Calgary Airport Parking

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Guide to Calgary International Airport

Calgary International Airport (YYC) is the fourth-busiest airport in Canada, handling over 15 million passengers each year. It serves as a base for domestic air travel and for international flights to the United States, the Caribbean, South America, Europe and Southeast Asia on a seasonal and year-round basis. YYC is one of eight Canadian airports authorized for US Border Preclearance.

Location of Calgary Airport

YYC is located 11 miles (17 kilometers) north east of downtown Calgary. With links to major roads, including the Deerfoot Trail NE (Highway 2) and the Barlow Trail NE (Highway 2A), the airport is easy to reach from all over the Calgary region.

A number of scheduled bus and on-demand shuttle services are also on hand to get you to Calgary Airport from the city and nearby tourist destinations, like Banff and Jasper. The 100, 300 and 430 connect to YYC from the surrounding areas, with the 100 and 300 taking between 20 and 40 minutes to reach it from downtown.

History of Calgary Airport

Now a major mode of transport for the Alberta province, Calgary Airport began life modestly in 1914 when it comprised just a grass strip runway and a run-down hut that acted as a terminal. It was located in Bowness, about 2.5 miles (four kilometers) from its current site. The Calgary Municipal Airport then opened at Renfrew in 1928, before giving way to McFall Field on the present-day location 10 years later.

McFall Field took the name Calgary International Airport in 1966 after Transport Canada purchased it from the Federal Department of Transport for $2 million.

Ever since then, the airport’s owners have remained committed to maintaining its reputation as a world-class facility. As part of this commitment, Transport Canada built a new terminal (the current base for domestic flights) in 1977 and began major expansion work in 1992. The largest on-site project at YYC to date is the International Terminal, which opened on Halloween 2016. As a result of this expansion, Calgary Airport is now home to nearly 200 shops, restaurants and service outlets, as well as two hotels and eight children’s play areas.

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Airport facilities

Whether you want to grab a quick bite to eat or indulge in a carefully prepared meal, you’ll find fast food restaurants, posh eateries serving world food, a number of different coffee shops and cafés and even a store selling luxury local chocolate at YYC.

There are also clothes stores and spas to help make sure you always look and feel great in time for take-off. If you’re a bargain hunter, you may want to browse through one of the duty free stores, while souvenir shops are on hand to help you find the ideal gifts or mementoes of your time in Calgary.

• ATMs

• Bag wrapping

• Baggage enquiries

• Car hire

• Car valeting service

• Currency exchange

• Disabled access

• Dry cleaning

• Faith and worship rooms

• Family and baby facilities

• Food and drink

  • Restaurants

  • Cafés

  • Bars

  • World cuisine

  • Breakfasts

• Hotels

• Information points

• Internet access

• Left baggage

• Lost and Found

• Lounges

• Parking facilities

• Shipping and courier services

• Shopping

  • High-street brands

  • Convenience stores

  • Duty free

• Smoking areas

• Trolleys

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Calgary International Airport hotel and parking

Calgary Airport has two ‘in-terminal’ hotels: The Delta by Marriot and the Marriot. Both offer a host of facilities, including free, high-speed WiFi, restaurants, indoor pools, gyms and business centers, as well as laundry and housekeeping services.

The Delta is the older of the two on-site hotels, has slightly fewer rooms (296) and is listed as a three-star hotel. The more modern Marriot is listed as a 3.5-star hotel with 318 rooms and features a conference room and the use of in-room refrigerators among an impressive list of amenities. Both The Delta and the Marriot offer valet parking, although neither provides its own parking areas or combined parking deals due to their proximity to the terminal.

With 120 rooms, the Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre Calgary Airport is smaller than YYC’s on-site accommodation. Despite this, it offers many of the same amenities, including free WiFi, an indoor pool, gym, restaurant/bar and 24-hour business center. The front desk is manned 24 hours a day and guests can take advantage of free parking and an airport shuttle service. The Radisson is just 1.4 miles (2.3 kilometers) from Calgary Airport.

