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Flying to British Columbia — Travel Agents
In Canada we’d recommend Travel CUTS, (866) 246-9762. It is a student travel agency but they serve all. Travel CUTS specializes in finding the least expensive travel options.
In the States try STA Travel, (800) 226-8624.
Flying to British Columbia — Airlines
Victoria & Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada are the best gateway cities to fly in to hike the West Coast Trail. Victoria is the best of the two though Vancouver is the main transportation hub for the Canadian west coast.
In Canada an airline security surcharge was imposed after the September 11th, 2001 World Trade Centre attack — an additional C$24 / ticket on every round-trip flight in Canada starting April 1, 2002.
Air Canada is the largest carrier in Canada though a number of international airlines fly into Vancouver. (888) 247-2262
Ask about WestJet, our favourite Canadian carrier, which often undercuts Air Canada fares. (800) 538-5696.
Other options:
Check the Canada Customs web site.
Flying to British Columbia — Airports
If you have a choice, fly into Victoria rather than Vancouver. Getting to the trailhead from Victoria is cheaper & much easier to organize.
A taxi from the Victoria Airport into town will cost you C$40 or more. You can catch instead the AKAL Airport Shuttle Bus; toll free from North America (877) 386-2525, into Victoria. It costs about C$13 / person (one way) though you might be able to negotiate C$8 / person (corporate rate) for groups of 5 or more.
If you fly into Vancouver Airport you’ve still a distance to go to get to Vancouver Island. You'll then need to connect with the ferry. Easiest is to catch the Pacific Coach Lines bus to Victoria. You get that bus at the Delta Pacific Resort in Richmond (near the airport) — ask for the airport shuttle to the Delta Pacific.
Vancouver Airport levies a departure tax called the Airport Improvement Fee. The fee / flight is C$5 for British Columbia and the Yukon, C$10 for other North American destinations, and C$15 for destinations outside North America.
The extra, sometimes unexpected, cost is just one of many reasons why some travellers dislike and avoid Vancouver airport. Fly to Victoria if you can. (Strangely, the Vancouver Airport sometimes appears on lists of the Best Airports in the World. How? We can’t imagine.)
If you do travel through the Vancouver airport don’t miss a marvellous piece of sculpture, The Spirit of Haida Gwaii, The Jade Canoe by Bill Reid.
If you are flying into Seattle, the Quick Coach bus shuttle stops at Sea-Tac and Bellingham airports and travels north to Vancouver, BC.
You can even fly charter to Port Alberni from Vancouver or Victoria on South Island Air (800) 305-7055 or (250) 642-2156.
Commercial float plane charter service is available from Port Alberni to Bamfield or Victoria to Port Renfrew.
