Our Guide to Air Canada Cafés

Air Canada Cafés offer convenience and relaxation for air travellers who don't want to burn an airport lounge pass. Air Canada operates several small cafés at major Canadian airports, giving travellers a comfortable place to work, relax, or grab something to eat or drink.

This article details the features and amenities offered by Air Canada Cafés, explains how to gain access to these spaces, and much more.

What is Air Canada Café?

Air Canada Cafés are smaller than Maple Leaf Lounges, but you'll still find comfortable seating, workspaces with charging stations, dining options, and beverage service, including alcoholic and coffee-based drinks.

Grab-and-go stations also offer snacks, sandwiches, wraps, and drinks to take with you on your flight.

Here's the current list of Air Canada Café locations:

• Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport: Aspire Canada Café
• Toronto Pearson International Airport: Air Canada Café
• Montréal-Trudeau International Airport: 2 Air Canada Cafés
• Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport: Air Canada Café
• Vancouver International Airport: 2 Air Canada Cafés

How to access Air Canada Cafés

Getting into an Air Canada Café is a breeze when you have complimentary access. Some of the ways to qualify include:

• Business Class or First Class Air Canada tickets
• Select Aeroplan members
• Star Alliance Gold members
• Select Aeroplan credit cardholders

Business Class or First Class Air Canada tickets

With a Business Class or First Class ticket, you can access the café with your same-day boarding pass. Your flight can be on Air Canada, a codeshare flight, or a Star Alliance partner.

You can even bring a guest with you for free.

Just show your boarding pass to enter the Café.

Certain Aeroplan members

Air Canada is very specific about which Aeroplan members have access to Air Canada Cafés. The list includes members of these Aeroplan elite tiers:

• Aeroplan Super Elite
• Aeroplan 75K
• Aeroplan 50K

Just give your Aeroplan number and show your same-day ticket or boarding pass at the front desk. You and your partner, 1 guest, and up to 5 dependent children can enter the café for free.

If you want to bring more people, guest entrance costs $59 CAD each.

Star Alliance Gold members

When you arrive, show your Star Alliance Gold membership card and your same-day ticket or boarding pass. This applies to flights operated by Air Canada and Star Alliance partners.

You can bring 1 complimentary guest who's travelling on the same flight as you. Each additional guest requires a $59 CAD fee.

Certain Aeroplan credit cardholders

With the right travel credit card, all you have to do is show up to the café, present your card, and you're in. Here are our top suggestions:

The American Express Aeroplan Corporate Reserve card also gives you access to Air Canada Cafés.

Other entry methods

Here are a few other ways you can gain access to Air Canada Cafés:

• Non-Star Alliance members: Emirates Skywards Gold and Platinum members travelling between Canada and Dubai can access select Air Canada Cafés. The same goes for Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer Gold, Platinum, and Beyond VIP members.
• Paying for entrance: If you're travelling with Air Canada on a Premium Economy, Latitude, comfort, or Flex fare, you can purchase access as you would with a Maple Leaf Lounge. The fees run $49 – $79.
• Chase Sapphire cardholders/J.P. Morgan Reserve card members: Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business, and J.P. Morgan Reserve can enter Air Canada Cafés in both Toronto airports for free.
• Air Canada Maple Leaf Club members: Although membership to the Maple Leaf Club is suspended, existing members can get into Air Canada Cafés at no extra cost.

Unfortunately, Mastercard Travel Pass doesn't automatically grant access to Air Canada Cafés.

Air Canada Café features and amenities

Air Canada Cafés offer many of the same amenities as Maple Leaf Lounges, just on a smaller scale:

• Complimentary beverages
• Hot and cold food
• Free Wi-Fi and charging stations
• Private meeting room
• Comfortable seating and workstations

Complimentary beverages

Each Air Canada Café features a bar where you can order beverages like wine, beer, cocktails, coffee, and tea.

