How to Access Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges | Prince of Travel (2023)

The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is a key part of the premium travel experience for Canadians.

Our national airline’s flagship airport lounges are a familiar part of the furniture at major Canadian airports, and you’ll get to visit quite a few Maple Leaf Lounge locations over the years by booking premium flights, maximizing credit card benefits, or earning Aeroplan Elite Status.

This post covers everything you need to know about getting access to the Maple Leaf Lounges in 17 airports across Canada, the US, and Europe.

Which Airports Have Maple Leaf Lounges?

Air Canada operates a network of 23 Maple Leaf Lounges across 16 global airports.

Below is a list of the airports around the world where you’ll encounter a Maple Leaf Lounge. Let’s begin with the Canadian locations:

• Vancouver (YVR) Domestic: By Gate 29

• Vancouver (YVR) Transborder: By Gate 84

• Vancouver (YVR) International: By Gate 52

• Calgary (YYC): By Gate C50

• Edmonton (YEG): South Terminal, By Gate 56 (not accessible to passengers on transborder flights)

• Saskatoon (YXE): By Gate 5

• Regina (YQR): Opposite Gate 5

• Winnipeg (YWG): By Gate 9 (not accessible to passengers on transborder flights)

• Toronto (YYZ) Domestic: Upper level, immediately past security

• Toronto (YYZ) Transborder: Upper level, immediately past security

• Toronto (YYZ) Transborder Express: In the commuter terminal for Gates F84–F99

• Toronto (YYZ) International: At the end of the walkway, prior to the escalators down to the main international concourse

• Ottawa (YOW): By Gate 19 (not accessible to passengers on transborder flights)

• Montreal (YUL) Domestic: By Gate 1

• Montreal (YUL) Transborder: By Gate 72

• Montreal (YUL) International: By Gate 52

  (Video) Airport Lounge Access Explained (Priority Pass, Credit Cards, and More)

• Halifax (YHZ): By Gate 20

• St. John’s (YYT): By Gate 12A

There are also a handful of global Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges at some of Air Canada’s major outstations. These include:

• Los Angeles (LAX): Terminal 6, 4th floor

• New York (LGA): Concourse B, 3rd floor

• London (LHR): Terminal 2B (satellite terminal), upper level

• Paris (CDG): Terminal 2A, by Gate 37

• Frankfurt (FRA): Terminal 1, Concourse B

There are a variety of ways to access the Maple Leaf Lounge. This page on the Air Canada website provides a good summary, and let’s go through each of the methods one-by-one.

1. Fly Air Canada or Star Alliance Business Class

You can access the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge if you hold a valid same-day boarding pass for a flight in business class on Air Canada or a Star Alliance partner.

Access is granted on business class tickets no matter how they were purchased (i.e., an outright paid fare, an upgrade, or an award ticket).

Business class passengers are not entitled to bring any guests with them, unless they pay a nominal fee per guest of about $20–30 depending on the time of day (and a roughly equivalent amount in the local currency for the international lounges).

You’ll also get access to the Maple Leaf Lounge if you’re flying in Air Canada Premium Rouge,but only if you’re travelling within Canada, the US, or the Sun destinations (Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean).

If your Premium Rouge flight is to Europe, Asia, Africa, or South America, then you’ll only have the option of purchasing Maple Leaf Lounge accessing on your reservation prior to the trip, and not at the airport itself.

(Given that you’re about to embark on long-haul Premium Rouge, though, that’ll probably be the least of your worries.)

2. Hold a Premium Aeroplan Credit Card

The premium Aeroplan credit cards by TD, CIBC, and American Express offer unlimited access to select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges as a key benefit of the cards.

As a primary or secondary cardholder, you’re eligible to access Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges within North America prior to a same-day flight operated by Air Canada or a Star Alliance partner. Access to Maple Leaf Lounges located outside of North America is not included.

The guest access policies when accessing Maple Leaf Lounges using a premium Aeroplan credit card vary by issuer:

• The American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card and American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card allow primary and supplementary cardholders to each bring one guest free of charge as an ongoing perk.
• The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card allows primary and supplementary cardholders to each bring one guest free of charge until December 31, 2022.
• The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card allows primary and supplementary cardholders to bring guests, subject to a guest access fee of $20–30.

3. Have Aeroplan 35K Status or Higher

Aeroplan members with Aeroplan 35K status are also entitled to unlimited lounge access at domestic and transborder lounges at Canadian airports, as well as the Maple Leaf Lounges in the United States.

Meanwhile, Aeroplan 50K members and above are entitled to unlimited lounge access at any location around the world.

In addition, Aeroplan 50K members and above are able to use Maple Leaf Lounges in Canada and the US upon arrival in addition to before departure, which can be a great way to unwind after a long flight before heading into the city.

