We live in Vancouver, and it happens to be a pretty popular place. It typically welcomes between 8 and 11 million visitors annually. Not bad for a city that had been somewhat in the shadows until recently when tourism exploded. One of the features that we like and we use are the Harbour Air Seaplanes. If you haven’t taken a ride, then what are you waiting for? They’re exactly what they say on the tin: Flying with Harbour Air Vancouver is a quintessential West Coast experience, offering a mix of efficient transport and spectacular sightseeing. As a visitor, the most important thing to understand is that these are small, weight-sensitive aircraft, which makes the check-in and packing process very different from a standard commercial airline.
The reason why we’re featuring it here is twofold: they’ve just introduced new routes between Vancouver Island, Vancouver and Seattle, Washington. Governments being as they are, they still need to keep track of you. You must go through US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) when flying with Harbour Air from Vancouver (Coal Harbour) to Washington State (typically Seattle Lake Union). Because this is an international flight, you will clear US customs upon arrival at the seaplane dock in Seattle, rather than via pre-clearance in Vancouver. That may be a bit of a pain, but how often do you get a chance to country-hop as easily as that?
If you want more detail on that, read on: Arrival Process: CBP agents are available at the arrival dock for inspection. Required Documentation: You must have your passport and any necessary visa documentation ready. Information Gathering: Harbour Air agents collect passenger details (full name, birthdate, passport info) in advance to share with CBP. No Pre-clearance: Unlike flights from Vancouver International Airport (YVR), there is no U.S. pre-clearance in Coal Harbor, which is rather nice.
Another plus for those who want to help save the planet, Harbour Air also have electric planes in the mix. Read more about that here
As the final piece of cake, the company has recently announced new routes between Vancouver Island, Vancouver and Seattle. If you’re in that part of the planet, this is not something to miss. we take family and friends and it’s always a highlight, especially for the little ones or the geeks in your crew. Harbour Air is proud to operate the largest all-seaplane fleet in North America. Our fleet primarily consists of a variety of Canadian built de Havilland Beaver, Single Otter and Twin Otter aircraft which are envied worldwide for their history, craftmanship, safety record and workload capability. In 2018, a Cessna Grand Caravan EX was also added to the fleet which is equipped with IFR technology and is primarily used to service the Vancouver/Seattle and Vancouver/Tofino routes.
Harbour Air offers quick, direct flights that connect downtown to downtown, making your commute faster and more convenient. Whether you’re traveling within BC or to Seattle, you’ll be at your destination in under an hour. Enjoy fast check-ins, friendly service, and seamless connections, all while skipping long commutes and traffic. With seaplane and airport departures, we provide dozens of daily frequencies to fit your busy schedule. Our affiliate pals, OMIO, can get you in and around Seattle and Vancouver. Click here.
Always take travel insurance when you take off for your adventures. World Nomads have your plan. Click here