Winnipeg Richardson International Airport

Winnipeg’s airport is easy to navigate. It’s not very large, which makes check-in and security lines usually quick and efficient. The staff is friendly, and there are a few good options for coffee and snacks while you wait. Parking and pick-up areas are well organized, and the overall experience feels smooth and convenient.

Small, cute, and functional for a regional airport. This tiny airport is very airy, bright, and properly maintained. Service is quick, efficient, and polite. The washrooms are a bit lacking and busy at all time, but clean otherwise. Some retails in here and some restaurants before and after security.

A small airport, very quiet and comfortable, If you arrive from the USA, you go through passport control very quickly. Also, upon departure, check-in is very fast. The only thing that is missing in the departure area to the USA is that there is no good coffee shop with delicious coffee.

A clean and well-organized airport that’s easy to navigate. Security lines usually move quickly, and staff are polite and professional. Parking is convenient and signage is clear. Food and shopping options are limited, but overall it’s a smooth and pleasant airport experience.

Traveled to Winnipeg Manitoba on business to see a client and the airport was very easy to navigate. I flew in during the middle of the day and it was not very busy at all. I was coming from the US through MSP and customs was very simple. Despite any of the geopolitical turmoil the Canadian customs were very nice and got us processed and through swiftly. Our bags came out immediately and didn’t have to wait more than 5 mins before heading off through Customs. There are a few restaurants once you get out right in regular baggage claim. The airport was very clean and plenty of restrooms and spots to chill if you are waiting for others to fly in. On my way out I was a little upset with TSA and customs. They were extremely rude on exiting the country and were not polite on helping through the process. They checked everything in our bags and ask tons of questions. I get it, but they don’t do this on any other public transportation. Overall I will be back and hopefully a better experience as I love my family to the North.

Easy to navigate. Nice little airport and yet it’s a lot nicer than many other little airports that I’ve been in.

Small yet fully functional with super friendly airport staff. The place is equipped with some interesting artifacts and promotes local artists. I found their way of sorting garbage more appropriate with clear signs of type garbage to dispose of in the right bin. Custom check was hassle-free thanks to generous staff who know how to leave a mark of good customer service on the visitors of this airport.

Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport is a modern, efficient, and well-designed facility that offers a streamlined travel experience. Its compact layout ensures short walking distances, while the glass-heavy architecture provides a bright, welcoming atmosphere. Security and customs processes are typically swift, and the staff are courteous and helpful. Dining and retail options, though somewhat limited, are thoughtfully curated and locally inspired. Overall, the airport balances functionality and comfort, making it a reliable gateway to central Canada.

I love this airport. In my opinion, it's the best one in Canada, and possibly one of North America's best. It's clean, reliable, well-maintained, welcoming, QUIET (e.g. not too much background noise), modern, open, bright, and spacious. A lot of words, I know, but I think they all accurately depict what flying into or out of here is like. It's also not as crowded compared to other airports like Toronto Pearson or Montreal Trudeau, that's GREAT if you hate crowds. Very friendly staff who will go out of their way to ensure you have a great experience here. Clean washrooms. There is almost never a line for security, allowing for an easy security screening process. The glass jetways are also great. Baggage does not take long to come out once you come off your arriving flight, and the parkade is conveniently a very short walk right across from the terminal. I think there is a decent amount of food options for an airport of this size, although overpriced - but what would you expect? Airports love to be overpriced everywhere, it's not just a Winnipeg problem. Coming off a flight from Toronto, the calmness of this airport was certainly a welcomed sight. Be proud of your airport, Winnipeg! A lot of people would love to have an airport of this quality. As a fellow Manitoban myself, I couldn't be more proud of this place.

Very low key airport, nothing out of the ordinary, we landed on time, my relatives were here waiting to pick us up, looks like they had a business lounge that I am very tempting to try if I had a long wait next week, the decoration designs were very simple but much warm welcoming, they have big parking structures, just be careful validating your ticket, because the machine doesn't seem to accept it, it kept kicking the ticket back out, and that could cause a big problem if you have cars waiting behind at the exit.

Very organized station to get your rapid Covid test for return to the United States. A bit of shopping establishments to help pass the time.