Furthermore, Aeroplan 50K members and above also get to bring in a very generous number of guests: a domestic partner and up to five dependent children aged 25 and under, as well as one additional guest. (Aeroplan 35K members are not allowed to bring in guests without paying the guest access fee of $20–30.)

4. Use a Maple Leaf Lounge One-Time Guest Pass

Any passenger travelling on an Air Canada flight may access the Maple Leaf Lounges in the domestic or transborder departure zones of Canadian airports, as well as the lounges in the United States, when in possession of a Maple Leaf Lounge One-Time Guest Pass.

There are a couple of ways to earn One-Time Guest Passes:

• Aeroplan members who earn Aeroplan 25K status may choose a set of two One-Time Guest Passes as a Select Benefit.
• Aeroplan members who earn Aeroplan 35K status receive a set of two One-Time Guest Passes as a Core Benefit.
• Aeroplan members who earn Aeroplan 50K status or Aeroplan 75K status receive a set of three One-Time Guest Passes as a Core Benefit.
• Aeroplan members who earn Aeroplan Super Elitestatus receive a set of four One-Time Guest Passes as a Core Benefit.
• Holders of the TD Aeroplan Visa Business Card or CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Card may earn a One-Time Guest Pass for every $10,000 per cardholder year, up to a maximum of four One-Time Guest Passes.

The digital One-Time Guest Passes are accessible via your Aeroplan account. You may download them in PDF format and show them upon entering the lounge to gain access.

The One-Time Guest Passes earned from Aeroplan Elite Status may be transferred to anyone, regardless of whether they are travelling with the member or not.

(Indeed, since Aeroplan 35K members and above can already access Maple Leaf Lounges as an elite benefit, their One-Time Guest Passes are best used as a gift for others who happen to be travelling with or without them.)

On the other hand, the One-Time Guest Passes earned from the small business credit cards can only be used by the primary or secondary cardholder, or any guests accompanying them at the time of entry. They cannot be transferred to a third party.

5. Have Star Alliance Gold Status

In addition to Air Canada’s own elite members, travellers who have achieved Star Alliance Gold with any of Star Alliance’s other loyalty programs will also have access to Maple Leaf Lounges prior to any Star Alliance-operated flight in any class of service.

Star Alliance Gold members are also entitled to bring one guest into the lounge with them free of charge, while additional guests would be subject to the standard guest fee.

6. Purchase Maple Leaf Lounge Access in Paris

Finally, the Paris Maple Leaf Lounge allows Air Canada passengers travelling in any class of service to purchase access for €42 per customer.

That’s certainly quite expensive, and it’s a price point that only a specific segment of travellers would consider worthwhile.

Other Air Canada Lounge Concepts

In addition to Maple Leaf Lounges, you may also have access to a few of Air Canada’s other lounge concepts, which the airline has been slowly building out across their Canadian hubs in recent years.

Air Canada Signature Suite

The Air Canada Signature Suite first opened in Toronto a few years back, with a second location in Vancouver having opened in March 2020 (only to be immediately closed due to the pandemic). Both Signature Suites have since reopened as of the spring of 2022.

The Signature Suite provides an elevated luxury experience prior to your long-haul business class flight with Air Canada.

Premium services include sit-down dining featuring dishes by acclaimed chef David Hawksworth, a variety of high-end cocktails, spirits, and champagne, and shower rooms with luxury skincare products from Molton Brown.

Access to the Signature Suite is extremely exclusive. You’ll only get access if you’re travelling on a paid business class fare on Air Canada, or if you’ve redeemed Aeroplan points for a Business (Flexible) reward in Air Canada business class.

You won’t get access to the Signature Suite if you’ve redeemed Aeroplan points for a Business (Lowest) award, been upgraded to business class as the result of IRROPs, if you’re flying on a Star Alliance partner in business class, or by virtue of Aeroplan Elite Status of any kind.

Air Canada Café

In addition to the Signature Suite, the first-ever Air Canada Café was opened in Toronto in 2019.

This space provides a simple grab-and-go alternative to the Maple Leaf Lounge, allowing eligible passengers travelling on domestic flights to drop in and pick up a barista-crafted coffee, juice, or snack, maybe sit down for a few minutes, and then head on to the gate.

Access to the Air Canada Café is restricted to business class passengers, Aeroplan 50K members and higher, Star Alliance Gold members, and premium Aeroplan cardholders – thus, the same access policies as Maple Leaf Lounges, minus Aeroplan 35K members and one-time pass holders.

Conclusion

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges are accessible to a wide range of travellers in any class of service. The most common ways to gain access are with business class ticket or a premium Aeroplan co-branded credit card, and you’ll also be rewarded with complimentary access if you hold Aeroplan 35K status or higher.

With so many ways of visiting the lounge, you’ll never go too far across Canada before stepping into a Maple Leaf Lounge somewhere, and you’ll soon become very familiar with the signature appetizers, drink spread, and chocolate chip cookies that are ubiquitous across every location.