For the final lounge go to throughout my whirlwind Aeroplan journey, I visited the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge within the transborder space of Toronto Airport Terminal 1. I had simply arrived from Frankfurt in Air Canada’s Boeing 777 enterprise class, and after a six hour layover was connecting to Miami in Air Canada’s Boeing 787 enterprise class.
I discovered the Maple Leaf Lounge to have a fantastic choice of meals and drinks and plenty of pure mild, although the lounge can also be in want of a renovation.
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Toronto location
Toronto Airport has a US Pre-Clearance facility, which means that you simply clear immigration previous to boarding your US-bound flight. Luckily the entire transit course of was fairly simple. Upon getting off my flight from Frankfurt, I adopted the signage towards US departures. I then needed to undergo safety and immigration (I may use International Entry), after which I discovered myself within the transborder part of Terminal 1. I used to be within the transborder portion of the terminal inside 20 minutes of arriving from Frankfurt.
As soon as within the terminal, I discovered it simple to search out the Maple Leaf Lounge, because the signage was clear. The lounge is positioned on degree three (above the primary concourse degree), and you may entry these elevators from two totally different ranges, relying on the place you’re coming from.
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Toronto hours
The hours for the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Toronto differ relying on flight schedules. You possibly can count on that the lounge can be open previous to any US-bound Air Canada departure, from morning to nighttime.
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Toronto entry necessities
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges are fairly typical Star Alliances lounges in terms of entry necessities:
- Star Alliance Gold members flying identical day on a Star Alliance airline have entry to the Maple Leaf Lounge, and might carry one visitor
- Air Canada enterprise class passengers flying identical day have entry to the Maple Leaf Lounge, and might’t carry any visitors
- These with an Air Canada Maple Leaf Membership membership, in addition to United Membership members, have entry to the Maple Leaf Lounge
There are another area of interest methods to get into Maple Leaf Lounges, so you possibly can discover Air Canada’s full lounge entry web page right here.
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Toronto seating & format
The Maple Leaf Lounge within the transborder terminal is kind of giant, although additionally feels decidedly previous its prime. Whenever you enter the lounge, you possibly can both flip left or proper, and each side are roughly the identical measurement.
Whenever you enter and stroll to the left, you’ll discover rows of seats going through each other.
On the far finish of the left facet of the lounge is the enterprise heart, with a bunch of cubicles and a printer.
There’s additionally a TV room on this facet, with high-top seating and a few reclining seats.
There’s additionally a restricted quantity of seating alongside the partitions on this part.
Whenever you enter the lounge and switch proper, you’ll discover seating that’s similar to what’s obtainable on the opposite facet.
Deep into this a part of the lounge there’s an space that’s a lot narrower, which has some extra seats. This place usually appears to remain largely quiet, as many individuals don’t enterprise this deep into the lounge. That’s the place I ended up sitting.
I admire that there are big home windows all through the lounge, which let in plenty of pure mild. In January that’s not essentially all that inspiring, however I’m certain the climate is way cheerier in summer time. The lounge additionally has views of the apron, although they’re a bit obstructed by the roof.
The lounge may undoubtedly use a refresh, and it’s my understanding that this ought to be taking place within the not too distant future. Not solely was the decor a bit drab, however the lounge additionally lacks shops, as most seats don’t have any.
It’s fascinating to me that the lounge stayed roughly equally full all through my keep. Normally airways have banked departures and also you’ll discover that lounge crowding varies over a number of hours. Nonetheless, the Maple Leaf Lounge stayed persistently busy. It wasn’t uncomfortably crowded, however it was additionally removed from empty.
Once I didn’t need anything to eat or drink, I ultimately ventured into the terminal and sat there. In spite of everything, there was much more private house in among the gate areas in comparison with the lounge.
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Toronto meals & drinks
In comparison with what you’ll in any other case discover at most lounges in North America, the Maple Leaf Lounge had a powerful choice of meals and drinks. In fact this pales compared to what’s obtainable within the Air Canada Signature Suite, although that’s within the non-transborder worldwide terminal.
The meals choice included finger sandwiches, a number of sorts of salads, veggies, dips, soup, sliders, rice, and two fundamental scorching dishes (chilli hen and Thai curry pasta).
Then there have been cookies, brownies, and apples for dessert.
There have been additionally two separate drink stations, with self serve beer, wine, liquor, gentle drinks water, espresso, and tea.
Very similar to with the meals, I assumed the drink choice was fairly good, higher than you’d discover at most lounges in the USA.
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Toronto bogs
The Maple Leaf Lounge has one space with bogs. This space felt oddly up to date in comparison with the remainder of the lounge, and had Molton Brown facilities.
Sadly the transborder lounge doesn’t have any bathe suites.
Backside line
The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge within the transborder space of Toronto Airport has plenty of pure mild, and a big choice of meals and drinks. Nonetheless, the decor and lack of available shops leaves a bit to be desired. Hopefully this lounge ultimately will get a refresh. Within the meantime, it’s a superbly nice place to kill a while earlier than a US-bound flight, particularly in case you’re hungry and/or thirsty.
What’s your tackle the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Toronto?
