Vancouver International Airport opened on July 22, 1931, as the Vancouver Civic Airport and Seaplane Harbour: a single runway, two concrete hangars, a floatplane harbour, and a small wood-framed administration building that welcomed just 1,072 passengers in its first year. The opening ceremony drew more than 55,000 people over four days. Renamed Vancouver International Airport in 1948, the airport was leased to the federal government during World War II and operated as RCAF Station Sea Island, serving as an air force training and manufacturing base. The original terminal was destroyed by fire in 1949.

Located on Sea Island at the mouth of the Fraser River in Richmond, British Columbia, the airport sits on traditional Musqueam territory. That geographic fact carries legal and economic weight: in 2017, the Vancouver Airport Authority signed a 30-year agreement to share one percent of annual gross revenue with the Musqueam Indian Band. The airport is Canada's second-busiest, handling 26.9 million passengers in 2025 (an all-time record) and operates as the primary trans-Pacific gateway for North America's west coast. Its position makes it the closest major Canadian airport to Asian markets, a fact that shapes its entire network.

Air Canada runs its western hub at YVR, with nonstop service to Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Sydney, among others. WestJet maintains a major domestic and transborder base, and the airport is among the largest foreign stations for Cathay Pacific and Korean Air. The airport operates 3 runways and 2 terminals, with the South Terminal handling regional and floatplane services. It is one of few major international airports in the world to offer scheduled floatplane connections. Skytrax has named YVR the Best Airport in North America 15 times in the last 17 years, including 2026.