Kamloops Airport

This is probably the most relaxed airport I’ve ever been too. Generally you don’t need to worry too much about being an hour early for your flight. I have almost always been able to walk right to the front of the security line when I’m ready to go through to the gate. Last time one of the security guards even suggested that I hold off on going through because my flight was delayed and I would be more comfortable hanging out in the restaurant. I definitely appreciated that.
The one exception to this was when I traveled at Christmas and many of the flights were late arriving in Kamloops. The airport was absolutely packed with frustrated travelers but all of the staff here kept cheerful and calm. The delays were completely out of their control.
The only major cities that Air Canada and Westjet fly to through Kamloops are Calgary and Vancouver (in 2015 Westjet will also be adding direct flights to Edmonton). Central Mountain Air also offers occasional flights to Fort St. John, Kelowna, Prince George, Smithers and Terrace.
Before you get here, keep in mind that the single restaurant isn’t always open so if you have an early morning or a later evening flight, you may want to eat ahead. Besides the restaurant, other amenities include a choice of 3 different car rental booths and access to cabs and shuttles alike.

My Victoria Day weekend travel plans called for a weeklong stay in the Kamloops area, but I never anticipated flying directly into Kamloops cheaper than Vancouver or Seattle! A chance search and a WestJet sale saved me and the beau over $ 500, traveling from southern Ontario.
As a regional airport, Kamloops offers major advantages over Vancouver or Calgary International. Parking is a snap in lots adjacent to the airport itself. Cops don’t shoo your ride away from waiting until you disembark, where 15 minute and 2 hour priority spots are steps away from the curb. No need to slog two kilometers down a terminal for a distant gate on a transfer; Kamloops has just two or three. Even a crush of business and Hawaii-​bound travelers whisked through security in under ten minutes, their checked luggage running on a parallel track through the X-​ray machine.
We arrived in the afternoon on a rainy day, and airport staff quickly whisked two portable walkways up to the front and rear exits of the plane. A quick dash brought us to shelter in a spacious waiting room. The approach to the airport offers an unparalleled view of the Thompson Valley and surrounding mountains, something no flat-​land airport will ever accomplish. Finally, a reason to look out the window!
The only downfalls for the airport were a lack of amenities and sufficient airline staff to handle packed morning flights. We used electronic check-​in via our mobile phones, but required boarding passes for our seats. A long line snaked up to the desk manned by two WestJet employees, though we were able to bypass the check-​in line. An automated kiosk would be much appreciated to print off passes and save time, and Kamloops isn’t too small to benefit from one.
If you need a snack or a quick bite to eat, the vending machines are about the best option you have. Two or three small kiosks weren’t open by 8AM when our flight took off, but at least hungry travelers might have a chance to grab a sandwich or something hot.