargo (tonnes): 226,840
    • Aircraft Movements: 294,571
  • 2011
    • Passengers: 17,032,780
    • Cargo (tonnes): 223,878
    • Aircraft Movements: 296,942
  • 2012
    • Passengers: 17,596,901
    • Cargo (tonnes): 227,929
    • Aircraft Movements: 296,394
  • 2013
    • Passengers: 17,971,883
    • Cargo (tonnes): 228,263
    • Aircraft Movements: 300,454
  • 2014
    • Passengers: 19,358,203
    • Cargo (tonnes): 256,934
    • Aircraft Movements: 310,139
  • 2015
    • Passengers: 20,315,978
    • Cargo (tonnes): 271, 774
    • Aircraft Movements: 316,182
  • 2016
    • Passengers: 22,284,496
    • Cargo (tonnes): 281,018
    • Aircraft Movements: 281,018
  • 2017
    • Passengers: 24,166,122
    • Cargo (tonnes): 312,883
    • Aircraft Movements: 289,371
  • 2018
    • Passengers: 25,936,907
    • Cargo (tonnes): 338,182
    • Aircraft Movements: 295,870

New and improved major YVR routes 2015-19

  • March 15, 2015: Manila, Philippines and New York City, USA – Philippine Airlines adds four weekly flights to its route from Manila to NYC, with a stop in Vancouver.
  • March 29, 2015: Paris, France – Air France begins three times weekly non-stop flight service, with five times weekly schedules during the summer months.
  • May 1, 2015: Osaka, Japan – Air Canada Rouge begins five times weekly service to Kansai International Airport.
  • June 26, 2015: Kunming, China – China Eastern Airlines begins three times weekly flight service via Shanghai.
  • December 9, 2015: Mexico City, Mexico – Aeromexico to begin daily non-stop flight service.
  • January 1, 2016: Orlando International Airport – WestJet to begin twice weekly non-stop seasonal flight service.
  • January 20, 2016: Orlando-Sanford International Airport – National Airlines to begin two times weekly seasonal flight service.
  • February 15, 2016: Cancun, Mexico – Air Canada to begin weekly, non-stop seasonal service.
  • May 1, 2016: London Heathrow Airport – British Airways to use an AirBus A380 superjumbo jet for its existing daily non-stop London Heathrow Airport service. The A380 will only be used during the summer months.
  • May 6, 2016: London Gatwick Airport – WestJet to begin six times weekly non-stop flight service.
  • May 9, 2016: Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport – Air Canada to begin twice daily, non-stop service to San Jose.
  • June 1, 2016: Brisbane, Australia – Air Canada to begin daily non-stop flight service.
  • June 2, 2016: San Diego International Airport – Air Canada to begin daily, non-stop seasonal service.
  • June 4, 2016: Chicago O’Hare International Airport – Air Canada to begin daily, non-stop service.
  • June 10, 2016: Dublin Airport – Air Canada to begin seasonal, three times weekly non-stop flight service.
  • June 29, 2016: London, Ontario – WestJet to begin four times weekly non-stop seasonal flight service.
  • June 29, 2016: Halifax, Nova Scotia – WestJet to begin four times weekly non-stop seasonal flight service.
  • June 30, 2016: Hamilton, Ontario – WestJet to begin three times weekly non-stop seasonal flight service.
  • July 25, 2016: Xiamen, China – Xiamen Airlines to begin three times weekly non-stop flight service.
  • October 20, 2016: Delhi, India – Air Canada to begin three times weekly non-stop flight service.
  • December 1, 2016: Mexico City, Mexico – Aeromexico increases weekly flights from 14 to 20.
  • December 20, 2016: Nanjing, China – China Eastern Airlines to begin three times weekly non-stop flight service.
  • December 30, 2016: Hangzhou, China via Qingdao, China – Beijing Capital Airlines to begin three times weekly service.
  • February 5, 2017: Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas – Air Canada to begin daily service
  • March 28, 2017: Hong Kong, China – Cathay Pacific increases weekly flights from 14 to 17
  • May 1, 2017: Phoenix, Arizona – Air Canada to begin daily service
  • May 18, 2017: Denver, Colorado – Air Canada to begin twice-daily service
  • June 1, 2017: Nagoya, Japan – Air Canada to begin seasonal three times weekly service
