I feel this is one of the nicer mid sized airports in Canada. Nice, light filled and airy after all the renovations over the years. Security is almost always super fast - they upgraded all their scanners to modern ones where you don't need to take out laptops and liquids. The only downside is more manual searches. Lots of shops to browse - most are post security. Two Tim Hortons to get your caffeine fix. Flights are almost always on time leaving. read more

Halifax Stanfield international airport is a fairly small easily accessible and navigable airport. It's well sign posted, clean and has the usual dining and shopping areas that you come to expect from an airport. Security & Border control were a very easy process. They have MPC to make it even easier. Overall a good experience. read more

See all

This is a review of the CBSA operation at Stanfield Airport. We arrived on a flight from LaGuardia, got off the plane, followed the signs, and arrived with our fellow passengers at a locked door. Finally one of our flight attendants called and some airport staff person came and had us go back and down another hallway to another locked door. She then called some magic number to unlock the door and passed into the hall where CBSA personnel directed the very long and very slow line to the machines that help you fill out the customs forms. There was no apparent line for Nexus and no one directing Nexus participants until my wife got out of line waked to the front and asked. Finally. What takes max 10 minutes in Toronto or Montreal took about 45 minutes total. I should mention that things were complicated by a construction/remodeling project that is underway. But we arrived on a Saturday when there was no actual construction going on. And here's the strange thing. Each of the individual airport and CBSA employees was helpful and pleasant. It sure appeared to me as a former bureaucrat that there was no overall supervisor making all the individual parts mesh together. When we flew out five days later, there were no delays. Departure was a breeze. The problem was the arrivals hall. I sure hope Halifax Stanfield gets this sorted out. NS is absolutely lovely and all the people we met were terrific. Our only negative experience? Arrival. Sure seems like something that could be easily sorted out. read more

Mouse. I was waiting for my Westjet flight from Halifax to Dublin last Friday May 22 when a mouse ran across my foot. I am terrified of rodents and at 67 years old has never happened before, and I travel alot. I felt physically sick, The couple next to me their toddler had been sitting on the floor. I was disgusted with the mouse. Went to tell someone, found two security guards, they actually laughed when I told them I saw a mouse and it ran across my foot. The said there were lots of "mouses", especially at night. An obvious health and safety issue. I will never get food again at that airport , worried about mice. Did send 2 emails, one phone message and never heard back. Really gross and a health issue. read more

Nice airport with decent facilities. Some of the newer seatings have power outlets but plenty of them don't. There's renovations happening and some gates can be quite far, particularly departing for or arriving from the turboprop "commuter" terminal. Food options tend to be concentrated towards the middle of the terminal. I do appreciate that the airport workers brought over some cookies and drinks for waiting passenger, which I don't usually see at other major airports. read more

The airport is rather far from the city, so you either drive in your car and park it there, or uber/take a taxi to the airport. The airport is well-maintained and organized. The staff are friendly and helpful. It's not a large one, but it has enough vendors to keep you busy until the boarding time. read more

See all

It's a airport. Pretty decent. There is food. There are bathrooms. There is water. It has a Tim Horton.

I didn't see the fresh seafood market as Kristian mention but definitely a lot of foot places- washrooms are cleaned frequently and it's moderately busy- not too busy. Walking through security was very easy. When you clear, the plaza lounge is to your right, the gate walls are not too far and there are lot of washrooms. Morning hour, there are some line ups to get in but it may be just the red eye people doing their business. The rental car is in another building, just follow the signage and cross the road. Driving around the airport is not crazy- overall a nice airport with amenities without the crazy. read more

Ray Ray helped us get our handicapped traveler through baggage claim, customs, and rent-a-car. Taking us right to the car and loaded our luggage. What a wonderful service. She was also so friendly and patient. Can't say enough how helpful she was. read more

