Skip to content

YVR warns travelers to plan for increased traffic on Black Friday

Travelers heading to Vancouver International Airport this Friday may want to leave extra early to avoid Black Friday traffic around the nearby outlet mall. On Nov. 23, Black Friday sales are scheduled to hit Richmond’s McArthurGlen Designer Outlet.
outlet mall
About 600 jobs will available at the new McArthurGlen Vancouver Airport outlet mall which is set to open in May. Submitted photo

Travelers heading to Vancouver International Airport this Friday may want to leave extra early to avoid Black Friday traffic around the nearby outlet mall.

On Nov. 23, Black Friday sales are scheduled to hit Richmond’s McArthurGlen Designer Outlet. In anticipation of increased traffic, YVR says it is working with RCMP traffic enforcement and traffic management at the mall, but that travelers heading to the airport should plan for delays.

After the mall opened in 2015, some travelers have complained about increased traffic to the airport on significant shopping days, leading them to nearly miss their flights.

“It took us 30 minutes to drive from Marine Drive and Granville Street to the cut-off to the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet mall, en route to the Vancouver International Airport — about two kilometres. It, along with the adjoining roads, were literally parking lots,” said John Lumley in a letter to the Richmond News after travelling to YVR last Boxing Day.

“Yes, we made our flight — just. But I’m sure many didn’t, due to traffic congestion.”

To avoid congestion, the airport recommends that travelers, Sea Island employees and Black Friday shoppers all take the Canada Line, if possible.