The Complete Guide to Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG)

Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG) is the main airport serving Manitoba and the primary gateway to Canada’s prairies. As the seventh-busiest airport in the country, YWG handled over 4.4 million passengers in 2025, connecting Winnipeggers to major Canadian cities, US destinations, and seasonal sun routes.

Location and Transportation

Winnipeg International Airport is located at 2000 Wellington Avenue, roughly 9 km west of downtown Winnipeg in the city’s Polo Park area. A drive to the city centre typically takes around 15 minutes outside of rush hour.

Winnipeg Transit operates three bus routes to the airport: Route D12 (Ellice), Route D13 (Sargent), and Route 224 (Sherwin–Valour), with service running from approximately 5:11 a.m. to 12:40 a.m. Fares are $3.45 (cash) or $3.10 (peggo e-cash), with reduced rates for youth and seniors.

Taxis are available at Arrivals Level 1 near Door 3, with Unicity Taxi being the primary provider. Uber is also available in Winnipeg for airport pickups and drop-offs.

Car rental companies are located on Arrivals Level 1 and include Avis, Budget, Payless, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Alamo.

For parking, the multi-level covered parkade directly across from the terminal costs up to $30 per day ($130 per week), while the Economy Lot behind the parkade offers a lower rate of $24 per day ($110 per week). Both parking areas offer complimentary block heater plugs—an essential feature for Manitoba’s frigid winters.

A Valet & Away service is available at the Arrivals curbside starting at $45 per day, and the off-site Park’N Fly offers indoor valet and self-park options with a free shuttle and Aeroplan-eligible transactions.

For those heading beyond the city, the Brandon Air Shuttle provides ground transportation between YWG and Brandon, Manitoba’s second-largest city.

Terminals

YWG’s current terminal opened in October 2011 and was designed by Cesar Pelli (Pelli Clarke & Partners) in partnership with Stantec. It was the first airport terminal in Canada to achieve LEED certification (Silver), operating 25% more efficiently than Canada’s Model National Energy Code for Buildings.

The terminal’s low, expansive form features a signature floating silver roof with extensive skylights that frame the prairie landscape. It spans approximately 51,500 square metres with around 25 departure gates, all under one roof.

The layout is straightforward:

• Level 1 (Arrivals): Baggage claim, customs (CBSA), car rental counters, taxi and rideshare pickup
• Level 2 (Departures): Check-in counters, security screening, departure gates, restaurants, shops, and lounges
• Mezzanine: Observation area and additional seating

The airside is divided into two piers. The domestic and international pier handles flights within Canada and to overseas destinations, while the transborder pier serves US-bound flights through a separate pre-board screening area accessed via a small bridge between Door 1 and Door 2 on Departures Level 2.

This separation is important to note for lounge access, as discussed below.

Perimeter Aviation, which serves remote northern Manitoba and northwestern Ontario communities, operates from a completely separate terminal at 626 Ferry Road, approximately 2.6 km south of the main terminal building. Travellers flying on Perimeter Aviation should plan accordingly, as there is no enclosed walkway or shuttle between the two facilities.

Airlines and Destinations

Nine airlines operate scheduled passenger service from YWG, connecting the city to approximately 40 nonstop destinations.

WestJet is the largest carrier at YWG with approximately 144 weekly departures, serving Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, and Victoria domestically. WestJet also operates year-round flights to Las Vegas and Cancun, along with seasonal winter service to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Phoenix/Mesa, Palm Springs, Atlanta, and Nashville.

Beginning May 17, 2026, WestJet will add service to London, Ontario three times weekly.

Air Canada is the second-largest operator, offering year-round flights to Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Ottawa.

Flair Airlines maintains an operating base at YWG with service to Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. Porter Airlines connects Winnipeg to Toronto Pearson.

For US connections, Delta Air Lines offers service to Minneapolis-St. Paul (a major SkyTeam hub), while United Airlines serves both Chicago O’Hare and Denver—both key Star Alliance hubs that open up extensive connecting options for Canadian travellers.

