Our Review of Calgary Airport

Table of contents: Our Review of Calgary Airport Pros and Cons of Calgary Airport Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Calgary Airport

All the information featured on this page was compiled and written by David Enrich, a renowned expert in aviation and airport guides since 1999.

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Other Reviews

Sources of the Reviews

The following summary is based mainly on passenger feedback published on Google Reviews and the aviation rating platform Skytrax, which collects traveler opinions about airport facilities, staff service, security procedures, and overall passenger experience. Skytrax currently classifies Calgary Airport as a 3-Star Airport, indicating a generally good but average level of service across categories such as cleanliness, comfort, shopping, and staff assistance.

Highlights from Passenger Reviews

Positive Comments

Many travelers mention that Calgary Airport offers a modern and clean terminal, with good facilities and clear signage. Passengers also frequently praise the efficient baggage handling and relatively quick security processing, with some reporting waiting times of only around ten minutes.

Other commonly mentioned positives include:

Spacious and modern terminal design
Helpful staff and airport volunteers (“White Hat” ambassadors)
Good selection of services and amenities
Efficient operations compared with many North American airports

Common Complaints

Despite the positive aspects, some passengers report a few recurring issues in online reviews. These typically include:

Long walking distances between certain gates and terminal areas
Crowded waiting areas at peak travel times
Limited seating near some gates
Occasionally slow security or customs processes during busy periods

A few travelers also mention that the airport’s “call-to-gate” system, where passengers wait in central areas until their gate is announced, can be confusing for first-time visitors.

Overall Passenger Impression

Overall, most reviews describe Calgary International Airport as a well-organized and efficient airport, especially compared with many airports of similar size. The modern facilities and efficient baggage handling receive consistent positive feedback, although crowding and walking distances can occasionally reduce passenger comfort.

Final Rating

Overall Score: 8 / 10

Justification

Calgary International Airport receives a strong rating thanks to:

Modern terminal infrastructure
Good cleanliness and maintenance
Efficient baggage handling and security in many cases
Helpful staff and airport assistance services

The score is slightly reduced because of:

Long walking distances between concourses
Occasional congestion during peak hours
Limited seating in some gate areas

Pros and Cons of Calgary Airport

PROS

Location: Calgary International Airport is conveniently located around 17 km northeast of Calgary’s downtown, which offers quick access to the city and the surrounding areas.

Hub: YYC Airport is a hub for Lynx Air and Westjet. It is a focus city for Air Canada and Flair Airlines. It serves as a primary gateway to the province of Alberta and the Canadian Rockies.

Modern and Clean Facilities: The airport is well-equipped with a range of stores, eateries, and lounges. With features including business centers and VIP lounge services, it accommodates both pleasure and business tourists.

Barrier Free Accessibility: YYC is committed to becoming a barrier-free, inclusive airport for people of all ages and abilities. It gives accessibility to disabled people.

Efficient Baggage Handling: Known for efficient baggage handling, the airport generally ensures that luggage is processed quickly, minimizing wait times for arriving passengers.

CONS

Capacity Constraints: During periods of high travel, the airport may encounter congestion, which might result in extended wait times and an uncomfortable experience for travelers.

Terminal walking: While the terminals are spacious, the distance between gates can be considerable. Some passengers might find the walking distances challenging, particularly when rushing to make connecting flights.

Weather-Related Delays: The weather in Calgary can cause delays and cancellations of flights, especially during the winter. Airport operations and customer comfort may be impacted by snowstorms and low temperatures.

Parking Costs: The cost of parking at YYC can be relatively high, especially for long-term parking, which might be a concern for travelers looking to park their vehicles for extended periods.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

There are Two Terminals: Calgary Airport has two terminals, international terminal and domestic terminal. The international terminal is a new building and only handles international flights. The domestic terminal just operates with Canadian flights or domestic flights.

Transport to and from Calgary: YYC is well-connected to the city center by various transport options. You can use a public bus, ride-sharing system, or cab. Additionally, hotel shuttles and car-rental firms are available in the airport.

Check-in Areas:

Domestic Terminal: Check-in counters are located in level 2 of the domestic terminal.

International Terminal: The check-in area is located at the first level of international terminal before the concourses D and E.

Facilities and Services: There are several facilities at the terminals, including shops, restaurants, and lounges. You have a variety of eating alternatives, from formal dining to quick food. There are many lounges in the airport with cozy chairs, delicious snacks, and work areas.

Family-Friendly Features: YYC has family-friendly features including kids-friendly play areas, family restrooms, and nursing rooms.

Lounges: YYC has a number of lounges that provide services including food, beverages, and cozy sitting. Passengers with connecting flights or delays can relax in these lounges.

Additional Tips: The airport offers free Wi-Fi throughout the terminal. Charging stations are available for your electronic devices, although availability of these outlets could be restricted during busy hours. If you have any questions or need help finding your way throughout the terminal, keep an eye out for information desk employees and airport employees.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation