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AC Lounge Access - physical locations and rules (2022 onwards)

Old Aug 16, 2022, 12:18 pm
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Last edit by: canadiancow
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:
  • Maple Leaf Lounges (MLLs): essentially, regular lounges
  • Caf: caf-style lounge with limited access and grab-and-go
  • Signature Suites: essentially, only for long-haul international business class passengers
Additionally, AC shares an arrivals lounge with UA at LHR for eligible customers.

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 Caf: the Caf 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 theyre 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 Cafs, 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 doesnt matter whether you bought the ticket through AC or if youre 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, youre 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.

Cafs

Can be accessed by those with a departing domestic boarding pass (no arrivals benefit for the Caf) based on:
  • Status
    • Aeroplan 50K and up (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
Passengers arriving on a domestic flight with a connection to a US or international destination, although you can physically access the Caf, you will not be admitted. eGates have been updated to enforce the access policy.

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.
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AC Lounge Access - physical locations and rules (2022 onwards)

Old Oct 2, 2022, 9:53 am
  #241  
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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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: 16,622
Originally Posted by mcrw00
We will be flying NRT to YVR on NH in J and then self-connecting to a DL flight. Will the NH arrival qualify us to use the MLL in the transborder terminal? If not, is there a way to use the international MLL after dropping bags for our DL flight but before making our way to the transborder terminal?
Please consult the wiki, which has answers to all of your questions.
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Adam Smith is offline  
Old Oct 3, 2022, 7:04 am
  #242  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Are we 100% certain it's the credit card holders who are crowding the lounges, and not also a combination of the following issues:
  1. the schedule remains a shadow of its former self
  2. getting to the airport earlier due to airport issues
  3. longer connections due to schedule and concern over airport issues
zorn is offline  
Old Oct 3, 2022, 7:22 am
  #243  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: YYZ / LHR
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Originally Posted by zorn
Are we 100% certain it's the credit card holders who are crowding the lounges, and not also a combination of the following issues:
  1. the schedule remains a shadow of its former self
  2. getting to the airport earlier due to airport issues
  3. longer connections due to schedule and concern over airport issues
This is an interesting point. There are lots of recent reports all over the web about huge queues at DL and Amex lounges, so it doesn't sound like an issue exclusively at MLLs. The DL queues in particular sound mental; I don't know if other US airlines' lounges are suffering similar issues though.
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Old Oct 3, 2022, 11:35 am
  #244  
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The "please get to the airport 18 hours before scheduled departure" messages and delays have definitely been brought up before. I'm not sure about the longer connections.

But giving access to a ton of people certainly can't help.
canadiancow is online now  
Old Oct 3, 2022, 11:38 am
  #245  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,604
Originally Posted by zorn
Are we 100% certain it's the credit card holders who are crowding the lounges, and not also a combination of the following issues:
  1. the schedule remains a shadow of its former self
  2. getting to the airport earlier due to airport issues
  3. longer connections due to schedule and concern over airport issues
Plus misconnects, delays, etc.

There is the obvious logical issue with "credit cards" being the problem... Frequent fliers are frequently at the airport. If the credit card holders aren't frequent fliers then it's tough for them to add up to a lot of seats in the lounge since they aren't there.... frequently.

The only problem with that is that AC has defined frequent fliers as people who fly frequently *and* pay a lot for their tickets. By excluding all the lower fares from significant status qualification currency there are frequent fliers who don't actually qualify for status. So... perhaps the credit card MLL users people are seeing are statistically mostly just people who would have previously qualified for status and are now signing up for credit cards to get back the privileges they lost over the years.
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Old Oct 3, 2022, 1:35 pm
  #246  
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
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I have booked.a business class (cash) ticket from CUN - YYB with a 16 hour layover in YYZ. From previously booked similar tickets, I know we'll be able to access the DOM MLL in the morning for our 2nd flight. Are we able to access it upon arrival in YYZ on the evening before if it is the same ticket? Just not sure if we can access both on arrival and after our stay in the hotel?

I read the wiki, but wasn't sure about long (overnight) layovers.
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Old Oct 3, 2022, 1:37 pm
  #247  
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1. Arrival benefits are status-based; departure benefits require a same-day departing boarding passes
2. You will have no physical access to any AC lounge after an international arrival
canadiancow is online now  
Old Oct 3, 2022, 2:04 pm
  #248  
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Originally Posted by zorn
Are we 100% certain it's the credit card holders who are crowding the lounges, and not also a combination of the following issues
All have been discussed, and I think generally acknowledged as issues, in the thread on how AC is creating too many elites.

Originally Posted by zkzkz
There is the obvious logical issue with "credit cards" being the problem... Frequent fliers are frequently at the airport. If the credit card holders aren't frequent fliers then it's tough for them to add up to a lot of seats in the lounge since they aren't there.... frequently.
I've already done the math on this in some other thread. It doesn't take a large number of incremental customers to push lounges over capacity, and even if individual non-elite credit card holders don't fly very often, there are so many of them out there in the country that it only takes a small percentage of them to show up to the lounge on any given day to have a large impact.

