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)
#781
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Ottawa, Canada.
Programs: AC*SE 2MM, Marriott*Plutonium Lifetime, other stuff
Posts: 486
As I stated, this is a connection point, so this is irrelevant.
#782
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: AC 75k
Posts: 56
I've done this for colleagues in YUL without problem, but it's easier to get to the Intl gates there. I'd certainly give it a try if they have the time to walk from the DOM lounge to the E gates.
#784
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite. NEXUS
Posts: 4,570
Even with my zen like transitive state in airports, if I had 10 hours in TO, I'd take the UP Express, #1 and chill at the Queens Beaver (possibly not remembering that name correctly), and the ipad AYCE sushi place in Dundas.
#785
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: 44,353
#786
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Ideally YOW, but probably not
Programs: AC SE*MM
Posts: 1,827
Interesting that AC had stats that a significant number of people were going to lounges at O/D points more than 3h ahead of time...
#787
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Canada
Programs: AC*SE
Posts: 1,924
I think AC cardholder refers to that fancy Amex that's rolled out to very few people.
This is quite the narrowing down of access requirements for advance visits. Not even paid J or anything.
#788
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: 44,353
I'm trying to think of the last time I went to a lounge 3+ hours before scheduled departure at my origination point ... And I can't. There are definitely scenarios where I might (standby for earlier flight, got a free ride to the airport if I went early, etc), but I doubt this will impact me.
#789
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: YYZ
Posts: 223
On a different matter:
I have a colleague transiting Canada(domestic) - YYZ - Europe with a 10(!) hour layover at YYZ.
I would like to make his stay slightly more comfortable/productive.
I believe the lounge passes I get as Super Elite are only good for domestic and US lounges, not international, so my question is:
Can he use one of my lounge passes to access the domestic MLL in YYZ, even though his boarding pass is for an onward international flight?
TM
I have a colleague transiting Canada(domestic) - YYZ - Europe with a 10(!) hour layover at YYZ.
I would like to make his stay slightly more comfortable/productive.
I believe the lounge passes I get as Super Elite are only good for domestic and US lounges, not international, so my question is:
Can he use one of my lounge passes to access the domestic MLL in YYZ, even though his boarding pass is for an onward international flight?
TM
#790
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,607
I'm trying to think of the last time I went to a lounge 3+ hours before scheduled departure at my origination point ... And I can't. There are definitely scenarios where I might (standby for earlier flight, got a free ride to the airport if I went early, etc), but I doubt this will impact me.
Someone else asked what you meant by "AC (not aeroplan) card". Someone else said maybe you meant the invite-only Amex?
#792
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: TK *G
Posts: 3,099
The only time I have spent more than 3 hours in an origin airport was when my flight was leaving around 5am. I got to the airport before midnight and stayed in the lounge overnight. There are also a few instances where I am connecting on separate tickets, so from airlines perspective, I am at “origin” airport. As long as time permits, I try to visit the city instead of staying in the lounge. There was one time I spent over 7 hours at YVR on a connection, because there was a snowstorm outside so I couldn’t go anywhere.
#793
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite. NEXUS
Posts: 4,570
For any Canadian from outside of 50km of YVR, that would seem a once in a lifetime experience; an opportunity not to pass up. Would be like watching Wayne Gretzky and Pierre Beron beating up Anne Murray.
#794
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YVR - MILLS Waypoint (It's the third house on the left)
Programs: AC*SE100K, wood level status in various other programs
Posts: 6,232
#795
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,190
I'm trying to think of the last time I went to a lounge 3+ hours before scheduled departure at my origination point ... And I can't. There are definitely scenarios where I might (standby for earlier flight, got a free ride to the airport if I went early, etc), but I doubt this will impact me.
But the situation where I do end up doing this is that I often get my days filled up with meetings, and there may not be a reasonable gap where I can drive to the airport and clear security, so I end up going before the start of my work day for a later flight.