Pacific Coastal Airlines Expands Service Between Vancouver and Penticton for Spring and Summer 2024

We are thrilled that Pacific Coastal Airlines has expanded their flight services between Vancouver International Airport South Terminal (YVR) and Penticton Regional Airport (YYF) for the upcoming Spring and Summer seasons.

From April 28 through June 22, 2024, travellers can enjoy increased connectivity with two daily flights operated by the reliable Saab 340B aircraft, accommodating up to 34 passengers.

From June 23 to September 7, 2024, Pacific Coastal Airlines will further expand its services to three flights on Sundays, Mondays, and Fridays, and select Wednesdays, as well as maintain two flights on Tuesdays and Thursdays, all operated by the Saab 340B aircraft. Additionally, a Saturday service will be provided using the Beechcraft 1900, accommodating up to 19 passengers, offering an up to 1,126 seat increase overall each week.

These flights will be key in providing travellers with convenience and flexibility when planning their journeys and demonstrate Pacific Coastal Airline’s commitment to making the Thompson Okanagan more accessible to air travellers.

To celebrate the expansion of flights to and from Penticton, Pacific Coastal Airlines is offering a special promotion. Passengers can enjoy a 20% discount on bookings using the promo code: YYF20 Further details regarding the promotion can be found on the Pacific Coastal Airlines website.

Learn more about these new flights at PacificCoastal.com.

New Hotel and Parkade Coming to Kelowna

Kelowna International Airport (YLW) will welcome the Sutton Place Hotel and a new parking structure next to the airport terminal in the next couple of years. The new Sutton Place Hotel will be six stories, adding 245 hotel rooms to the region.

Among the amenities planned, the hotel dining room will offer locally inspired cuisine, offering guests a taste of the Thompson Okanagan. It will also feature a penthouse lounge, a fitness centre, and conference rooms. The Sutton Place Hotel plans to offer valet, bell-hop, and concierge services. The parking structure beside the hotel will add 1,000 parking spots to the airport campus.

Conceptual Mockup of the Sutton Place Hotel and Parkade at YLW

The Sutton Place Hotel project is overseen and managed by Northland Properties, a Canadian-owned hospitality company. The completed Sutton Place Hotel at Kelowna International Airport will be their fifth addition to the Sutton Place Hotel brand, joining Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, and Revelstoke Mountain Resort. 

The addition of this hotel to the Thompson Okanagan will provide different advantages to travellers coming to the region. The close proximity to YLW will make things like connection flights and early or late flight times much more convenient to get to for those travelling for business purposes, while the amenities of the planned Sutton Place Hotel will offer a luxurious experience for tourist travel, setting the Thompson Okanagan apart as a premier destination.

Pacific Coastal Airlines Adds Additional Flights to the Thompson Okanagan

Pacific Coastal Airlines has recently added additional flights between Kamloops-Victoria and Penticton-Vancouver. These additional routes will begin in January and February 2024 and include Saturday flight options, expanding their services to every day of the week.

The new flight routes include:

New Victoria to Kamloops Flights

• A new Saturday flight service starts Saturday, February 3, 2024 

• After the addition of the Saturday flight service there will be a daily flight between Victoria and Kamloops

To celebrate the launch of these new flights, Pacific Coastal Airlines is offering a 20% discount on flights to/from Victoria (YYJ) and Kamloops (YKA) using the promo code YKAYYJ20.

Learn more

New Vancouver to Penticton Flights

• Morning flight options on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday started on January 4, 2024

• A new Saturday flight starts February 10, 2024. After the addition of the Saturday flight there will be flight every day of the week between Vancouver and Penticton

• Beginning on April 28, 2024 Pacific Coastal will offer a morning and afternoon flight between Vancouver and Penticton every day of the week

Pacific Coastal Airlines is offering a 15% discount on bookings using the promo code: PCAPenticton. 

Learn more

The Thompson Okanagan looks forward to welcoming more guests from Vancouver and Victoria. Share the news about the additional Pacific Coastal Airlines flights so people can start planning their next trip to the region.

About Pacific Coastal Airlines 

Pacific Coastal Airlines is a British Columbia-based, privately owned airline that operates out of the Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Pacific Coastal Airlines connects 18 destinations across the province, connecting Vancouver Island and the interior.  

Harbour Air Announces Summer Flights from Vancouver to Eldorado Resort Marina

Flights resume on Saturday, July 9th and there are promotional rates as low as $299 all summer long. This seasonal service will feature one round-trip flight twice a week (Saturday & Tuesday) through September 6th.

Learn More →

Canada's Air Traffic Doubled in May

NAV CANADA released traffic figures for the month of May 2022, showing that air travel in Canada is on the rise.

With one key hurdle to the resumption of cross-border air travel – pre-entry testing – dropped in April, May saw a 117% increase in traffic over the same month in 2021.