YWG also serves as a hub for northern air travel. Calm Air operates from the main terminal to Thompson, The Pas, Churchill, Flin Flon, Gillam, Rankin Inlet, Island Lake, and other northern Manitoba and Nunavut communities. Bearskin Airlines provides service to Red Lake in northwestern Ontario.

Perhaps the most exciting development for 2026 is WestJet’s new nonstop service to Reykjavik, Iceland (KEF), launching June 27, 2026 on the 737 MAX with once-weekly frequency. This marks the first-ever transatlantic flight from Manitoba—a culturally significant route given that Manitoba is home to the world’s largest Icelandic diaspora outside Iceland, rooted in the founding of New Iceland in Gimli over a century ago.

Lounges

YWG has two airside lounges, both located on the domestic and international side of the terminal.

The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is situated opposite Gate 9 on Level 2, to the left after clearing security. The lounge seats approximately 80 guests and features large windows with tarmac views, a business centre with computer desks and printing, PressReader access, and complimentary Wi-Fi.

The food offering includes a cold buffet with wraps, pasta salad, vegetables, and fruit, along with soup and limited hot options. A self-serve bar provides wines, spirits, and draft beer.

Hours are Monday 4:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Sunday 4:00 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Access is available to Air Canada Business Class passengers, Star Alliance Business and First Class passengers on international flights, Star Alliance Gold members, Aeroplan 50K+ members, and holders of the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card or American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card.

The Plaza Premium Lounge is located across from Gate 6 on Level 2 in the domestic and international departures area. It features hot food options spanning Asian and American cuisines, complimentary house beer and wine, and standard lounge amenities including flight monitors, Wi-Fi, and private rooms.

Walk-in access is available from approximately $50 per visit. The lounge is accessible to Amex Platinum and Centurion cardholders, Priority Pass members, eligible Mastercard World Elite cardholders through Mastercard Airport Experiences, LoungeKey, and DragonPass members.

An important caveat: Neither lounge is accessible to US-bound passengers. Because the transborder pier is separated from the domestic and international pier by the US Preclearance screening area, travellers flying to the United States cannot access either the Maple Leaf Lounge or the Plaza Premium Lounge.

This is a notable gap for premium travellers departing to US destinations from YWG.

Priority Services

YWG is one of nine Canadian airports offering US Customs and Border Protection Preclearance. Passengers flying to the United States clear US customs and immigration before boarding in Winnipeg, arriving at their US destination as domestic passengers. This eliminates the need for customs processing upon arrival in the US, often saving significant time.

CATSA’s Verified Traveller program is available at YWG for domestic and international flights, allowing eligible travellers to use a dedicated screening lane while keeping liquids in their bags, laptops in their cases, and shoes and jackets on.

For US-bound flights, Verified Travellers receive front-of-the-line access only, without the full expedited screening benefits.

Eligible travellers include NEXUS members, Global Entry members, active Canadian Armed Forces personnel, RCMP officers, and Canadian police officers with badges. Verified travellers can also bring accompanying passengers aged 17 or younger, or 75 and older.

Airport Hotels

The Courtyard by Marriott Winnipeg Airport is the closest hotel to the terminal, located approximately 100 metres away with a four- to five-minute walk (note there is no enclosed walkway). It also provides a complimentary 24-hour shuttle. As a Marriott Bonvoy property, stays here earn and redeem Bonvoy points.

The Lakeview Signature, Trademark Collection by Wyndham is located adjacent to the airport, approximately a two-minute walk from the terminal, and offers a complimentary 24-hour shuttle.

The Hilton Winnipeg Airport Suites is located about 2 km from the terminal and offers a complimentary 24-hour airport shuttle. As a Hilton Honors property, stays earn and redeem Honors points.

The Holiday Inn Express Winnipeg Airport—Polo Park, an IHG One Rewards property, is a similar distance and provides a shuttle on request.