Our Review of Edmonton Airport (YEG)

Table of contents: Our Review of Edmonton Airport (YEG) Pros and Cons of Edmonton Airport (YEG) Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Edmonton Airport (YEG)

All the information featured on this page was compiled and written by David Enrich, a renowned expert in aviation and airport guides, since 1999.

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this Guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Other Reviews

Edmonton International Airport (YEG) generally comes out as a decent mid‑size North American airport with a mixed but slightly positive profile: comfortable and clean terminal, reasonable security, but recurring complaints about signage, baggage and landside access, especially during construction or peak periods. A fair consolidated rating from Google‑style reviews plus Skytrax passenger feedback would be around 3.5–4.0 out of 5 (roughly a 7/10), with good in‑terminal experience but weaker ground logistics and some operational pain points.

Skytrax rating and themes

Skytrax certifies YEG as a 3‑Star regional airport, noting acceptable facilities, comfort, cleanliness, security/immigration and staff service, but also mentioning that the interior finishes are dated and wayfinding is weak in some areas.
In the user review section, many passengers praise the terminal as bright, modern for the city size, with comfortable seating, decent food/shops and friendly staff, although some reviews criticize cramped areas, dated zones and poor Wi‑Fi.

Google‑type reviews: terminal experience

Reviews on platforms similar to Google and Yelp describe YEG as small, compact and easy to get in and out of, with enough shops and restaurants, generally clean washrooms and typically polite security staff.
Passengers often like the short walking distances, children’s play areas and pet relief zones, but some mention noisy or cluttered gate areas and an overall atmosphere that feels less polished than larger hubs.

Operations, security and baggage

Several Skytrax reviews report efficient security with reasonable queuing times, especially compared with Calgary, and describe the airport as well organized and dependable in difficult weather.
However, there are multiple complaints about long waits for checked baggage (over 45 minutes in some cases), occasional chaotic security situations when equipment fails, and inconsistent treatment by security staff.

Signage, layout and access

A recurring negative theme is poor signage and confusing flows, especially when moving between domestic and US/international areas or returning rental cars, with some passengers describing the experience as “chaotic” or “a maze.”
Recent comments highlight that pickup/drop‑off has been disrupted by construction or layout changes, forcing passengers to walk further and navigate less intuitive routes, and Reddit discussions also criticize the new pickup routing and call for better signage and accessibility.

Overall justified score

Positives: clean and reasonably modern terminal for its size; compact layout with short walking distances; generally friendly staff; good range of food and retail for a regional airport; often smoother and less stressful than Calgary for some travelers.
Negatives: weak wayfinding and signage in key areas (US/international connections, car rentals, pickups); baggage delays; episodic but severe congestion or chaos at security and landside access, plus some dated interior elements.

Considering the professional 3‑Star Skytrax rating, the fairly positive but not outstanding tone of many passenger reviews, and the persistent operational complaints, a reasoned overall rating would be about 3.5–4.0/5 (≈7/10), suitable for a “good but improvable” regional airport rather than a top‑tier hub.

Pros and Cons of Edmonton Airport (YEG)

Pros

Modern Facilities: The airport features updated terminals with a wide range of amenities, including shops, restaurants, and comfortable waiting areas.
Green Initiatives: YEG is known for its sustainability efforts, including a 132-square-meter living wall with 8,000 plants of 32 species, which improves air quality and passenger well-being.
Good Connectivity: The airport offers direct flights to major Canadian, US, and international destinations, served by airlines such as Air Canada, WestJet, Delta, United, and more.
Efficient Ground Transport: Multiple options are available for getting to and from the airport, including buses, shuttles, taxis, and car rentals, making access easy for most travelers.
Innovation: YEG is a pioneer in adopting new technologies, such as using drones for deliveries to remote areas and supporting the development of hybrid and electric aircraft.

Cons

Distance from Downtown: The airport is located about 27 km (17 miles) from downtown Edmonton, which can result in longer and more expensive taxi or ride-share journeys.
No Direct Rail Link: There is no direct LRT (Light Rail Transit) or train connection to the airport; passengers must transfer via bus to access public transit.
Weather Challenges: Harsh winter conditions can cause delays and make ground transportation more difficult, especially during snowstorms.
Limited International Routes: While YEG has good connectivity, the number of direct international flights is smaller compared to larger Canadian hubs like Toronto or Vancouver.
Occasional Congestion: During peak travel times, security and check-in lines can be long, and parking lots may fill up quickly, requiring extra time and planning.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

Edmonton International Airport (YEG) is the main air gateway for Edmonton and northern Alberta, located about 26 km south-southwest of downtown Edmonton. Open 24 hours, it serves over 5.8 million passengers annually and offers direct flights to more than 50 destinations in Canada, the US, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and Europe. Major airlines include WestJet, Air Canada, Flair Airlines, and Canadian North, with WestJet operating the largest share of flights.

The airport has a single, modern terminal with US pre-clearance facilities, making it easy for travelers connecting to the United States. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, a variety of shops and restaurants, currency exchange, ATMs, and lounges such as the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge and two Plaza Premium Lounges. The Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel is directly connected to the terminal for convenient overnight stays.

Ground transport options are extensive: you’ll find city buses (ETS Route 747), taxis, ride-shares, hotel shuttles, and all major car rental companies on-site. Parking is available for short and long stays, and the airport is fully accessible for travelers with reduced mobility.

YEG is known for its efficient customs, helpful staff, and a wide catchment area serving all of northern Alberta and beyond. Whether you’re connecting, arriving, or departing, the airport’s clear signage and modern facilities make for a smooth travel experience.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation