Air Canada and its new Maple Leaf Café and Airport Lounges
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Air Canada’s new Maple Leaf lounge concept
In an interview with Executive Traveller, Air Canada unveiled four new airport lounges. They will be a mix of its existing Maple Leaf lounges, lounge Air Canada Café and several workstations.
With airport lounges becoming increasingly crowded, Air Canada wants to continue to make the Maple Leaf lounge experience ‘special’. What’s more, frequent flyers and longer-stay lounge guests are demanding more amenities and more space.
Air Canada wants to meet their needs by opening or redesigning its Maple Leaf network.
Features of Air Canada’s new Maple Leaf lounges
New lounge/café at Billy Bishop Toronto Airport YTZ
This first new lounge opened on June 1, 2023 at Billy Bishop Toronto YTZ Airport.
It is a hybrid between a lounge and a café and will have the following high-end features, among others:
- 133 seats
- Hot and cold buffet
- Grab & Go concept
- Meeting rooms and high speed Wi-Fi
New Air Canada Café at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport YUL
Then, sometime in 2024, an Air Canada Café at Montreal YUL will open in the domestic zone.
This Grab & Go concept lets you quickly choose and consume food and beverages in the café or on the plane. A bit like an airport lounge “convenience store”!
Guests of the Air Canada Café at Montreal can enjoy :
- Hot coffee or cold brew from an on-site barista
- Salads and sandwiches
- Light snacks
- Fruit juices
It will be located in a domestic zone. Several of these Air Canada Cafés will be opening in airports across Canada over the next few years.
New lounge Maple Leaf at San Francisco International Airport SFO
From the end of June 2023, this new Maple Leaf Lounge will be located in San Francisco’s Terminal 2.
With a touch of San Francisco ambience, it will have a capacity of 120 people. The lucky ones can enjoy an impressive outdoor area and relax at the bar or in the dining room.
New Air Canada Café at Vancouver International Airport YVR
Finally, Vancouver will have its own Air Canada Café in 2025.
It will feature a larger area dedicated to remote working, with multiple power and USB sockets available everywhere. This Air Canada Café in Vancouver will be serving hors d’oeuvres at dinner time, with alcoholic beverages.
How to access lounge and Air Canada Maple Leaf coffee
Like its Maple Leaf lounges, travelers will be able to access these new locations via :
- a ticket in Signature, Premium Rouge or Business class
- high Aeroplan Elite status (50K, 75K, Super Elite and Star Alliance Gold)
- a premium credit card Aeroplan or business card Aeroplan
- Or, for Café Aspire at Billy Bishop Airport, only for American Express® Prestige Aeroplan®* Card or American Express® Prestige Aeroplan®* Corporate Card holders.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $599 | |||
| $599 |
Bottom Line
Air Canada is currently preparing for the busy summer season ahead. It reconfigures its Maple Leaf lounges in domestic areas at Montreal, Toronto (both lounge and its Signature Suite) and Vancouver.
On average, this adds around 30% more space in each lounge, especially if you remove the spaces dedicated to remote working.
Over the next three years, Air Canada will also renovate its Maple Leaf lounges, like those at London Heathrow LHR.
- Annual fee
- $599
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$2,400Total$2,400Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $2,400
- Welcome offerAfter $10,500 in 3 months
- Up to 120,000 points
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