Last edit by: Bohemian1
This wiki will attempt to cover the ability to access various lounges operated by AC. Since many travellers are not familiar with the layout of Canadian airports, we will detail both physical access as well as rules.
Overview of lounges
AC has three types of lounges:
Locations & Physical Access
Lounges are in the following locations:
Notes:
Note that most of the Canadian airports used by AC have separate areas for domestic, transborder ("TB", i.e. to the US), and international flights. MLLs are often referred to based on which area of the terminal they’re in, e.g. “YYZ Dom” is the domestic lounge in YYZ, YUL Intl is the international lounge at YUL. Except when connecting from a domestic flight to a TB/international one, you can only use a lounge in the area from which your flight departs. For instance, a passenger flying from YYZ to LGA cannot use the YYZ Dom MLL as CATSA will not allow them to access the domestic wing; a passenger flying YXE-YYZ-LGA could use the YYZ Dom MLL as they will already be in the domestic area on arrival.
YYZ, YVR, and YUL have segregated international departures areas. The international MLLs cannot be accessed before domestic flights. In other locations, a "domestic" MLL can also be accessed before international flights.
Please note that while the US is a separate country, it is NOT an "international" destination in the way most Canadian airports and AC are set up. You can NEVER access the international lounges when departing on a flight to the US. (Passengers connecting in YVR between a domestic and US flight and following the connections path will enter the international departures area prior to the US area and although can physically access the international MLL, you will not be admitted and will be directed to the US area).
Lounges in transborder areas are after US customs pre-clearance, and can only be accessed by customers travelling to the US.
Access Rules
NEW Effective June 13, 2023
Access to Maple Leaf Lounges, Air Canada Cafés, and Signature Suites will be limited to three hours prior to scheduled departure time. Please note that this policy does not apply during flight connections or flight delays.
While it is not published at the time of writing this, the internal policy now exempts SEs and most passengers with reported disabilities (eg WCHR) from the three hour rule for Maple Leaf Lounges, but not the Signature Suite.
MLLs
Can be accessed for customers holding a SAME DAY DEPARTING boarding pass (for a flight operated by AC or another *A member) based on:
Domestic MLLs in Canada, and MLLs in the USA, can also be accessed by those ARRIVING on an Air Canada mainline, rouge or Express flight, for those holding 50K status and higher.
Signature Suites
Signature Suites require both (a) an eligible fare and (b) an eligible destination. Your flight must be a flight operated by Air Canada that is departing internationally from Toronto or Vancouver. It doesn’t matter whether you bought the ticket through AC or if you’re on an AC codeshare, or if your itinerary has other international connections. Unless your flight is operated by Air Canada, and is advertised as Signature Class, and is departing internationally from Toronto or Vancouver, you’re not eligible. The only exception is Emirates First Class - see below.
Eligible fares:
Eligible destinations:
NOT accessible to:
Cafés
Can be accessed by those with a departing domestic boarding pass (no arrivals benefit for the Café) based on:
While it is not published, the internal policy exempts SEs from that requirement, so you should be admitted.
LHR Arrivals Lounge
AC shares an arrivals lounge with UA at LHR, accessible to the following customers upon exiting the baggage hall in Terminal 2:
Overview of lounges
AC has three types of lounges:
- Maple Leaf Lounges (“MLLs”): essentially, regular lounges
- Café: café-style lounge with limited access and grab-and-go
- Signature Suites: essentially, only for long-haul international business class passengers
Locations & Physical Access
Lounges are in the following locations:
Notes:
- YYZ Transborder: there are 2 MLLs, a full MLL right after US CBP and a second, small MLL near the regional gates
- YYC Transborder: AC provides access to the Aspire lounge for status and J pax (no passes/credit cards)
- YTZ Café: the Café at YTZ is an Aspire lounge (accessible via Priority Pass and other programs) co-branded by AC
- EWR: the “MLL” is a co-branding of the United lounge in Terminal A; access rules are not entirely clear
Note that most of the Canadian airports used by AC have separate areas for domestic, transborder ("TB", i.e. to the US), and international flights. MLLs are often referred to based on which area of the terminal they’re in, e.g. “YYZ Dom” is the domestic lounge in YYZ, YUL Intl is the international lounge at YUL. Except when connecting from a domestic flight to a TB/international one, you can only use a lounge in the area from which your flight departs. For instance, a passenger flying from YYZ to LGA cannot use the YYZ Dom MLL as CATSA will not allow them to access the domestic wing; a passenger flying YXE-YYZ-LGA could use the YYZ Dom MLL as they will already be in the domestic area on arrival.