Depending on the café, you may have to pay a little extra for premium drinks. Offerings include:

• Japanese-inspired matcha
• Specialty coffees
• Plant-based milk options
• Nitro cold brew
• Local kombucha
• Lemonade
• Beer on tap

Hot and cold food

There's no need to sacrifice quality food at the airport. At most Air Canada Cafés, you can sit down to a plated meal prepared by local chefs. Whether you're looking for vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free options, or something more indulgent, you're sure to find something delicious at the Café.

Cafés that don't offer plated meals still have a variety of healthy snacks available.

Air Canada strives to feature locally sourced foods and reflect regional favourites where possible. For instance, at the Vancouver café, travellers can enjoy Lee donuts (made famous at Granville Island) and house-made Vietnamese nems (pork and vegetable spring rolls), while the newly opened Quebec Café features Indigenous cuisine.

Take a look at these pancakes with maple butter, fleur de sel, and Sigewigus pumpkin seed spread sourced from the Mi'gmaq Nation of Gespeg Indigenous community:

Free Wi-Fi and charging stations

Need to get some work done between flights? All Air Canada Cafés have complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi and charging stations at almost every seat.

Private meeting room

The Toronto Billy Bishop Air Canada Café has a private meeting room for individual or group use. You can book the room in advance for use by up to 6 people, but Air Canada doesn't specify whether it costs money to reserve.

The space is pretty simple – you'll just get a small room with a table and 6 chairs. That said, if you just need a quiet, private space, it might be exactly what you're looking for.

Comfortable seating

Whether you're looking for a seat at the bar, a cozy table for two, a booth, or a communal table, you'll find seating that fits your needs.

Want to spread out with your laptop? Head to one of the long tables that fill the café space. Interested in something more cozy and personal? Air Canada has conversation sets scattered throughout the café.

Rules and guidelines for Air Canada Cafés

Air Canada Cafés don't publish specific rules or regulations for the spaces, but we assume that they follow the same general guidelines as other Air Canada lounges:

• Smoking is prohibited
• No cell phone use in the cell-free zones
• Removal of food and beverages from the lounge is prohibited
• Luggage carts aren't permitted in the lounge
• Minors must be accompanied by an adult
• Pets are allowed but must remain in a leak-proof/ventilated carrier

FAQ

What is an Air Canada Café?

Air Canada Cafés are convenient spots to grab a quick meal or drink, pick up grab-and-go food, or order a made-to-order coffee. Air Canada has 7 Cafés in Canada, and they offer a more casual and faster-paced atmosphere than most Maple Leaf Lounges.

What is the difference between Maple Leaf Lounge and Air Canada Café?

Air Canada Cafés are often smaller than Maple Leaf Lounges and have fewer amenities. Cafés focus on getting something to eat or drink, with a comfortable space to catch up or unwind before your flight, while the lounges tend to be quieter, with places to shower and fully equipped business centres.

Does Air Canada have an onboard café?

No, Air Canada doesn't operate a café on its flights. However, Air Canada Bistro provides mid-flight food and drink on flights 2+ hours long. On these flights, you can choose from breakfast sandwiches, cheese boards, snacks, and cocktails – you can even go online and place your order ahead of time.

Can you pay to get into Air Canada Café?

Assuming that the guidelines are the same as for Maple Leaf Lounges, then yes, you can pay to get into an Air Canada Café if you're travelling Air Canada on a Premium Economy, Latitude, comfort, or Flex fare. Fees range from $49 for Premium Economy travellers to $79 for Flex travellers.

Where is the Air Canada Café at Pearson Airport?

The Air Canada Café at Toronto Pearson Airport is in Terminal 1, just steps away from the domestic departures area at Gate 20. Since it's on the main concourse, it's hard to miss. Just look for the striking wooden panelling leading into the café.

Is there an Air Canada lounge in Calgary?

Yes, there's a Maple Leaf Lounge in Calgary's International Airport, open from 4:30 AM – 12:30 AM, Monday through Sunday. It's located in the domestic terminal on Level 2 in Concourse C. You'll spot it near the entrance to the C gates, just after passing security.