Airport lounges : How to access Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounges

An airport lounge is a space reserved for a certain type of traveler. It is very convenient to get away from the crowds and relax before your plane takes off.

But it also allows :

• get free food and drinks
• watch television and read newspapers or magazines
• work
• take a shower
• get free Wi-Fi
• relax in a cell phone-free zone

Air Canada has its own network of airport lounges called Maple Leaf.

There are 26 Maple Leaf lounges in 19 airports in Canada, the United States and Europe. They are all located after security.

Maple Leaf Lounge opening hours depend on Air Canada flight schedules and are different for each lounge. They usually open early in the morning. Secondly, the larger or busier the airport, the later the lounges close.

In Canada, they are located at the following terminals and gateways:

There’s also a Maple Leaf Express Lounge in Toronto, in Terminal 1, between gates F84-F99.

Another type of lounge is the Air Canada Signature Suite. It is located only in 2 airports. The experience here is much more gastronomic and upscale.

This Air Canada Signature Suite is reserved only for travellers with a Signature Class ticket or an award ticket in Business Flexible or First Class, for international travel to Australia, Asia or Europe.

• Vancouver YVR: Located near gate D52
• Toronto YYZ: Located near gate E77

As of June 13, 2023, entry to Maple Leaf Lounges, Signature Suites and Air Canada Cafés will be limited to three hours before scheduled departure time. For example, if a flight is scheduled for 11:00 a.m., the person can only enter a lounge Maple Leaf Lounge from 8:00 a.m. onwards.

If the flight is delayed, the person can stay at lounge. A passenger between 2 connections is not affected.

In the United States, Maple Leaf lounges are located near the following gateways:

Then in Europe, Maple Leaf lounges are located near the following gateways:

There are several ways to access an Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges. You must have a ticket in an eligible class, high Elite status Aeroplan or a specific Aeroplan credit card.

At the entrance to lounge, a person simply scans his or her boarding pass on paper or on a mobile device. The person at reception will then confirm whether you can enter.

A Signature or Business Class ticket (purchased in cash or via an airline reward) always opens the doors to a lounge Maple Leaf.

Entry must be made prior to departure on the same day as your Air Canada, Air Canada Express, Air Canada Rouge, Air Canada code-share or other Star Alliance partner flight.

If a guest accompanies you and this person does not have the same ticket class as you, they will have to pay 59 CAD, USD, EUR or GBP.

If you fly Emirates business or first class, you also have access to the international Maple Leaf lounges at Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and Montreal-Trudeau (YUL) airports.

Then there are the Maple Leaf lounges available in Europe at all times:

• Frankfurt Lounge: 59 EUR
• Paris lounge: 59 EUR
• and the London Heathrow Departure Lounge: 59 GBP

Premium Rouge customers only have free access on flights :

• in Canada
• to the United States
• and sun destinations (Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean)

Advance purchase is required for access to lounge Maple Leaf for flights in the Premium Rouge cabin to Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. The only exception is the Maple Leaf Lounge in Paris, where it can be purchased directly at the airport.

For children’s access to lounge Maple Leaf:

• Maple Leaf Club members (currently unavailable): children 12 and under are admitted for free
• Aeroplan Elite 50K, 75K and Super Elite status: up to 5 of the member’s children under the age of 24 may enter free of charge.
• For the rest, children 2 years of age or older are considered as a guest, therefore paying. Children under the age of 2 get in for free.

With high Aeroplan Elite status, you have unlimited access to Maple Leaf lounge, regardless of the class of ticket you hold.

The flight must be operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Express, Air Canada Rouge, or a Star Alliance carrier. The eligible flight must be the same day.

Don’t forget your Elite status membership card to show at the entrance.

Primary and secondary cardholders of certain credit cards have free access to Maple Leaf lounges in Canada and the United States. Before your trip, make sure your eligible credit card is linked to the right membership number Aeroplan.

These are mainly high-end Aeroplan cards:

• TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card
• CIBC Visa Infinite Privilege* Card Aeroplan
• American Express^® Aeroplan^®* Reserve Card

As well as premium corporate cards:

• American Express^® Aeroplan^®* Business Reserve Card
• Prestige Business Card Aeroplan American Express*

It should be noted that the holder is entitled to one guest free of charge.

Again, the flight must be operated on the same day by Air Canada, Air Canada Express, Air Canada Rouge or a Star Alliance carrier.

Each additional guest will be charged $59.

Then, for the business cards below, primary and secondary cardholders will have access to all the Lounges at all Canadian airports, as well as to the Lounges at Los Angeles and NewYork LaGuardia (on domestic and transborder departures only):

• TD Business Visa* Card Aeroplan
• CIBC Business Visa* Card Aeroplan
• Business Card Aeroplan American Express*

The Maple Leaf Club is a paid membership to the Maple Leaf lounges. It’s a bit like Priority Pass, DragonPass and LoungeKey. For the moment, these memberships are not available, and there is no confirmed reinstatement date.

• Canada subscription: $375, only for Maple Leaf lounges in Canada
• North America Plus membership: $495, for Maple Leaf lounges in Canada, the U.S. and Europe
• World subscription: $665, with access to 230 airport lounges (i.e. all Maple Leaf and Star Alliance partner lounges)

You can purchase access to lounge Maple Leaf up to 24 hours before a flight, using your Latitude, Confort or Flex fare. You can do so in your Aeroplan profile, in the My reservations section.

The cost of access is per one-way trip and depends on your fare:

• Economy Privilege and Latitude: Between $49 and $59
• Comfort: Between $59 and $71
• Economy Flex: $79 and $95

The person(s) accompanying you must also have purchased access to lounge in order to join you at lounge.

The Paris CDG Maple Leaf Lounge allows Air Canada passengers to purchase access for 59 Euros per customer. Passengers can have any class of service, and access must be purchased directly atRoissy Charles-de-Gaulle Airport.

In fall 2023, it was temporarily closed for renovations, and no opening date is yet in sight.

When you qualify, your Aeroplan Elite status allows you to choose passes, accepted for one visit to Maple Leaf lounges. It provides access to Canadian and U.S. Maple Leaf lounges only.

They are easily transferable to another person and are valid until December 31 of each year. In fact, several people in our Facebook group who hadn’t used them gave them to those who were traveling in the last weeks of December!

To confirm access to lounge, check your boarding pass. You will see a chair icon in the upper right-hand corner of the code.

Air Canada’s Maple Leaf lounges are very practical for frequent travelers to Canada, the United States and some major European cities. It is an oasis of peace in the teeming world of an airport.

It’s up to you to discover them all, thanks to your plane ticket, your premium credit card or your Aeroplan Elite status!