YYZ, YVR, and YUL have segregated international departures areas. The international MLLs cannot be accessed before domestic flights. In other locations, a "domestic" MLL can also be accessed before international flights.
Please note that while the US is a separate country, it is NOT an "international" destination in the way most Canadian airports and AC are set up. You can NEVER access the international lounges when departing on a flight to the US. (Passengers connecting in YVR between a domestic and US flight and following the connections path will enter the international departures area prior to the US area and although can physically access the international MLL, you will not be admitted and will be directed to the US area).
Lounges in transborder areas are after US customs pre-clearance, and can only be accessed by customers travelling to the US.
Access Rules
NEW Effective June 13, 2023
Access to Maple Leaf Lounges, Air Canada Cafés, and Signature Suites will be limited to three hours prior to scheduled departure time. Please note that this policy does not apply during flight connections or flight delays.
While it is not published at the time of writing this, the internal policy now exempts SEs and most passengers with reported disabilities (eg WCHR) from the three hour rule for Maple Leaf Lounges, but not the Signature Suite.
MLLs
Can be accessed for customers holding a SAME DAY DEPARTING boarding pass (for a flight operated by AC or another *A member) based on:
- Status
- Aeroplan 35K (domestic and transborder only; no guests; until June 1 2023 - no access on or after)
- Aeroplan 50K and up (spouse/partner, dependent children, and one guest)
- Star Alliance Gold (one guest)
- VA Velocity Platinum or Gold (one guest)
- Emirates SkyWards Platinum or Gold (one guest)
- Class of service:
- Business class (on AC or another *A carrier)
- Premium rouge
- Passes(passes may only be valid for certain locations, e.g. domestic/TB - Assume your pass is not valid for any International lounge)
- Given out to those with AC status
- Given out to certain credit card holders
- Purchased directly from AC as an add-on to the flight, either in advance or at the lounge
- Credit cards (no passes required, only for MLLs located within Canada and the US. No access to LHR, CDG, or FRA lounges):
- TD VIP (one guest through 31 December 2023)
- CIBC VIP (one guest through 31 December 2023)
- Amex Aeroplan Reserve cards
Domestic MLLs in Canada, and MLLs in the USA, can also be accessed by those ARRIVING on an Air Canada mainline, rouge or Express flight, for those holding 50K status and higher.
Signature Suites
Signature Suites require both (a) an eligible fare and (b) an eligible destination. Your flight must be a flight operated by Air Canada that is departing internationally from Toronto or Vancouver. It doesn’t matter whether you bought the ticket through AC or if you’re on an AC codeshare, or if your itinerary has other international connections. Unless your flight is operated by Air Canada, and is advertised as Signature Class, and is departing internationally from Toronto or Vancouver, you’re not eligible. The only exception is Emirates First Class - see below.
Eligible fares:
- Paid business class (originally booked in J, C, D, Z, or P classes)
- Business Class (Flexible) Aeroplan tickets - note that only Air Canada can ticket Flexible reward tickets; the website may incorrectly display a partner reward as Flexible
- First Class (Flexible) Aeroplan tickets when travelling on an Air Canada segment in Business Class
- Emirates First Class (one guest)
Eligible destinations:
- South America (Colombia and south)
- Europe
- Asia
- Australia and New Zealand
NOT accessible to:
- Passengers in business class on any type of upgrades (eUpgrades, Last-Minute Upgrades, bid upgrades, Star Alliance Upgrade Awards)
- Anyone booked in Business Class (Lowest) reward tickets
- Anyone booked on a reward ticket through a partner airline, e.g. United MileagePlus, Miles & More, etc
- Passengers flying internationally with Air Canada, but who are not departing on an international Air Canada flight from Toronto or Vancouver. Example, if you are arriving on an international flight, but connecting to a US or domestic flight - you will NOT have access to the suite.
