Lounge Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge - Regina International Airport

Today we are pleased to present the latest Rewards Canada Business Class Lounge Review! This review is provided by Dee who has contributed to Rewards Canada in past with the articles  A look at the great value provided with the Annual Worldwide Companion Pass from Aeroplan's Ultra Premium Credit Cards and Earning Stories: An elite status boost and nearly 20,000 bonus points thanks to Aeroplan's credit card promos and more. This is his second lounge review for Rewards Canada and he has more travel reviews coming our way in the very future. 

I got the chance to visit one of the smallest Air Canada lounges in Canada, located in the Regina airport. Being one of the smallest lounges, there isn't too much you can write about it so please consider this more of photo review of the lounge!

Big news! Visa Canada switching lounge access from Priority Pass to DragonPass (which means access to Plaza Premium lounges!)

 

Two weeks ago Rewards Canada broke the news of Mastercard Canada switching their business class lounge access membership program from LoungeKey to DragonPass and now we have learned Visa Canada will be doing the same! This appears to be the case for various Visa cards in Canada that provide lounge access, which are some Gold and Visa Infinite Cards and all Visa Infinite Privilege Cards. As of July 1, 2022 Visa Canada's new airport lounge program will be called  Visa Airport Companion (powered by DragonPass).

Flight Review: Air Canada Business Class Vancouver - Toronto (YVR-YYZ)

 
Today we are pleased to present the latest Rewards Canada Flight Review! This review is provided by Dee who has contributed to Rewards Canada in past with the articles  A look at the great value provided with the Annual Worldwide Companion Pass from Aeroplan's Ultra Premium Credit Cards and Earning Stories: An elite status boost and nearly 20,000 bonus points thanks to Aeroplan's credit card promos and more. 

I recently had the pleasure of flying from Vancouver to Toronto with Air Canada as my work had me heading out for the first time in two years. For this flight I used four of my eUpgrade credits to upgrade from Premium Economy to Business Class. The eUpgrades I have are part of the yearly benefits for being an Air Canada Aeroplan elite member.

Top 5 Small Business Credit Card Sign Up offers for March - These cards provide the best value out of their welcome bonuses

 

Here are the Rewards Canada Top 5 Small Business Credit Card Sign Up offers for this month! This is not a 'best' credit card list like our Top Travel Rewards Credit Card rankings but instead a look at cards for small businesses that have very good acquisition (welcome/sign up) offers. As always when choosing a card you should always take other factors into account other than the just sign up bonus, but when some of these cards are first year free, they can and do pay off even when you grab them strictly for the sign up rewards. This month we see three first year free cards on the list! And remember this list is based on minimum value towards travel which we calculate as the minimum value of the welcome bonus less the annual fee. It is entirely possible to receive more value out of the welcome bonuses on all of these cards since they earn Aeroplan points or Marriott Bonvoy points - both of which can provide some huge outsized value rewards!

Lounge Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge - Vancouver International Airport Domestic Terminal

Today we are pleased to present the latest Rewards Canada Business Class Lounge Review! This review is provided by Dee who has contributed to Rewards Canada in past with the articles  A look at the great value provided with the Annual Worldwide Companion Pass from Aeroplan's Ultra Premium Credit Cards and Earning Stories: An elite status boost and nearly 20,000 bonus points thanks to Aeroplan's credit card promos and more. This is his first lounge review for Rewards Canada and he has more travel reviews coming our way in the very future. 

Recently, I had a flight to Toronto and decided to check-out the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in the Domestic Terminal at Vancouver International Airport. The lounge is located by gates C29 and C30, just a short distance after security in section C. Currently, there is a a Lululemon pop-up shop by the lounge and you might miss it if you don’t keep you eye out for it. It is located to your right as you head down and the entrance is between the rock walls with a glass door.  

American Express Centurion Lounge opens at London Heathrow

 

Canadian Platinum Card from American Express and American Express Centurion Cardmembers have a new lounge to access at London's Heathrow airport!  The card issuer has opened their first Centurion Lounge in Europe and marks their third overall lounge opening this year.  Now with over 20 lounges worldwide the Centurion Lounge brand is definitely making a name for itself in the market.

