Lounge Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge | Toronto YYZ | Terminal 1 Transborder

Quiet spot for U.S.-bound Air Canada travelers.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada — On our return trip from Tokyo back to the U.S., we had an opportunity to experience Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge (MLL) in Toronto YYZ’s transborder section of Terminal 1. I had two MLL one-time passes afforded to me as part of my Aeroplan 25K elite status with Air Canada, and with no other planned trips transiting through Canada this year, needed to use them before they expired.

Location: Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Terminal 1 Transborder Level 4
Hours: Monday-Friday 04:15 – 20:30, Saturday-Sunday 04:30 – 20:30
Access: Includes but not limited to Air Canada/Star Alliance business class passengers, Aeroplan Super Elite/75K/50K, Star Alliance Gold, MLL passes (for full access rules, see here).
Notables: One of two lounges available to Terminal 1 transborder passengers (the other being the less exclusive Plaza Premium lounge). Shower facilities available at this lounge.
_{Note: Hours and access rules current as of time of posting}

Lounge Access
Passengers may gain access to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges through several avenues, some easier than others.
— The most straight forward way is to fly business class aboard an Air Canada or Star Alliance partner operated flight.
— Similarly, one may gain access if flying Premium Rouge class aboard Air Canada’s Rouge subsidiary.

— Lounge access is also granted to Air Canada Aeroplan Super Elites, 75K, and 50K members flying on same-day Air Canada or Star Alliance partner flights.
— 35K and 25K members may select one-time MLL passes as part of their yearly perks (as I did).
— Star Alliance Gold members may access MLLs on same-day Air Canada or Star Alliance flights.

— Holders of certain premium Air Canada credit cards may also access MLLs. Holding an Air Canada premium credit card may be the easiest way to access an MLL for those not traveling business class or holding Aeroplan elite status.
— Lastly, Maple Leaf Lounge club members may also access the lounges when flying Air Canada or Star Alliance partner flights. Note sales of MLL Club memberships has been suspended for some time now.

For more detailed information about MLL access rules, see Air Canada’s website here.

Seating
There are three seating areas in this particular MLL. Upon entering the lounge, there are two essentially identical areas on either side of the check-in desk with various seating options including armchairs and dining tables.

Off to the left side of the lounge past the general seating, there is a business area with cubicles that provide a little more privacy. There were a few people making calls and working in this section when we arrived.

Food and Drink
Lounge access grants complimentary food and drink, including a limited selection of alcoholic beverages. Both hot and cold food options were being offered at the time of our visit.

Coffee and espresso drinks were available through the multiple Lavazza espresso machines. Various tea bags were also available next to the coffee machines.

A selection of white and red wines, beer on tap, and spirits were also left out for self-service. Soft drinks and water bottles were also available in the mini-fridges below the counters.

Amenities
In addition to the food and drink, the lounge also offered a printer/copier in the business center with instructions to connect wirelessly for anyone doing work on the fly.

One particularly nice touch with this the lounge is the availability of two shower facilities, a godsend after transoceanic/transcontinental flights. Users need to check availability with the front desk and put their name on a list to be called when their shower is ready.

The water got hot, the pressure was great, and plenty of clean towels were available. It was incredibly nice to refresh after our long flight from Tokyo.

Rounding out the lounge were screens located near the entrance as well as the bathrooms with upcoming departures. The staff intermittently announced various boardings but seemed inconsistent. Best to keep an eye out for your own flight.

Summary
The Terminal 1 Transborder Maple Leaf Lounge is relatively no-frills but absolutely a nice thing to have if transiting through Toronto to the U.S. Having a hot shower available after a long trans-Pacific flight is game-changing and the relatively plentiful food and drink options were nice to have. We will not hesitate to swing by here again if our future travels take us through Toronto.

Chase Aeroplan Credit Card
I held Air Canada Aeroplan 25K elite status at the time of this flight by holding the U.S. Chase Aeroplan credit card, granting me two one-time-use Maple Leaf Lounge passes per year. This card represents an interesting proposition for U.S.-based Aeroplan customers who may be flying the Canadian flag-carrier frequently.

It is possible to enjoy almost two years of entry-level 25K elite status as part of this card’s benefits as well as a spend pathway to higher status. Additionally, the card’s benefits also include first bag free on Air Canada flights and no foreign transaction fees.

At the time of this post there is public offer for 50,000 points after a certain amount of spend (though historically there have been offers up to 100,000 for more spend). Based on The Points Guy’s valuation of Aeroplan points, this bonus could potentially be worth $750 in Air Canada award flights. If you are interested in this credit card and want to learn more, you can visit the official application page here.