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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Vancouver International Airport

Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada)

IATA: YVR ICAO: CYVR

Longest Active Runway

11,500 ft

3,505 meters

Field Elevation

14 ft

4 m MSL

Runway Inventory

3 active

1 closed, Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

49.1939°, -123.1840°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#264 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#432 of 7558

Top 5.7% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Canada)

#2 in CA

#4 of 411 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+15%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Vancouver International Airport's longest active runway measures 11,500 ft (3,505 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #264. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #432 worldwide (Top 5.7%) and #2 nationally in Canada.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Vancouver International Airport provides Canada's principal gateway to Asia-Pacific. The airport's South Runway (08R/26L) at 11,500 ft easily handles maximum takeoff weight departures for Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A350 airliners flying direct to Hong Kong, Sydney, and Tokyo. YVR operates advanced noise mitigation procedures over the Strait of Georgia to minimize suburban overflights across Richmond and Vancouver.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Dual parallel east-west runways 08L/26R (9,940 ft / 3,030 m) and 08R/26L (11,500 ft / 3,505 m), plus crosswind Runway 13/31 (7,300 ft / 2,225 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Opened on Sea Island in 1931. Built the North Runway (08L/26R) in 1996 to accommodate Pacific Rim traffic growth following Expo 86, accompanied by award-winning terminal expansions incorporating Pacific Northwest Indigenous architecture.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Primary Canadian Pacific hub, positioned 24 NM north of Abbotsford (YXX) and offering direct polar and transpacific routing options for Air Canada.

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Sits at 14 ft elevation on a river delta; runway operations are tightly integrated with salmon habitat environmental monitoring and Fraser River tidal flood controls.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Transport Canada & NAV CANADA · Canada Flight Supplement (CFS) & NAV CANADA AIP

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4E / 4F Super-Heavy

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Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Lowland / Coastal Basin Aerodrome

Vancouver International Airport operates at a surveyed field elevation of 14 ft (4 m MSL) in Vancouver. Situated in low-lying coastal terrain, the aerodrome benefits from dense ambient atmospheric pressure, maximizing turbine engine thrust and wing lift efficiency across all departure vectors.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

0 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

Primary Canadian Pacific hub, positioned 24 NM north of Abbotsford (YXX) and offering direct polar and transpacific routing options for Air Canada. The facility operates as an isolated regional aviation anchor with no other major paved commercial aerodromes within 100 NM.

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Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 11,500 ft (3,505 m)

Vancouver International Airport's active flight strips comprise 08R/26L (11,500 ft), 08L/26R (9,940 ft), 13/31 (7,300 ft), XX/26A (3,500 ft). With a longest active threshold of 11,500 ft (3,505 m), the aerodrome satisfies unrestricted long-haul takeoff and landing distance requirements for heavy twin-aisle and four-engine widebodies (ICAO Code 4E/4F).

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
08R/26L	11,500 ft (3505m)	200 ft (61m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
08L/26R	9,940 ft (3030m)	200 ft (61m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
13/31	7,300 ft (2225m)	200 ft (61m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
XX/26A	3,500 ft (1067m)	75 ft (23m)	`Concrete (CON)`	❌ Unlighted	⛔ Closed

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/yvr.json ↗