International-to-US connection in Vancouver in 40 minutes, possible?

International-to-US connection in Vancouver in 40 minutes, possible? - Green Bridge over the River

I'll be transiting Vancouver tomorrow, arriving on an international flight and continuing to the US (meaning I'll clear US customs in YVR). Transit time was originally scheduled to be 1:10, which i already found pretty tight -- but as of now, my flight is 30 min late, meaning I'd only have 40 min to make the connection. Possible?

Both flights are on Air Canada. Not a citizen of the US or Canada, so no Nexus etc. Carry-on luggage only.

Update 1: Staff at check-in claimed the plane is going to make up for the lost time and that MCT is only one hour, so "you'll be fine" and they've issued me boarding passes accordingly. Totally not buying it, but let's see what happens...

Update 2: Plane landed only 10 min behind schedule, leaving me with an hour to connect. Was near the front of the plane and there was only one other flight with connecting passengers, so even though the CBSA was moving at the speed of an arthritic snail (family in front of me in line had three kids, they individually explosive-scanned every single item of commercial baby food/snacks...), I got through with ~15 min to spare and even managed a glass of juice in the lounge! But this required every star to line up: had I been at the back of the plane or if there had been longer queues or any more delays while trying to land, I would likely have missed the connection, and it would have been a really tight squeeze for 40 min.



Best Answer

Is it possible? Yes, but very, very unlikely. That's the bad news.

But, if your itinerary is indeed a connection on Air Canada, they are responsible for reaccommodating you if the inbound flight is late.

So, head for the departure gate without delay if you arrive anytime before the connecting flight leaves because you might just make. There is also the unlikely chance that flight is delayed as well.




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Is 40 minutes enough time for a connecting flight?

As a rule of thumb, on domestic routes, you need a minimum of 45 minutes between flights. That's because you don't have to go through security, customs, and immigration.

Is 1 hour enough for connecting flights in Vancouver?

Basically, 1 hour layovers at YVR are perfectly fine if you're going from one domestic flight to another.

Do I have to go through customs for a connecting flight in Vancouver?

Passengers connecting to U.S. flights may use the U.S. connections facility. * Passengers will go through security screening and U.S. Customs, before proceeding to their next gate.

How much time is enough for connecting international flights?

Consider allowing at least 60 to 90 minutes for a U.S. domestic connection, and at least two hours for an international connection. Airlines usually allow you four hours or more maximum connecting time.



Flying Alone for the First Time | Connecting Flight Procedure | How to Catch a Connecting Flight




More answers regarding international-to-US connection in Vancouver in 40 minutes, possible?

Answer 2

I don't think it is possible. I have personally traveled a lot between the US and Europe, and find that even as a citizen, it takes a lot of time for us to pass through all their security checkpoints. Since you are not a citizen, I would definitely not take the risk. Since your flights are all AirCanada, they should be the ones who redirect you to another flight, but I am not sure how easily that will happen. Just be prepared to be a little stressed. If you can, I would call AirCanada, and explain to them your doubts about making your connection in time. They will say 40 minutes is adequate time, but you should insist on them switching your connecting flight to a later time.

Answer 3

Possibly but not likely, it will depend on the time of day and your airline. I've had AirCanada move me off an international flight if they deemed there was not enough connection time.

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