A very small airport that ran reasonably well. Passing through customs was clunky as the agents I encountered ere lacking in any level of approachability. It was not at all busy. In fact it was just us. We encountered grunts and finger pointing. Alas the friendly staff at the airport made up for the abrupt encounter. Our return flight was a breeze with nothing but friendly staff. read more

From start to finish, this place is a S*** show. First, the signage isn't great, but fortunately the people are great at helping with directions. The gate agents (for American Airlines) must be using ancient technology as it takes them 20 minutes to check in and label bags. After toting your bags to be loaded, your boarding passes are scanned. Security signage is non-exsistant, so an agent yells at you to remove shoes, laptops, etc. and you show your boarding pass again. Even though there is Global Entry, you must use an agent for US Border Control. ( our guy was really rude) then you get to the gate area that is extremely small, and only 1 place for food ( so eat before you go through security), so your passports and boarding passes are scanned again. Loading the plane, passports and boarding passes are scanned again. Our flight was canceled with no communication about our bags and alternatives. All in all, those in positions of authority are rude, inconsitant with the rules and unhelpful. read more

The Halifax airport has undergone some renovations since the last time I was there about 3 years ago. It's much nicer now with more food options both before and after security (domestic flights that is, I've never flown internationally out of Stanfield). I like the many dining options. I like that I was able to have a decent meal that wasn't overpriced because I was at the airport (I was able to get a tasty lobster sandwich with a side salad for $20 at the Firkin and Flyer. The quality, quantity and price was comparable to Firkin Pubs outside of the airport. This is in contrast to the D'Arcy McGee's at the Ottawa airport, which is more expensive, with smaller portions, and poorer quality than the D'Arcy McGee's in the rest of Ottawa, outside of the airport). They also have a place (Clearwater) that sells lobsters that they will pack up for you on ice to take home. Prices fluctuate, but it was $11.50/lb on our last trip. I've never bought from them, but my mom did once when I was a kid and she was on a business trip in Halifax and the lobsters that she brought home (to Toronto) were some of the tastiest lobsters I ever had (thanks Mom, you're the best!). They have Liquid Assets which is a liquor store that sells locally brewed beer/distilled alcohol too. And if you happen to need to buy a last minute gift for someone back home, they have a variety of kiosks that sell gift items. I was tempted to get the different flavoured chocolate covered marshmallows as a gift to myself, haha. Something else I noticed is that feminine hygiene products in the women's washrooms are free! I think I can speak for all women of childbearing age when I say that this is incredibly considerate. I commend whoever made this decision. The airport has fast and reliable free WiFi. The airport is bright and clean. A taxi to/from downtown Halifax is about $60. read more

See all

Flying in from Toronto, this airport was a welcomed change from the hustle and bustle of Pearson Airport. The airport is quite small, but has everything you need or would expect out of one. Restaurants and drink places such as Booster Juice are available past security, and a food court is available before security that has everything you would expect to find in a typical food court (e.g. Tim Hortons, A&W, etc.) The airport is kept well clean and overall has a relaxed vibe to it. There was no security line when I arrived here, so there was no need to arrive 2 hours early in my case like I did. I guess I must be too used to the chaos of Pearson Airport! Staff are also quite friendly, and the bags do not take long to come out and on to the baggage belt. Washrooms can be hit or miss. The modern ones are absolutely beautiful. The older ones are inconsistent in cleanliness. One of the better airports I have travelled through in North America. Be proud of your airport, Halifax! A lot of cities would want to have yours. read more

See all

You can buy fresh and cooked lobster to take with you in the plane. The store is called "Clearwater" in the domestic checked-in area. They packed it nicely. read more

See all

I really enjoyed the Halifax airport! Highlights: Spacious modern clean washrooms with complimentary feminine products! Lots of outlets to charge electronics. Super friendly staff! Halifax library drop off and pick ups through a library vending machine! Yes, Shut.The.Front.Door. Cute and different seating options like large colorful wooden beach chairs! Plus SEAFOOD and lobsters to go!!! Need I say more? read more

