Kelowna International Airport

Kelowna International Airport is about 11.5 km (7 miles) northeast of downtown Kelowna, beside Highway 97. The drive to downtown usually takes about 20 minutes by taxi or pre-booked car, longer at rush hour. Local buses involve a change at the UBC Okanagan exchange and take longer.

Kelowna has one terminal for all domestic, US and international flights. A new departures lounge with an expanded security checkpoint opened in January 2026. Arriving passengers all use the same arrivals area, and flights from outside Canada clear customs there before baggage claim.

WestJet and Air Canada fly the most routes, to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montréal and other Canadian cities. Porter flies to Toronto and Ottawa, Flair to Edmonton, Pacific Coastal and Central Mountain Air within British Columbia, and Alaska Airlines to Seattle. WestJet adds seasonal flights to Phoenix and Mexico.

Yes. Alaska Airlines flies to Seattle, and WestJet runs seasonal flights to Phoenix and Mexican resorts such as Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and San José del Cabo. There is no US preclearance, so passengers flying to the US clear US border checks on arrival there, and arriving passengers clear Canadian customs at Kelowna.

Most visa-exempt visitors flying to Canada need an electronic travel authorization (eTA) before boarding, and others need a visitor visa. US citizens need only a valid passport, and US green card holders need their passport and green card but no eTA. You then clear customs with the CBSA on arrival.

Taxis and limousines wait at the curb at the front of the terminal, outside arrivals. Several Kelowna companies serve the airport, and wheelchair-accessible taxis are available. A taxi goes door to door to downtown Kelowna, the lakeshore hotels and West Kelowna, which is easiest with luggage.

Yes. Uber and the local app Uride both pick up at Kelowna airport, at the north end of the terminal outside the arrivals area. Follow the signs after baggage claim. Wait times can be longer when several flights land together or late in the evening.

Not directly from the terminal door. Kelowna Regional Transit buses stop on Airport Way near long-term lot B and run to the UBC Okanagan exchange, where you change to the 97X RapidBus for downtown. Service is limited in the evenings and on weekends, so most visitors take a taxi or pre-booked car.

Big White Ski Resort is in the mountains east of Kelowna, about an hour's drive from the airport. In the ski season, licensed shuttle companies run from the curb outside the terminal and must be booked ahead. A private transfer or rental car are the other options.

No airline or pay-per-use lounge is listed at Kelowna airport. The departures lounge opened in January 2026 has seating, a White Spot restaurant and lounge, the Vintners Exchange wine bar, and shops selling Okanagan wine and gifts, all after security.

Kelowna airport has a Short-Term Lot next to the terminal, a Long-Term Lot with a courtesy shuttle on request, and curbside valet parking across from arrivals. Drivers meeting a flight can wait free in the Cell Phone Waiting Area at Airport Plaza, which also has four EV charging stations.

Kelowna is on Pacific Time, the same as Vancouver and Seattle, and one hour behind Calgary and Edmonton. Travelers arriving from Alberta or eastern Canada should set their watches back. Canada uses the Canadian dollar, and cards and contactless payments are accepted almost everywhere.

Yes, in practice. Kelowna International Airport, code YLW, is the main airport for the central Okanagan Valley, serving Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country and Vernon. Penticton in the south Okanagan has its own smaller airport, YYF, so check the code on your ticket.