Review: Plaza Premium Terminal 3 - International Departures at Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ)

The Plaza Premium Lounge (International Departures, Terminal 3) at Toronto Pearson International Airport is one of 6 Plaza Premium lounges within the airport.

Practical Information

Location of the lounge

This Plaza Premium Lounge is located near Gate 32 in the International Departures area of Terminal 3.

To access the lounge, follow the airport signage that leads to a short hallway containing an elevator. Take the elevator up one floor. When exiting the elevator, turn to your right, and you’ll immediately see the lounge entrance and check-in desk.

Review: Plaza Premium Terminal 3 - International Departures at Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) - Lounge Review YYZ location map EN

Schedule

The Plaza Premium Lounge (International Departures, Terminal 3) is open from 5:30am to 1:00am daily.

Access to the lounge

The Plaza Premium Lounge (International Depatures, Terminal 3) can be accessed by Priority Pass and DragonPass/Visa Airport Companion members, including travellers who have free lounge passes through their eligible credit cards.

For example, during my visit, I used 2 of the 4 complimentary lounge passes provided to cardholders by the CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card for me and my guest. To access the passes, I used the Visa Airport Companion app.

The lounge can also be enjoyed by paying an entrance fee for each guest. The fee is typically $32 USD.

Additionally, when visiting this lounge, keep in mind that half of the space is reserved exclusively for Cathay Pacific business class passengers. The two spaces are separated by subtle partitions and the bar.

Review: Plaza Premium Terminal 3 - International Departures at Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) - YYZ Lounge Review Entrance access

Available services

Within the Plaza Premium Lounge (International Departures, Terminal 3), you’ll find a comfortable and relatively open space, complete with dining area, lounge seating, wood accents, and large windows overlooking the tarmac.

Additionally, the lounge offers the following:

washrooms
a mother’s room (with comfortable chair and change table)
free Wi-Fi
kids play area
shower rooms, including an accessible room (reservations must be made to access)
power outlets

Food and drink

The Plaza Premium Lounge (International Departures, Terminal 3) offers visitors a small selection of hot and cold food and drink items, as well as some complimentary beer, wine, and spirits.

During my visit, it was breakfast time, and the food selection included eggs, sausage, beans, potatoes, sliced cheese, sliced ham, a simple salad, breads/bagels, cereals, and fruit.

For drinks, there were coffee machines providing espresso-based drinks, as well as drip coffee, tea, soft drinks, water, and juice.

Alcoholic drinks can be ordered at the bar, with a handful of options offered for free, and others available for a charge.

My Overall Experience

I visited the Plaza Premium Lounge (International Departures, Terminal 3) between 8:30am and 10:30am, using 2 of the complimentary lounge passes from my CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card.

I had pre-booked my entry into the lounge using the Visa Airport Companion app, but the lounge was not very busy when I arrived, so I’m confident I would have been let right in even if I had not made the reservation.

Thanks to the minimal number of guests at the time of my visit, the lounge space was quite open, quiet, and relaxed, and there were many seating options available. That said, I can imagine this space feeling quite hectic when it’s busier, especially because of the low ceilings.

The food and drink selections in the lounge were quite simple and a little lacklustre, but I was still able to put together a sufficient breakfast plate and a coffee to enjoy in front of the large windows.

Overall, the lounge felt a bit dated (staff informed me that the furniture is scheduled to be upgraded soon) and underwhelming, but the location was very convenient for my departure, and I since I was able to enjoy free entry thanks to my complimentary passes, I found it easy to enjoy the positive aspects of the space and experience.

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Annual fee

Primary card$139

Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$60,000

Household$100,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

1.5xGroceries
1.5xGas & EV
1.5xPharmacy
1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$968

2nd Year Value$359

Card benefits

Airport lounge access$160

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days

Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days

Travel medical (65+)Up to $5,000,000 / 3 days

Trip CancellationUp to $1,500

Trip InterruptionUp to $2,000

Delayed BaggageUp to $500

Lost BaggageUp to $500

Flight DelayUp to $500

Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500

Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded

Extended Warranty+1 years

Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 1 years

Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

For other lounge options, check out our reviews of the Air France-KLM Lounge (located just across the hall from this Plaza Premium lounge, and for the Air Canada Café in Terminal 1 and the Plaza Premium Lounge (Domestic Departures, Terminal 1).

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Plaza Premium lounge located in Terminal 3 at Pearson Airport?

The Plaza Premium Lounge (International Departures, Terminal 3) is located near Gate 32. To arrive at the lounge, simply follow the signage and take the elevator up to the second floor (AT level).

Who can access the Plaza Premium lounge in Terminal 3 at Toronto Pearson International Airport?

The lounge can be accessed by paying the entrance fee or through the Priority Pass and DragonPass/Visa Airport Companion programs.

There is also a portion of the lounge specifically for Cathay Pacific business class passengers, and this area can be accessed with an eligible boarding pass.

Is there a time limit for the Plaza Premium lounge?

Yes, the time limit for the Plaza Premium lounge is typically 2 hours.

Go further with airport VIP lounges

To access VIP lounges without paying $50 each time, check our complete guide on free airport lounge access and our best credit cards for airport VIP lounges ranking, updated monthly by the Milesopedia team.

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