Cafés
Can be accessed by those with a departing domestic boarding pass (no arrivals benefit for the Café) based on:
- Status
- Aeroplan 50K and up (spouse/partner, dependent children, and one guest)
- Star Alliance Gold (one guest)
- Emirates SkyWards Platinum or Gold (one guest)
- Class of service:
- Business class (there is no business class service from YTZ, but a business class boarding pass for the subsequent flight enables access)
- Premium rouge
- Credit cards:
- TD VIP (one guest through 31 December 2023)
- CIBC VIP (one guest through 31 December 2023)
- Amex Aeroplan Reserve cards
While it is not published, the internal policy exempts SEs from that requirement, so you should be admitted.
LHR Arrivals Lounge
AC shares an arrivals lounge with UA at LHR, accessible to the following customers upon exiting the baggage hall in Terminal 2:
- Business Class (Including upgrades to J)
- Aeroplan Super Elite (one guest) when arriving on an Air Canada flight.
AC Lounge Access - physical locations and rules (2022 onwards)
#1651
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Gotham city
Programs: AC SE, HH Diamond
Posts: 79
I asked at the yyz domestic MLL and the agent thought the whole family could enter but was uncertain. He Called down and they confirmed family could enter. So at least the staff on duty last night were properly trained!
#1652
Join Date: Dec 2019
Programs: Air Canada - Super Elite, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 609
I don’t think there was ever uncertainty about the MLL, the question above was about the Cafe.
#1653
Join Date: Oct 2022
Programs: Aeroplan SE; Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 1,553
Shall US lounges stick to the 3 hour rule?
My whole family and I were flying from LAX earlier today. I was flying to YYZ with a confirmed upgrade, and they were flying to YVR on reward J 4 hours after my flight. I planned to guest them into the LAX MLL, but was not able to do so since my flight was imminent.
Not surprisingly, they were denied entry to the MLL for the 3 hour rule. I just told them to use the United Club in the next terminal, where they were admitted.
This makes me think about whether it is advisable for AC to stick to the 3 hour rule for US lounges. Many AC flyers affected by this rule can just go to the United Club a few minutes’ walk away. IIRC, paying United Club to accommodate AC passengers is a lot more expensive than just lettering them in, where the marginal cost for AC to accommodate an additional passenger is close to zero, and they may get in anyway after visiting the United Club.
I might not have visited the US MLLs frequent enough to gauge whether there are overcrowding issues, but for the 20+ times I visit LAX/SFO/LGA in the last 12 months, they appear to be mostly fine.
Not surprisingly, they were denied entry to the MLL for the 3 hour rule. I just told them to use the United Club in the next terminal, where they were admitted.
This makes me think about whether it is advisable for AC to stick to the 3 hour rule for US lounges. Many AC flyers affected by this rule can just go to the United Club a few minutes’ walk away. IIRC, paying United Club to accommodate AC passengers is a lot more expensive than just lettering them in, where the marginal cost for AC to accommodate an additional passenger is close to zero, and they may get in anyway after visiting the United Club.
I might not have visited the US MLLs frequent enough to gauge whether there are overcrowding issues, but for the 20+ times I visit LAX/SFO/LGA in the last 12 months, they appear to be mostly fine.
#1654
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite. NEXUS
Posts: 4,572
It doesn't seem worth the effort to confuse PAX, and more importantly, to further confuse the perpetually confused MLL gate dragons.
#1655
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,788
SJU-IAD-YYZ-YYC today. Automated gates at YYZ Dom MLL rejected my BP. I thought it might be because of UA-issued BP, but the agent said it was because of the 3-hour rule, and the system wasn't seeing the inbound flight. It's a UA flight, yes, but it's also an AC-issued ticket (and an AC codeshare), so I found that interesting.
#1656
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite. NEXUS
Posts: 4,572
SJU-IAD-YYZ-YYC today. Automated gates at YYZ Dom MLL rejected my BP. I thought it might be because of UA-issued BP, but the agent said it was because of the 3-hour rule, and the system wasn't seeing the inbound flight. It's a UA flight, yes, but it's also an AC-issued ticket (and an AC codeshare), so I found that interesting.
#1657
Join Date: Jul 2021
Programs: AP AS BA
Posts: 365
SFO MLL Access with a guest pass
I lost all my status in January 2024. I had a valid MLL guest pass (from a SE member) and tried to access the MLL at SFO. The pass didn't work and the lounge dragon explained that it is a 50K lounge only. I had not heard of such a thing but as canadiancow mentioned in this post, it's considered a *G lounge. But I thought the MLL guest pass can be used in all Canadian and US lounges branded as MLL?
