Today we are pleased to present the latest Rewards Canada Business Class Lounge Review! This review is provided by Dee who has contributed to Rewards Canada in past with the articles A look at the great value provided with the Annual Worldwide Companion Pass from Aeroplan's Ultra Premium Credit Cards and Earning Stories: An elite status boost and nearly 20,000 bonus points thanks to Aeroplan's credit card promos and more. This is his first lounge review for Rewards Canada and he has more travel reviews coming our way in the very future.
Recently, I had a flight to Toronto and decided to check-out the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in the Domestic Terminal at Vancouver International Airport. The lounge is located by gates C29 and C30, just a short distance after security in section C. Currently, there is a a Lululemon pop-up shop by the lounge and you might miss it if you don’t keep you eye out for it. It is located to your right as you head down and the entrance is between the rock walls with a glass door.
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| The lululemon pop up obscuring the view of the lounge entrance |
When you enter through the door, the attendant desk will be on the left and there you will need to manually scan your boarding pass. The attendants weren't exceptionally welcoming on this visit compared to my experience in the past in this lounge. You can then take the elevator or stairs to the lounge on the second floor.
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| YVR Domestic Maple Leaf Lounge Dining Area |
This day the lounge was quite packed when I arrived at 7:30am. A quick estimate would put it around 70-80% of the maximum capacity. I was able to find one available seat at table seat in the dining area. This area has a great view of the tarmac - I was able to enjoy an Air Canada 777-200 parked at gate C50.
Food and drink options
The food and drink options begin with Dasani water bottles neatly presented on the counter for travellers to grab. If you have visited the lounge before this is where the hot food used to be before the pandemic.
There are two coffee machines available however with one out of commission for cleaning, it created a line-up of about five people waiting to get their morning caffeine kick. Personally I am not a fan of their coffee, so I chose not to wait in line.
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| Grab and go food options |
I checked out the food options that were available for ‘grab and go’ which included chocolate quinoa breakfast cups to muffins and several other selections. I went with the fresh fruit cup, yellow melon parfait and a Dasani water bottle. This was a nice, light breakfast that I quite enjoyed. It is an excellent option for someone that is not looking for a heavy breakfast and wants something quick to go.
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| YVR Maple Leaf Lounge Hot Food Breakfast Options |
If you prefer hot food, the lounge has an a la carte menu available to order by scanning the bar code on the table. There are four options to choose from, and the lounge staff will deliver it to you at your table in a brown take-out box. S
Lounge seating and features
The lounge has a couple of different sections that you can relax or choose to work in. To the right by the dining area is a mix of computer tables, bar height chairs, lounge chairs all with one television on the wall. On the opposite side of the lounge you have more of the individual seating areas consisting of the single lounge chair with a table with in between each:
If you are looking for some peace and quiet there is an area that tends to be quieter with about ten lounge chairs near where the elevator is located. This is also the area where you can use the lounge printer to print any documents you may need.
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| A nice big and more importantly clean washroom |
The washroom is located inside the lounge by the stairs and it's one of the bigger Air Canada lounge washrooms out of the numerous lounges I have visited. As with most Maple Leaf lounges the washroom is kept in a very clean state.
How to access this lounge:
There are several ways you can access the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in Vancouver International Airport's Domestic Terminal. The following have access to the lounge:
- Holders of Air Canada Signature and Business Class tickets, Air Canada Rouge Premium Rouge tickets
- Air Canada Aeroplan 35K, 50K, 75K, Super Elite and Star Alliance Gold members
- Air Canada Maple Leaf Club Members
- You can purchase lounge access if you buy a Latitude, Comfort or Flex Fare
- Holders of Ultra Premium Air Canada co-brand cards also receive access:
Recommended reading: Rewards Canada's Guide to Business Class Lounge Access
Wrapping it up
Overall, I enjoyed my short visit to this lounge. For someone who would like to have a comfortable spot to rest with some food options before their flight, I would recommend this lounge in the Domestic Terminal at YVR.