Lounge Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge - Vancouver International Airport Transborder

 
Today we are pleased to present the latest Rewards Canada Business Class Lounge Review! This review is provided by Dee who is now a regular contributor to Rewards Canada! This is his third lounge review for Rewards Canada and he has more travel reviews coming our way in the very future. 

Recently I was able to take an excellent vacation with my family to Honolulu, Hawaii. As part of the trip we got to check out the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in the US transborder terminal at Vancouver International Airport. The lounge is located between gates E85 and E86 which is less than a 10 minute walk after clearing customs and security.

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!

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.  

January 26 Update: Many more confirmed Cobalt multiplier locations, a new Lounge Reviews page on Rewards Canada & Kimpton Hotels Winter sale

Here's your Rewards Canada Daily update! Your daily dose (or near daily dose) of loyalty program, credit card and travel news, bonuses, deals and more. This update is brought to you by the HSBC World Elite Mastercard which is currently offering a welcome bonus of up to 100,000 bonus points worth $500, has no foreign transaction fees and no annual fee in the first year! 

 Another big update to our American Express Cobalt™ Card Confirmed Multiplier Locations thanks to contributor FM. He provided details on over a dozen locations in the Vancouver area that earn 5x and 1x points. Check out the feature here

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

Air Canada opens new Maple Leaf Lounge at St. John's International Airport

Air Canada opened a new Maple Leaf Lounge at St. John's International Airport yesterday. The new lounge is larger than the lounge it replaced with a capacity bump of 77%. The new lounge can now accommodate up to 84 people at a time. It is located in the newly expanded departures area of St. John's terminal and it provides views of Signal Hill and the ocean. This is the third Maple Leaf lounge that Air Canada has opened this year.

The space features a self-serve bar, offering a wide selection of beverages, including Canadian wines and Lavazza specialty coffees, a selection of light snacks, a business centre and comfortable seating with a view of the tarmac. Business travellers planning to work on site may also take advantage of a cyber counter equipped with PCs and colour printing, complimentary Wi-Fi and access to more than 7,000 digital newspaper and magazine content via the PressReader app.

Here are some key points about the new lounge provided by Air Canada:

• Only lounge available at YYT and 3^rd Maple Leaf Lounge unveiled this year, offering premium travellers more comfort
• Just steps from Air Canada's gates in the recently expanded departures area of the terminal building
• Air Canada is the only carrier operating year-round international flights to London-Heathrow from St. John's

Related: Rewards Canada's Guide to Business Class Lounge access

And some photos of the new lounge (courtesy of Air Canada)

Here's our call out to the Rewards Canada community! If any of you are travelling through St. John's in the near future and can access the lounge we'd love to have to do a review of the lounge (and we'll pay you for it too!) If you are interested please contact us info@rewardscanada.ca.

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Air Canada opens Maple Leaf Lounge in New York-LaGuardia Airport’s New Terminal

Yesterday Air Canada opened a new Maple Leaf Lounge in the new terminal at New York's La Guardia airport. Air Canada previously had a lounge at LGA but that was closed just a few months ago.  The new lounge has room for up to 126 people in its 7,015 square feet of space. It features a self-serve that will has wines from Canada, Lavazza cofee and as with all of the lounges a business centre as well.


Here are some key points about the new lounge provided by Air Canada:

• The first airline lounge to open at LaGuardia’s new Terminal B Eastern Concourse – the first part of the reimagined terminal to open – conveniently located post-security, steps from Air Canada gates
• Air Canada customers travelling at LaGuardia to benefit from new terminal’s enhanced amenities including free Wi-Fi, a family play area, and retail and restaurant shops
• Second of three Maple Leaf Lounges to open in 2018 and 23rd across Air Canada’s international network, offering premium travellers more comfort

Just like the relatively new lounge in Los Angeles, the La Guardia one is no longer accessible to Priority Pass members.

Related: Rewards Canada's Guide to Business Class Lounge access

And some photos of the new lounge (courtesy of Air Canada)

Here's our call out to the Rewards Canada community! If any of you are travelling through LGA in the near future and can access the lounge we'd love to have to do a review of the lounge (and we'll pay you for it too!) If you are interested please contact us info@rewardscanada.ca.

Lounge Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge - Saskatoon Airport

Another Bill W lounge review for you! Bill is a true road warrior, his work has him driving and flying across Western and Central Canada every week while staying in a variety hotels from a variety of chains.  Bill has been reading, following and even giving Rewards Canada tips and updates for a very long time so let's welcome him back with this contribution!  