New increased welcome bonus of 50,000 points + first year free on the BMO Rewards® Business Mastercard®

BMO's mainstay premium small business card, the BMO Rewards® Business Mastercard® sees the return of it's 50,000 point welcome bonus which ran for the latter half of 2020 all the way into February of this year. The 50,000 bonus points are awarded when you spend $5,000 or more on the card in the first three months of having it. On top of that the annual fee of $120 is waived for the first year of having the card. That means you basically get those 50,000 points at no cost outside of the spending that you actually put on the card.

Join Air Canada for Business by June 30 and unlock some benefits immediately without having to spend $10,000

 

Air Canada has revealed a new offer, well I believe it to be an extension of an offer from 2020 for their Air Canada for Business program. The offer allows any small business that joins the program to receive some of the benefits right from enrollment rather than having to reach the $10,000 annual minimum spend normally required to get them!

Earn an additional 5 points per dollar on Marriott purchases with the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card

American Express Canada and Marriott have teamed up to provide a limited time points earning boost for holders of the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card. From now until January 3, 2021 cardmembers can earn an additional 5 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent with Marriott. This means you would earn 10 points per dollar spent as the card's base earn rate on Marriott purchases is 5 points per dollar. That's a huge boost and the crazy part of the promotion is that non-Marriott stay purchases such as buying Marriott gift cards or merchandise purchases from Marriott count as well. So even if you aren't planning any Marriott stays in the next two months you could always order gift cards from them for those future travels of yours. The promotion is open to all Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Cardmembers including those who apply for and receive the card during the promotional period.

September 30 Update: A new page on Rewards Canada for corporate bookers, event & wedding planners, Mandarin Oriental and Oberoi hotels form loyalty alliance and your weekly beauty bonuses

 

Attention corporate bookers, event and wedding planners! We have launched a new bonus offer page on the main Rewards Canada site that compiles bonus points offers for people holding events, group functions and meetings. Now that some regions are opening up more for larger gatherings including conferences, company meetings, weddings and more we are seeing hotel chains incentivize this functions once again. These events all tend to be quite lucrative for those who book them (if your company allows you to book under your name and/or your loyalty account) and even more so when these bonuses are available. As of today we have half a dozen offers on the page and expect that to grow even more over the coming months. You can check out our Meeting & Conference Bonus Points Offers page here.

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Mandarin Oriental Hotels and Oberoi Hotels have launched a new loyalty alliance called The O&MO Alliance. The two hotel chains have teamed up to provide reciprocal benefits to members of each other's loyalty programs. Their programs are not point based but rather you join to avail of exclusive benefits for stays at their hotels.Find out more here.

Here are the benefits of Mandarin Oriental's Fans of M.O. program:

 

And the benefits for Oberoi's One program:

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Here are your weekly beauty bonuses from Rexall and Shoppers:

Rexall is offering 40x Be Well Points when you spend $50 or more on Thursday October 1. Learn more here.

Shoppers on the other hand is offering 20x points when you spend $75 or more online until October 2. Learn more about this offer here.

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Airline Schedule Updates
A summary Canadian operations based on data from RoutesOnline and other sources. Remember that many of these route plans are subject to change and right now they are changing frequently!

Egyptair is planning on operationg two flights per week between Toronto and Cairo for the month of October. (Source RoutesOnline)

Turkish Airlines will be operating five flights per week between Toronto and Istanbul for the month of October. (Source RoutesOnline)

Remember to visit and bookmark our COVID-19 resource page where we are keeping you up to date with all the latest airline, hotel, lounges and loyalty program news, policies, closures and more.

Posts since our last update:

• 10 great Marriott Hotels in Canada to use your anniversary free night award from the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card
  The Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card comes with a great sign up bonus of 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points along…
• September 29 Update: More Amex Cobalt Multipliers for Vancouver Island, Coast Hotels transfer bonus to Aeroplan ends tomorrow, earn bonus points at Canada's two newest Hyatt Hotels
    Thanks to long time reader and fan of Rewards Canada - BenSenise we have more American Express Cobalt…

Deals:

Qatar Airways Autumn Seat Sale - Fly from Montreal or Toronto to the Middle East, Asia and Africa for as little as C$785. Book by Oct 1. Find out more here.

