YVR - Is international and US departure at close proximity?

[mkkao924]

After our cruise, my parents will take EVA Airway back to Asia (at midnight), and I will take Air Canada to US (at 6 pm). I am wondering if the security check for US and international departure close to each other that either I can go through security with them, or at least help them go through security check, then I go to the US one? If we need to use different entrance, after security, will we still be able to meet with each other, or we will be in total different terminal? I have Global Entry, so if there is a solution that I can utilize that to speed up the security check process, I would like to utilize that (if that makes sense).

 

Thank you!

[Milhouse]

Open to being corrected but I do not think you'll be able to go through the same security areas.  However, they are relatively close to each other though.  

 

For US departures, you go through a specific security checkpoint area that then routes you into a US Customs & Immigration Pre-Clearance area.  After, it flows you to the US departure gates that are isolated from other gates to isolate the pax that have been precleared by US border agents. 

For International departures, you go through a different security checkpoint area which then routes you to a different set of international departure gates.  

(IIRC, some of the International gates are in the same wing but opposite side as some of the US gates but separated by a glass partition down the middle which pax normally cannot cross through.  So you might be able to see your parents post security on opposite sides of the glass partition but not mingle with them.)

 

Before entering the actual security screening area for international departures, there's a person at the door checking boarding passes and ID's.  If you can convince the security checkpoint to allow you accompany your parents through their screening and then back out, the US security screening area is only about a five minute walk away. 

There are separate NEXUS lanes (which I'm assuming Global Entry pax can use too??) for both the US departures security screening and the customs & immigration screening which can save a bunch of time if the regular lines are long.  

[cruiseryyc]

Your flight is at 6:00 p.m., your parents don't fly out until midnight.  You'll have to be through security/border services 5:00'ish.  I doubt that your parents will be able to get through security six hours prior their flight; they won't even be able to check in and drop their luggage until 2-3 hours prior the flight.

 

The prior poster is correct; US secured area and International are completely separate.

[mkkao924]

Thanks cruiseryyc! I totally missed that, great point!

 

I checked the airline's instruction, and indeed the check in counter opens 4 hours before departure, so I need to find a place for them to rest for three hours. Originally I naively thought I can just have them relaxed in the lounge after security.

 

Any recommendations for them to do at airport to kill the time?

[maskew63.ma]

You might consider a day room at the Fairmont 

[mkkao924]

Thanks @maskew63.ma. I checked Fairmont's website, and their day room end at 8pm (which makes sense), but it probably doesn't suit us well.