Kelowna Airport: Us Customs Clearance Available?

Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is located in British Columbia, Canada, and is approximately 10 minutes or 6.2 nautical miles from Kelowna. The airport offers scheduled air services to various destinations, including Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, and Seattle. While the airport has a Canadian Customs processing area and a CATSA pre-board screening area, it does not have a US pre-boarding clearance zone. However, US citizens travelling to and from Canada via Kelowna International Airport are required to present a valid passport.

The airport has a Canadian Customs processing area

Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is located approximately 6.2 nautical miles (11.5 km or 7.1 miles) northeast of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It is a single-runway airport that offers scheduled air service to Vancouver, Victoria, Prince George, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Seattle, and Montreal. The airport also offers less frequent seasonal services to destinations such as Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, and Phoenix.

While the airport does not have a US pre-boarding clearance zone, it does offer a CATSA pre-board screening area. Additionally, passengers can take advantage of various amenities at the airport, including restaurants, lounges, car rentals, shops, and a business centre.

It is important to note that all passengers travelling by air between Canada and the United States, including Canadian and US citizens, are required to present a valid passport. For those who are not Canadian or American citizens and are travelling to the US, it is necessary to apply for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

There is no US pre-boarding clearance zone

Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is located approximately 10 minutes or 6.2 nautical miles (11.5 km or 7.1 mi) northeast of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It is a small airport with a single runway and handles up to 36 commercial departures a day, or approximately 248 departures per week. The airport offers scheduled air service to Vancouver, Victoria, Prince George, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Seattle, and Montreal. It also offers less frequent seasonal service to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, and Phoenix.

While Canada Customs is available 24 hours a day at Kelowna International Airport, there is no US pre-boarding clearance zone at the airport. This means that passengers travelling to the United States from Kelowna International Airport will need to go through US customs and immigration upon arrival in the US, rather than prior to boarding their flight.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance program allows travellers to be inspected by CBP personnel at designated foreign airports before boarding US-bound flights. With Preclearance, travellers can bypass CBP inspections upon arrival in the US and proceed directly to their connecting flight or destination. However, Kelowna International Airport is not a designated Preclearance location.

As of 2025, there are only 15 Preclearance locations in 6 countries: Ireland (Dublin and Shannon), Aruba, Bermuda, the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi), the Bahamas (Nassau), and Canada (Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg). These locations were chosen strategically to inspect travellers prior to boarding US-bound flights.

It is important to note that, regardless of the absence of a US pre-boarding clearance zone at Kelowna International Airport, all passengers travelling between Canada and the United States, including Canadian and US citizens, are required to present a valid passport. Additionally, those who are not Canadian or American citizens and are travelling to the US should apply for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

The airport is located 6.2 nautical miles from Kelowna

Kelowna International Airport is located 6.2 nautical miles from Kelowna, which is approximately 10 minutes away from the city. The airport is situated northeast of Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada, and can be accessed via Highway 97.

The airport has undergone significant expansion over the years, with improvements made to the runway, terminal building, and other facilities. In the 1960s and 1970s, a new terminal building, an air traffic control tower, and an onsite weather office were constructed. The runway was also paved and extended during this period, with further extensions occurring in more recent years. Today, the runway is 8,900 feet long, and there are plans to extend it further to 10,000 feet by 2025.

The terminal has also been expanded to accommodate a larger number of passengers. The current hourly rate is approximately 400 passengers, and the terminal size will be nearly doubled to allow for this increase. A 2,400-space parkade is also in the works to reduce vehicular traffic congestion. Additionally, a hotel is currently being constructed on-site, next to the terminal.

Kelowna International Airport offers a range of services and facilities for travellers, including restaurants, shops, car rentals, and shuttle services. The airport also has a business centre, a children's play area, and licensed lounges. It handles up to 36 commercial departures daily, serving various destinations across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

It has a CATSA pre-board screening area

Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is a smoke and vape-free airport that offers a variety of services to its passengers, including US Customs.

The airport has a CATSA pre-board screening area, which is an important part of ensuring the security of all passengers, airline staff, airport employees, and others who work in and travel through the airport. The screening officers are also vital to Canada's overall security measures, working as part of a team that keeps the country, its citizens, and skies safe.

Every passenger at YLW must go through security screening, which includes the following steps:

• Present your boarding pass for verification and be ready to show photo identification if requested.
• Place personal items in the provided bins.
• Send your bins and carry-on baggage through the X-ray machine.
• Stand in the full-body scanner (FBS) or pass through the walk-through metal detector (WTMD).

Passengers with religious head coverings may keep them on during the screening process. However, if the head covering triggers an alarm, additional screening or a physical search in a private room may be required.

Additionally, passengers may be randomly selected for enhanced screening of their electronic devices. If selected, you must remove any covers or protective cases from your devices and ensure they are powered up for inspection.

Wait times for security screening at YLW can vary, and passengers are advised to check with their airline regarding recommended check-in times.

The airport is serviced by Kelowna Regional Route 23 and Vernon Regional Route 90 buses

Kelowna International Airport (IATA: YLW, ICAO: CYLW) is located approximately 6.2 nautical miles (11.5 km or 7.1 miles) northeast of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, on Highway 97. The airport offers scheduled air service to Vancouver, Victoria, Prince George, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Seattle, and Montreal. It also offers less frequent seasonal service to destinations such as Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, and Phoenix. Notably, the airport does not have US pre-boarding clearance.

Regarding transportation to and from the airport, the airport is serviced by Kelowna Regional Route 23 and Vernon Regional Route 90 buses during rush hour only. These bus routes connect Vernon and Lake Country with UBC Okanagan Exchange in Kelowna. It is important to note that the airport is not served by buses during evenings and weekends. Passengers travelling to downtown Kelowna or West Kelowna can make a transfer to the 97X Kelowna RapidBus at UBC Okanagan Exchange for added convenience.

In addition to the bus services, Kelowna International Airport offers a variety of transportation options. Car rentals, airport shuttles, cabs, and private limo services are readily available to take passengers to their desired destinations. During the winter season, from November to April, transport services are also provided to and from the local ski hills, catering to travellers visiting the area for winter sports and activities.

For those driving their personal vehicles, Kelowna International Airport provides parking options with a total capacity of over 2,600 vehicles in both long-term and short-term parking lots. A courtesy shuttle service is available from the long-term lot to the terminal, ensuring a seamless transition for travellers. Both parking areas are well-lit, regularly patrolled by security, and equipped with handicapped parking spaces to accommodate diverse needs.

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