Emirates has loaded flight numbers for service to Vancouver, except they’ll be operated by Quick Shuttle bus services from Seattle/Tacoma International Airport to downtown Vancouver. Quick Shuttle will operate twice daily, in each direction, from Vancouver to SEA and return. This is designed to coincide with both the arrival and departure times of Emirates’ twice daily nonstop flights between Dubai and Seattle.
Shuttle Bus Numbers, Schedules and Operations between SeaTac and YVR.
EK7033 SEA0930 – 1405YVR BUS D (Quick Shuttle N1)
EK7035 SEA1600 – 2100YVR BUS D (Quick Shuttle N3)
EK7034 YVR0845 – 1400SEA BUS D (Quick Shuttle S2)
EK7036 YVR1615 – 2130SEA BUS D (Quick Shuttle S4)
According to airlineroute, Northbound shuttles from Seattle to Vancouver, aka EK7033/7035, will arrive into Vancouver Waterfront Station. Southbound shuttles to Seattle, aka EK7034/7036, will “depart from various hotels in downtown Vancouver.”
Presently, Emirates is only operating 1 of the daily 2 flights into Seattle (it decreased frequency effective October 1, 2016, but will resume its second daily flight on November 22). Flight 229 arrives into Seattle at 12:05 local time, which would then require passengers to wait over four hours to connect to the bus (and arrive into Vancouver nearly 9.5 hours later). The return flight from Seattle to Dubai, EK230, departs at 1710 local time, similarly requiring Vancouver-originating passengers to depart nearly 9.5 hours prior to take-off from Seattle.
When Emirates resumes its second daily Seattle flight on November 22, EK 227 will arrive into Seattle at 6:35 AM local time, and EK 228 will depart Seattle at 9:00 AM. The shuttle times will work for incoming passengers on flight 227, but not for outbound passengers on flight 228, unless they opt for an overnight stay in Seattle.
Unless the Quick Shuttle service leads to realistic cost savings for price-sensitive travelers residing in British Columbia, the added option does not really seem to provide much additional value to these passengers. As-is, Emirates codeshares with Alaska Airlines and WestJet on flights from Vancouver. Alaska carries Emirates’ code on 13 weekly flights between Seattle and Vancouver, which allows passengers to seamlessly connect their luggage onto their flights between the two carriers and earn reciprocal frequent flier miles. Alternatively, WestJet carries Emirates’ code on a single daily flight between Vancouver and Los Angeles, and on 3 weekly flights between Vancouver and Toronto.
One-way fares on the Quick Shuttle start at $59 each way. It is unclear whether Emirates will bundle the fare into the booking engine for customers wishing to purchase the service via Emirates’ website, or if frequent flier points can be accrued on the bus.
Emirates currently offers this service between some of its other global markets and nearby cities, but this will be the first of its kind for North America, particularly between two transborder cities. Asiana offers a similar shuttle between Los Angeles and San Diego, except this service is free and is offered 3 times per day.