See all

This is a nice, small airport that manages to maintain the international flights it services. Checking in and getting through security was not a hassle compared to other Canadian airports. I found myself impressed by the food options scattered in the airport. As if the seafood stores weren't enough to hint you on Halifax's nautical customs, there's even a shop that deals and packages cooked or live lobsters for you to take home. The prices on those are quite good, so I would recommend checking that out. The only thing is that upon arrival at baggage claim, the carousel information display didn't update to our flight, and so I was wondering when I can get my bag when it had already made a couple rounds. Nothing substantial overall, but I just wanted to point that out. read more

A very standard airport. Security isn't unbearably long, plenty of space to sit and outlets at every set of 3 seats, restaurants and shops with interesting souvenirs. They have these cool library machines, so if you have a Halifax library card you can check out a book while waiting for your flight. It's a brilliant idea. Bathrooms are very clean and big. The water fountains have very cold water too. read more

This is a great airport in Canada. Clean, friendly service, never seems crowded...great restaurants and you can buy fresh seafood. Having used this to go through to Paris coming and going from my trip..I was pretty impressed at clearing security (on the way back from Paris). One note - currently they are trying out new procedures/technology and the line up to clear security was 500 people at least and not moving...essentially the line up was going outside the airport. But luckily the staff were really nice and re-routed the people in the back to the security clearance area reserved for staff only to help mitigate the situation. Let's face it...that would never happen in Pearson! The bathrooms are clean and there are easily accessible outlets to charge up y'alls phones. read more

I'm updating my review to increase the star level. The work being done has been coming along & I had more of a chance to look around. More is offered than I originally found & I'm impressed as I've had a chance to explore! I love that the seats are powered at the gates. I found the seafood shop & it looks open & inviting. Kiosks are straight forward & bag drop too. Security was efficient. read more

See all

Airport was just okay. Was surprised there was no restaurant / pub after you pass through US customs. We are accustom to getting to the area of our gate early and enjoying a small snack and drink before boarding. Only a kiosk where you can buy dry snack like items and soft drinks, bathrooms and chairs in boarding area. Nexus benefits not recognized here. . read more

A bigger airport than St John's Newfoundland. We had a perfect landing even though it was pouring rain. We flew Porter for the first time. What a way to celebrate our anniversary!! This airport is bright and airy. read more

A small but perfect sized airport. Bus connection to the city exists but could be more frequent. Once you miss the bus, its another hour to wait. A place to buy lobster before your flight is genius. read more

3.5/5 For a city this size, I expected the airport to be quite small. It's actually not as small as I thought, as there's a decent number of gates and Halifax is the main hub for flights to Newfoundland. Given the fact Halifax is a place famous for their seafood, definitely do a stop at Clearwater Seafoods for your seafood essentials. I believe they have lobster rolls there too, and that's something one must try while in Halifax. While wifi is free in the airport, I found that it doesn't extend to the entire airport. For example, you can't access the wifi in the ground transportation area (near where you wait for the 320 bus). The security check lineup was actually quite inefficient IMO, although maybe I came at peak hours (was there around 6pm on a Sunday). There seemed to have been a lack of security check lines, with only two lines open despite the fact the lineup was about 30 minutes long. Everything else about the airport I liked, including the wide window panes by the gates where you can look out into the tarmac and runway. However, don't hail a taxi if you're going to Halifax, you'll pay an arm and leg for it. Take the 320 bus instead. read more

I was pleased to see that the airport was open and ready for business at 3 a.m. to welcome us three hours early for our departure to Cuba. The wi-fi works so everything was fine. read more

Halifax Stanfield International Airport - 3:30 waiting for a flight. - Airports Near Me - Goffs, Nova Scotia

