Kelowna International Airport

Kelowna is known for being one of the best cities in the world for living standards. It is a beautiful city with stunning mountains, decent night life,good restaurants and a fairly low homeless population. The airport however is definitely underwhelming and not what you would expect. The highlight was the aerial view of the majestic mountains as we flew into Kelowna.

Kelowna Airport is excellent! The airport is clean, well-organized, and very safe. The washrooms are spotless, which makes traveling much more comfortable. The staff are friendly, helpful, and make the whole experience smooth and welcoming. Flying with WestJet was great — on-time and comfortable. I also rented a car from Enterprise Rentals at Kelowna Airport, and their service was top-notch with clean, well-maintained cars and a professional team. Overall, a seamless and enjoyable travel experience from start to finish!

Great areas in this airport but the post security area is getting too crowded and gets very warm. White Spot restaurant in the security area looks quite nice. As with many regional airports in BC, and likely most of Canada, the community has outgrown the facilities.

Embarrassing, I’ve been in better functioning airports in third world countries. Absolutely terrible. Such a small airport that serves so many people, on top of that huge lack of security clearance and no restaurant after security. Wow what an embarrassment.

The airport is expanding, which is great as there does seem to be more people & flights in and out of this small airport. My major gripe about this airport is the WIFI. They have WIFI but they restrict just about everything on it. They even block VPN, so if you are a work traveler you can't connect to your VPN network to do any work while waiting for your flight.

The water refiller near subway and white spot is a JOKE. 2 minutes. 2 minutes to fill the bottle. Outrageous. My own FATHER had difficulties with this "machine". The taste is mediocre as well.

Kelowna airport is a comfortable size for someone like myself who is a senior. But OMG! Do somethimg about your security for outbound flights! It took us over 40 mins to get through at 1.10 in the afternoon!! I can get through Edmonton's security in a quarter of that time! In fact the security time out of Edmonton to Kelowna took all of 5 mins! At Kelowna airport there was one lane open and the line up was back into the seating area! It seemed that the security people were oblivious and didn't care. And why did they periodically take people out of the line and let them through? I've flown out of Kelowna a few times and every time it is backed up. I hope all this money they are spending on the airport includes improvements to the security area. It is badly needed or maybe a change of staff who are interested in making the traveller's experierence more enjoyable.

Going through security is always a gong show, disorganized. Congested waiting area. Third time in a row flying where we have had to sit on the tarmac for over 20 mins as no ground crew (it’s 6 pm, not midnight). On my last trip in, the ground crew put the baggage behind a door and not on the carousel then went on break. It took almost an hour and a half before the passengers could track down a “manager” to assist and find our luggage. Don’t get me started on the parking situation at this airport. Whoever is in charge, please get it together.

I don't think I've ever been to an airport like this one. When our flight from Vancouver landed here, we walked half a mile in these tunnel like things that kinda looked like gangways that went back and forth and then suddenly we pop out into the baggage claim. Kinda weird arrival. I like that the baggage claim area is small. They have a couple restaurants (including a Tim Horton) and a rental car desk and then check in is just around the corner. Walking to the rental car pick up wasn't too bad, and the rental car people were surprisingly nice. Welcome to Canada I guess. When it's dark, it's a little hard to see the rental car sign that tells you where to drive to drop off rental cars. The process of parking in the right stall and dropping off the key was easy enough. Air Canada check in should have been easy, but for some reason, our United booking didn't match up to the AC booking, but that's a different story. On our flight out of Kelowna, I was surprised to see that there are like 8 "gates" with 2 ish seating areas. I can see how it can get congested easily if there are multiple flights. We happened to be on the first flight out for the day so security and the waiting area weren't too crowded yet. We got to the airport at 4am for our 6am flight. None of the stores or eateries open until 4:30, so there was a long line for food and coffee at 4:40.

Helter skelter - that's the best way I can describe the airport... Once you get checked in the waiting area for flights is congested and choked - not a nice way to spend time on a travel day. The Tim Hortons has a very limited menu and the other options are quite pricy. Unfortunately, would not recommend this airport. Spend as little time as you can in the secured area and bring snacks.

