Our Guide To The International Air Canada Lounge In Vancouver

There are four Air Canada lounges in Vancouver International Airport (YVR), three of which belong to the award-winning Maple Leaf Lounge lineup. Featuring Canadian artwork and furnishings from Canadian designers, visitors can enjoy complimentary cocktails at the bar, rest in the quiet zone, take a refreshing shower, and much more.

You can access YVR’s International Maple Leaf Lounge with an Aeroplan membership, entry fee, flight class, or premium credit card – preferably one from the list of the best airport lounge cards in Canada. Of course, you'll also need a boarding pass from Air Canada, Emirates, or a Star Alliance airline.

You can read more about this comfortable and convenient space in the guide below.

How to access the International Air Canada Lounge in Vancouver

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There are 4 Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges in Vancouver Airport – Domestic, International, Signature Suite, and US Transborder – all located after security.

• The Domestic Maple Leaf Lounge is located in Pier C in the Domestic Concourse near Gate C29 and is open everyday from 5:00 AM – 11:00 PM PT.
• The International Lounge (the subject of this article) is located near the entrance to Pier D in the International Concourse. It’s open daily from 6:15 AM – 11:15 PM PT.
• The Vancouver Air Canada Signature is located on the second floor of the International Maple Leaf Lounge above and welcomes guests from 7:30 AM – 11:15 PM PT daily.
• The elevator to the US Transborder Lounge is located in Pier E in the US Transborder Concourse near Gate E85. It’s open daily from 6:15 AM – 8:45 PM PT, except on Saturdays when it closes a half-hour later.

Once you reach the front desk, you must present a valid, same-day boarding pass for a flight departing in 3 hours or less issued by:

• Air Canada
• Air Canada Express
• Air Canada Rouge
• Air Canada (codeshare)
• Emirates
• Premium Rouge (flights within Canada or to US or Sun destinations)
• Or another Star Alliance member airline

You’ll also need one of the following:

• Entry fee: Travellers with a Premium Economy, Latitude, Comfort, or Flex Air Canada ticket can purchase guest lounge access for $49 – $79 CAD each.
• Flight class: Ticket holders in Business and First Class enjoy complimentary access to the lounge and a special ticket price of $59 CAD/USD/EUR/GBP per guest.
• Membership: Aeroplan 50K, 75K, and Super Elite status members, their partners, a guest, and up to 5 dependant children can access the lounge for free. Gold Star Alliance, Maple Leaf Club, and Gold or Platinum Emirates Skywards members (flying between Canada and Dubai) also enjoy complimentary lounge access. All members can buy additional passes for $59 CAD/USD/EUR/GBP each.
• Premium credit card: Getting into a Maple Leaf Lounge for free requires either the right premium or business Aeroplan credit card. Premium credit cardholders can bring 1 free guest per visit (until December 31, 2024) and purchase additional passes for $59 CAD/USD/EUR/GBP each.

Sorry, DragonPass and Priority Pass members – Air Canada strictly reserves Maple Leaf Lounge access for its own customers and those of its partners.

Pro Tip: The easiest way to see if you have lounge access is to check the bottom left corner of your ticket – if you see "INVITATION LOUNGE / SALON," you’re invited.

Premium credit cards with Maple Leaf Lounge access

The only credit card that can get you into a Maple Leaf Lounge for free is an Aeroplan credit card.

There are 13 Aeroplan co-branded credit cards in Canada, all issued by either American Express or Visa:

As you can see, the best credit cards with lounge access at the Vancouver Airport fall into the Amex Reserve and Visa Infinite Privilege categories. Amex cardholders can also bring 1 free guest per visit and add a supplementary card with the same benefits to their account for $199/year.

While business credit cardholders don’t have unlimited lounge access, they can earn 1 visit to a Maple Leaf Lounge per $10K of eligible spending (to a maximum of 4 passes per year) with the TD Aeroplan Visa Business Card, CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Card, or American Express Aeroplan Corporate Card.

The International Vancouver Air Canada Lounge experience

Hours: Monday – Sunday from 6:15 AM – 12:30 AM PT

Location: International Concourse, entrance to Pier D

Maximum stay: 3 hours

Payment forms accepted: American Express, Interac, Mastercard, Visa

Amenities:

• 7,000+ magazines and newspapers available via the PressReader app
• Accessible showers and washrooms
• Bar service available
• Cell-free quiet zone
• Complimentary beverages, food, and snacks
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Dedicated workspaces
• Flight monitors
• Printing, and photocopying services
• Showers
• Television

Atmosphere

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Completed in 2017, the 1,250-square-metre International Maple Leaf Lounge in Vancouver boasts a 258-guest capacity and the best of Canadian design. The solid-steel structure cost over $8 million CAD to build and features artwork by Canadian artists Danielle Roy, Kendall Kendrick, and Nicolas Ruel on the walls.

"Showcasing contemporary Canadian design, artwork, and the majestic natural beauty of British Columbia" the lounge aims to provide customers with "a calm and inspiring environment,” explained Benjamin Smith, the President of Passenger Air Travel at Air Canada.

While the walls cut down on the noise from the rest of the airport, the amount of traffic on the tarmac and in the terminal makes the International Maple Leaf Lounge more lively than peaceful. If you like to make friends and swap travel stories, pull up a red seat at the bar.

