Direct Flights between Downtown Vancouver & Hornby Island

Situated midway between the mainland and Vancouver Island alongside neighboring Denman Island, Hornby Island is a place of wonders: home to sandy beaches, lush forests, sunny skies and a close-knit community of just over 1,000 residents.

At Gulf Island Seaplanes we’re proud to introduce our newest scheduled route – to & from Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre in Downtown Vancouver directly to the dock at Thatch Pub on stunning Hornby Island. Click here for the latest schedule for our flights on this exciting new route.

Unlike all other floatplane services to & from Hornby Island, our flights will arrive and depart on the dock at the local’s favourite Thatch Pub instead of the beach. This means that our passengers won’t be getting their feet wet when boarding and arriving, and when the pub reopens in Summer 2023 following extensive renovations will also provide a great place to grab a drink or a bite to eat before or after a flight.

Just steps from the ferry terminal to nearby Denman Island, the dock is also a convenient choice for passengers looking to head to Hornby Island’s next-door neighbour. It’s also an affordable option, as the only added cost is a $9.50 round-trip BC Ferries ticket for foot passengers between Hornby and Denman. As a result, our new direct route to & from Downtown Vancouver is one of the most convenient ways to reach either island.

In contrast, getting to and from Hornby Island and Vancouver via the ferry can take the better part of a day. Those departing from Vancouver will have to travel to the closest terminal at either Horseshoe Bay or Tsawwassen, wait for and then board the two-hour long ferry terminal to Nanaimo, then spend an hour driving to Buckley Bay to take the ten-minute long ferry to Denman Island. This short ferry often involves a multiple sailing wait for passengers with vehicles during the summer months, adding to the already lengthy travel time.

After arriving on Denman, a 15 minute drive takes travelers to the eastern ferry terminal linking it to nearby Hornby Island. As with the ferry from Buckley Bay, multiple sailing waits are a frequent occurrence in the summer months. Once on board, a ten-minute long cruise takes passengers at last to Hornby Island. The return journey to Vancouver is no different, again taking the better part of a day from start to finish.

While this method of getting to or from Hornby and Vancouver is unavoidable for passengers with vehicles, those looking to travel on foot can save both time & often money with our direct scheduled flights. Residents of Hornby are able to visit Vancouver without two full days devoted to travelling there and back, and visitors are able to spend more time soaking in the sunshine at Tribune Bay Provincial Park and less time on waiting for ferries.

At Gulf Island Seaplanes we offer regularly scheduled and chartered floatplane services to a number of destinations on the beautiful West Coast of British Columbia. With countless charter destinations to choose from, we are your link to bustling cities, charming towns, remote inlets and picturesque islands across Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the Lower Mainland. Call us toll-free at 1-800-665-2359 or email us at info@gulfislandseaplanes.com to find out how we can help plan your next trip!