Vancouver
Vancouver International (YVR) is one of the best-designed airports in North America and operates Canada's most polished West Coast lounge programme. The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in the international concourse is the Star Alliance Gold play and runs a serious BC-wine programme: Okanagan Pinot Noir, Naramata Bench Chardonnay, Similkameen Cabernet Franc, all by the glass. The Cathay Pacific outpost lounge in YVR is one of the few Cathay lounges outside Asia and runs the same standards as the HKG operation.
Chinatown · $$$
Vancouver's most internationally awarded cocktail bar.
Coal Harbour · $$$$
The Fairmont Pacific Rim's flagship bar.
Downtown · $$$
Hidden basement cocktail room beneath the Rosewood Hotel Georgia.
Mount Pleasant · $$
Natural wine bar with a small-format cocktail list.
Plays for Vancouver Airport: post-security, pre-security, lounges, and the airport-hotel cheat code.
Pre-flight drinks, hotel-bar reviews, and the openings we're watching across 200+ cities. Friday mornings, no filler.
Looking beyond Vancouver? See our guide to the best airport bars worldwide, or compare airport bars city by city.