Despite the promising report, air traffic still hasn’t recovered to pre-pandemic levels. NAV CANADA's numbers indicate air traffic in Canada in May was nearly 15% lower than May 2019. The data demonstrates a clear direction towards industry recovery and Canada’s airlines are still banking on a busy summer of travel to continue the momentum.

View Report →

REMINDER | Lightened Border Measures Now in Effect

A reminder that effective Monday, February 28, Canada will be transitioning to a new phase at the border.

All fully vaccinated travellers arriving in Canada may be randomly selected for testing. However, they will no longer be required to quarantine while awaiting their test result.

Children under 12 years old, travelling with fully vaccinated adults, will be exempt from quarantine without any prescribed conditions limiting their activities.

Travellers will now have the option to use a COVID-19 rapid antigen test result or a molecular test result to satisfy pre-entry requirements.

The Government of Canada will adjust its Travel Health Notice from Level 3 to Level 2. This means that government will no longer recommend Canadians avoid travel for non-essential purposes.

International flights carrying passengers will be permitted to land at all Canadian airports that are designated by the Canada Border Services Agency to receive international passenger flights.

Travellers should understand the risks that are still associated with international travel given the high incidence of Omicron, and take necessary precautions.

Learn More →

Updated Destination BC Messaging Guidance on How to Travel in BC This Winter

Both federal and provincial updates to current COVID-19 restrictions and border measures are now reflected in Destination BC’s Winter Travel Guide, which provides key messaging, information and infographics, and resources for BC’s tourism industry as it relates to travel to and within BC.

Visitors will need to know what rules, recommendations and expectations are in place in BC to keep them, our residents, and our businesses safe, as they travel BC this winter. Refer people to Destination BC’s Know Before You Go page for the latest information; update any info on your site to reflect the latest recommendations.

Download Guide →

Border Measures for Air Travel Infographic

The Government of Canada and Vancouver International Airport (YVR) have developed an air travel infographic to assist travellers with a better understanding of what is required when both arriving and departing the airport.

Through direction from government, airport officials will be conducting COVID-19 testing for all fully vaccinated passengers arriving from an international destination at YVR with the exception for those coming directly from the US. This will be in addition to a number of existing travel requirements already in place at airports. The arrivals test is paid for by the Government of Canada.

Key points include:

• To depart YVR and any Canadian airport, travellers must be fully vaccinated. Passengers must be able to prove vaccination status and their documentation will be verified by the airline at check-in. For Canadians, the best documentation is the Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination, with limited exemptions for religious or medical reasons.

• Each destination has its own set of entry requirements. Passengers are required to understand and prepare for the entry requirements of their destination before travelling from Canada. Starting Dec. 6th, everyone travelling to the US must show a negative COVID-19 test taken within a day of boarding their flight or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 day.

• When passengers return to Canada, they must complete ArriveCAN. This includes entering negative COVID-19 test information and a quarantine plan – and pre-registering for the arrivals test. Everyone will need to quarantine until test results are received, typically within 24 to 72 hours.

For passengers connecting through the airport, they will be subject to COVID-19 testing at YVR before continuing onward to their next destination. After taking the test, passengers can carry on to their final destination to quarantine while they await test results.

Note: Fully vaccinated Canadians who depart and re-enter the country within 72 hours of leaving are exempt from providing a pre-entry test result. It is recommended that travellers pre-register for the COVID-19 testing in advance to avoid long delays upon arrival at YVR.

Canada introduces additional measures to address COVID-19 Omicron variant of concern

On November 26, 2021, the World Health Organization classified B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern called Omicron. Since then it has been found in a number of countries and regions, including the confirmation of several travel-related cases in Canada.

Canada announced additional border measures to reduce the risk of the importation and transmission of COVID-19 and its variants in Canada related to international travel.

Effective tomorrow, foreign nationals who have been in any of these countries within the previous 14 days will not be permitted entry into Canada:

• Botswana

• Egypt;

• Eswatini;

• Lesotho;

• Malawi;

• Mozambique;

• Namibia;

• Nigeria;

• South Africa; and

• Zimbabwe.

Canadian citizens, permanent residents and people with status under the Indian Act, regardless of their vaccination status or having had a previous history of testing positive for COVID-19, who have been in any of these 10 countries in the previous 14 days, will be subject to enhanced pre-entry and arrival testing, screening, and quarantine measures.

Moving forward, border testing surveillance will be adjusted based on the latest available evidence to further reduce the risk of importation of this variant. In the coming days, all fully vaccinated travellers arriving by air from departure points other than the United States will be subject to arrival testing. Fully vaccinated travellers will be required to quarantine while they await the results of their arrival test.

Unvaccinated travellers, with right of entry to Canada, will continue to be tested on arrival and day 8 and quarantine for 14 days. However, those arriving by air will now be required to stay in a designated quarantine facility or other suitable location while they await the result of their on arrival test.

The Government of Canada will continue to assess the evolving situation, monitor case data, and adjust border measures as required.