Fairmont Le Château Montebello 90th Anniversary Package - Stay for as a little as C$90 per night per person. Find out more here.

Earn $300 cash when you open a new Scotiabank Ultimate Package! Plus earn Scotia Rewards or SCENE Rewards points. Find out more here.

If you aren't using the Ampli Cash Back app yet you can get $5 when you download the app and join today with promo code AMPLI5 Find out more here

SkipTheDishes - Sign up with this link to get $5 off your first order over $15. Find out more here

WealthSimple Trade:  Receive $5 when you deposit and trade at least $100 worth of stock with WealthSimple Trade. Find out more here (We will also receive $5 when you receive $5)

Rewards Canada receives a small commission when you use any of the above offers. You don't have to chose to use our links but we thank you in advance if you do.

Canadian Bonus Offers

N/A

Other Bonus Offers

Iberia Plus
- Triple Avios when you stay at any NH Hotels, NH Collection and nhow hotels. More... Until Oct 31, 20

Marriott Bonvoy
- 5,000 Bonus Bonvoy Points + Triple Bonvoy Points for eligible meetings, events and groups held by 31st December 2021 at hotels & resorts participating in Marriott Bonvoy™ across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia & Samoa. More... Book by Dec 30, 20 for events until Dec 31, 21

Miles & More
- Earn up to Quadruple Miles & More Miles when you fly on Lufthansa group flights after buying a Multiply Miles package. More... Ongoing offer

Radisson Rewards
- Double Radisson Rewards points for meetings and events held at Radisson Hotel Group properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. More... Until Dec 31, 20


Follow Rewards Canada:

New increased welcome bonus of 50,000 points for the Business Platinum Card® from American Express

 

It appears that American Express Canada is raring to get back in the game for acquiring new customers for their card products. After nearly half a year of moving marketing dollars away from customer acquisition to existing customer engagement due to the pandemic we have now seen two increased welcome bonus offers be released this month from Amex. At the start of the month it was the new 10% cash back welcome offer for the SimplyCash Preferred American Express card and today we see an increase to the welcome bonus for the Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express gets a 15,000 point bonus for its welcome offer from the previous 35,000 points to 50,000 points. This bonus is awarded when you charge $7,000 in purchases to your Card in your first three months of Cardmembership.

The card earns a nice flat 1.25 Membership Rewards points per dollar spend on all eligible purchases and comes with many of the same benefits found on the personal Platinum Card such as the airline lounge program (Priority Pass, Centurion Lounges etc.), Fine Hotels & Resorts, special privileges at Toronto Pearson Airport and more. The main differences between the two cards are the earn rates and the personal card also gets the various hotel and car rental elite status offers.

Recommended Reading: Rewards Canada's Guide to Business Class Lounge Access

On the reward side as this card earns points into Membership Rewards it enjoys all the same redemption options you would find on the personal Platinum and Gold Rewards cards. From Amex's Fixed Points Travel program to Use Points for Purchases to converting points to Aeroplan, British Airways, Marriott and several other loyalty programs you'll find them all on the Business Platinum Card. 

Recommended Reading: Membership Rewards Use Points for Purchases explained / A closer look at the Membership Rewards Fixed Points Travel program

Learn more about the Business Platinum Card from American Express here.

Referral Offer:
Just like in pre-pandemic times we see the referral bonus for the Business Platinum Card from American Express boosted to an amazing 75,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $7,000 on the card within three months of being approved for the card. If you have friends or family with the card or the  they can refer you to it and they'll earn 20,000 points for that referral while you get to earn the 75,000 points.

A reminder that you can match your Air Canada Altitude Status to Delta SkyMiles Medallion Status

 

This post is a reminder to our readers that Delta's SkyMiles Status Match Challenge has been open to Air Canada Altitude members and some other international airlines for nearly a year now. Prior to that it was only available to a handful of U.S. airlines. The challenge will grant you status with Delta for three months that is comparable to the status you have with another airline, in this case we're mainly concerned with Air Canada and here is how they match up:

To learn more about each of Delta's elite tiers I recommend checking out this page on Delta's website.