No line ups, clean and security quick and easy. Check in at WestJet very quick and staff very helpful. The airport could use more full service sit down restaurants. Masks required. Although not a big airport had to walk to the end of the airport to get a Tim's coffee. Should be located closer to the exit of security. Seems to have more spacious liquor lounges and catering to the drinking crowd. Other than that, no complaints. Nice airport.

I have flown in and out of Winnipeg Richardson International Airport more than any other airport, except Toronto Pearson International Airport. It makes sense, as I was a Winnipegger for seven years. It used to be called Winnipeg International Airport. It was renamed over a decade ago to include Richardson. It is named in honour of James Armstrong Richardson, who was a Canadian aviation visionary and pioneer. It has nothing to do with the Richardson Building, which is the tallest building in downtown Winnipeg. I was last in Winnipeg in July 2016. The airport got much needed reconstructive surgery before my arrival. I hadn't been back since 2011. It looked spiffy and modern. It had nice lighting, it felt more spacious, and the east-versus-west baggage carousels on opposite sides of the terminal were gone. Yay! The old terminal had its car rental area in a separate building. It's now on the main floor of the parkade, which makes more sense. You don't have to go outside to get to rent a car anymore. It may not seem like a big deal if you're from a warm climate. Winnipeg can easily hit -40°C with or without a windchill in the winter. Having everything under one roof makes a difference! I had no problem finding the Air Canada check-in counter, the baggage carousel, or the National Car Rental area. Everything is clearly labelled and aesthetically pleasing. It is a smaller airport compared to Toronto, but it works. After all, Winnipeg has a population just under a million people. The only thing that I miss about the old airport terminal is the arcade. I loved playing a game of Pac-Man or pinball before going through security. As a resident, I loved driving over to the airport just to hit the arcade (parking was free back then). There are some new stores to browse around, such as CNBC News for snacks and more, and The Scoreboard for sports clothing and other merchandise. I am due to return to Winnipeg. I hope to when the time is right. (128)

I like this airport a lot! Great departure experience with Air Canada, friendly, well-staffed security, and lots of great restaurants. The Air Canada club is really nice and made for a comfy wait before my flight. Pretty great flight options considering the airport size as well. Thanks Winnipeg!

The tsa is a horrible joke. Stopping so many people in order forthem to "reorganize their toiletries into the same quart sized bag. 20 min to get your toiletries sorted??? Epitome of useless tsa

With the fact that the terminal is relatively new.there is a dearth of charging stations unless you want to stand around. Otherwise not too bad, we shall see how the winter ops go, but sounds like an excrement theatre

This is a nice, smaller airport and it is very easy to get in and out of, for the most part. I arrived from MSP and had to go through Customs and Immigration. It didn't take too long but boy was I grilled about why I was here (to see a hockey game), who I knew in Canada, where I worked, etc. They were doing their jobs but it was odd as I haven't experienced that in Ottawa, Montreal or Toronto. Luckily it was a quick walk from the plane to Customs. Exiting that area, you are right at baggage claim. They only have a few carousels. There are some food places, info desk and money exchange right there. Hotel shuttle phone numbers are listed on a big board so it was easy to call the hotel to pick me up. When I was departing, security was quick and easy. I was out of the shuttle and through security in 11 minutes. There are several stores and restaurants once you are through security. Everything is very clean and new looking, but maybe since I usually fly out of LaGuardia, everything looks clean and new in comparison! It is much more like European airports than most of the US airports I use. Very easy way to get in and out of Winnipeg and you can be in the city center in 15 minutes by cab. I like it.

10/1/2019 Easily the BEST airport to fly into in Canada. I get it is a smaller market, but there are a lot of small airports in Canada that hassle you way more and arrivals are difficult and require a ton of walking. YWG is tops in my book! Car rental on site. Currency exchange on site. Most of the folks you'll interact with are friendly and able to help.

