American is investing quite a bit of money in new lounges, which includes renovating Admirals Clubs, opening new Flagship Lounges, and introducing Flagship First Dining. While American has had an Admirals Club in Toronto for years, they recently completed a renovation on the space, and the lounge reopened in July.
I had a chance to check it out this morning, so here’s a quick review of this very nice but small lounge.
American’s Admirals Club is located in Terminal 3 at Toronto Pearson Airport. Pearson Airport offers a US Pre-Clearance facility, meaning that you clear immigration for US-bound flights prior to departure. As a result, you first clear security and then immigration, and then for all practical purposes you’re already in the US.
Past the immigration facility is a duty free shop you’re forced to walk through.
Toronto Pearson Airport Terminal 1
The terminal is under construction, though just past that is an elevator leading up to the Admirals Club and Plaza Premium lounge.
Elevator to Admirals Club Toronto Airport
The Admirals Club Toronto is open daily from 5AM until 8PM (7:30PM on Saturdays), and I arrived right as it opened. I could access the lounge thanks to my Admirals Club membership that I have through the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard®. This is the best way to access Admirals Clubs — the card has a $695 annual fee, though the primary cardmember gets an Admirals Club membership, and authorized users each get Admirals Club access as well. This is such a great way to gain airport lounge benefits.
Entrance to Admirals Club Toronto Airport
The Admirals Club Toronto is probably the smallest Admirals Club I’ve ever been to, though I was impressed by the design. Inside the entrance was a small seating area with four chairs and a picture of the CN Tower. I appreciate how American has been adding local art to more of their lounges.
Admirals Club Toronto Airport seating
The lounge itself consists of one main room. Inside the entrance is a plush couch that wraps around the center of the lounge.
Admirals Club Toronto Airport seating
Admirals Club YYZ seating
Then to the right is an area with 18 leather seats facing one another, with three seats per row.
Admirals Club YYZ seating
Admirals Club YYZ seating
Past that is a communal table facing a wall-mounted TV, and then also a counter by the window with a couple of PCs and a printer. This is more of a general lounge pet peeve, but am I the only one who wishes airline lounges didn’t constantly have TV on at high volume? It’s one thing if you have a dedicated media room, but I wish airline lounges would more consistently just have good ambient music, rather than thinking that everyone wants to watch the news.
Admirals Club YYZ seating
Admirals Club YYZ seating
Admirals Club YYZ seating
Back on the opposite side of the wraparound couch was a small dining area with a few tables and some benches.
Admirals Club YYZ seating
Past that was the bar.
Admirals Club YYZ bar
The buffet was along the interior wall of the lounge.
Admirals Club Toronto buffet
The breakfast selection was pretty standard for an Admirals Club, and consisted of fresh fruit, hardboiled eggs, yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, muffins, bagels, and other pastries.
Admirals Club Toronto breakfast selection
Admirals Club Toronto breakfast selection
Admirals Club Toronto breakfast selection
Admirals Club Toronto breakfast selection
In terms of drinks there was coffee, water, a Coca-Cola soda fountain, and an espresso machine.
Admirals Club Toronto water & coffee
Admirals Club Toronto espresso & soda machine
One other thing I appreciated about the lounge design was the abundance of charging stations (both USB and 110v), and they even had wireless charging (at least I believe that’s what this is?).
Admirals Club Toronto wireless charger
The bathrooms were in the far back of the lounge on the left, and the mens bathroom had one stall and one urinal. The lounge has no showers.
Admirals Club Toronto bathroom
Admirals Club Toronto bathroom
While the lounge offers complimentary house wine, beer, and liquor, you can also purchase premium drinks and food. Here’s the menu for that:
Admirals Club Toronto bottom line
This is a small but very nice Admirals Club. While the food selection isn’t amazing (and certainly can’t compete with Delta Sky Club®, or Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges, since we’re talking about a lounge in Canada), I think American is doing a great job with the design of their new lounges.
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