If you want to extend your status past three months you'll need to meet the following requirements (Note The qualifying dollar component is not required for Canadians)

You do have be aware however that your Air Canada Altitude status had to be earned by flying - so if you are thinking hey I just got my 25K status a few months ago thanks to the Travel at Home promotion and now I can get Delta status think again as they won't match status earned from promotions like that. 

Delta is part of the SkyTeam alliance which means you'll get some perks flying on any those airlines. Outside of Star Alliance, SkyTeam is the next biggest alliance serving Canada with multiple airline partners like Air France, KLM, Korean Air, AeroMexico and others all flying here. This means there are many more potential opportunities to enhance your travels from this status match especially if you happen to get Delta Medallion Gold or higher status as you'll be a SkyTeam Elite Plus member which provides lounge access and more.

Recommended reading: SkyTeam Lounge opens in Vancouver - their first lounge in the Americas and Priority Pass members are welcome!

I wouldn't recommend signing up for the challenge right now unless you know you will be flying Delta over the next three months so that you can enjoy the elite benefits. Plus you'll want to time it right so that you can reach the requirements to have that status extended to full blown status that will run until January 31, 2022. On the other hand if you are only planning on flying Delta as a one off and will never fly them again it wouldn't hurt to sign up for the challenge so you get those perks for that one flight! 😜

Basically I just wanted to let you know about this offer again at this time so it doesn't go forgotten by our Air Canada Altitude readers and that you have in the back of your mind for the future if and when the opportunity may arise that you can get the most value out of this challenge.

Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Medallion Status Match Challenge here.

Air Canada to begin re-opening Maple Leaf Lounges with new biosafety measures

Hot off the wire is this latest news from Air Canada that they will begin to re-open some of their Maple Leaf lounges this week. The first to open will be the Maple Leaf Lounge at Toronto Pearson D Gates on July 24:

"We are pleased to welcome eligible customers again to one of our Maple Leaf Lounges at our primary Toronto Pearson hub. The Maple Leaf Lounge experience has been completely re-thought with a range of industry-leading biosafety measures in place for the safety of customers and employees alike. We are introducing electrostatic spraying in our Lounges as part of our significantly enhanced cleaning procedures for additional peace of mind, and launching new touchless processes, such as the ability to order pre-packaged food directly to your seat from your smartphone. When the Air Canada Café reopens later this year, customers will also benefit from touchless self-entry, a process which we are looking to implement at other lounges. We will progressively re-open other Maple Leaf Lounges throughout our network starting with Montreal Trudeau Airport and Vancouver International Airport by early fall in time for the expected resumption of more business travel," said Andrew Yiu, Vice President, Product, at Air Canada"

Air Canada CleanCare+: Maple Leaf Lounges Re-Open With New Biosecurity Measures from Air Canada on Vimeo.

Based on the video the Maple Leaf Lounge experience will be very different than what we were all accustomed to prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gone are the buffets and self service bar. Gone are the magazines and newspapers. Now food service will be provided as pre-packaged options that you'll order via the Air Canada app and have it brought to your seat. The same goes for the beverage service as it will be assisted now and no longer self service.

This is how Air Canada describes the Food and beverage service:

In the lounge, meals can be ordered and delivered straight to your table through the new Maple Leaf Lounge @ la table service simply by scanning an NFC or QR code found at the table.

In addition, customers can select from two cold meal options, pre-packaged and sealed in our convenient meal snack bag. During select times, hot options and a kid’s menu are also available. A shrimp roll offering will also be available in the evenings from our culinary partner, chef Antonio Park.

Meal options are adjusted based on time of day, and an antiseptic wipe and a disposable cutlerly roll will be provided with each meal.

There will also be assisted bar service with our full bar offering.

 Air Canada will provide digital options for magazines and other reading materials. Essentially most high traffic touch points have been eliminated. They will be cleaning all seats and tables after each use and will have dedicated washroom attendants who will be making sure washrooms are properly sanitized. Check in counters will have plexiglass shields in place and all customers and employees will be required to have face coverings.