This airport serves the region relatively well. It's by far the largest airport in the Province and the 8th largest in Canada. It handled about 3.9 million passengers in 2016, the most it has ever processed. Its use had been steady from 2007 - 2015 at 3.5 - 3.7 million passengers so the growth was incremental but noteworthy. As a matter of perspective, Toronto Pearson handled over 44 million passengers in 2016 so its traffic is less than 10% by volume of that behemoth (bigger is not necessarily better when it comes to airports). It is served by 15 airlines (and affiliates) flying to around 50 destinations in North America and Europe (some of the routes are seasonal). It is moderate-sized with 31 gate positions making it relatively easy to navigate, a nice feature among airports this size as they offer an appealing compromise between extent and frequency of service and ease of use. The presence of US Customs for pre-clearance on US-bound flights is a nice feature as well but it also means you should arrive at the airport a bit earlier than you might otherwise plan to do in order to allow for this process. The approach to the airport is easy and there is a relatively new parking garage with plenty of capacity. There's an option to park for $75 CAD weekly so it is not too bad in terms of cost. The daily rate is $21/$18/$15 CAD depending on which lot you use and the hourly rate is $6 for the first hour and $4 per hour thereafter. As far as arriving at YHZ, the biggest knock on the airport is its location as it is about 37 km from city centre, which takes about 30 - 35 minutes to reach. The route to central Halifax is also not completely highway driving making it a little less desirable. There is a public bus that runs every 30 minutes during peak hours and every 60 minutes otherwise. There are also longer haul buses. Car rentals are readily available but beyond that, buses are really the only mode of transportation other than taxis. The latter will cost you about $60 - $65 CAD plus tip for a ride to downtown. With respect to getting away from the airport with bags in hand, I should also note that I have never had a problem with the baggage claim, although the sample size from which I make that statement is admittedly relatively small. The overall feel for this airport leaves a positive impression. The design with the high ceilings imparts a spacious feel and the modern décor connotes a sense of being up-to-date. The check-in process here is comfortable as there is good maneuverability with respect to getting around with baggage in haul. It has the level of semi-automation you would expect with kiosks, etc. The security check is also relatively efficient as I have not experienced a major back-up in the eight or ten times I have used this airport over the years. The amenities in this facility are a little limited but are sufficient. There are a handful of places where you can get snacks, drinks or a meal. There are a few shops though they do not offer an abundance of choices in terms of goods in the same sense that the mega airports do these days (some, such as Amsterdam, Nagoya and Narita, are shopping destinations in themselves). For the most part, I like this airport because it hits a sweet spot in terms of convenience and ease of use. It is large enough to offer choices and a handful of amenities yet it is small enough to be easily navigable and largely hassle-free. You give up a little bit in the process (for example, lounge access for most US-based airlines) but I don't mind. It serves the area relatively well and provides a good entrée for the Maritimes. Among the 300+ airports I have used, this one is on the plus side of the over-under list. read more

See all

I've got to give props to the Halifax International Airport. They've been doing a lot of renovations over the past several years and the Airport is looking great. They recently added a new parkade which seems to have resolved many of the parking issues. The parkade has plenty of parking on multiple levels, at a cost of approximately $4/hour. The Airport also still offers a "Park n' Fly" option for travellers wishing to leave their vehicles at the airport at a cost of $12/day or $60/week. Inside the airport, there's several retail shops and places to eat including a Tim Hortons, a Clearwater Seafood, Roots, and an Island Beach Company. Overall, the Airport has seen some great improvements - giving the airport a fresh new look, and making it much easier to navigate inside. read more

Halifax Stanfield International Airport - Airports Near Me - Goffs, Nova Scotia

It's not for nothing that the entire main lobby ceiling is hung with awards from Best Customer service to Best Airport in the Americas. And rightly so!!! Even in this crazy, frantic travel time of year (pre Christmas), everyone has a smile for you. And special kudos to the security team. One particular wonderful snapshot to share - elderly woman, travelling alone was slow going through security and not quite sure of what to do. The agent, calmly, gently and with great respect, helped her through the process...all the while, making sure the line moved quickly. All the agents explained the "why" of whatever security checks they were doing, were mindful of various cultural differences - woman agent asking men if they wanted a man to do "pat down" when the magic wand beeped and asking women if they wanted to be taken to a private space for the same. And I almost forgot to mention the free WiFi throughout the airport...certainly unheard of at most International airports - Toronto's Pearson comes to mind. read more