"Right after security check, welcoming atmosphere, nothing outstanding but everything is as expected." —Jimmy, 4-star Google review

Comfort

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Air Canada modernized the International Lounge in a number of ways, including smart motorized shaders that automatically adjust the amount of light pouring into the lounge throughout the day. Furnished by Canadian designers from North Vancouver to Montreal, the lounge features 7 distinct seating areas:

• Business zone: Appropriately enough, the first thing you’ll see upon entering the lounge is a workstation complete with desktop PCs, a charging station, and a colour fax-print-scan all-in-one machine. The 14-seat counter was created with wood salvaged from a maple tree in the Cowichan Alley, dried and hand-finished to bold effect.
• Samsung TV zone: Paneled in wood and sporting tan-orange couches, the TV area next to the business zone has the air of a retro living room.
• Runway seating area: The lounge’s defining feature is its long wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the runway and used to full effect by a series of 11 sitting areas. Each area features 3 – 8 armchairs, a side table equipped with USB charging ports, soft table lamps, and the occasional privacy screen.
• Cocktail bar: A dozen red chairs and a full-service bar occupy the place of pride in the centre of the lounge. Grab a seat and you can watch the bartender make everything from the signature Air Canada cocktail (with rye, Amaro Averna, maple syrup, and vanilla bitters) to a fresh cappucino.
• Dining area: Head past the kitchen and deeper into the lounge, and you’ll find dining chairs, tables, and vinyl booths bracketed by rows of magazines and flight monitors.
• Quiet zone: 6 grey reclining chairs claim the furthest corner of the lounge in a semi-private zone where guests are encouraged not to use their smartphones. 8 tan armchairs share the amazing view of the runway.
• Private lounge: Located next to the quiet zone, the private lounge is said to be invitation-only.
• Showers: If you take an immediate left on entering the lounge, you’ll find the washrooms and 2 spa-inspired showers with rain shower heads, complimentary towels, and toiletries by Molton Brown.

In the reviews we read, few guests praised the furniture, although they liked the view. Unfortunately, 7 years after its opening, the lounge’s armchairs and seats appear to be aging poorly.

"Lack of charging outlets and furniture is very dated. Finding a seat was difficult when I was there around 2:00 PM." —Wayne, 1-star Google review

Dining

The kitchen lives on the first right after the reception desk, the wooden maple leaf logo, and the stairs to the Air Canada Signature Suites upstairs.

It features hot and cold buffet options, a live cooking station, and an expansive array of Canadian and international wines. Indeed, SkyTrax awarded the International Maple Leaf Lounge in Vancouver 5 stars for its wide selection of wines and beverages.

The menu of hot foods changes daily, powered by the talented chefs David Hawksworth and Vikram Vij. You’ll see smoked salmon for breakfast followed by a chili, curry, pasta, or pizza for lunch, plus a vanilla and passionfruit-infused panna cotta for dessert.

You can also order @ la table service by scanning the QR code at your table. The app is especially useful for previewing allergen information in every dish description.

"It was fun watching Jorge the bartender at work! Great cocktail selection for an airline lounge! And having Guinness on tap is good too. Also, the chicken tacos they had for lunch were legitimately good." —David, 5-star Google review

Entertainment

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As we mentioned, there are 2 magazine racks in the dining area near the kitchen and a TV room at the front of the lounge. Guests may also use the 4.4-star PressReader app from Google Play to access over 7,000 magazines and newspapers for free.

Rules and restrictions

You’ll need to follow the usual list of DON’Ts while visiting the International Maple Leaf Lounge in Vancouver:

• DON’T bring outside food or beverages
• DON’T carry food or beverages outside
• DON’T dress inappropriately
• DON’T leave minors unattended
• DON’T smoke
• DON’T use mobile devices in the cell-free zone
• DON’T watch videos or listen to music without a pair of headphones

Service animals are welcome in the lounge but all other pets and emotional support animals must remain in an approved cabin carrier during your visit.

Is the International Air Canada Lounge in Vancouver worth it?

The International Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge at Vancouver Airport earned a 4-star rating from SkyTrax, an assessment borne out by its Google reviews.

On one hand, the lounge’s complimentary Wi-Fi and selection of wines and beverages seem reliably excellent. On the other, its seats offer little private seating and its food is unremarkable. In both design and execution, it isn’t a memorable lounge.

Unless you have a Business or First Class flight pass or you can avoid the peak late-afternoon hours, you may want to give the Plaza Premium Lounge a look instead.

"Food was mediocre. Clean lounge." —Jan , 4-star Google review

FAQ

What gets you into the Air Canada Lounge?

You can enter a Maple Leaf Lounge with an Air Canada or Star Alliance boarding pass, plus an entry fee, Business or First Class tickets; a top-tier Aeroplan, Star Alliance, or Emirates Skywards membership; or a premium Aeroplan credit card.

Is lounge access included with Air Canada Premium Economy?

Maple Leaf Lounge access isn’t included with a Premium Economy fare on an Air Canada flight but you can purchase it for $49 per person at the time of booking.

Are food and drinks free in the Air Canada Lounge?

Hot and cold food, drinks, and snacks are complimentary in the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge. You can also order free hot snacks using the QR codes at each table and the Air Canada @ la table menu and service.

How much does Maple Leaf Lounge access cost?

If you’re the travelling companion of an eligible visitor, Maple Leaf Lounge access costs $59 CAD/USD/EUR/GBP per guest. If you have an Air Canada boarding pass for a flight class other than Business or First, you can purchase lounge access for $49 CAD for Premium Economy or Latitude; $59 for Comfort, or $79 (for Flex).

How do I know if I have Maple Leaf Lounge access?

If you’re eligible for Maple Leaf Lounge access, you should see an invitation printed in the bottom-right corner of your Air Canada or Star Alliance airline boarding pass.