Winnipeg airport has definitely been remodeled since my last visit. It's starting to look more modern sure but how's it work? There's a lot of open space here, so much I saw a child's ground mat and play area in the middle of one of the gate's waiting areas. The Prairie Bistro I believe is the only sit down restaurant post domestic/international security. The airport has a tiny US gates area but most of the terminal consists of gates (maybe 10?) for international and domestic gates (gates that don't involve Homeland Security pre-check). The check in area has bag check and bag drop off for Air Canada and the security check in was moving at a reasonable rate from what I'm used to seeing. The gates area and post security area sort of leave something to be desired however. I get it that this city is smaller and it's a smaller airport but having only a single sit down place is sort of a let down. I'm happy there's at least something yes but still it seems like something's still lacking. I guess it's all to scale though, I came from the busiest airport before I left for my trip (YYZ) landed in one of the nicest small airports (YXE) and then went to a midsized airport (YWG) so I got to see 3 different ones in the span of only 4 days. Toronto's YYZ has its own issues but it's also the busiest and largest in the country. Saskatoon's YXE is a small quick (except for the security) airport when leaving but no so much when entering. Winnipeg was decent at getting checked in and processed but just doesn't have as many amenities post security as one would expect at an airport serving a city the size of Winnipeg. I do like the modern looks however such as the baggage claim carousels and the "Hug Rug" at arrivals and much work has been done for modernization as well as improving things on a superficial level as well. Let's just say it's no YVR or even YEG for that matter. A Tim Horton's kiosk is an automatic expectation in Canada. I suppose this would be a good place to splurge and use the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge in hindsight. Free wifi is a huge plus though. LaGuardia and Miami International need to start providing free wifi. Not everything needs to be monetized. Kudos for all the Canadian airports I can think of providing revenue free wifi.

Third time here in the past 2 weeks. I'm back and forth from Winnipeg during the month of November for work and man oh man is it ever cold here! The second you step off the plane its like walking into an iceberg! They definitely don't call it Winterpeg, Manisnowba for nothing. I haven't been to Winnipeg in about fifteen years so I didn't really remember much about this airport. But it is small, clean, and fast! I had no problems getting in and out of security. The flights were all on time and the staff is friendly. When you're flying into a smaller area you know you'll get better service because there is way less people. You don't have to worry about coming crazy early because there are barely any people there. There is always a line of taxis outside as well to take you where you need to go! Experience here was great! I have one last flight home and then I'll be saying goodbye to Winnipeg for a while. :)

When our flight was diverted due to a medical emergency, the representative of the airport was very quick to communicate the efforts that they were taking to help us stranded passengers. She was more pro-active than the airline itself. Best customer service than any airport I have been. Thank you!

The Winnipeg airport is pretty small, and not as daunting as some of the larger international airports in North America. It's a fairly quick drive from downtown (less than 20 minutes in good traffic), which is appreciated for an inexpensive taxi trip. There are also huge numbers indicating areas/zones for pickups at arrivals, which was awesome for finding the person I was meeting (someone unfamiliar in a vehicle I had never seen). There are a number of places after security to get food, and the check-in staff and security personnel were friendly and efficient. A woman ahead of me in the security line was fairly irate that the staff made sure her liquids and gels met TSA standards, but I liked that they were doing their job properly. My departing flight was delayed quite a bit, so I ended up sitting and waiting for a few hours. There are lots of comfortable seats, and the bathroom stalls are huge, and easily accommodate carry-on luggage (I loved this). There were no plug ins to charge devices anywhere near my gate, and I saw more than one person hunting around with a charging cord. Overall though, a pretty decent airport, and not a bad place to hang out for a few hours.

Super duper nice and clean perfect sized airport Lots of good places to eat I stayed at the court yard and it was also just fine.

It's not Pearson T1 but it'll suffice as a decent airport. Easy check-in and the ever so popular - full body scan, which they have to use every so often to validate the spend. Standard selection of seats, charging stations, and WOT?!!? Comfy love-seat sofa's? Nice! Place to pass out after not getting the breakfast I wanted at Timmy's. Incredible! 7:30AM and they ran out of breakfast stuff! WFT and for those who are bilingual QQF - Qu'est Que F!!!!! One great thing, plane arrived on time. Bad thing, plane left 20mins late! The pilot put the peddle to the metal and we arrived on time though! I've been flying Westjet lately. I do luv their customer service more than AC. Ugh! What do do with my Aeroplan points! Cheers!