Halifax Stanfield International Airport - Halifax Airport - Airports Near Me - Goffs, Nova Scotia

See all

You know you have a pretty great airport when the only thing that you can think of that's bothersome is the lengthy drive to get there. Otherwise, for a city of this size, I think YHZ does a marvelous job.. It's clean, relatively compact while maintaining a spacious feel, security is usually pretty quick and there's a nice selection of eating, drinking and shopping. Also, during winter storms they try extra extra hard to get you out of there on time. The parking system is expensive and a little oddly set up, but I think that's par for the course for most airports. There's also in inexpensive but very strikingly put together modern ALT hotel connected to the airport. I've often booked a room there the night before a very early morning flight to spare myself the commute and ridiculously early mornings you'd need if you were to drive from home. Landing from the US to go through customs is usually a breeze, but the customs agents tend to look incredibly bored and like to randomly pick out people for inspection for no particular reason. Of course, this isn't the airports fault as much as the bureaucratic power trips of govt employees... an attitude the frequent traveler is now all to familiar with. read more

See all

Like Ben, I also have a soft spot for airports even though I have only been inside eight of them. And, since I have moved away from Halifax, every time I fly home I enjoy entering this airport... "welcome home girl" it says to me (complete with Maritimer accent)! Laugh all you like, but yes, I enjoy arriving here and seeing how it's changed every time. This airport doesn't have as many places to eat as others, but I can always enjoy a Timmies and grab a book before I fly out again. The addition of a Booster Juice is nice, great if you're not in the mood for a coffee before you fly. You can also grab any last minute souvenirs or get a lobster packed up before you go into security - where else can you do that?! Free wi-fi is also nice if you got some time to waste or want to update your Yelp account. It is unfortunate that the airport is quite a distance from the city, but I'm betting the city will grow towards it soon enough. Parking is expensive, but coming from Calgary, it somehow still feels like a bargain. Either way, I can't wait till I fly back into this airport again, so I can feel right at home. read more

Halifax Stanfield International Airport - Lobster in the lobby! - Airports Near Me - Goffs, Nova Scotia

Free wifi (although you do have to log in), a waterfall to help you relax when you first arrive, and the workers in the restaurant past security are friendly, what more can you want? You have to walk kind of far to your plane and there are parts where you aren't covered from the weather (which is fine, just a little different than what I am used to) and the ATM doesn't take non smart card cards, but otherwise a fine airport. Taxi/limos are right outside of the airport where you arrive. read more

Flown into this airport many times, the first time as a toddler and most recently to introduce my fiancé to my relatives in Nova Scotia. Over the years it has evolved into a very comfortable, traveller-friendly airport, offering short walks to and from the arrivals/departures areas and the airside. Parking is much improved, as are amenities in the terminal. One suggestion for improvement: an additional bar/restaurant on the airside with comfy tables and a lot of big TVs for watching sports. read more

Like the previous reviews have stated, probably one of the better airports in Canada especially if you are used to Pearson. Absolutely no lines! Maybe it wasn't a busy day (Tuesday) but we literally walked right up to the Porter baggage drop off and no lines at security either. Once past security there isn't much other then a Tim Hortons, a restaurant/bar and magazine shop. Airport is a 30 minute drive from the city but traffic was not an issue read more

Halifax Stanfield International Airport - Lots of awards - Airports Near Me - Goffs, Nova Scotia

I landed here after taking an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Halifax. A very small airport that's easy to navigate. Since it was a weekend trip, my mum and I just had our carry-on bags. It took us maybe a maximum of 3 minutes to get off the plane and get the rental car. It seems to be in the middle of nowhere, but the drive from here to downtown Halifax didn't take too long. I was on Argyle Street within 25 minutes. Thank goodness for the Wi-Fi because there isn't much to do when waiting for your flight. There are some stores, but not too many. Not sure what more to say about an airport. If I'm back in Halifax, I'll be using Stanfield Int'l Airport again. read more

