Our Guide To The Plaza Premium Lounge In Toronto (Terminal 1, International)

There are six Plaza Premium Lounges at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), including the newly renovated International Lounge in Terminal 1. However, while this space is shiny and new, with plenty of amenities, it's rather small and becomes crowded quite quickly.

To access this lounge, you’ll need a valid same-day boarding pass from any airline and a paid entry fee, membership, or premium credit card. To really maximize the experience, you'll want to use one of the best airport lounge credit cards.

Below, we review the various ways to access this airport lounge, describe the visiting experience, and advise whether it's worth your time and money.

How to access the International Plaza Premium Lounge in Toronto Terminal 1

There are 6 Plaza Premium Lounges in Toronto Pearson Airport, one for each Domestic, International, and US Transborder zone in Terminals 1 and 3. If your flight departs from Terminal 1, you have a choice of 3 lounges after passing security:

• The Domestic Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 1 is located on Level 3 and is open Monday – Sunday from 5:30 AM – 10:00 PM ET.
• The US Transborder Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 1 is located on Level 2 near Gate F53 and F55 and is open every day from 5:30 AM – 9:00 PM ET.
• The International Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 1 (the subject of this article) is accessible by the elevator on Level 2 near Gate E77 (look for the circular logo next to "3"). It’s open every day from 5:30 AM – 11:59 PM ET.

Once you reach the front desk, you’ll need to present a valid, same-day boarding pass issued by any airline and one of the following:

Entry fee

Plaza Premium Lounge fees vary depending on the location, the length of your stay, and your age. To access the International Lounge in Terminal 1, you’ll need to pay:

You can save money by taking advantage of deals like:

• 20% off with a Smart Traveller digital membership
• Up to 33% off with a Plaza Premium Lounge Pass Americas, which grants 2 3-hour visits at any lounge in North or South America for $80 USD
• Up to 50% off with a PPL Pass Canada, which grants 5 – 10 3-hour visits to any lounge in Canada for $157 – $300 USD

You can reserve your seat in a lounge up to a year in advance by using the online booking, or book entry for a group of 10 or more at least 1 week in advance. Make sure to bring a printed copy of your booking confirmation email to the lounge to smooth your entry.

Note: PPL Passes are shareable, transferable, and valid for up to 12 months after purchase.

Membership

DragonPass members can access every Plaza Premium Lounge in Canada for free with unlimited or complimentary lounge visits. If you’re out of free passes, you’ll need to pay $31 – $35 USD for each 2-hour visit, which saves 37% off the admission price.

Priority Pass members can also access every Plaza Premium Lounge in Canada by using the unlimited or limited complimentary lounge access included in their membership. À la carte or guest lounge access costs $35 USD per 2-hour visit, saving you 28% on regular admission.

Credit cards with Plaza Premium Lounge access

Whether you prefer American Express, Mastercard, or Visa, you have several options for getting access to airport lounges with your credit card.

The cheapest method is to flash a card with the Amex Global Lounge Collection, the Mastercard Travel Pass, or the Visa Airport Companion Program. Depending on how many complimentary visits remain on your card, you could get in for free.

Here are the premium credit cards in Canada you can use to get into the Domestic Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 1 for free:

Credit card	Annual fee	Welcome bonus	Free Plaza Premium Lounge visits
American Express Platinum Card	$799	Up to 100,000 bonus points (terms)	Unlimited ($35 per additional guest)
Scotiabank American Express Platinum Card	$399	Up to 60,000 80,000 bonus points (terms)	10 ($35 USD per additional pass)
BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard	$150	$125 GeniusCash + Up to 90,000 100,000 bonus points, first year free (terms)	4 + 4 ($35 USD per additional pass)
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege	$399	Up to 70,000 bonus points (terms)	6 ($32 USD per additional pass)
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Credit Card	$599	Up to 85,000 bonus points (terms)	6 ($32 USD per additional pass)
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card	$150	$100 GeniusCash + 35,000 bonus points (terms)	6 ($32 USD per additional pass)
American Express Gold Rewards Card	$250	Up to 60,000 bonus points (terms)	4 (Canadian lounges only, $35 USD per additional pass)
CIBC Aventura Gold Visa Card	$139	Up to 45,000 bonus points, first year annual fee rebate (terms)	4 ($32 USD per additional pass)
CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card	$139	Up to 45,000 bonus points, first year annual fee waived† (terms)	4 ($32 USD per additional pass)
Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege	$395		6 ($32 USD per additional pass)

The best credit cards with lounge access tend to be expensive. For example, a Visa Infinite Privilege or World Elite Mastercard credit card provides more free lounge passes per year than one from the Visa Infinite or World Mastercard lineup.

But even if you don’t get a free visit, cards like the Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard, MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard, and the Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard have their place. All 3 include a free DragonPass membership, which you can use to enter the lounge for $32 USD – $35 USD per guest.

If you need a business credit card, check out The Business Platinum Card from American Express for unlimited access, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business Card for 6 annual free visits, or the BMO Ascend World Elite Business Mastercard for 2 annual free visits.

The International Terminal 1 Plaza Premium Lounge experience in Toronto

Hours: Monday – Sunday from 5:30 AM – 11:59 PM ET

Location: Elevator access via Terminal 1, International Departures, Level 2, near Gate E77

Maximum stay: 6 hours

Payment forms accepted: Alipay, American Express, Mastercard, PayPal, WeChat Pay, Visa

Amenities:

• Accessible facilities and washrooms
• Baby-changing stations
• Complimentary food and drink
• Flight monitors
• Premium bar service*
• Showers*
• Televisions with satellite broadcasts
• Vegetarian and gluten-free dining options available upon request
• Wi-Fi and charging stations

* Available at additional cost.