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Top things to do in Calgary International Airport

Go interstellar

The SpacePort at Calgary Airport offers free education and entertainment in the form of state-of-the-art interactive exhibits and displays with a focus on aeronautic technology, in addition to space travel and exploration. Great for kids and adults alike, the SpacePort is a fun and affordable way to spend some time if you have a few hours to wait before your flight. The facility also hosts exhibitions for community groups and school trips.

The SpacePort is open between 9am and 9pm on Mondays to Fridays and between 9am and 5pm at weekends.

Take in local art and history

As part of YYC’s partnership with the Attractions Alberta Program, the airport displays a number of carousel exhibits highlighting some of Calgary’s key landmarks, sporting achievements and notable events.

The International Terminal also displays works of art from local artist, Jeff de Boer, and fellow Canadian sculptors, Al Stinson and Michael Mailhot. The idea of the art installations is to give visitors (especially those coming into the airport for the first time) a sense of Calgary and its place in the world, as well as that of Canada as a whole.

Enjoy global delights and local cuisine

In terms of places to eat, YYC certainly spoils you for choice. Chili’s offers grilled food with flavors inspired by Southwestern Canada, while you can indulge in a uniquely Canadian breakfast platter in the A&W fast food outlet.

If you like your food a little more exotic, go to Bubbles Tapas and Wine Bar for food with a Latin feel or venture into Crepe Delicious for a taste of Parisian street food.

The Belgian Beer Café offers a great selection of premium Belgian beers along with a mix of homegrown and far-flung flavors, including mouth-watering AAA Albertan steak and Belgian fries.

Work, rest or play

The two Aspire International Lounges offer you places to work or rest in comfort and luxury away from the hustle and bustle of an often-noisy airport terminal. If you need to get on with some work, you can do so in the comfortable executive chairs, while the fast, free WiFi and tableside charging stations enable you to stay up to date and in the loop.

The breakfast, drinks and all-day dining menus give you access to the fuel you need to power through your busy day and sleeping pods are also available if ever you need to recharge your batteries before take-off.

Stay fresh and look the part

Elements Spa offers bespoke cosmetic treatments and facials designed to nourish and revitalize your skin and give you a healthy glow. In-store experts personalize the treatment to take care of your unique skin profile. If you’re in a rush, Elements on the Go ensures you stay looking and feeling fresh pronto.

Also in the terminal, the Desigual clothes store offers attire to help you stand out from the crowd at any occasion, while Lammie’s Western Wear offers apparel dedicated to the western lifestyle. Whether you’re looking for the perfect cocktail dress or you want to try on a Stetson and some cowboy boots at the end of your time in Calgary, YYC's retail outlets have everything you need.

Look for souvenirs or last-minute deals

Calgary Duty Free offers an extensive range of premium branded products, including perfumes, makeup, sunglasses, watches and jewelry. What’s more, you get all of this for at least 20 per cent less than the normal high street prices.

Heritage Trading Post sells a huge range of uniquely Albertan items. These include dark stones and ammolite pieces, bronze statues, specialist jewelry and educational books on native culture. Meanwhile, the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory offers treats inspired by or derived from Canada, as a way to remember your time in the country.

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Top things to do near Calgary International Airport

Enjoy a bird's eye view of Calgary

If you’re from out of town, the Calgary Tower is the best place to see and learn about the city in all its splendor. The tower stands at 626 feet (191 meters) tall and boasts a 360-degree observation deck with a glass floor.

The deck completes a full rotation every 45 minutes (or every hour during dinner), allowing you to take in awesome scenery from all vantage points. Come here for stunning views of the Bow Building, Fort Calgary, Centre Street Bridge and Olympic Plaza.