The only problem with that is that AC has defined frequent fliers as people who fly frequently *and* pay a lot for their tickets. By excluding all the lower fares from significant status qualification currency there are frequent fliers who don't actually qualify for status.
You misunderstand the purpose of a frequent flyer program. It's not to shower benefits on people who fly often, it's to incentivize behaviour that's profitable to the airline. The people who buy the cheapest possible tickets, especially Basic, may generate little to no profit for AC, and have also demonstrated themselves to be incredibly price-sensitive. AC thus chooses not to reward this behaviour.
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Old Oct 3, 2022, 2:31 pm
  #249  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Originally Posted by Adam Smith
You misunderstand the purpose of a frequent flyer program. It's not to shower benefits on people who fly often, it's to incentivize behaviour that's profitable to the airline. The people who buy the cheapest possible tickets, especially Basic, may generate little to no profit for AC, and have also demonstrated themselves to be incredibly price-sensitive. AC thus chooses not to reward this behaviour.
I didn't make any judgement there, just speculated about whether the credit card users -- at least the ones seen frequently in the lounge -- are actually new or just the same people that the lounges previously accommodated before the rules changes.

(But as an aside if AC doesn't want people buying Basic fares they have an easy option.... stop selling them)

Edit: Ah. I think I see how my comment may have been unclear. When I said "The only problem with that" I didn't mean I had a problem with AC's practices (in this moment). I meant the only problem with my logic above about non-status travellers being non-frequent travellers and therefore not taking up lounge seats is that there exist non-status travellers who do fly frequently but on Basic/Standard fares. If those people sign up for credit cards they may well appear in lounges frequently even though they're non-status.

Last edited by zkzkz; Oct 3, 2022 at 6:52 pm
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Old Oct 3, 2022, 4:39 pm
  #250  
 
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Originally Posted by zkzkz
(But as an aside if AC doesn't want people buying Basic fares they have an easy option.... stop selling them)
I don't think AC have any problems with people buying basic fares. I am pretty confident that AC are not losing money on those people.

But they are also not making money from them hand over fist from basic fare passengers - to Adam's point, they are also very price-sensitive - so there is no need to shower those purchasers with additional benefits. You want to pay for a basic flight, then you get a basic flight - you don't also get other status and benefits from that flight.
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Old Oct 3, 2022, 5:44 pm
  #251  
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Originally Posted by canopus27
I don't think AC have any problems with people buying basic fares. I am pretty confident that AC are not losing money on those people.

But they are also not making money from them hand over fist from basic fare passengers - to Adam's point, they are also very price-sensitive - so there is no need to shower those purchasers with additional benefits. You want to pay for a basic flight, then you get a basic flight - you don't also get other status and benefits from that flight.
What benefits do you not get on Basic? eUpgrades? Everything else is still offered.
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Old Oct 3, 2022, 5:56 pm
  #252  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
What benefits do you not get on Basic? eUpgrades? Everything else is still offered.
You don't get SQM or SQD.

To quote the OP:
By excluding all the lower fares from significant status qualification currency there are frequent fliers who don't actually qualify for status.
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Old Oct 3, 2022, 11:57 pm
  #253  
 
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Out of curiosity, does anyone know the closing time of the YVR Domestic Maple Leaf Lounge? Online sources have varying times, from 10pm-11:30pm, while the lounge phone line seems to have an hour hold time...

Thanks,
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Old Oct 4, 2022, 12:25 am
  #254  
 
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Pretty sure I am just adding more evidence to something that is already apparent.

Went to YVR-DOM MLL on September 28, 2022, at 11:30. I would describe it as at 150% of capacity. 100% of all sitting spaces were full and the rest of the lounge looked like a San Sebastian tapas bar with people standing and eating small bites off plates.

I walked out . . and took a seat in the sparsely setup Plaza Premium "lounge" at the top of the concourse stairs. At least I got a seat to myself and was served a drink . . . .

Also - at checkin - - the Kiosks were relatively empty there were ~70 people in line for "priority" checkin with 4 people in the SE line. We all basically joked that everyone should just use the kiosks . . .
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Old Oct 5, 2022, 9:24 am
  #255  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Originally Posted by Adam Smith
All have been discussed, and I think generally acknowledged as issues, in the thread on how AC is creating too many elites.
In the thread about zoned boarding, this email excerpt on the airline's view of the matter was posted:

Originally Posted by TheViperOne
First, on the topic of our hub lounges, you are right they are overcrowded. This is an industry-level phenomena, and we have studied this quite a bit. You may find it interesting that our overall visits are actually lower vs. 2019, and premium credit cardholders continue to be an insignificant minority of visits. Our main driver of overcrowding is actually dwell time -- meaning our customers are spending more time in our lounges than ever before. While flight delays can add to this, most of our increased visit durations come from much earlier arrival times at the airport and longer flight connection times.
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