Atmosphere

Image credit: Plaza Premium Lounge

The newly-renovated International Lounge blends soft blue grays and whites with bright, brassy gold accents for a clean, airy feeling. Globe light fixtures cast a friendly, soothing glow.

But at only 2,600 square feet, no amount of fancy design can make the lounge feel bigger. During peak hours (and especially on Wednesdays just before lunch), guests suffer from long wait times, cramped conditions, and a noisy atmosphere.

"This lounge is bizarre – it's like they took a section of a very large hallway and raised it a bit, then put some temporary, semi-see-through walls around it, threw down some chairs and called it a lounge. For some reason, the airport is parking those carts right outside of it, so every time a staff member goes to drive or park one, all you can hear is loud beeping." —Alexa, 1-star Trip Advisor review

Comfort

Image credit: Plaza Premium Lounge

There are 2 seating areas located just past the reception desk:

• Dining room: Turn right and you’ll find about 40 seats spread around dining chairs, tables, and vinyl banquets, with a pair of flatscreen TVs on the wall.
• Main seating area: Turn left and you’ll enter a seating area lined with carpet and frosted glass. About 50 faux suede sofa chairs with soft lamps, in-seat power outlets, and USB chargers face 3 flatscreen TVs, one at the entrance and 2 at the far end.
• The shower room: For $22 CAD, you can wash away your pre-flight worries for up to 30 minutes. Toiletries and towels are free, and so is the shower if you’re an Amex Platinum cardholder.

The washrooms are located just off the dining room, but they’re small and – with only 2 stalls each – usually occupied. There’s an accessible washroom, but the narrow hallway makes it a nightmare for someone in a mobility scooter or wheelchair to navigate.

"The service was alright, nothing special. The staff were nice enough, but nothing stood out. Now, the seats were another story. They were uncomfortable, with hard surfaces and not much cushioning. It felt like there were springs poking through, making it hard to relax." —Hamza, 3-star Google review

Dining

Image credit: Plaza Premium Lounge

The panelled wall in the dining area houses the self-serve food and beverage area, plus the bar. You can get a house beer, wine, or spirits for free, but your choices are limited to Coors Light, Molson Canadian, red, white, and a handful of liquors. Any top-shelf spirits or cocktails cost extra.

The buffet options include both hot and cold selections. There are eggs and potatoes for breakfast and chicken, fish, meatballs, and starches like pasta or rice for lunch and dinner. Diner beware: there are few gluten-free or veggie options available and you won’t be able to count on the kitchen for a custom dish during the breakfast, lunch, or dinner rush.

The food is average at best and many diners complain about dirty dishes lying about. Considering the size of the dining room, we assume the staff get swamped and have difficulty navigating the tables during peak hours.

"Minimally acceptable overall experience. There are certainly better lounges. Upon entry, you will notice the space is quite small, so it is difficult to get around to the food and the seating areas during rounds of increased traffic from time to time. The cups, cutlery, and napkins are not refilled frequently enough according to the traffic volume. Food is nothing special. You can see from the photos and other reviews what is available. I wouldn't come back next time, unfortunately." —Daniel, 2-star Google review

Entertainment

There are 5 televisions in the International Lounge (2 in the dining area and 3 in the main sitting area) plus a rack of magazines opposite the buffet. You won’t have trouble accessing Wi-Fi throughout the lounge, but there’s no dedicated play area for kids and little space for them to roam.

Rules and restrictions

There’s a short list of DON’Ts to remember while visiting the Terminal 1 International Plaza Premium Lounge in Toronto:

• 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 watch videos or listen to music without a pair of headphones

The admission of pets and service animals is subject to the lounge’s discretion; make sure to call ahead if you’re travelling with a furry friend.

Is the International Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 1 in Toronto worth it?

Although the International Lounge earned a 3-star rating on SKYTRAX, we can’t recommend a visit except during the quietest hours of the day. Whatever you do, don’t waste your time in a long queue – there are better places in Toronto-Pearson to eat, drink, and relax.

"The Plaza Premium lounge for international flights in Terminal 1 is a small facility and subject to crowding at peak times. There can be queues and entry restrictions. Seating is quite dense and lacking privacy but otherwise comfortable. There is a buffet and bar service which is of fair quality, but below the standards observed at better Plaza facilities in Europe and Asia. Staff are basically efficient, but there is little service quality on show here." —SKYTRAX

FAQ

How do I get into the Plaza Premium Lounge in Toronto?

To enter the Plaza Premium Lounge in Toronto Pearson, you’ll need to present a boarding pass and pay an entry fee ($66.68 – $108.48 CAD per adult and $46.68 – $75.96 CAD per child), flash your DragonPass or Priority Pass membership, and/or present a premium credit card with free passes.

What’s included in the Plaza Premium Lounge?

Plaza Premium Lounges include unlimited hot and cold food, drinks, and snacks; self-serve coffee, soft drinks, and tea; plus a selection of house beer, spirits, and wine.

How many Plaza Premium Lounges are in Toronto airport?

There are 6 Plaza Premium Lounges in Toronto airport, one in each of the Domestic, US Transborder, and US Transborder departure zones in Terminals 1 and 3.

Is the Plaza Premium Lounge free for Amex cardholders?

American Express Platinum and Business Platinum credit cardholders enjoy free, unlimited access to Plaza Premium Lounges, while Scotiabank Amex cardholders get 10 free visits per year.

What’s the best lounge at Toronto Pearson?

The best lounge in YYZ is the über-exclusive Air Canada Signature Suite, where premium flyers enjoy fine dining, svelte interior décor, and a rarefied atmosphere.