Halifax has a nice airport for a medium sized city! Lots of food options and shopping pre and post security make for a happy traveller! The icing on the cake is really the Clearwater seafood shop where you can take some live lobster home for a good boil! Prices when I went through were $9.99 lb. I've seen it as low as $5.99 a pound there! Good times! read more

Absolute worst airport experience in 28 years of flying. The staff at security is grossly incompetent and unable to handle a very busy day. They refused to allow people through forcing them to miss their flights. The staff clearly has no training in handling heavier traffic like Pearson. I was personally accosted by a security official who nearly sent my luggage flying off the conveyor. When I tried to fix it she screamed at me to not push the trays through. She should not be allowed to interact with people. Or animals, probably. The x-ray worker also clearly needed additional training as she could not even identify an EpiPen. This is truly a shameful farewell to Halifax, which had been otherwise wonderful. read more

landed from Dublin airport September 10/22. when going through customs the auto door into the airport was broken. left the whole plane of people waiting in small area. employees couldn't figure how to get us through. suddenly an airport employee came around from a different direction to try to fix door. it took another few minutes for employees to figure out we all could go that way. dumb or what. read more

travelled mid day Jul 18. Tim's is closed, Starbucks seems to have disappeared and you can't take it through security. what the hell?

If this airport could talk, it could tell you my life story. It's seen me board triumphantly as a teenager, off on my university adventure. It's seen me deplane in tears, home for a funeral. It's seen my throw up in its bathroom stalls after playing a little too late with hometown buddies the night before. It's seen me visit with a few different boys, and finally a nice man. This past week, it saw me waddle off a plane (straight to the bathroom, naturally) and then to a taxi six months pregnant. Though I've changed five times over, this airport really hasn't. Sure, it's upgraded a few very welcome things (welcome delicious Chicken Burger!), but mostly it's still the same old tried and true airport. Security is fast, and it's easy to navigate. You can buy lobsters at Clearwater right in the airport and bring them on as a carry on. What more could you possible need to know? Have a safe flight, old friend. read more

There's a reason Halifax Stanfield International Airport has won so many awards. It is a very easy, efficient airport. Clean adequate washrooms, easy lay-out and pleasant staff keeps everything moving along. Sure it doesn't have the most restaurants or stores. But what it does have is quite good. Free wi-fi is located through out the airport. The seats are also quite comfortable so don't worry too much if you have a long wait. It's not a bad spot. The parking area has been increased and is comparable to most airport parking fees. You'll be surprised by how helpful and friendly everyone is. I always am. Note for US Pre-Clearance passengers: Once you go through security and pre-clearance you only have a convenience store and a very mediocre bar. The bar does serve breakfast but it isn't good. We're talking eggs from a carton here. So stock up on munchies before you go through. read more

Of the smaller Canadian airports I've flown in and out of (Halifax, Ottawa, Billy Bishop, etc) this is definitely one of my favourites for sure. And really what's not to like? Short, efficient lines (or no line in my experience) to check in and check your baggage. Self serve baggage drop off where your bag tag and boarding pass are scanned and processed for you. Before entering the security area there is a large assortment of restaurants and dining and not to mention a place where you can buy ocean fresh seafood on the cheap and bring it on the airline with you as carry on. I bough 5lb of mussels and 2x 2lb lobsters which all together came to around $60 all in. Great deal! Security lines so short I was able to walk right up to the front. So convenient. My one critique is when you reach the gate side of security because if you have a lengthy wait there is literally nothing to do and no where to go, save for the one restaurant in the terminal. There was a massage place but they were closed both on arrival and departure. Sad. Good airport for sure. Definitely a breeze to fly in and out of. read more