I like small airports. What they lack in amenities they make up for in lack of chaos. The Winnipeg airport is a perfect example. Only has twenty gates. Checking in and going through security is easy. There is a Timmie's and a burger place and a Starbucks. Even has charging stations for your phone.

The new terminal (completed in late 2011) is a HUGE improvement over the old ghetto one. Thank goodness they tore that one down. Lineups aren't too bad, and the look is modern and quite beautiful. Having used the terminal for both arriving and departing, I can summarize the whole thing in one shot. Good - the looks. The baggage claim area has really cool blue "rings" on the ceiling. Lots of wood paneling in the departure hall ceiling. See pics. This airport will look modern for the next 20+ years. Virtually no lineups when checking in baggage. This is Winnipeg after all. Bad - On the departure side, there is only 1 coffee shop and a few benches at the end before you hit the secure zone. My colleague and I had to scarf down our food and all other items that wouldn't have made it past the X-rays. We were hoping there'd be at least a food court or something. In the Arrivals area, all we could find was a single Tim Hortons. It's a huge improvement over the old terminal for sure, but you don't want to hang out here for too long. There's not much to do.

A Good improvement from the old airport but still missing something. When I visited Winnipeg a couple years ago the new airport had recently opened. I was impressed this was because the old one was old and needed a makeover. My recent visit I had a longer time to look around and observed the changes or lack there of. Arrival (baggage claim) is downstairs and has Tims and seating area for people to wait. We waited almost an hour for our baggage, I know it was cold out and I feel bad for the workers but an hour!!! Not much difference from the old airport. Departure is upstairs which lack seating area unless you plan to eat at Stella's. Which is a bonus for this airport. Over all if you're getting dropped off or just picked up this airport is ok, don't plan to linger because not much options before or after the gates. Inside the gates has other options like Starbucks, kios, and other convenient stores. Parking is still decent doesn't rob you like YVR.

Winnipeg may be the biggest city in Central Canada, but their airport is definitely not what I'd call big. However the great thing about that is it takes a very short time to get off the plane and into the carousel area (which is in the same location as the arrivals area). There's definitely some nice finds in the airport, such as a nice souvenir store as well as Stella's, arguably Winnipeg's favourite fast food chain. There's of course your usual Tim Hortons, Harveys, etc thats staple across many Canadian airports. Wi-fi was free and covered the entire airport. No reliability issues on my end at least. Definitely one of the better "small airports" in my opinion.

Love these small airports!! Easy to get from gate to gate. The airport is clean with ample seating. Starbucks and a couple other stores available for food/drinks. A plaza premium lounge located in the centre of the main terminal is a nice amenity for an airport this small.

This airport is almost as nice as the Toronto YYZ airport. There are some eateries and Tim Horton there is always crowded. The nice part of the place is closeness to the downtown with a relatively short and inexpensive taxi ride. Just beware that there are US gate entrance and a domestic/ international gate entrance - I got confused sometime a when I have a flight to US but connecting through Toronto. I had to use the domestic entrance. They are on he opposite end of the Air Canada and take a bit of time to walk in between when one makes a mistake.

Well, I didn't get hassled, and I didn't get lost. What more could I want, really? While the over all look of this place is completely forgettable, sorry I forgot, and it's in a strange location of town, seemingly, surprisingly in town - they do have Stella's cafe which, in all my travels, is the first airport cafe who I gave my felt gave me the airport security thorough search, if you catch my drift. They offered decent food at decent prices. Strangely enough I feel this enough to bump the whole airport up to 4-stars. There's also a cool lounge once you're inside security. We didn't have much time and it seemed like it was about $30 and hour... But for complimentary drinks, food and a private place to chill out and get some work done, this seems very worth it.

I'm a little biased because if I'm coming here, that means I'm coming home! This airport has gone through a major facelift and I love the new look. It's still smaller than the airports I usually frequent, but that means it's also less confusing. I appreciate that both domestic and international arrivals lead to a huge baggage claim area. At the same time, I also appreciate that they separate domestic and international departures. I basically either go left for domestic departures or right for international. Only downfalls to this airport are, they make you place your own baggage on the conveyor belt if you are departing. There is a man standing there and he basically just tells you to put it upside down. It would be nice of him to help us get our multiple luggages or assist those who can't get their luggage on the conveyor belt. He refuses to help anyone! How can you get paid for 8 hours saying "put your luggage upside down, please"? And what happened to the clerk checking you in taking the luggage onto a conveyor belt behind them? That has been going on since before I was born. Why is this airport trying to make things difficult. Also, they should put more shops and restaurants in the international departures side. One small restaurant and one small shop is not enough! There is only a small Tim Horton's cart and no Starbucks for your coffee needs! The domestic side has way more shops and restaurants. NOT FAIR! Overall, I still like how the airport looks. Driving and parking here is pretty straight forward too. And like I said, coming here just means I'm home so I still love coming here.

