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As you may know, settling in to an airport lounge before your flight is a great way to enjoy a quieter environment, some free snacks and drinks, a comfortable chair, and maybe even a shower.
However, what you may not yet know is: how the heck do you even get in to one of these lounges?
In this guide, we’ll answer this question with an overview of the lounges available at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and details on how you can access each of them.
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) is divided into two terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.
Within each terminal, there are departure zones for domestic flights, international flights, and US/transborder flights.
Typically you can move between the domestic zones and the international zones without too much trouble (though there will be a fair bit of walking); however, the US/transborder zone is located past US Pre-Clearance, so once you’re in this space, you’re not able to able to go elsewhere, and equally, travellers who are not going to the US are not able to access this area.
There are a number of airport lounges between the two terminals at Toronto Pearson International Airport:
To understand how to access these areas of respite let’s look at each lounge or lounge type to see what you need to enjoy a some snacks, a free drink or two, and a quiet reprieve while you wait for your flight.
There are 6 Air Canada-associated lounges at Toronto Pearson International Airport, and they fall under 3 categories:
We’ve written a complete guide on how to access Maple Leaf Lounges, so for the full details you’ll definitely want to take a look through that, but to get you started, here’s an overview of how to access these comfortable spaces.
To access Air Canada’s Cafés and Maple Leaf Lounges you need one or more of the following:
…or you need to be a holder of one of the following credit cards:
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card and CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card also work with the Visa Airport Companion Program, giving you access to a number of other lounges in Toronto Pearson airport (more on this in the sections below).
The Air Canada Signature Suite is a more high-end lounge environment with an à la carte menu, complimentary cocktails, and more.
This lounge is limited to the following travellers:
There are 6 Plaza Premium Lounges at Toronto Pearson International Airport, with one in each of the airport’s different zones.
These lounges are open to the general public through paid access and through complimentary lounges passes that are available with many excellent credit cards.
To use your eligible credit card to access a Plaza Premium lounge, you’ll be redeeming a pass through one of the following lounge programs and subscriptions:
The program/subscription that you’ll use to access an airport lounge with your complimentary passes will depend on the card(s) you have, so make sure to check out the details on our credit card pages or in your card’s terms and conditions.
Also, keep in mind that you can often pre-book your time in a Plaza Premium lounge for a fee of $5 USD. This option can be very helpful since lounges in both terminals have become quite popular, and there can often be a wait to get in during busier times.
By holding the right credit card, you can earn valuable rewards that help you access free travel, you can save on travel insurance and car rentals, and, of course, you can get free access to airport lounges around the world.
Here’s the list of Canadian credit cards that offer complimentary airport lounge access as part of their perks and benefits package:
A great lounge option for those travelling internationally from Terminal 3 is the KLM Crown Lounge located near Gate C32.
Considered one of the best lounges available at Toronto Pearson International Airport, this facility is available for passengers with an international business class ticket on Air France or KLM.
Additionally, you can access the KLM Crown Lounge similarly to Plaza Premium lounges, by using your passes available through Priority Pass and DragonPass (with Visa Airport Companion or Masterpass Travel Pass), or with the eligible American Express credit cards listed in the section above; however, keep in mind that priority will be given to business class and first class ticket holders.
Toronto Pearson International Airport is also home to one of American Airlines’ Admirals Club lounges, located near the duty-free shops in Terminal 3.
It offers food, drinks, shower facilities, and work spaces to make your pre-flight time as stress free as possible.
This friendly and cozy lounge can be accessed by the following travellers:
A bit of an outlier within the airport lounge options, Be Relax Spas are not so much a “lounge” since they don’t offer food, drinks, or a place to plug in your laptop; however, they do offer a unique and relaxing way to spend a layover or a couple hours waiting for your departure.
There are 3 Be Relax Spas at Toronto Pearson International Airport, with the following locations:
The spas are open to the public, so anyone is welcome to enjoy any of the available services; however, travellers with a Priority Pass membership are also welcome to redeem one of their passes to indulge in their choice of the following treatments:
Determining whether or not you’re allowed to bring a guest with you into a lounge for free or using a pass will depend on the lounge, how you’re accessing it, and the age of your guest. This is because each lounge and each lounge program/subscription tends to have slightly different rules for guests and children.
For example, some credit cards will let you use your complimentary passes for guests, some premium cards let you bring unlimited guests, and some cards don’t let you bring anyone.
To determine what’s allowed for you and your guests, you’ll want to check your card’s specific terms and conditions and the rules of the lounge you plan to visit.
For guests travelling with children, you can usually expect that children under 2 years old will be free to enter with an eligible adult, and children who are 2 years or older will be required to redeem/purchase a guest pass.
Before you settle in to your airport lounge experience, there’s a few pre-trip items that you’ll likely want to check off your planning list.
First, you’ll definitely want to make sure that your suitcases fit within your airline’s baggage dimensions and rules to avoid any unnecessary headaches at the check-in counter.
Next, for travellers heading outside of Canada, having a good eSIM can make it super easy to stay connected. With reputable vendors like Holafly, Airalo, and Saily offering eSIMs for hundreds of destinations, you’ll have no trouble finding a data plan that suits your needs.
And finally, before heading out, it’s also a good idea to consider signing up for a VPN service like NordVPN to keep your data safe and to help you watch your favourite TV shows from just about anywhere in the world.
Putting your feet up at an airport lounge while you’re waiting for your flight at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) is a great way to spend your pre-departure hours.
If you want to access airport lounges consistently, we recommend a card like the American Express Platinum Card® or the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, which provide unlimited access to over 1,400 lounges around the world.
Alternatively, if you’ve got your eye on Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounges, consider a card like the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card, which gives you access as long as you’re flying Air Canada or a Star Alliance partner airline.
Check out our guide on using credit cards to access airport lounges across Canada to learn more!
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