Air Canada opened a new Maple Leaf lounge on September 14th, 2018 in Saskatoon (YXE). The lounge is a welcome addition to the airport and it is nice to see Air Canada expanding the number of lounges. This brings the total of lounges in Canada to 17. The lounge is located across from Gate 5, next to Tim Hortons. It is well marked with strong signage showing its location and is easy to find.

The entrance is lined with a very simply designed wood panelling, which extends from the gate area down the hall and into the reception area of the lounge. The Air Canada logo is displayed prominently on the wall behind the desk. The front of the desk has a very cool covering consisting of 100’s of maple leaves in an overlapping pattern. It is quite exquisite and adds a touch of class to the entrance area.

Related: Rewards Canada's Guide to Business Class Lounge Access

 

This 1,475 square foot lounge is long, but very open.  The seating total seating capacity of the lounge is 40. It has large windows which surround the entire seating area allowing in lots of natural light.  These windows face the tarmac which gives you the opportunity to do some aircraft watching if desired. It has high ceilings which also accentuate the open feeling in the lounge. The décor is in various shades of brown and very nicely done. Lighting is strong, but not overpowering. The atmosphere is very relaxing, with soft music in the background. Not loud enough to be disruptive; it is still very easy to carry on a conversation.

There is one television located at the far end of the lounge. It was tuned to the news and quite conveniently had the closed captioning activated so you would be able to follow along from anywhere in the lounge. A Flight Departures screen is located at the front of the lounge enabling you to check on your flight status.

Two computers are available for guest use along with a counter area to utilize your personal computers with seating for 10 (included in total seating capacity number). You are also able to print documents with the lounge printer if needed, both in black & white and colour.

Wi-Fi is available and is very easy to connect to. Just opening your browser takes you to the sign in page and you are on line instantly.  I found the signal strength to be very strong and had no issues with speed.

Washrooms are located outside the lounge, but conveniently placed right next to it on the left as you exit.

The food offerings are consistent with other Maple Leaf lounges.  For breakfast they have assorted fruits, scones, cereal, oatmeal, toast along with a choice of juice. Lunch consisted of 2 salads (Maple Broccoli, String Pea & Herb Orzo) along with Salted Edamame Beans. Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal cookies were available all day. Cucumber and Citrus infused water is also offered. There is an Expresso machine (self-serve) that offers all manners of coffee drinks. Various assorted teas are available as well as a full selection of soft drinks.

The bar area is full-serve with a good assortment of wine & Spirits. There are also 3 beers on tap; Molson Canadian, Coors Light & Guinness. (One thing that I did find interesting was a sign on the front of the beer taps indicating that gratuities were not necessary). I believe they are going for a minimalist and uncluttered/streamlined appearance at the back of the bar area, but I just can’t help thinking that there is something missing. There is a lot of shelving to fill, but it seems to be quite bare. In fact, during the morning, there is absolutely nothing on the shelves at all, the bottles have all been removed and put away.

The staff are very friendly, attentive and personable. You are greeted warmly at the door and made to feel welcome as soon as you arrive. Staffing was at an acceptable level with all guests being well looked after. The team was very much out in the lounge (not just standing behind the food & drink area); they were even offering to freshen up drinks for people who were already seated. A very nice touch and speaks well of the customer service level and demonstrates a guest first philosophy in this lounge.

The lounge was approximately half-full during my visits, but it still felt very comfortable and relaxing. All in all, I would recommend this lounge for anyone flying through YXE. It is quiet, very comfortable and a great place to relax before taking to the skies once more.

Learn more about the new Saskatoon Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge here

Lounge Review: Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club - Kahului Maui

Flying Hawaiian Airlines First Class gave us access to the only airline lounge at Kahului airport, Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club. Access is only granted to those flying business/first class or hold HawaiianMiles elite status. Having flown from Maui so many times and never having lounge access before as our flights were on AC and WestJet we were curious to see if this would be a good place to relax. If you have ever been to OGG you know it’s not the best of airports for services or general seating. The lounge itself is located on the departures level across from gate 17.

And.... the lounge wasn’t any better than the rest of the airport - actually it may have been worse. It’s small to begin with and for amenities it has free wi-fi, tea, coffee and pop machine. Want food? They had the nuts and bolts packets they hand out on the plane. That’s it. Seating wasn’t very comfortable and they had a hospital type curtain you could use to make one area private.

