New direct flights from Vancouver to Rome

For the first time in its history, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has a direct, non-stop connection to Rome, Italy.

A new seasonal flight service by Air Transat will operate on a weekly basis from June 17 to October 7 using an Airbus A330-200 aircraft with 345 seats.

Flights leave YVR every Friday at 3:40 pm and arrive at Rome’s Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport at 11:55 am the next day. For returning to Vancouver, flights leave Rome every Saturday at 1:45 pm and arrive at YVR 4:55 pm the same day. Each direction is approximately 12 hours of travel time.

YVR expects the new service will add $1 million to B.C.’s GDP and create 60 new local jobs.

“Thanks to Air Transat, YVR has a direct link to one of the world’s most renowned and ancient connecting hubs—Rome,” said Craig Richmond, President & CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority, in a statement. “This service opens up exciting new opportunities to explore an amazing country, known for its rich culture and stunning attractions.”

Air Transat already flies to 11 other European destinations from Vancouver, some also on a seasonal basis, including Amsterdam, Glasgow, Manchester, Paris, and London Gatwick.

At the end of this month, WestJet is adding three additional non-stop domestic routes to Halifax, London, and Hamilton. The Vancouver Airport Authority expects 2016 to be another record year for growth: Over 21 million passengers are forecasted by the end of the year.

New and improved major YVR routes 2015/2016

• March 15, 2015: Manila, Philippines and New York City, U.S.A. – 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: Kungming, 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 non-stop flight service.
• June 17, 2016: Rome, Italy – Air Transat to begin weekly non-stop seasonal 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.