#1658
Join Date: Sep 2023
Posts: 380
SJU-IAD-YYZ-YYC today. Automated gates at YYZ Dom MLL rejected my BP. I thought it might be because of UA-issued BP, but the agent said it was because of the 3-hour rule, and the system wasn't seeing the inbound flight. It's a UA flight, yes, but it's also an AC-issued ticket (and an AC codeshare), so I found that interesting.
#1659
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SEMM / HH Diamond
Posts: 3,175
I lost all my status in January 2024. I had a valid MLL guest pass (from a SE member) and tried to access the MLL at SFO. The pass didn't work and the lounge dragon explained that it is a 50K lounge only. I had not heard of such a thing but as canadiancow mentioned in this post, it's considered a *G lounge. But I thought the MLL guest pass can be used in all Canadian and US lounges branded as MLL?
Each pass is valid for access to Maple Leaf Lounges located in the domestic and U.S. zones of Canadian airports, those in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York (LaGuardia), and the United Club located in Terminal A of Newark Liberty International Airport. Passes can be used with a confirmed same-day departing ticket for scheduled Air Canada flights. Visitors under the age of majority must be accompanied by an adult.
#1660
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,377
I lost all my status in January 2024. I had a valid MLL guest pass (from a SE member) and tried to access the MLL at SFO. The pass didn't work and the lounge dragon explained that it is a 50K lounge only. I had not heard of such a thing but as canadiancow mentioned in this post, it's considered a *G lounge. But I thought the MLL guest pass can be used in all Canadian and US lounges branded as MLL?
#1661
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BC, Canada
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium Elite, VSE/MVC Chairman's Club
Posts: 547
Meal pre-ordering email incorrectly suggesting Signature Suite access?
Just got the email saying I can now pre-order our meals on an upcoming YVR-NRT flight.
The email starts with a section saying we have access to the Signature Suite, and included a link to the menu.
We are on Business Lowest awards booked into Z
I was under the impression Business Lowest didn't have access?
The email starts with a section saying we have access to the Signature Suite, and included a link to the menu.
We are on Business Lowest awards booked into Z
I was under the impression Business Lowest didn't have access?
#1662
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BC, Canada
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium Elite, VSE/MVC Chairman's Club
Posts: 547
Just got the email saying I can now pre-order our meals on an upcoming YVR-NRT flight.
The email starts with a section saying we have access to the Signature Suite, and included a link to the menu.
We are on Business Lowest awards booked into Z
I was under the impression Business Lowest didn't have access?
The email starts with a section saying we have access to the Signature Suite, and included a link to the menu.
We are on Business Lowest awards booked into Z
I was under the impression Business Lowest didn't have access?
#1663
Join Date: Jun 2019
Programs: Marriott Titanium; WN A-list; UA Silver
Posts: 484
Just got the email saying I can now pre-order our meals on an upcoming YVR-NRT flight.
The email starts with a section saying we have access to the Signature Suite, and included a link to the menu.
We are on Business Lowest awards booked into Z
I was under the impression Business Lowest didn't have access?
The email starts with a section saying we have access to the Signature Suite, and included a link to the menu.
We are on Business Lowest awards booked into Z
I was under the impression Business Lowest didn't have access?
Lowest class business awards don't get it, I'm pretty sure all paid J gets it.
Edit: I missed "award" in your post, correct, you don't get it. An eligible BP will say "Signature lounge" on it.
#1664
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,907
Hi guys, does the three-hour rule apply to this situation? I land in SFO today, but I'm actually flying out tomorrow. This is all part of the same PNR/reservation. Can I show the MLL rep my arrival and departure tickets to show that I'm actually connecting even though it's an overnight layover along with my UA Club Membership? This way I can have breakfast at the MLL rather than the UC.
Thank you.
Thank you.
#1665
Join Date: Oct 2023
Programs: AC E75K (*G) | Mariott Platinum | Hilton Gold | Nexus
Posts: 85
Hi guys, does the three-hour rule apply to this situation? I land in SFO today, but I'm actually flying out tomorrow. This is all part of the same PNR/reservation. Can I show the MLL rep my arrival and departure tickets to show that I'm actually connecting even though it's an overnight layover along with my UA Club Membership? This way I can have breakfast at the MLL rather than the UC.
Thank you.
Thank you.