I flew in and out of YWG a few years ago on the way too and from an Earthwatch trip (Climate Change at Arctic's Edge) in Churchill. And on the front end of this trip, I had the pleasure of going into Winnipeg itself. Although the Blue Bombers (CFL) were not in town (the stadium was being staged for the upcoming Grey Cup Game), it was a marvelous fall day to be walking in the Forks area and across the bridge to St. Boniface. YWG reminds me of a larger and busier version of the Des Moines Airport (with a little bit of MSP thrown in). Its simple (albeit dated) layout is pretty compact, relatively easy to navigate, and the people are Midwest nice. For example, on the way home, I had a tight US-bound connection and I don't think it took me more than 20 minutes to collect my bag at the carousel, get through US customs, buy a Globe and Mail, and have a seat in the small departures area. And that included navigating past a visiting girls soccer team at baggage claim and checking my directions with very helpful airport staff. Heck, even the US Customs officials were nice. I did have one humorous memory at the gift shop near the gate. A certain American traveler wanted to buy something was somewhat "direct" and insistent that one of his larger denomination US bills be accepted. In an impressive display of tact, the clerk very politely put him in his place after telling him that he was still in Canada and that only the local currency was accepted. At that point he smiled and pulled out his credit card.

Winniport! (See what I did there?) Short and sweet: YWG is small but solid. More elaborately: Apparently recently renovated, this well-maintained airport is easily navigable. Signs tell you where to go and people will help you get to where you need to be... though as Franco C said, the customs/border personnel on my way in were, well, less than friendly. (Not what I'd expect from Friendly Manitoba. Geez!) Food, beverage, and convenience options were readily available in my terminal, despite its small size. Also: there's a Stella's at YWG now... bonus for having a local joint rep in your airport! Wifi wasn't really happening, but that didn't matter so much, since data rates skyrocket when you go international and I ain't havin' that, you guys. Yay Winniport!

Small airport - well laid-out and simple. It's got a lot of high open space in the main area so it's a nice way to start of end a trip. Parking is pretty simple too, which is really nice when you are traveling. The star rating is specifically for the airport. Drawbacks? Getting to the airport. The signs are all over the place; one set takes you down a back residential bumpy road; one set takes you through lots of one-way roads. Signage needs to be a lot better. Also, when leaving the airport, be careful not to turn the wrong way. If you think you would like to retrace the turns you took to get there, think again! It's a maze and you really need to know where you are going - even the GPS gets a little lost!

Not much here and it's tiny. Early in the morning, there is nobody even at the car rental places. So, it's a drop off and run. I will admit that they do have their security checks down pat, but there were several extra people just standing around in the main transportation aisle watching everyone else do their job and basically getting in the way. Nothing to eat or drink, aside from a Tim Horton's. Bah. Let me out.

Really nice little airport. Clean, organized, the atmosphere is cool and the restaurants are good. It's everything toronto's should be but isn't.

I switched planes in Winnipeg this past May, and overall the airport was just fine. If you're connecting from Canada for a flight to the US (and your connection works as mine did), you will have to exit the secure area and go back through security. It didn't take long at all, but the security at the gate was pretty slow... some guy had ammo in his bag leftover from a hunting trip, and they shut the entire lane down while waiting for someone to come search his stuff rather than moving him and his stuff off to the side... not sure what that was about, or why the staff working the line couldn't search it, but it delayed everyone else for about 10 minutes. Unfortunately for me, my bags were in the x-ray machine, and I had already gone through the metal detector - so waiting was my only choice. :) Once you're through security the options for food and drink aren't exactly plentiful, so you would be well advised to bring something with you for the trip.