The Toronto lounge that is opening will be the only one to operate for just over a month as Air Canada then plans to open lounges in Montreal and Vancouver by Labour Day. The video mentions Calgary and Ottawa will follow suit sometime in the future and possibly some overseas locations as well.

You can learn more about Air Canada's Service Offerings Changes here.

Recommended reading: Rewards Canada's Guide to Business Class Lounge Access

Image via Air Canada 

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New increased welcome bonus of 50,000 points on the BMO Rewards® Business Mastercard®

The personal BMO Rewards World Elite card isn't the only card from the bank that is changing today (more on that coming later today!) The premium small business version of the card, the BMO Rewards® Business Mastercard® sees a nice welcome bonus increase as well. As of today the limited time offer for the BMO Rewards® Business Mastercard® is now 50,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 or more on the card in the first three months of having it. On top of that the annual fee of $120 is waived for the first year of having the card. That means you basically get those 50,000 points at no cost outside of the spending that you actually put on the card.

Once you meet the minimum spend requirement you'll receive those 50,000 bonus points which are worth $357 towards any travel booked via bmorewards.com. You do have other redemption options with this card but travel does provide the best value.

Here are some of the key features of the BMO Rewards® Business Mastercard® to also take into account on top of the welcome bonus

·         Get 3 BMO Rewards points  for every $1 you spend on gas, office supplies and cell phone/internet bill payments
·         Earn 1.5 BMO Rewards points for every $1 you spend
·         Strong travel insurance pacakge

Much like the personal version of the card this business card's insurance will also cover you when you fly on award tickets from other loyalty programs. As they state in their insurance policy you will be covered is you pay for the full or partial cost of a trip with this card. This means you can redeem Aeroplan miles, AIR MILES, etc. for a flight and as long as you pay for the taxes and fees with the BMO Rewards World Elite Mastercrd you have met the partial payment requirement to avail of trip cancellation, trip interruption, flight delay, baggage insurance etc.

Back to the points side and redeeming them - it takes 140 points for a $1 travel redemption and with accelerated earn rate of 3 points per dollar for  gas, office supplies and cell phone/internet bill payments your return is 2.14% however the remainder of your spending at 1.5 points per dollar only provides a ~1.07% return. The Points have to be redeemed via BMO Rewards unlike some of its fiercest competition that allow their cardholders to make their own bookings with any travel provider and redeem points against those charges. When redeeming with this card you want to try to do it online as BMO Rewards will charge you for bookings made over the phone.

Here's a quick review of the pros and cons of this card

Pros

• Great welcome bonus of 40,000 points + first year annual fee waiver
• Excellent insurance package that covers award tickets

Cons

• The everyday spending return of 1.07% is on the lower side of earn rates
• Having to book via bmorewards.com can be less flexible than some competitors who let you book any way you want and then redeem points against the charge.

Learn more about and apply for the BMO Rewards® Business Mastercard® here.

Government of Canada makes it a requirement to wear masks when flying as of April 20

Canada's Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau announced today that everyone traveling by air will be required to wear a mask. Meanwhile if you are travelling by boat, bus or rail you may be required or asked to do so as well:

Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, announced new measures requiring all air passengers to have a non-medical mask or face covering to cover their mouth and nose during travel. These measures come into effect at noon EDT on April 20, 2020.

When travelling by air, travellers will be asked to cover their mouth and nose:

• at Canadian airport screening checkpoints, where the screeners cannot always keep two metres of separation between themselves and the traveller;
• when they cannot physically distance from others, or as directed by the airline employees; and
• when directed to do so by a public health order or public health official.

Aviation passengers on all flights departing or arriving at Canadian airports will also be required to demonstrate they have the necessary non-medical mask or face covering during the boarding process otherwise they will not be allowed to continue on their journey.  Passengers should follow the current Public Health Agency of Canada’s guidance on face coverings.

When travelling by marine modes of transportation, travellers are encouraged to wear non-medical masks or face coverings whenever possible. In addition, operators of ferries and essential passenger vessels will, when feasible:

• provide public messaging to travellers about the need to have a non-medical mask or face covering to cover their mouth and nose during their journey when they cannot maintain physical distance from others, and that passengers could be subject to denial of boarding should they fail to comply.

