The holiday rush at Kelowna International Airport (YLW) has just wrapped up, with nearly 200,000 passengers passing through the terminal over the past two-and-a-half weeks.
It’s the busiest time of the year at YLW and it will feel a little smoother in 12 months time thanks to an expanded airport terminal building.
A few weeks back, YLW CEO Sam Samaddar told KelownaNow the exciting project is ahead of schedule and the new space is expected to open up in the first quarter of 2026.
Photo Credit: YLWThe terminal expansion is looking great from the outside. Scroll down to see what the inside looks like!
Travellers will be seeing it in person soon enough, but Kalesnikoff recently shared a few photos of the new terminal building for those who don’t want to wait.
The mass timber used for the project, the biggest airport expansion in Kelowna’s history thus far, was manufactured and supplied from Kalesnikoff’s facility in Castlegar.
According to the City of Kelowna, nearly 800 square metres of wood from the Slocan Valley was incorporated in the project, which received a $500,000 grant from BC’s Mass Timber Demonstration Program.
Once the much larger departure lounge opens, travellers can expect twice-as-fast security screening, more efficient gates, a wine bar and more. A first-class lounge is also coming at a later date.
Check out photos of the new terminal building below and look forward to a smoother travel experience at YLW in the near future!
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Photo Credit: Lipsett Photography Group/naturallywood.com
Photo Credit: Lipsett Photography Group/naturallywood.com
Photo Credit: Lipsett Photography Group/naturallywood.com
