Our Guide To The Transborder Air Canada Lounge In Vancouver

Of the four Air Canada lounges in Vancouver International Airport (YVR), three belong to the award-winning Maple Leaf Lounge lineup. Air Canada and Star Alliance passengers can enter the Transborder Maple Leaf Lounge with a boarding pass and an Aeroplan membership, entry fee, premium flight class, or premium credit card.

From the types of amenities available to which of the best airport lounge credit cards gives you the best level of access, the guide below explains all you need to know about this Air Canada lounge.

How to access the Transborder Air Canada Lounge in Vancouver

There are 4 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 from 5:00 AM – 11:00 PM PT every day.
• The International Lounge 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 Lounge is located on the second floor of the International Maple Leaf Lounge above and keeps regular daily hours from 7:30 AM – 11:15 PM PT.
• The elevator to the US Transborder Lounge (the subject of this article) 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 dependent 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 Transborder Vancouver Air Canada Lounge experience

Hours: Monday – Sunday from 6:15 AM – 8:45 PM PT

Location: US Transborder Concourse, Pier E, near Gate E85

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

^{Image source: Air Canada Media Room}

To be frank, the Transborder Maple Leaf Lounge in YVR has a small identity crisis. It resembles a no-frills version of the International Air Canada Lounge at the same airport, itself a copy of the impeccably designed Montreal Maple Leaf Lounge.

While the lounge’s interior may not be a huge draw, its expansive runway views make it a plane watcher’s dream. Visitors enjoy plenty of natural light exterior windows as well as the inside of the terminal.

"Nice and pleasant lounge located at the US departure side of International Airport, just very basic and requires upgrade." —Rafael, 3-star Google review

Comfort

^{Image source: Air Canada Media Room}

The Transborder Air Canada Lounge in Vancouver sports the usual seat selection, some used for dining, some for lounging, some for relaxing, and some for working:

• Tarmac view seating: Once you pass the reception desk, the first thing you’ll see is a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows lining the long side of the lounge. There are about 15 seating areas with side tables, USB chargers, and chairs arranged face-to-face or at counters overlooking the tarmac.
• Dining area: Turn right after the front desk and turn the corner to find the buffet and dining area. Metal cafeteria-style dining chairs and tables look out on the rest of the lounge and the terminal through the glass walls.
• Meeting room: Just off the dining area is a large wood-panelled pillar concealing a small meeting room with a table and four chairs.
• Work cubicles: Beyond the meeting room, in the quietest corner of the lounge, are 8 private work cubicles. A few have desktop PCs with access to a colour printer; all have office chairs and work lamps to help guests catch up on last-minute tasks.
• TV Area: The wall near the meeting room (on the side of the lounge facing the terminal) offers a flatscreen TV with a live satellite broadcast and 4 leather recliners.
• Shower: Take a left after the front desk to find the washrooms and a shower stall with complimentary towels and toiletries.

Rather than forgoing any amenities, the Transborder Air Canada Lounge has opted to shrink them. There’s plenty of seating but few privacy screens or space-hogging loungers. There’s a shower, but the men’s washrooms have just one stall.

Unfortunately, some visitors report broken USB chargers and furniture falling into disrepair. We suggest timing your visit for a quiet morning so you can have your pick of what’s there.

"Not as large, elegant, or with as many amenities compared to a lot of other lounges – including other Maple Leafs – but food is good, wine selection is decent, and service is friendly. It's clean, open and comfortable. It has a shower which seems rare in smaller sites like this, and it also has a small conference room and about 4 cubicles/workstations. Very efficient!" —Michael McComb, 4-star Google review

Dining

^{Image source: SkyTrax}

The Transborder Lounge’s lack of space or a full kitchen is further reflected in its food service. Breakfast (which is served until 10:00 AM) consists mostly of pastries, fruit, and cold, prepared eggs.

At 10:00 AM (and until closing), the buffet island swaps out pastries for cold foods like breads, dips, salads, sandwiches, and wraps. A station at the end warms the only hot options (either chili or soup) while diners help themselves to coffee, tea, and the Lavazza espresso machine. Alcohol is also self-serve, meaning no cocktails.

Air Canada’s @ la table service provides hot snacks from 10:00 AM until closing time. Just grab a table, snap a QR code, and order from the menu – you can see allergens in the dish description and whatever you order will be brought to your table.

SkyTrax awarded the Transborder Lounge an average of 4 stars throughout the food category except when it came to the selection of hot dishes. The peanut gallery on Google disagrees, though, calling it mediocre at best.

"Terrible selection of breakfast items this morning. It's basically continental. Where are the bacon and cooked eggs? It's 6:30 AM and nobody made breakfast at home. For the price of Business Class, I think you can fire up some eggs and bacon. You really shouldn't need to be told this – it should be obvious. We shouldn't need to leave the lounge to access a hot breakfast." —Kurt & Mau, 2-star Google review

Entertainment

Besides the TV area, the lounge offers a magazine rack and free access to over 7,000 magazines and newspapers through the 4.4-star PressReader app from Google Play. Wi-Fi throughout the lounge is fast and free.

Rules and restrictions

The Transborder Air Canada Lounge in Vancouver asks visitors to follow the usual list of DON’Ts during their stay:

• 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 while inside the lounge.

Is the Transborder Air Canada Lounge in Vancouver worth it?

SkyTrax gave the Transborder Maple Leaf Lounge in Vancouver 3 stars out of 5… with most of the praise going to the ease of log-in, reliability, and speed of the lounge’s Wi-Fi network.

With most of its amenities compromised by a lack of space and in need of updates, we recommend skipping the Transborder lounge unless it’s included in the cost of your ticket. Try visiting either the Plaza Premium Lounge in the same terminal or the Maple Leaf Lounge in the International Concourse.

"Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounge at Vancouver International offers a distinctly mixed experience. The staff here are the highlight – genuinely caring and always wearing a warm smile, creating a welcoming atmosphere the moment you step in. The facilities themselves are commendable, with a clean, modern design that offers comfort and convenience. However, the lounge's culinary offerings are a letdown." —Gurtej, 3-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.