Passengers travelling by rail or motor carrier/bus modes of transportation are also strongly encouraged to wear non-medical masks or face coverings as much as possible. Passengers may be asked by the transportation operator to cover their noses and mouths when physical distancing is not possible.

Learn mor about the new measures here.

HT View from theWing

Air Canada Signature Suite in Vancouver set to open on March 14

Last night Air Canada gave a sneak peek of its brand new Signature Suite in Vancouver to the media and we now know the new lounge will open on March 14. This will be Air Canada's second Signature Suite in their business class lounge network after the one in Toronto which debuted in 2017.

Recommended Reading: Air Canada debuts Signature Suite for Premium International Customers at Toronto Pearson 

Air Canada's Signature Suites differ from their Maple Leaf lounges in that access is only granted to those who are flying on a paid business class ticket (J, C, D, Z, P booking classes) for international travel to Europe, Asia or Australia.  This means Aeroplan (or other Star Alliance) award tickets do not get you access, nor does having elite status.

The new lounge is located in YVR's D Concourse on the second floor of the International Maple Leaf Lounge. You access the lounge via the same entrance as the Maple Leaf lounge.

Rewards Canada was unable to attend the event last night but Air Canada has been kind enough to provide us with complete details and photos of the lounge as well as a link to a virtual tour of the new space.

Air Canada unveiled its second Air Canada Signature Suite for its eligible Signature Class customers travelling to intercontinental destinations from Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The airline’s second exclusive airport retreat continues to enhance its award-winning premium offering with another space where eligible customers can relax before their flight from YVR. It features à la carte dining at a complimentary, full-service restaurant from a menu created by acclaimed Vancouver-Chef David Hawksworth.

The Air Canada Signature Suite officially opens March 14, 2020 and is accessible and fully complimentary to Signature Class customers, excluding upgrades and point redemption programs. The 4,400-square-foot (408 square metres) suite, conveniently located in Air Canada’s international departure area at YVR above the International Maple Leaf Lounge, can accommodate seating for up to 105 premium customers. It hosts a full-service restaurant offering à la carte dining from a Hawksworth-designed menu. The suite also features a cocktail lounge space with full-service bar and a selection of specialty snacks, a quiet sitting area and concierge service.

Other notable features of the Air Canada Signature Suite at YVR include:

· High quality spirits supplied by the airline’s partner Diageo, Moët & Chandon Champagne (both brut and rosé available) and Signature cocktails;

· Works of art drawing inspiration from and celebrating the Pacific Coast landscape and waterways include pieces such as Shape Agenda by Vancouver sculptor Jordy Buckles, and photographic work of Montrealer Nicolas Ruel, Victoria Peak.

· Cloudscape chandelier by acclaimed Toronto design firm Moss & Lam;

· Luxury skin care products from Molton Brown.

The interior design is a defining element of the experience

Designers Heekyung Duquette and Eric Majer have created an intimate sequence of spaces. Features of the design offer a retreat from conventional airport frenzy, providing customers with a serene, luxurious atmosphere:

· Arrival is marked by smoked glass walls containing bronze mesh sculptural screens. Customers are greeted by concierges stationed at bronze podiums fronting a luggage checkroom, allowing visitors to explore the space unencumbered.

· Ascending stairs up to the main space brings visitors into abounding natural light and impressive panoramic views of layered feature spaces: bistro, bar, and dining area.

· Locally-produced bronze wall panels exude warmth and luxury, leading to the à la carte dining area and private dining room.

· Telupana Blue stone – quarried on Vancouver Island – delineates and enlivens the bar.

· Sumptuous custom hand-made wool carpet emulates the grey-blue hues of ocean vistas.

· Nature makes its way into the à la carte dining room with a burst of forest flora contained within sculptural vessels that evoke the undulating inlets of the BC coast.

· The dining scene comes alive with glowing cube lamps reflected in glassware, and the expansive view of the tarmac beyond.

· Within this space is a bronze-clad private dining room for a more exclusive dining experience.

· Its smoked glass doors are overlain with a filigree pattern of maple leaves in the wind, another reference to Air Canada imagery.

