Cheap flights to Ganges Harbor airport

Discover Ganges Harbor

Cheap Flights to Ganges Harbour Airport

The Ganges Harbour Airport (YGG) is the gateway to laid back Salt Spring Island, part of a cluster of islands between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia. It's a busy seaplane port that sees a steady stream of small aircraft touching down daily. Salt Spring Island is a popular place, with many repeat visitors and an active resident population. Skyscanner can help you find the cheapest airfare to this still wild locale. Find a hotel and a car rental at the same time. It's easy!

Best Time to Book a Flight to Ganges Harbour

Ganges Harbour Airport is busy pretty much year round. Most visitors come in the warmer months, usually between March and October. Island residents also make use of the air service on a year-round basis. The size of the aircraft, twin-engine Otters mostly, with up to 18 passengers, means less ticket availability. Using Skyscanner's Whole Month Search program, you can find the cheapest airfare by comparing an entire month's worth of available flights. Be flexible with your dates and book that great fare when you find it. Before you know it you'll be in orca territory.

What to Expect at Ganges Harbour Airport

The Ganges Harbour Airport (YYG) is a seaplane base, otherwise known as Salt Spring Air Terminal. A seaplane makes the ride to and from Salt Spring Island part of the adventure. Imagine the excitement as you splash down in front of Ganges Harbour and taxi up to the dock at Grace Point Square. Take-off is just as fun, as you pick up speed and send plumes of water into the air as you take to the skies.

Three air carriers fly into Ganges Harbour, Harbour Air Seaplanes, Seair Seaplanes and Saltspring Air. The latter is operated by Harbour Air. All three provide service from Vancouver, using either the Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome (CYHC) in the downtown core or Vancouver International Water Aerodrome (CAM9) in Richmond. The latter is more convenient for connecting flights at Vancouver International (YVR).

Luggage restrictions on the seaplanes are a bit tighter due to the smaller planes. No piece may weigh over 50 pounds and dimensions are governed by the actual aircraft used. Most planes can accommodate oversized items such as hockey sticks and bags, skis, snowboards, golf clubs or bicycles for an additional fee.

The terminal at Ganges Harbour is small, but Wi-Fi is free and car rentals are available onsite. Taxis are on call and they are usually on hand when a flight is due in. The post office is nearby, as are shops and cafes.

What to See and Do on Salt Spring Island near Ganges Harbour

• Salt Spring Island, off the southern coast of British Columbia and barely a stone's throw from Southern Vancouver Island, is a nature lover's paradise. Two provincial parks dot this smallish bit of real estate. One is the Ruckle Provincial Park on the island's eastern tip, off the Swanson Channel. It's open year round but park services are only available from mid-March through October. If you happen to pitch a tent and spend the night, you might hear the call of the endangered western screech owl. Walk the sandy beach or find yourself a comfortable spot along one of the craggy cliffs and watch for orcas and dolphins spouting offshore. Mount Maxwell Provincial Park is on the western side of Salt Spring. There are no services at this day-use park except for pit toilets. The draw is the panoramic view of mainland BC, the Southern Gulf islands and Vancouver Island from the top of Mount Maxwell. It's a bit of a climb, but well worth the photo op.
• Get even closer to those orcas on a whale watching cruise out of Ganges Harbour Marina. Head out on fast, nimble Zodiacs, attired in specially designed thermal suits that help keep you warm and dry. By law, the Zodiacs can only get within so many metres of the whales, but the orcas don't read the rule book. If you're lucky, the curious animals will come right up to the boat. Your tour might go through the Captain or Moresby Passages between southeast Vancouver Island and North Pender Island. Seals often snooze on the rocks in this area. Eagles also take to the skies to hunt and often perch in the large trees. Have that camera ready; you just never know what you'll find.