Hang out with endangered species

While zoos in general tend to divide opinion, all animals at Calgary Zoo are well cared for and the staff take great pride in their wildlife conservation programs. Hang out with ringtail or black-and-white lemurs, Vancouver Island marmots, black-footed ferrets and swift foxes. You can also talk to the friendly keepers to find out what it takes to care for the animals on a daily basis or learn about the animals’ evolution over millions of years in the dinosaur enclosure.

Explore the many facets of Calgary’s history

The Glenbow Museum is the largest of its kind in Western Canada and is home to 20 galleries comprising over one million works of art and historical artefacts. The museum shows how modern Canada was able to prosper through its natural resources, but doesn’t hold back in its efforts to depict the ways in which these gains harmed native communities.

View the displays and gain detailed insight into native culture, learn more about how the waves of immigration from Europe affected the country and discover the plights of immigrants from Southeast Asia in the wake of the shameful Chinese Exclusion Act, 1923.

Go bobsleighing…all year round!

At Canada Olympic Park, you can go bobsleighing with three friends or family members (over the age of 16). While bobsleighing is traditionally a winter sport, the park is also equipped with a summer track, so no matter what time of year you visit, you’ll be able to feel your adrenaline rush as you negotiate the twists and turns at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour).

Have lunch on top of a glacier

The Icefields Parkway Glacier Skywalk takes you on a journey from Calgary to Jasper by coach, with pick-up available from YYC. Before lunch, you will take in breathtaking mountain views of the Rockies as you drive past Lake Louise, Peyto Lake and the Crowfoot Glacier. Later, you'll climb off the coach to go on a guided nature walk to admire glaciers and Athabasca Falls.

The journey then makes its way to the Columbia Icefields where a large, imposing vehicle takes you to the glacier’s surface for lunch. Afterwards, you'll get the chance to venture on to the glass walkway for heart-stopping views of the beautiful scenery from 918 feet (280 meters) above ground level.

Visit the biggest amusement park in the region

Calaway Park is the largest amusement park in Alberta and, indeed, western Canada. With a choice of 30 rides, all of which vary in terms of the adrenaline rush they offer, the park provides fun for all the family. Children’s rides include Ball Crawl, Freddie Fireboat and Boulder Bumper Cars. Thrill-seekers get to choose from rides such as AirGliders, Storm and Vortex. The park also features a maze, live entertainment and a number of food outlets.

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Which terminal?

Calgary Airport has two adjoining terminals: Domestic and International. The Domestic Terminal consists of Concourses A, B, and C and handles flights within Canada. The International Terminal comprises Concourses D and E and handles international flights, including those to the United States. YYC is a hub for Air Canada and WestJet, as well as a focus city for Sunwing Airlines.

The airlines currently offering public flights to and from Calgary Airport can be found on the Calgary Airport website.

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How to get to Calgary International Airport

Car

If you’re using sat nav, the postal code T2E 6W5 will take you to YYC. From downtown Calgary, make your way north onto Deerfoot Trail, take exit 266 onto Airport Trail Northeast and simply follow the signs to YYC from there. The journey from downtown Calgary to YYC takes around 20 minutes by car (as much as 30 minutes at peak times).

If you’re coming from Banff, Edmonton or Drumheller, drive onto the Barlow Trail Northeast, follow signposts to the airport and continue along Airport Road Northeast until you reach YYC.

The roads around YYC are subject to expansion and renovation, so keep an eye out for construction updates on the airport website to make sure you beat disruptions and get to the airport on time.

Bus

Calgary Transit operates a number of buses to take you to the airport from downtown Calgary and the surrounding areas. Route 100 connects YYC with McKnight-Westwinds CTrain station and runs every 45 minutes from 5:36am until 11:55pm. Journeys on Route 100 usually take 20 minutes. Route 300 takes you directly from downtown Calgary to YYC in 39 minutes, with buses leaving every 20 minutes from 6:14am until 12:35am the next morning (on weekdays).