· Throughout the Signature Suite, a heightened sense of quality is conveyed through the display of noble materials, the intricacy of its details and craftsmanship, as well as proudly showcasing Canadian craftsmanship, furnishings and art.

Recommend Listening:  Episode 42 - Meet the Collectors Podcast Edition: Greg LeBlanc - an avid Air Canada Flyer and Aeroplan member  (and his review of the Toronto Signature Suite)

Let us know if you are travelling Air Canada in paid business class anytime soon via Vancouver and plan on visiting the new Signature Suite! We'd love to have you do a Lounge Review for us. Simply comment below or email us at info@rewardscanada.ca!

Click here to learn more about the new Air Canada Signature Suite in Vancouver

All images courtesy of Air Canada

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American Express Centurion Lounge in Los Angeles set to open on Monday

The next American Express Centurion Lounge is set to open in Los Angeles on Monday. This is the 12th Centurion Lounge and third to open up this year after Phoenix and Charlotte. Los Angeles is a popular destination for Canadians and the airport itself plays an important connection point for many of us so this it is only fitting that this lounge should be on your radar if you are travelling from or via Los Angeles.

The lounge is located in the Tom Bradley International Terminal but is "accessible post-security from Terminals 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8." This means if you are flying Air Canada you will have access to the lounge since AC flies from Terminal 6. Sorry WestJet flyers, you can't access the lounge from Terminal 2 which is where WestJet flies from. However if you are connecting from an arriving WestJet flight to a flight that does depart from TBIT or any of the other terminals listed above you can utilize the lounge. This is a good option for those flying Air Canada (albeit it is a big of a trek) who can't access AC's Maple Leaf Lounge in T6 or if Priority Pass access is being limited at Alaska's lounge in T6 (plus you have to pay for alcohol in the Alaska lounge...)

Billed as the largest Centurion lounge yet, LAX's is nearly14,000 square feet which is good news as the Centurion Lounges have definitely been a victim of their own success as they do get crowded during peak times. Personally we've walked in and out of San Francisco's lounge and chose to use Phoenix's Escape lounge instead of the Centurion Lounge.

Recommended Reading: Lounge Review: Phoenix Sky Harbor American Express Centurion Lounge & Escape Lounge

The lounge will feature first of their kind tranquility rooms which work at the opposite ends of the spectrum to help travellers beat jet leg or relax or recharge. The Moonrise room is a nighttime themed room that is darker while Sunrise will be bright and set to help wake you up!

Moonrise

Sunrise

There will also be spa services featured from Exhale Spa:

"Guests can indulge in Light Therapy designed to hydrate skin, Reiki treatments to restore the body’s equilibrium, and Ear Reflexology to relax the mind and ease the body. Hand and nail therapies, as well as chair massages, will also be available"

And finally the food and drink - the main two items that Centurion Lounges are known for. Southern Calfornia's Nancy Silverton is the executive chef for the lounge and Amex describes what you can expect from Nancy:

"Leveraging her relationships with local farmers and purveyors, Silverton’s menu will incorporate a variety of local and artisanal ingredients, ensuring guests enjoy a meal or snack that is both seasonal and fresh. Some of these locally inspired dishes include: Asparagus Egg Pie, Panettone French Toast, Farro Salad with Fresh Herbs and Feta, Mozza Meatballs, Roasted Beets with Horseradish Vinaigrette, Butterscotch Budino and more."

Main Bar

 
Drinks wise you can expect the following:

"The new lounge will also offer premium wine selections by Wine Director Anthony Giglio, as well as specialty cocktails by renowned Centurion Lounge mixologist Jim Meehan. Meehan drew cocktail inspiration for this lounge from Los Angeles’ cocktail culture, commercial aviation and Silverton’s menu.* Meehan’s menu of unique cocktails features locally sourced ingredients such as California brandy, Miracle Mile Bitters and Dirty Sue cocktail cherries. Some of the specialty cocktails include the Maliblue Lagoon, a color-coded ode to Malibu’s own blue lagoon and the Private Plane, a playful twist on New York bartender Sam Ross’ classic Paper Plane cocktail."

The "Hollywood Hills"

As a traveller you can access the lounge if you have The Platinum Card from American Express or Centurion Card. Platinum cardmembers can get themselves + 2 guests in when you have a valid boarding pass for same day travel.

