Victoria International Airport (YYJ) Flight Departures

Published 2026-09-06 · Updated 2026-09-08 · 5 sources

Victoria International Airport (YYJ) operates scheduled passenger departures to regional hubs across Canada, direct service to Seattle, and seasonal routes to Mexican resort destinations. Daily domestic departures link Vancouver Island directly to cities including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, and Ottawa, with summer service to Montreal and flights to smaller communities across British Columbia and the Yukon. Commercial departures are operated by Air Canada, WestJet, and Alaska Airlines, with frequent quick hops to Vancouver offering access to global itineraries.

Where Can You Fly Direct From YYJ?

Departing passengers can choose from a range of domestic routes connecting Victoria to major metropolitan hubs and northern communities across Canada. Non-stop flights operate year-round to central and western Canadian destinations, including Calgary (YYC), Edmonton (YEG), Toronto (YYZ), and Ottawa (YOW).

In addition to regular year-round service, seasonal domestic flights operate during peak travel periods. Regional carriers also handle scheduled departures connecting Victoria with several smaller towns and cities throughout British Columbia and the Yukon.

The most frequent route out of the airport is the short hop across the water to Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Multiple non-stop departures leave Victoria for Vancouver every day, providing a critical transport corridor for business travelers, commuters, and passengers connecting to long-distance routes.

International Departures to the United States and Mexico

International flight departures from YYJ primarily serve two markets: the Pacific Northwest of the United States and warm-weather holiday destinations in Mexico.

For travel to the United States, Victoria provides direct non-stop service to Seattle (SEA). This route is flown by Alaska Airlines. Non-stop flight availability between Victoria and the United States was reduced by half in September 2019 when Delta Air Lines permanently ended its three daily departures to Seattle, leaving Alaska Airlines as the sole carrier providing direct non-stop flights between the two cities.

Travelers heading south to Mexico can take advantage of seasonal non-stop departures. These flights operate from late fall to early spring, carrying holiday passengers directly from Victoria to several Mexican beach and resort locations without requiring a domestic connection.

Connecting Flights via Vancouver

Many passengers departing from Victoria use the airport's frequent service to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) as the first stage of an international journey. The flight between YYJ and YVR takes approximately 15 minutes.

Vancouver is a major international airport offering extensive connections to worldwide destinations across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Victoria passengers departing on the 15-minute flight to Vancouver can link up with long-haul international flights on major Canadian and global airlines.

Connecting through Vancouver is also a common route for travelers visiting destinations across the United States. While Victoria International Airport handles cross-border departures, it does not have a United States customs and border preclearance facility. By flying first to Vancouver, passengers can complete United States border preclearance before boarding their onward flight into the United States.

Which Airlines Operate Departures From Victoria?

Scheduled departures from Victoria are managed by major Canadian carriers alongside an American partner, with many flights flown by dedicated regional feeder operators:

• Air Canada departs YYJ with flights operated on its behalf by Jazz.
• WestJet operates scheduled departures directly and through WestJet Encore.
• Alaska Airlines operates scheduled service with flights flown by Horizon Air.

Departing flights also support extensive codeshare ticketing agreements, allowing international carriers to list flight numbers on departures leaving Victoria:

• WestJet and WestJet Encore departures connect to global airline networks through codeshares with Delta Air Lines, LATAM Airlines, Qantas, Air France, Aeromexico, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, and Condor.
• Alaska Airlines flights operated by Horizon Air carry passenger codeshares for American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines (JAL), and Qatar Airways.
• Air Canada flights operated by Jazz carry codeshares for United Airlines.

These partnerships allow passengers departing YYJ to check baggage and book single-ticket itineraries through to global destinations.

Security Wait Times and Departure Planning

Travelers planning a departure from YYJ can monitor terminal operations before heading to the airport. Live security wait times reported by the airport typically range from 10 to 15 minutes under normal conditions.

The official airport departures tool at yyj.ca publishes live updates on outgoing flights to help travelers track departure delays, gate statuses, and scheduled take-off times. The airport website also maintains real-time parking tracking, showing the percentage of parking lot capacity currently in use and the exact number of open spaces available across airport lots.

What Fees Apply to Outgoing Passengers?

Departing travelers from Victoria International Airport are subject to an airport improvement fee (AIF), which supports local airport infrastructure and operations under the Victoria Airport Authority.

As of April 2024, the airport improvement fee is set at $25.00 per departing passenger. Travelers do not need to pay this fee at an airport payment desk or terminal kiosk before heading to the gate. The $25.00 charge is automatically added to the cost of the airline ticket at the time of purchase by most airlines.

Terminal Location and Ground Transportation

The passenger terminal at Victoria International Airport is located on the Saanich Peninsula within the municipality of North Saanich, British Columbia. The airport sits approximately 12 nautical miles (22 kilometres or 14 miles) north-northwest of Victoria. While the passenger terminal and the majority of airport grounds are situated in North Saanich, a small section of the airfield crosses into the neighboring community of Sidney.

Travelers heading to the terminal can reach their flight by road or by public transportation. Victoria Regional Transit operates local bus connections directly to the airport, with scheduled service provided on bus routes 87 and 88.

Customs and Border Clearance Procedures

Victoria International Airport is designated as an official airport of entry by Nav Canada, with border control services provided by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The local CBSA staff at the facility are equipped to clear aircraft carrying up to 120 passengers during standard processing, or up to 450 passengers when arriving travelers are unloaded from the aircraft in stages.

Because the airport does not have preclearance facilities for the United States, outgoing passengers boarding direct flights to Seattle clear United States customs upon landing in the United States. Outgoing passengers who prefer to clear American border control prior to take-off typically schedule a departure to Vancouver first.

Summary of Non-Stop Departure Routes