Second worst departure experience (first worst was during Covid...so that's saying a lot). This is an embarrassment of an airport from oversized bag drop - the longest I've ever seen in decades of snowboarding travels. Slow security line (tho very friendly staff at security). Very limited food options in the gate waiting area - i waited in line at a coffee stall that had a pastry menu and they didn't have anything available by the time I got to the register - how hard is it to cross out the food menu so people don't wait for nothing! Gate area was intensely crowded and boarding gates convoluted. If you can at all avoid it, avoid flying out of YLW.

Radwan the TSA agent was amazing. his good sense of humour and kindness was exceptional. we accidentally had an expensive bottle of wine in our carry on. we were prepared to lose it but Radwan walked us through it as well as kindly escorting me. please make sure that this review of Radwan gets to his superior due to his exceptional service!!!

A small airport trying to be bigger than it's built for. The terminal is cramped, especially the departure lounge if there's more than two flights waiting to board. Security act like egotistical megalomaniacs on a power trip. They make travelling with special needs children very difficult. A reminder to the neanderthal thug, not all disabilities are visual. Once through security there is a Subway and bar to get snacks and drinks, as well as a wine store specialising in a good number of local wineries. I was particularly impressed with the variety and selection available and was happy to find they have solid cardboard carry boxes that can hold up to 4 bottles. Perfect for carrying your purchases on the plane.

A nice little small International Airport in Kelowna. I had a return trip from Vancouver to Kelowna. I liked how when you arrive there are a line of rental cars stalls beside the baggage area. There are three carousels at this Airport. In my opinion the one carousels that move would be where I pick up my baggage. This airport has lots of parking spots. Good selection of food - ranging from sit down to food court. There is a White Spot in this Airport. There are 6 gates which means the maximum planes leaving or parked at the gates are limited to 6. Airlines that fly in and out are: Alaska, Air Canada and West Jet. They even have a shops that sells Okanagan peaches. If you need to grab some last minute gifts. The airport is clean and there are water fill up stations in the waiting area. I had no issues connecting to the Wifi at this airport. Lots of charging stations underneath the seat.

if I could give the airport no stars I would. Cramped areas. Confuded airline staff. Way too many flights at once with the overcrowding of all areas. Security is a total joke with different rules each and every time you go through. This is a small city airport trying to make believe its Vancouver. Its NOT. I will save the cluster of pick up and drop off areas outside for another day. ....and the cost of parking. They have a captive audience and even with the old seniors in red coats trying to do their best to direct people, it a mess. Pack your patience.

Came here for the first time last week on a girls' getaway. The airport itself is bright, clean, and relatively small. I found the parking lot a little difficult to navigate - I swear it felt like an eternity walking to our rental car. Washrooms were always clean. Staff were friendly everywhere we went. And the turn around for baggage, quick! WhiteSpot inside was perfect for a preflight drink or bite to eat. I didn't realize there were two inside and I think next time I'd prefer the one inside the departure area so as to not stress over getting through security. Though the BIG glass floor to ceiling windows were a beauty! Two thumbs up Kelowna, two thumbs up :-)

I only come to pick-up someone . I think the parking and all the turning here and there are no clear. I think the design is old and retarded ...

Please pay attention to long term parking, with the help from an attendant I was charged for 4 days instead of two. Tried to get a refund but of course got the run around. Please pay attention!

Kelowna airport (code: YLW) is small but efficient. One of those airports where you see the person at the ticket counter later putting baggage on the plane. You can walk from one end of the terminal to the other in about 3 minutes. Don't bother looking for the rental car shuttle, since all rental companies share the same lot, which is next to the terminal. In other words, no matter who you rent from, your car is probably within 50 yards of the front door. Here are some tips for Americans traveling to/from Kelowna: -- Airlines are Horizon/Alaska, WestJet, or Air Canada -- Flights are typically via Seattle or Vancouver; sometimes Calgary -- If flying in from Seattle, you'll go through customs here in Kelowna, which is fairly quick and painless. On the way back, however, you will be in a quarantine area after security, where there are no restaurants or food stalls; So bring a snack. -- If flying here from Vancouver, you'll do customs in Vancouver first, which is a major pain-in-the-ass and will require you to walk (what seems like) several miles. On the return trip, customs will be at your first U.S. airport. -- Rental cars tend to be smaller than you typically get in the U.S. For instance, a "full-size" car may not hold 4 people plus 4 bags, despite what the rental website says. So it's helpful to go a bit bigger than you think you need.

