Is There an Airport on Vancouver Island? Commercial Flights
Vancouver Island has several airports rather than a single central landing field. Travelers heading to the region can arrive via multiple paved runways or water aerodromes that offer scheduled commercial airline service. Beyond these scheduled entry points, the island contains dozens of regional airfields, floatplane bases, and heliports serving local towns, coastal waterways, and hospital facilities.
Is Vancouver International Airport located on Vancouver Island?
Many travelers confuse Vancouver Island with the city of Vancouver and assume the province's largest airport sits on the island. Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is not on Vancouver Island. It is situated on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, roughly 12 kilometres from downtown Vancouver in the Lower Mainland region.
While Vancouver International Airport serves as a major hub for carriers such as Air Canada, WestJet, and Pacific Coastal Airlines, it is entirely on the mainland. Passengers arriving at YVR must take a connecting regional flight or cross the water by ferry to reach Vancouver Island destinations. YVR also features a dedicated terminal for scheduled floatplane services operating between the mainland and coastal points.
Which Vancouver Island airports offer scheduled commercial flights?
Outside the Greater Victoria area, Vancouver Island features six primary land airports with scheduled commercial airline service. These airports provide connections to communities along the eastern coast, northern territory, and western shores of the island.
| Airport Name | ICAO Code | IATA Code | Community |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell River Airport | CYBL | YBL | Campbell River |
| CFB Comox (Comox Airport) | CYQQ | YQQ | Comox |
| Nanaimo Airport | CYCD | YCD | Nanaimo |
| Port Hardy Airport | CYZT | YZT | Port Hardy |
| Qualicum Beach Airport | CAT4 | XQU | Qualicum Beach |
| Tofino-Long Beach Airport | CYAZ | YAZ | Tofino |
Nanaimo Airport and Comox Airport function as significant travel gateways along the central portion of the island. Campbell River Airport connects passengers with the north-central coast, while Port Hardy Airport provides access to communities on the far northern end. On the western coastline, Tofino-Long Beach Airport provides commercial air links to the Pacific oceanfront, while Qualicum Beach Airport handles scheduled flights along the central Strait of Georgia.
Which water aerodromes offer scheduled floatplane service?
Because Vancouver Island has extensive coastlines and sheltered inlets, seaplanes provide a practical way to travel directly into coastal communities. Five water aerodromes on the island operate scheduled commercial airline routes directly from marine harbours.
| Water Aerodrome Name | Identifier Code | Associated Community |
|---|---|---|
| Campbell River Water Aerodrome | CAE3 (YBL) | Campbell River |
| Comox Water Aerodrome | CCX6 | Comox |
| Nanaimo Harbour Water Aerodrome | CAC8 (ZNA) | Nanaimo Harbour |
| Port Alberni Water Aerodrome | CPW9 | Port Alberni |
| Tofino Harbour Water Aerodrome | CAB4 | Tofino Harbour |
These water bases allow floatplanes to dock directly at downtown waterfront locations. In Nanaimo Harbour and Comox, water aerodromes allow passengers to land right on the ocean without needing ground transportation from distant inland runways. Similar harbour flight facilities operate in Campbell River, Port Alberni on the inlet, and Tofino on the western coast.
What ground services and amenities are available at Nanaimo Airport?
Nanaimo Airport (YCD) is situated in the Central Island area between Nanaimo and the Cowichan Valley. The airport offers non-stop and connecting flight options, making it a key transit point for island residents and visitors.
Ground transportation options at Nanaimo Airport include car rentals, taxi companies, and scheduled bus shuttle services running directly from the passenger terminal building. For passengers driving their own vehicles, the facility provides both short-term and long-term parking areas close to the air terminal building. Electric vehicle charging stations are installed in both the main parking lot and the north parking lot.
Inside the terminal, travelers can receive assistance from the customer care team and Blue Navigators Ambassadors, who provide guidance regarding security processes, flight travel rules, and accessibility support. The airport provides direct access to central island activities, such as coastal paddling, wilderness hiking, year-round golf, mountain biking, ocean surfing, wildlife viewing, and rainforest visits.
What features and passenger services operate at Comox Airport?
Comox Airport (YQQ), which shares facilities with CFB Comox, is branded as a primary Vancouver Island airport serving northern and central communities. The terminal features check-in counters and arrival schedule tracking for partner airlines, alongside dedicated parking spaces and local ground transportation connections.
To support traveler comfort, Comox Airport operates the Y-Q-Cuties Comfort Pet Program, where trained companion animals interact with passengers waiting for flights. The terminal also houses the ARTWRX Studio+Gallery, displaying rotating cultural and regional visual art shows such as Gathering Light, Gathering Place.
What other regional airfields and water bases are on Vancouver Island?
In addition to aerodromes offering scheduled airline routes, Vancouver Island contains smaller regional runways and floatplane bases that support private aviators, charter services, and general aviation.
Registered land airfields on the island include:
- Courtenay Airpark (CAH3 / YCA) in Courtenay
- Courtenay (Smit Field) Airport (CCS6) in Courtenay
- Duncan Airport (CAM3 / DUQ) in Duncan
- Port Alberni (Alberni Valley Regional) Airport (CBS8 / YPB) in Port Alberni
- Port McNeill Airport (CAT5 / YMP) in Port McNeill
- Quamichan Lake (Raven Field) Airport (CML2) near Duncan
Numerous sheltered water bodies host registered water aerodromes for non-scheduled floatplane arrivals:
- Courtenay Airpark Water Aerodrome (CBG9)
- Gold River Water Aerodrome (CAU6)
- Nanaimo/Long Lake Water Airport (CAT3)
- Port Alberni/Sproat Lake Water Aerodrome (CAA9)
- Port Hardy Water Aerodrome (CAW5)
- Port McNeill Water Aerodrome (CAM8)
- Quamichan Lake (Raven Field) Water Aerodrome (CRF6)
- Shawnigan Lake Water Aerodrome (CAV8)
- Tahsis Water Aerodrome (CAL9 / ZTS)
- Ucluelet Water Aerodrome (CAN3)
- Zeballos Water Aerodrome (CAA5)
These landing sites allow floatplane access to remote coastal villages and inland lakes where paved landing strips are unavailable, including remote locations such as Tahsis, Zeballos, and Gold River.
Where are heliports located across Vancouver Island?
Helicopter landing pads operate across the island to support regional hospitals, industrial operations, emergency forestry services, and coastal search and rescue.
Dedicated hospital and health clinic heliports include:
- Comox (St. Joseph's Hospital) Heliport (CBV8)
- Duncan (Cowichan District Hospital) Heliport (CDH4)
- Nanaimo/Gabriola Island (Health Clinic) Heliport (CGB4)
- Nanaimo (Regional Hospital) Heliport (CBG5)
- Port Alberni (West Coast General Hospital) Heliport (CBK5)
- Port Alice (Hospital) Heliport (CBB5)
- Port Hardy (Hospital) Heliport (CBS5)
- Port McNeill (Hospital) Heliport (CBM9)
Commercial and service heliports provide operational bases for private charter companies, forest fire tankers, and marine safety organizations. These include Campbell River (E & B Helicopters) Heliport, Gold River (E & B Helicopters) Heliport, Gold River (The Ridge) Heliport, Nanaimo Harbour Heliport, Nanaimo (West Coast) Heliport, Qualicum Beach (Aerosmith Heli Service) Heliport, Port Alberni/Sproat Lake Tanker Base Heliport, San Juan Point (Coast Guard) Heliport, and Tofino Lifeboat Station Heliport.