Calgary Airport (YYC) Flights & Flight Status

Flying into Calgary is legendary. The city is surrounded by some of the most beautiful natural splendor in all of Canada, or perhaps even North America, and landing among the Rocky Mountains is an unmatched experience.

Calgary International Airport (YYC) matches that vibe and will help ensure your trip starts or ends in a relatively relaxed fashion. The airport isn’t as large or hectic as the other big city airports in Canada and in fact has been named one of the best airports in the world thanks to its intuitive and very easy-to-navigate layout and design.

If you’re planning a trip to Calgary or the surrounding area, take a look at the following expert guide to help get yourself oriented before you arrive. Here is everything you need to know about arriving and departing from Calgary International Airport.

Arriving at YYC

If you’re flying into Calgary from a domestic flight within Canada as I often do, the arrivals process will be very easy and fast. You’ll land in the domestic terminal among airlines like Air Canada and WestJet before being dumped out at arrivals and on to baggage claim.

The baggage claim turnaround time tends to be pretty quick at YYC. I am usually out of arrivals in less than 20 minutes with my checked luggage in-hand and ready to explore the Rocky Mountains.

Internationally, YYC services the United States, Mexico, Japan and various countries in Europe and the Caribbean. Those who are flying into Calgary International Airport from abroad will have to go through customs before heading to the baggage claim. The airport is significantly less busy than those in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, but it can still get backed up if you happen to land at the same time as other large international flights.

Keep in mind that Canadian airports have customs declarations forms on digital kiosks that you have to visit before seeing the customs agent. These are designed to speed up the process but can sometimes slow things down if there are tech issues or several travelers who aren’t that tech-savvy.

Getting to and from YYC by public transportation

It depends on exactly where you’re going once you arrive, but Calgary International Airport is generally well-connected when it comes to public transportation. Calgary Transit offers dedicated buses that leave directly from the airport and connect to the greater light rail transit system that will allow you to get pretty much anywhere in the city.

There are 2 different bus stops – one at domestic arrivals and one at international arrivals. The directions to the bus stops are very well-marked and easy to find once you’ve retrieved your baggage. The shuttle buses run frequently and tickets can be purchased from either the 7-Eleven store at the arrivals area of the airport or at the various ticket vending machines using cash, debit cards or credit cards.

Getting to and from YYC by car

I tend to prefer a taxi over public transportation when arriving in Calgary due to the fact that it’s faster and more convenient – because I tend to be traveling for work, optimizing time is key for me. The drive from the airport to the downtown core in Calgary takes around 40 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and will run you around the same or a little bit less than what you’d pay for a taxi from the airports in Toronto or Montreal.

There aren’t really any taxi scams or other misleading things to look out for when grabbing a cab from the Calgary airport but I recommend Checkered Yellow Cab or Calgary United Cabs – I find them to be the best here.

You can also use rideshare services like Uber and Lyft to book a car from the airport. There are clearly marked pick-up zones for both taxis and rideshare vehicles, so you’ll want to look carefully for the correct signs to ensure you can easily find your driver without running into any confusion or issues.

Security lines at YYC

The security lines at Calgary International Airport might be the easiest and most impressive system I’ve experienced. It doesn’t tend to get overly busy and the security staff tend to be very efficient and friendly, which is a nice bonus.

My favorite program to take advantage of at Calgary International Airport is YYC Express. This totally free initiative allows you to sign up for priority security screening at a specific time of day, allowing you to bypass the regular line in favor of the expedited VIP line. There’s no membership required and all you need to do is request the service up to 72 hours before your departure time.

I’ve heard some folks compare the YYC Express service to packing an umbrella in case of rain due to the fact that the security line is very rarely jam-packed. As such, you don’t always need to take advantage of the expedited line, but it’s still worth it if you want to ensure you get to the front of the line as quickly as possible. You never know when a backup will form.

Free Wi-Fi at Calgary International Airport

Calgary International Airport, like almost every other major airport in the world today, offers free Wi-Fi that spans across the entire airport. YYC has actually been named the airport with the best free Wi-Fi in Canada and the third best in North America. I personally take great comfort in this as a digital nomad who works pretty much whenever I have a free minute.

The airport doesn’t require you to sign up at a kiosk in order to get access to the free Wi-Fi, either. All you have to do is select “YYC-Free-WiFi” from your device and agree to the standard terms and conditions.

Souvenir shopping at the airport

Shopping for souvenirs will always be more affordable and more abundant outside of an airport, but Calgary International Airport has a decent selection of souvenir shops if you are looking to pick up some last-minute gifts.

There’s a great duty-free shop on the international side with your classic fragrances, wines, cosmetics and designer goods, as well as a couple of Canada-centric souvenir shops with things like chocolate and maple syrup. You’ll also find the basic travel convenience stores.

Lounges at YYC

There are a fair few lounges available at Calgary International Airport that are accessible for airline rewards members, credit card holders and those looking to purchase a day pass for the peace of mind that comes with relaxing in a lounge before boarding.

The main lounges include the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, which is reserved for Aeroplan or Star Alliance members with status, the Aspire International Lounge & Aspire Lounge Transborder, which is a pay-per-visit lounge, and the WestJet Elevation Lounge, which permits WestJet travelers with status, business class travelers and day pass guests when space allows.

Finally, there’s the YYC Quiet Space Lounge, which is a free space for all passengers to enjoy a quiet atmosphere for napping, doing yoga or just relaxing.

Service animal relief areas at the airport

If you’re traveling with a service animal or furry companion, Calgary International Airport is a great place for you to be. YYC is very animal-friendly and not just for service animals but for pets as well. Animals are allowed to be outside of their kennels as long as they’re on a retractable leash less than 4 feet in length.

There are plenty of relief areas at YYC to make traveling with pets even easier. There are in-terminal pet relief areas in the domestic, US-bound and international areas of the airport, as well as areas outside of the terminal buildings. Look for relief areas in Concourse D across from Chili’s, Concourse E adjacent to the Aspire Lounge and Concourse B adjacent to Gate B34. The airport also provides free waste disposal bags.