Dan's review is pretty good and tells you the basics about the airport. I just flew from Kelowna to Seattle. As Dan mentions, you get stuck in a holding area. I'm not sure why since you go through customs and immigrating in Seattle. The whole thing is a bit strange. We fly in here to get to Summerland, even though Penticton airport is much closer. We find that flying into Kelowna is cheaper. The airport has some great points. First, it's clean! It has a Tim Hortons that opens early which is really nice when you are there at 4:45am. The whole airport has free Wifi!! Check in was extremely fast. There is a cool sculpture in the main lobby area with waves on the ceiling and a fountain below. Overall, it's a small airport, but it's well done.

A nice but tiny little airport in the middle of the Okanagan. Parking is available in short-term and long-term lots. It's some $50/week for long term, which is pretty reasonable. The airport is pretty nice and shiny, but there's no hiding that really is a smaller town. Arrivals are all on one end, and departures are all on the other. Keeps things nice and simple, as you don't need to worry about which gate to go to. There are some car rental places here, and a couple of restaurants. In the secure zone there's a White Spot, and a wine shop. On one side there's even a small (seats maybe 5 people) "business centre" with USB plugs. Sweet. One last random piece of trivia, YLW = Your Link to the World. Funny little backronym.

0-10 if I could give a negative star i would. No cleanliness, washrooms and restaurants smell about the same. Eau de urine. Would be nice to see our tax dollars spent on preventing "covid" with cleaning not encouraging it with zero sanitization. Do better transport Canada. Do better.....

If you're going to experience the cascading chaos of widespread weather delays, this is a good airport to do it in. Kelowna has people hanging out in the terminal answering questions and assisting anxious travelers. Which is maybe why when everyone's flights were being delayed, the general vibe of the airport stayed calm and relaxed. Maybe it feels cathartic to be that guy shouting at the gate attendants, but it makes things more stressful for the rest of us, so I appreciated how everyone was just hanging out, streaming Netflix on airport wifi that actually works. While the food options aren't anything special for the world outside of the airport, there are multiple reasonably priced options, which is quite outstanding and practically unheard of in an airport. The airport is tiny, so last minute gate switches are nbd and you can always hear your flight announcement. Taking the bus to and from the airport is an option, but this is a small city so the busses are infrequent and not 24/7.

One of the smaller airports I've flown to in the past couple of years. Kelowna airport sits beautifully in the Okanagan and has a great scenery as it's surrounded by lakes and mountains. Being a smaller airport things get a little more hectic around the terminal. However all staff on hand is happy to help and constantly smiling, I never felt like I was bothering anyone when asking for help. The terminal has a couple of convince stores and restaurants which make it easier to kill time at the airport. All bathrooms that I had gone to were clean and well located as well. Excited to see what else this airport has in store when I'm there next

Not a good experience I was charged for 4 days of parking instead of 2, check your ticket. And the shuttle driver was at gate helping people swipe their tickets.

Busy with lots of amenities after security: White Spot, Subway, Tim's, Okanagan Estate Wine Cellar, business center, Spirit of the Okanagan souvenir shop & a Kid's Zone. Security was quick & efficient. As well, announcements can be heard easily wherever you are!