Learn more about the new LAX lounge here.

Recommended Reading: Rewards Canada's Guide to Business Class Lounge Access

All images courtesy of American Express

Lounge Review: Phoenix Sky Harbor American Express Centurion Lounge & Escape Lounge

On the latest Rewards Canada family vacation we got to check out the new American Express Centurion and Escape Lounges in Phoenix. The lounges are located in Terminal 4 of Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport and are very new - they just opened up during the second week of January. For most Canadian's this means if you are flying WestJet you will be able to use the lounges if you have The Platinum Card from American Express or the Centurion Card. The Escape Lounge also has pay per use access should you not have either card. Unfortunately Air Canada changed terminals early in February so if you are flying AC you won't be able to access the lounge without changing terminals and going through security multiple times.

Lounge location

For our trip the location of the lounges was perfect - right next to B23 which is where our WestJet flight back to YYC was departing from. We were flying home on President's Day which meant the airport was insane with lots of people flying home from the long weekend but with TSA Pre-Check we cleared security in under 5 minutes.

We arrived at the lounge entrance around 4pm and at check in they have three kiosks - one for the Escape Lounge and two for the Centurion Lounge. There were six of us travelling together which meant my wife and I each had to provide our Platinum Cards as the access rules state each cardholder can bring two guests in with them. Once our credentials were quickly checked we received two invite cards stating three people in total on each to hand to the agent at the top of the stairs to enter the Centurion Lounge.

We handed the cards in and the nice agent detailed the lounge for us along with directions to access the shower suite if we wished to use it. She also gave the WiFi access details and off we went into the new lounge. The lounge itself was quite nice but seeing as it was late afternoon at the end of a long weekend it was packed! This is something that is not new to Centurion Lounges - they are somewhat a victim of their own success and many of them are packed during peak times. This was obviously a peak time. We did find a shared high bar table where the six of us could settle in and did so. It wasn't the most comfortable or private space and after looking at the line up to get drinks for the bar and the number of people hovering over the buffet for food I went off on a mission to see what the Escape Lounge was like. As I was exiting I wasn't the only one with that idea - another gentlemen was there talking to the agent at the entrance of the Centurion Lounge and she explained that entry to that lounge was also complimentary for Platinum or higher cardholders and that the food and drinks were exactly the same - just presented a little differently. I went in and found the lounge to be much quieter and in my opinion actually set up better and more comfortable than the Centurion Lounge. A quick text to the rest of the group and they came over and we settled in to some nice tables and seats in the back corner of the Escape Lounge.

The tables and seats we commandeered

 Some of the other seating options in the Escape lounge

The food was quite good and ranged from some chicken with vegetable dishes, vegetarian cauliflower dishes, salads and some really good desserts. Also the Tortilla soup they had was quite delicious! Finally - and this a big plus - there was no line to get drinks from the bartender in the Escape Lounge. We were able to walk right up and order our beverages without waiting. He did ask to see our Platinum Card as a secondary check but he never did ask again after seeing it the first time. Seeing that the food is the same in both lounges I can tell you that it will be good whichever side you visit!

Salads and Desserts

Veggie dishes

Chicken and Veggie dishes

The Escape Lounge Bar

Both lounges also provide some great views of the tarmac and runways if you enjoy planespotting!

Planespotting

The Escape Lounge also has two single bathrooms for all to use and they are complete with l'occitane products:

All in all these new lounges in Phoenix are great and either one makes a great place to go and relax. Hopefully when you visit it isn't during a peak time and can enjoy the Centurion side more than we did! One of our Twitter followers mentioned she hasn't had any issues in the lounge with crowding so she obviously knows when to travel! I too hope that one day we can enjoy a Centurion Lounge a little more as this also happened to us in San Francisco where we walked into, around and right out of the lounge as it was insane when we went! However if you do visit and it is busy the Escape Lounge is a great place to visit.

Learn more about American Express' Centurion Lounges here and Escape Lounges here. 

Recommended reading: Rewards Canada's Guide to Business Class Lounge Access

Here are the details on The Platinum Card from American Express which we used to access the lounges