The Route 430 takes you to the airport from Sandstone in north west Calgary, while Route 32 operates from Huntington and Route 57 runs from Erin Woods to YYC. The 32 and 57 buses do not stop at the YYC terminals, but just outside the grounds.

Shuttle bus

A number of shuttle buses are available to take passengers from nearby towns to Calgary Airport. The Brewster Airport Shuttle Express travels from the towns of Jasper and Banff to YYC. The Rocky Mountain Sky Shuttle also makes the journey to YYC from Banff and the Rocky Mountains.

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Useful tips

Pre-bookings are not possible in most parking lots

YYC does not accept reservations in the on-site parking lots for which it is solely responsible. The only lot that allows pre-bookings is the ‘Park & Jet’, which is run by a third party.

The on-site hotels don’t have dedicated parking spaces

The two on-site hotels at YYC (Delta and Marriot) are actually based within the terminal building, so while they offer a quick and easy way to rest at Calgary Airport, they don’t provide separate parking areas. This means you’ll have to pay to leave your car at the airport, in addition to the cost of your stay in the hotel.

Allow extra time during peak periods

Whether you’re driving or taking public transport, make sure you allow extra time to get to the airport during peak periods. In the areas around Calgary Airport, peak times occur all day on Wednesdays and Thursdays, during the school holidays and over long weekends, as well as every morning and evening.

Leaving early is especially important for drivers wishing to use the airport-operated parking lots, as all spaces are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

There are ‘Dog Relief Areas’ at YYC

YYC offers designated ‘Dog Relief Areas’ outside Doors 1, 9 and 17 on the Arrivals Level in Concourse B (Domestic Terminal). The airport also provides waste disposal bags.

Look out for the volunteers in the white hats

The people you'll see in the white Stetson hats are the YYC volunteers, ready and waiting to provide assistance. If you need directions or have a question during your time in the airport, feel free to approach one of them and they will be more than happy to help.

Make use of the comprehensive terminal maps

YYC continues to expand and is now home to nearly 200 restaurants, retail and service outlets. Should you need help finding your way around the airport, you’ll find the detailed Y on the airport website.

The airport provides help for autistic passengers

Calgary Airport and its partners have developed the YYC Navigators program to help familiarize autistic passengers with its many pre-flight processes, from curb to gate. The program includes a simulated flight and snacks and beverages for participants; for more detailed information, you can download the YYC Navigators PDF from the airport website.

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Calgary International Airport FAQs

How long does it take to get to Banff and downtown Calgary from YYC?

Downtown Calgary is a 20-30-minute drive from the airport, but it takes around 90 minutes to get to Banff from YYC by car.

Are there showers at YYC?

The two Aspire International Lounges (Concourses D and E of the International Terminal) offer showers on a pay-per-use basis. There are no showers in the unrestricted areas of the terminals, nor in the Air Canada Maple Leaf or Swissport Chinook Lounges.

Are there any children's play areas?

There are eight Fun Zones for small children at YYC. Each one features carpet-covered foam flooring and sculptured equipment made from soft foam. Some of these zones are suitable for three-to-five year olds and others are designed for five-to-12 year olds. Themes include Aviation, the Calgary Stampede and Alberta Wildlife.

Are quick flight transfers available?

This depends on your airline and the nature of your flight. In some cases, you may be allowed to proceed to your next flight without first reclaiming your luggage. The ‘Connections Corridor’ gives connecting passengers a seamless path between the Domestic and International Terminals. The Customer Care Ambassadors (dressed in red jackets) are on hand to assist you with the transfer process.

To find out whether you can take advantage of the quick connect service, you can check with your airline for details or use the handy on the YYC website.

Is there a Lost and Found at YYC?

Yes. To contact Lost and Found, you can call +1 403 735 1234 or email infocentre@yyc.com between 6am and 11pm. You must be able to tell the member of staff any key features that identify the item(s), in addition to the approximate time and place you lost them. When reclaiming the lost property in person, you must provide photo ID.