I had good and bad experiences on our first visit to Kelowna Airport. We only booked a one way ticket from Victoria.; however, because our plans changed in Kelowna, we needed to book a flight back to Victoria. It was difficult to access flights on my phone, so we went to the WestJet check in desk to see if we could purchase a ticket. Although this is not something that they usually do, the clerk was extremely helpful and booked it for us. Kudos to West Jet. We had many hours to wait for our flight so we went to White Spot. There was only one server who seemed to be doing everything, so obviously service was slow. We were puzzled when she pushed a large enclosed trolley into the restaurant and removed our meals which were barely warm. When we went through security we were met by a female security official who was on a power trip dividing up contents of our carry on toiletries into small plastic bags (we had no issues at Victoria). When we finally went through customs into the lounge we discovered a sizeable White Spot restaurant - now we know why our food was cold because it was transported from that restaurant! Not sure if I would routinely use this airport. Hope this helps other fellow travellers.

Extremely rude and unhelpful at security. Security agent clearly on some sort of power trip. Do not recommend this airport.

One of the best tiny airports I've flown through. Easy to navigate, well signed, and super friendly staff. Not great food selection, but that's to be expected at a tiny airport. Super simple to get in an out of for an international airport. Can't wait to fly in again!

Shit system for security check in. Everyone is held like second class citizens while Nexus holders are allowed to but in. 15 people in line to go through security. Then 10 nexus show up and push to front of line. Pay for privilege. Almost made me miss a flight

October was the month to visit Kelowna, instead of driving to the city from Edmonton, we decided to buy a flight ticket and enjoy all that YLW had to offer! This is an small airport if you want to compare it with big cities, but the size is good enough for the population. It's located approx. 15 min. from Kelowna downtown. I did my research and found out that this airport operates air service to Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, and Seattle, also seasonal flights to Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Phoenix and Las Vegas. People was really nice, the main exit has lots of brochures about the city, the visitor center is full of information, rentar cars, hotels and taxis are available here. The parking lot is just in front of the main building so don't need to walk much either to return the rented vehicle or to find your ride. I want to visit the Okanagan Valley again next summer so I will be back to this nice and complete little airport.

This is a small but nice airport. It has the advantages and disadvantages of being this size. Advantages: quick check-in and security process plus you won't get lost when trying to find your gate. Disadvantages: although it is called international, I believe you will have to have a connection on a bigger airport if you want to fly to another country. There is a White Spot and Tim Hortons if you feel like having a bite or a drink. They have free wifi available and they also have a few outlets available right at the seats where you can charge your devices.

It's a small airport so it doesn't need an art gallery for you to look at while you check in. It's compact and does the job. After arriving it takes a short walk to collect bags and exit. I wish the taxi rank had a decent sign though. There were a lot of confused and annoyed people trying to form a line without a ton of guidance but thankfully an airport staff member appeared to help out. On the return journey, checking in was a breeze, security was fast and the lounge had a few things to keep you entertained. I was delayed 5 hours so I really explored every inch of the place. Tim Hortons is just coffee and doughnuts (no wraps or sandwiches here), for food head to White Spot and they have a ton of plugins to keep your phones alive. There is a wine store offering tastings and more wine to take home if you didn't already fill your suitcase. There is one shop selling mags and candy and it's connected to a local art, gift shop incase you forgot to buy presents for someone.

YLW is a small airport that links you to the major cities in western Canada and smaller ones throughout BC too. It is an international airport but there isn't much in terms of international flights. I do believe that you can really only reach the northwestern part of the US (ex. Seattle) from here but I could be mistaken. Being a small airport check-in and security are a breeze. Also there are only a handful of gates so you never have to venture far for your flight or when you arrive. I've been coming to Kelowna since I was a small child and it used to be there was absolutely nothing here in terms of food and shops but over the years they have done a great job of improving the airpor. Now there is a White Spot before and after security, a Tim Hortons as well as a smaller cafe after security. There is also one or two shops selling souvenirs and a wine shop. Wi-fi is free and there is a reasonable number of outlets for your electronics. There is ample seating and the terminal is pretty clean. For what it is YLW does a good job of serving the Okanagan.

Very helpful airport, friendly staff and many signs so you find your way easily. Im always pleased flying through here

Best small airport there is, modern, good layout. Nice big spacious comfortable waiting area past security where you can buy a snack or something at the gift shop. Considering you never need to leave yourself much time to clear security or wait that long once you do the ammenities are definitely adequate

Nice little town with friendly people. The town is clean very beautiful. A must to visit and enjoy the beautiful sites, like the mountains and beautiful resorts around the river.