  • June 1, 2017: Frankfurt, Germany – Air Canada to begin daily service
  • June 8, 2017: Taipei, Taiwan – Air Canada to begin daily service
  • June 8, 2017: London, UK (Gatwick Airport) – Air Canada to begin three times weekly service
  • June 23, 2017: Boston, Massachusetts – Air Canada to begin daily summer seasonal service
  • June 30, 2017: Hong Kong, China – Hong Kong Airlines to begin daily non-stop flight service
  • October 14, 2017: Delhi, India – Air Canada’s service to be upgraded to up to five times weekly
  • October 26, 2017: Cancun, Mexico – Interjet to begin year-round, non-stop flight service running four times weekly
  • October 26, 2017: Mexico City, Mexico – Interjet to begin year-round, non-stop flight service running four times weekly
  • October 29, 2017: Huatulco, Mexico – WestJet to begin weekly non-stop flight service
  • October 29, 2017: Kona and Kauai, Hawaii – WestJet to start seasonal service earlier than usual
  • December 1, 2017: Melbourne, Australia – Air Canada to begin four times weekly non-stop seasonal service
  • December 15, 2017: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories – Air Canada to begin daily non-stop service
  • December 19, 2017: Montego Bay, Jamaica – Sunwing Airlines to begin weekly seasonal service
  • December 20, 2017: Orlando International Airport – Air Canada to begin twice weekly non-stop seasonal service
  • January 29, 2018: Edmonton, Alberta – WestJet to increase flights from 50 to 59 times weekly
  • January 29, 2018: Calgary, Alberta – WestJet to increase flights from 88 to 112 times weekly
  • January 29, 2018: Kelowna, BC – WestJet to increase flights from 40 to 49 times weekly
  • January 29, 2018: Ottawa, Ontario – WestJet to increase flights from seven to 14 times weekly
  • January 29, 2018: Regina, Saskatchewan – WestJet to increase flights from six to seven times weekly
  • January 29, 2018: Fort St. John, BC – WestJet to increase flights from six to 12 times weekly
  • January 29, 2018: Victoria, BC – WestJet to increase flights from 33 to 35 times weekly
  • January 29, 2018: Cancun, Mexico – WestJet to increase flights from two to three times weekly
  • January 29, 2018: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – WestJet to increase flights from one to two times weekly
  • March 18, 2018: Mexico City, Mexico – WestJet launches three times weekly year-round service
  • April 29, 2018: Mexico City, Mexico – WestJet service to be upgraded into daily year-round service
  • May 2, 2018: Reykjavík, Iceland – Icelandair to upgrade existing year-round service to four times weekly throughout the year
  • May 4, 2018: Chicago O’Hare International Airport – American Airlines to begin year-round, daily service
  • May 17, 2018: Sacramento International Airport – Air Canada to begin year-round, daily service
  • May 25, 2018: Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and Tianjin Binhai International Airport – Hainan Airlines to begin year-round, twice-weekly service  to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport with one stop at Tianjin Binhai International Airport
  • June 1, 2018: Melbourne, Australia – Air Canada service to be upgraded to three times weekly year-round
  • June 7, 2018: Zurich, Switzerland – Air Canada to begin three times weekly seasonal service
  • June 8, 2018: Paris, France – Air Canada to begin four times weekly seasonal service
  • June 8, 2018: Delhi, India – Air Canada upgrades seasonal service to four times weekly year-round
  • October 28, 2018: Honolulu, Hawaii – Air Canada upgrades service to two times daily during winter
  • October 28, 2018: Maui, Hawaii – Air Canada upgrades service to two times daily during winter
  • December 15, 2018: Kauai, Hawaii – Air Canada begins three times weekly seasonal service
  • December 23, 2018: Liberia, Costa Rica – Sunwing Airlines to start weekly seasonal service
  • June 6, 2019: Reykjavík, Iceland – WOW air to start six times weekly service.
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Kenneth ChanKenneth Chan

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