Eagle2000

From YYZ to YVR you board domestically in YYZ then It states that we have to leave the plane at YVR then reboard. Does anyone know how this works? Can we go to the SS lounge or do we have to hang around the gate area?

BTW $ 6,601.97 J class fare return for March/April 2025 is a decent price which includes the $300 Aussie discount and 15,000 bonus Aeroplan miles is very tempting for me....My only beef is that it will be entirely dark on the way to SYD....

Thanks

HerpaYvr

Well today i will board AC33 in YYZ at gate 39 so domestic. In YVR that aircraft usually parks between gates 50 & 52 which are swing gates. When those gates are international you are past that security check where you can your BP for transborder/international. You have access to the INT MLL.

Eagle2000

I am correct to presume that you would have access to the Signature lounge since the flight is going to Australia?

tomvancouver

Yes, if your booking class is eligible, although you 'only' have 2 hours between scheduled arrival and departure. The SL closes at 10:40pm which is the scheduled departure time to SYD, (that flight is often delayed)

JordanYVR

The Signature Suite is currently on summer hours and closes after 12am. (Currently in the lounge and asked)

TheCanuckian

Having done this a few times, I sometimes prefer to take a slightly earlier YYZ-YVR flight so I can enjoy the meal at the Signature Suite without rushing in and watching the clock. It's better than the on-board meal and a bit earlier in the evening too (when my body is set to EST).

Eagle2000

I was thinking of taking the earlier YYZ to YVR flights but are only offered on narrow bodies (A321)...I like wide bodies and I cannot lie.

HerpaYvr

I could not respond as I was on AC033, I had a gentleman on the pod next to me heading to SYD and that is what he did, we parked at gate 52 and he walked out and then turned left to go through the BP checkpoint and I assume he went to the Signature Suite.

Hey no judgment if you like the A321, and if you luck out on flying one of the newly converted ones, then go for it. The Signature Suite is nice and a few hours on the ground before that long flight may be a good idea.

kangarooflyer88

Having taken a flight similar to this before (2022) what will happen is you'll take the domestic flight from YYZ to YVR. When you arrive in YVR you'll deplane. You'll see an Air Canada sign that will tell you in what direction to turn to continue to Australia (and what side to turn to stay in Canada). You'll pass through a quick passport check before being on the international side. Now maybe thing have changed since I took the flight, with AC33 now being a direct flight from Toronto instead of just a nonstop from Vancouver. But in any event, you'll be in the international departure side. The international side is the side you want to be on in any event. The Maple Leaf Lounge internationally is much better than the domestic one. For one thing better food and showers, but on top of that the signature suite lounge if you are holding a paid business class ticket or Flexible Aeroplan award ticket.

On the return, you'll enjoy the experience since Sydney to Canada qualifies for One Stop Security. What this means is that flying AC from Sydney to Vancouver when you arrive in Vancouver, you get off the plane, go to an immigration kiosk (if continuing on to Canada) and then once you are done that you are dumped into the domestic departure hall. There is no security to go through. There is no need to pick up or re-check your bags. It is very smooth.

To your last point on booking business class, if you find $6000 CAD to be good value for business class, then it may be worthwhile. What I will point out is that sometimes it can be advantageous to instead buy Aeroplan points and use those to book an award flight, particularly if you can find award availability at a good rate. For instance, last year I flew round the world in business class on Aeroplan for 220,000 Aeroplan points + $300 in taxes in fees. Most of the points (160,000) were bought during an Aeroplan sale where I paid $2800 for them. So in other words $3100 CAD for round the world in business class.

For those curious this was the routing:

• Sydney to Zurich (via Melbourne, Abu Dhabi) on Virgin Australia & Etihad
• Zurich to Toronto (via Lisbon) on TAP Air Portugual
• Los Angeles to Seoul on Asiana
• Seoul to Sydney on Asiana

-RooFlyer88