YLW is an ok airport. They are doing some renovations here, so I can only assume it will be improving soon. The waiting area/gates is quite small right now, but there are a couple places to grab a bite and a wine store. What I don't find the most efficient is when you are arriving, it's quite a long walk (for such a small airport) to the baggage belt depending on what gate you arrive at. If you have any mobility restrictions, get wheelchair assistance, because there is a pretty big incline up in the corridor to the arrivals area, then an equally steep down incline. My Nan definitely wouldn't do well on those hills. Everything else is pretty good. Once the construction barriers are down, and hopefully the departure area is larger, it'll be much better.

I go thru airports all over the world , only in Kelowna will I get checked but the guy with the Rastafarian haircut, 420 t shirt and smelling like pot, will be welcomed and passed thru but the 50 year old guy in a business suit will get the full inspection. The Airlines here and tsa are so rigid, that I just expect to be inspected, or your carrying on rejected. And of course your plane will be 45 min late on average. It is a joke.

Good airport. Not too crowded. Baggage was quick. Airport was clean. Parking is very close and convenient.

Compact airport. But easy to use. Only an idiot could get lost at this airport. The security staff are simply awful, but that's not the airport's fault. I travel at least once per month from this airport and 9/10 I will be "randomly"picked for extra screening. Perhaps I should stop wearing a shirt and tie? Or is it perhaps they know I will probably be the most compliant?? I like this cute, little airport.

The arrivals curb is a joke. Parked unused buses and a taxi line mean picking up a family with babies is a nightmare. Expect angry taxi drivers at this poorly designed airport.

Teeny tiny airport! Only a few spots to kill time at. No line at security! Bathroom has a curling iron and used needle bin.

Tim Hortons & Whitespot, I like this airport, I was pleasantly surprised. It's small enough to avoid the huge line ups yet efficient enough to have everything you need. If flying to the US you do not pre clear customs and immigration here, unlike flying out of Vancouver.

Alaska Airlines has extremely poor service. They only work at service counters 1-2 hours each day. Every other airline always has a representative present. There is only a sign posted that asks you to call a 1-800 number for help. Once you call the number, it defers you to their website. Once I boarded I sat in an empty seat since there was plenty of room. I and everyone else were forced to sit in our assigned seats. Plain stupidity! I will stick with the airline I regularly fly with, or choose someone else.

Extremely small, but clean and efficient airport. Some cool small shops to browse while waiting, and a slick little wine bar serving wines from the region. If hungry, there is a Horton's for some lite bite. Do not arrive early hoping to beat lines or someone negate any risk of missing a flight, as there aren't many folks flying in or out of here.

Nice little airport. There's a White Spot on the other side of security and a Tim Horotons near the baggage pickup area. At the boarding gates there's a convenience store, but its seriously lacking in the snack department, so get your chips and stuff before you come to the airport.

Spent 30 minutes getting through security with a NEXUS card on a Sunday before noon. Although they had 3 screening points, only one was operating. I pity the people that had to wait in the slow line and the airport merchants that are losing walk by business. Perhaps the Airport Authority could rebate some of the rent until they can fix their staffing problem.

This airport is insane! The security staff have gone off the rails. They randomly select every third or fourth person for additional screening. They double and triple check your laptop. All liquids have to be in one of their approved bags, even if you have a clear bag of the approved 1L size. I've flown all over the world and fly frequently throughout Canada and I have to say I cringe every time I'm about to go through security here. New York and Chicago aren't as concerned with my luggage. Seriously Kelowna, get a grip.

Chicken burger with Cole slaw was fine, but fries were not very good. Very heavy with deep fryer grease.

Kelowna international airport went from being efficient fast and friendly to extremely slow and unfriendly. I have never wrote a review of an airport before but it took over assign hour to get through security for a domestic flight. This made me late as I never thought I would need 2 hours to get through the airport. I travelled again today through Kelowna international airport and again it took 50 minutes to get through security. This is insane and unacceptable.