Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver (Transborder)

To kick off a trip that would ultimately take us to Nepal, India, and Mauritius, we had a quick positioning flight from Vancouver to Seattle with Air Canada.

Prior to this flight, we popped by the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver (Transborder) to catch up on a few emails and have a quick rest before the all-economy flight.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver (Transborder) – Access

My wife Ashley and I stayed at an airport hotel in Vancouver the night prior, and we arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare.

I waltzed through security and the border with my NEXUS card, while Ashley wasn’t far behind as she pre-booked a security appointment with YVR Express and used Mobile Passport Control to expedite her border experience.

Before long, we found ourselves outside the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver (Transborder), which is located between Gates 84 and 86.

The lounge is open from 6:15am–8:45pm daily.

I enjoyed access to the lounge on account of my Aeroplan Super Elite status, and Ashley with her Aeroplan 50K status.

We both could’ve also entered with our American Express Aeroplan Reserve Cards.

Aside from having Aeroplan 50K status or above, or any of the premium Aeroplan co-branded credit cards, you can obtain access with a business class ticket on Air Canada or another Star Alliance airline, Star Alliance Gold status, a one-time guest pass, a Status Pass, or by paying for entry.

The entrance to the lounge is located on the ground floor, just off the main walkway. Once you step inside, you can take an elevator or a staircase up to the check-in desks and the main floor.

Just outside the elevators, there’s a small lobby with a model aircraft, a literature shelf that once displayed magazines, and a departures board.

The check-in desk is composed of a nice wood motif, and since the area is flanked by windows on either side, there’s plenty of natural light.

The check-in staff scanned our boarding passes, and welcomed us into the lounge without further ado.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver (Transborder) – Seating

As I made my way to the lounge, I was pleased to see that the bulk of the seating is situated along floor-to-ceiling windows. From these seats, you can watch planes moving across the tarmac, and you can also see the Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel in the background.

To the left of the check-in area is a narrow seating area, which has blue armchairs in a 2–2 arrangement, as well as some high-top seating that faces the planes below.

To the right of the check-in area is the primary seating area, which is just outside of the buffet area.

The main seating area is mostly arranged in a similar layout, but with grey arm chairs instead of blue ones. There are also some red and blue chairs dotted around the lounge, which add some pops of colour to the space, which is otherwise characterized by black, grey, and wooden hues.

A row of four recliners face a central TV, which was playing some golf at the time.

If you’re looking for some peace and quiet, two rows of armchairs are tucked away in the rear section of the lounge, looking out into the terminal below.

There are also some more intimate seating options available, which would be a good choice if you’re travelling with more than two people, since you’ll be able to see and talk to each other.

During our visit, the lounge was relatively quiet, and we didn’t have any issues finding seats in whichever area that we wanted to sit in.

I spent most of my time in the lounge getting some work done and catching up on emails before leaving the country.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver Transborder – Bar & Dining

The dining and bar area at the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver (Transborder) is consolidated in an island in the middle of the lounge.

The main buffet area is positioned in the centre, and offers a modest selection of dishes.

The cold buffet selection featured a tomato & feta pasta salad dish, and the ubiquitous Maple Leaf Lounge tortilla chips with a variety of fixings.

The hot buffet options during our visit included beef chili and vegetable soup.

These options are pretty much on par for a smaller Maple Leaf Lounge, and to be frank, nothing looked particularly tantalizing.

Just outside of the buffet area are dining tables, which are dotted throughout the space and along the windows that face the public walkway.

The bar area is located on the wall that separates the dining area from the check-in area.

There’s a decent selection of soft drinks and booze, all of which is available on a self-serve basis. Compared to some other Maple Leaf Lounges out there, the selection was a bit more broad.

To the right of the bar, you’ll find a well-stocked refrigerator with pop, juice, and sparkling wine.

To the left of the bar is one of two beers on tap, with the other tap to the right of the bar. The options available are Molson Canadian and Coors Light.

Air Canada has rolled out some much more interesting beer options in other lounges, and it would be great to see some variety added here, especially with the multitude of incredible craft beer available in Vancouver.

On the far left‌, there’s yet another fridge stocked with pop, sparkling water, and juices.

Next to the bar area, there’s an automatic Lavazza coffee maker, as well as a variety of tea packets and a hot water dispenser.

We chose not to partake in any food this time around, as we wanted to save our appetites to sample the American Express Centurion Lounge in Seattle, and for the Do&Co catering onboard our Turkish Airlines business class flight.

Rather, we toasted the occasion with a glass of bubbles, as we tied up some loose ends before our month-long trip.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Transborder – Other Facilities

The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver (Transborder) has a separate business centre that’s tucked behind the main dining area. It remained empty for the duration of my stay, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s eventually repurposed to create more functional seating area.

It looks to be an entirely functional space for getting some work done, and also comes with a printer for anyone who needs to print documents, as well as a private meeting room.

The restrooms at this lounge are located in the hallway near the check-in desk.

Fortunately, this Maple Leaf Lounge also has shower suites located by their restrooms, which is always appreciated.

The shower suites were very clean and spacious, and with a centrally located vanity made of frosted glass and steel rods, accompanied by a light fixture on each side.

To the left of the vanity is a toilet and trashcan, and opposite the vanity is the shower, which is equipped with a rain shower head. The shower also comes with the necessary Molton Brown amenities, such as shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

As per usual, I availed myself of the opportunity to bathe in an airport, and left for my flight feeling quite refreshed and ready for the long trip ahead.

Conclusion

The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver (Transborder) fits squarely into the average Maple Leaf Lounge experience.

It’s an entirely standard lounge, with a very modest cold and hot food selection, draft beer, wines, and a nice assortment of hard alcohol.

On the other hand, I appreciated the amount of natural light that flows into the lounge, and I also thought that there were enough seating types to cater to different types of travellers.

The showers are also a nice touch, and a feature that’s not available in all Maple Leaf Lounges.

If you have to choose between the nearby recently renovated Plaza Premium Lounge Vancouver (Transborder) and the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver (Transborder), you’re likely to be more impressed with the former.

However, if you only have access to the Maple Leaf Lounge, it’s surely a few steps above paying for food on the concourse, or waiting with everyone else at the gate.