We had a quick drink in the lounge and made our way to Sammy's Beach Bar and Grill to have a bite to eat before our flight as a just in case the food on the plane wasn’t good. Other than that there’s not much else to say about this lounge!

Related: Rewards Canada's Guide to Business Class Lounge Access

Lounge Review: Plaza Premium Lounge - Edmonton International Airport (Domestic/International Departures)

Another Bill W lounge review for you! Bill is a true road warrior, his work has him driving and flying across Western and Central Canada every week while staying in a variety hotels from a variety of chains.  Bill has been reading, following and even giving Rewards Canada tips and updates for a very long time so let's welcome him back with this contribution!  

The Plaza Premium Lounge is located upstairs near Gate 52. There is a choice of stairs or an elevator to take you to the second floor. At the top of the stairs, turn right to access the lounge (Turning left will lead you to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge). The entrance is open and inviting. This lounge is open to all travellers regardless of which airline you are flying.

Related: Rewards Canada's Guide to Business Class Lounge Access 

The charge to enter the lounge varies with the length of time you will be staying. Cost per person is: 2 hours for $50.00, 3 hours for $60.00 and 6 hours for $80.00. You can also join Priority Pass for discounted Lounge access. They have 3 levels of membership that allow for different access privileges. Full information can be found on their website (link includes an exclusive Rewards Canada discount). In addition, various AMEX cards come with complimentary Priority Pass membership, though these can carry a substantial annual fee. The AMEX Aeroplan Reserve Card includes a complimentary Priority Plus membership (as well as worldwide Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge membership), with an annual fee of $899.00. The Platinum Card from American Express is another option which includes Priority Pass membership, the annual fee is $699. The Platinum Card has the Canadian Platinum Lounge benefit which grants complimentary access for the cardholder, spouse and two children under the age of 21, or one travel companion.

Once inside, the initial seating area is open with lots of room to move around, the tables/chairs are spaced well apart. There is also additional seating at the back of the lounge past the food service area and turn left. With a seating capacity of 80 spread over 4,500 square feet, finding a place to relax was quite easy.

The selection of food is very good. During the morning there is a selection of hot food including Scrambled Eggs, Baked Beans and Pork & Beef Sausages. There is also an assortment of cereal, muffins, pastries, yogurt, sandwiches and toast.  For those looking for something different for breakfast, they also offer Corn Salad, Spinach Pasta and Garden Salad. For the evening, the choices were Chicken Afritada, perogies and a rice medley. The Corn Salad and Garden Salad as previously mentioned are available along with a Quinoa Bean Salad and Hummus with Wheat Pita Bread.

You also have a choice of hot beverages that they will make to order for you. These include various lattes (Café, Vanilla, Caramel…) along with iced coffees and assorted teas. And there is self-serve cooler filled with various flavors of Pepsi products. Alcohol is available from the bar after 10:00 am. There is a limit of 4 alcoholic beverages per person as per Alberta Gaming & Liquor Commission’s (AGLC) regulations. They have two local Craft Beers on tap along with wine and spirits. The bar area also has 4 TV’s behind it showing a variety of shows (usually News & Sports).

The washrooms are located in the second seating area, past the business centre on the right. (Make sure you choose the correct door, the one at the very end is alarmed).

There is a Business Centre area available if you don’t wish to pull out your laptop. It is set-up on a counter space along the wall with 4 computers available. To the right of that is a selection of magazines to choose from.

The overall atmosphere is very relaxing; it is nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of a busy airport. There are no boarding announcements made in the lounge, but a Departures screen is available near the front entrance and also in the back seating area. The lounge is tastefully decorated and have some local pictures that have been increased in size to make more of a feature wall.

As the lounge is located on the second floor, it offers a lovely view of the terminal through the many windows that are available. This allows you to see if the gate area is busy and also to appreciate why you are in the lounge and not having to wait at the gate for any extended period of time.
I would recommend this lounge to anyone who is looking for a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle of a busy airport. It is very quiet and just a great place to relax before heading off on your next adventure.

Have you visited this lounge? What do you think of it? What do you like and what do you think could be done better?

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For the best access to this lounge no matter what airline you are flying or what fare class and want to have your family get access look no further than The Platinum Card from American Express: