Why is YVR called Vancouver International Airport if it is in RIchmond, BC?

because nobody knows where Richmond IS .............................

You do know that San Francisco International Airport isn't in San Francisco, right ?

Because Vancouver is the bigger, better known city. P S The Seattle Tacoma International airport is not in Seattle or Tacoma.

Not many airports are actually in city that they serve. YVR is the same.

Because it serves that city. Same reason Toronto Pearson is located outside of Toronto, or why Buffalo Niagara is located just between Buffalo and Niagara.

You can't put a major airport right inside a major city. Ask London England how that worked out for them.

Because many people know where Vancouver is. Not so many know that Richmond is right beside it. There is one other Vancouver in the world. There are many other Richmonds

It would ridiculous to call it the Sherbrooke airport.

As it lands planes on the Fraser River it could be called the Fraser River Airport.

Many Big cities have their main Airport outside of city limits. Edmonton is one.

A lot of airports are outside the major city of the area but are named for the main destination so that people can better identify them when arranging flights.