I have been here twice and have twice, without fail, been sent to the immigration office to be harassed. *AHEM* I mean interrogated. Seems they have some kind of angst against Americans? I don't know. I was greeted with, "Here's how it works. I'm going to ask you some questions and if I think you're not telling the truth, you'll get a free flight back to the States. Understand?" Nice way to assume and treat me like a criminal before even asking me anything. And no, I am not a criminal. First time I got sent here, I stayed in that office for 90 mins. Second time, which was this past January, 30 mins. WTF

Airport As airports go, this place was pretty decent. On the small side but everything was well marked and the place was sparking clean. The Canadian Border guy was a bit of a dickhead but other than that, I enjoyed coming and going from this airport. Baggage area while small, got the job done - seats to wait for the other members of your party - and coffee shops here and there = perfect.

Just had the absolute worst experience at the security line in Winnipeg Airport. I have been around the world and have never been thru this type of check. Had to throw many things away. Again, have done this everywhere (including this airport every summer) and NEVER experience this ridiculous search. This was totally overboard. They also searched the couple before me who had a little baby and went thru EVERYTHING. Security is looking for the wrong thing and at the wrong people. The flying public was literally tortured this morning in Winnipeg.

I'm impressed with this airport. Everyone is friendly and customs was a breeze as you clear customs to go back to the US here. The international area is small but threes is a sit down restaurant and a mini Tim Hortons with donuts, muffins and coffee. Also free wifi!

It appears they have changed the entire Winnipeg airport from a few years ago. Last time I was in Winnipeg was about 5-6 years ago and all I remember was a Harvey's and a Swiss Chalet. They now have a few more restaurants, but I was impressed that past the gates, there were some small unique businesses plus a place that served freshly squeezed juices along with a Tim's and a Starbucks. There is also free wi-fi but in some areas, it was a bit spotty. Not a bad little airport anymore.

Winnipeg Airport - nice layout, not too big that you have to walk forever. Domestic side has some shopping and a few food options. It is still going through some major changes, but it looking good. The Air Canada lounge is well situated with access close by to the AC gates. Shame Starbucks is at the totally opposite end of the airport. Air Canada check is - easy breezy, NEXUS line always the best option - the CATSA guards are a little rude, but not going to bum out my day ! Arrivals is bright and way-finding signage is everywhere and even a Tim Horton's, Harvey's and a Liquor store on the arrivals level. Overall nice airport

I like the new Terminal and everyone so far was very nice. Shoutout to the Air Canada employee, that helped me with my parents. To only bad point, who decided on the damn park ticket machine? I have to kneel to pay for parking because the card reader is so low. Even my wife 5'4" had to kneel. Someone in a wheelchair would have to lean down. Please change that.

Great airport. Never crowded. Can't say I've had any wait or delay through security over past year. Fly in and out minimum 4 times a month and by far one of the easiest "medium to large" airports to navigate. Great selection of food and shops. Easy and simple layout.

Winnipeg, sister city of Chicago (so they say), is less than a two hour airplane ride away. While I wouldn't recommend visiting mid-winter unless you enjoy the hairs In your nose freezing as soon as you take your first breath outside and don't mind the cold (-20f seems to be the normal windchill), I would highly recommend visiting for a few days. The airport is very clean (spic and span!) If you're visiting, you will be asked the purpose of your visit (personal/business) and customs will ask a lot of questions. Have your customs cards filled out upon arrival (they will give it to you on the plane and you will also need to fill one out upon departure also). Rental cars on are the premises which is super convenient and location of the airport in proximity to everything is very convenient. Huge plus...Tim horton's is in the arrival floor (downstairs) and there's a smaller one in the departure terminal. If you've never tried the donuts, they're delish!

Like many of my fellow Yelp'ers, I too felt EXTREMELY dissapointed with the state of the old airport... but now there's a brand, spanking new airport in Winnipeg - and it delivers! It's clean, it's bright, it's modern and it doesn't feel like a dingey old bus terminal! I wasn't afraid of getting gang beaten in the bathrooms, and my choice of concessions wasn't just limited to Tim Hortons. (I had a GREAT meal at TGIFridays - AMAZING service!) If you're travelling to or from Winnipeg, take a moment to explore the new airport. You won't be dissapointed!

Easy enough airport to figure out. Customs was a long wait and it was a lot harder than I anticipated finding an ATM and then a currency exchange booth. But we eventually found them, got our needs met and headed on our way. Have definitely been in more convoluted hard to find anything airports before, so this one was not so bad really. Just not the best either.

Woah, things have changed at this airport since last year! Everything looks all shiny and clean and new! And they put in a Stella's upstairs, which is great. The domestic departures area seems completely redone with a variety of restaurants and a few touristy stores. Nice. You really stepped it up, Winnipeg. :)

Well, I am not really a fan of airports, but I have to give a shout out to the new terminal! Plenty of shops, a very conveniently located Tim Hortons right at arrivals, and it's very clean and bright. It's a smaller airport, which means you are less likely to get lost, and you are in and out quickly. Parking is heaps better now, and relatively inexpensive. Free wifi!!

Although not my favourite airport, the renos on YWG have moved my rating from a 1-star "Oh man - do I HAVE to layover in Winnipeg?" to a 3-star "Not the end of the world if I spend a little time here." I'll admit I don't spend a huge amount of time at the Winnipeg airport, but I've been flying in and out most of my life since all of my extended family lives in the area. Parking is pretty easy - it's a small airport so getting around is easy. They have a great little cafe on the departures level if you're early for your flight, and you can see the security line right from your table in case you feel the need to throw some cash down and dash if it gets long. The new wing is nice - big, spacious, has a Starbucks. My only issue is with the bathrooms - both flying in and out in August was ridiculous line-ups for the women's washrooms?? And they seemed a little far apart. But that's only one experience so don't take my word for it. All in all, great renovations - much better than the airport used to be.

I just recently went out to Winnipeg for a conference and was pleasantly surprised by the airport. The people here were helpful, and not too grumpy considering I landed at 12:40am! Getting checked in and through security was simple and quick. The place was well organized and easy to get around. The only down side was that it took longer than I would have liked to get my checked baggage. But, is that really any different than all airports?

I came here for a stop during my flight to Toronto. In terms of styling, this airport is a very 1970's to 1980's. For those who never visited YVR in Richmond, B.C. back in the 1980's, go to Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport and see for yourself. It's a back to the future experience you won't forget. Interestingly, everything at this airport seemed to move very slowly but the people were very friendly.

I've been through YWG a few times in the past few years. It's fairly small, but I honestly prefer airports on the smaller side. There's a Tim Horton's on the main floor and a couple of other places to eat on the second floor, pre-security. Then another TH and a cafe on the departures side. There's also a pretty good Virgin Books & Music pre-security, and another store with books right when you get through. I'm much more relaxed when I know exactly where to go and I'm not overwhelmed by tons of people and bizarre routes through the building. Security screening has always been quick and hassle-free for me here. It looks like there is some construction and expansion going on. Due to this, I got a little turned around going from the parking lot to the terminal. An airport employee with one of those golf carts noticed me and my husband wandering and offered us a ride to the terminal! And then told my husband that he would meet him back at this bench and give him a ride back to his car! Pretty nice and totally unexpected. I guess they call it Friendly Manitoba for a reason. Another thing I thought was neat was the digital sign saying how many stalls were left on each level of the parkade. Maybe this is a common thing, but I've never seen it before. I've also returned vehicles here before and had no problems. Like I said in my YEG review, I don't expect to be entertained when I go to an airport and always arrive prepared with music, books, etc.

A huge improvement over the old airport. Fancy and shiny new Air Canada kiosks greeted me, and I was told (and they were right) that the better breakfast option was Stella's (before entering security). Good food, friendly people. The security hasn't changed much. This was the airport that told me to put my lip balm in a plastic bag because it was a liquid and made me go to the back of the line, even though I already took it out for them. She was very adamant that my big purse should go in a bin, as well a separate bin for me bag, and my computer. They were rude and harsh. Not nice at 6am. Inside it's reminiscent of the Toronto Airport. Lots of food options, and magazine / souvenir shops (something they were lacking 2 yrs ago when I was there). I finally got me a Winnipeg magnet.

What's there to say? It's a small airport, bring a book. Eat before coming here.