Air Canada is expanding its innovative Air Canada Cafe concept to a fourth airport, which premium flyers with the airline will no doubt appreciate.
In this post:
Basics of the new Air Canada Cafe Vancouver Airport
Today (Wednesday, November 5, 2025), we’ve seen the opening of an Air Canada Cafe at Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The space is located in the domestic departures area, between gates C46 and C47.
The 2,142 square foot (138 square meter) lounge has capacity for 52 customers, and is designed with productivity style-seating and high-top counters for working. Each seat has power, including USB-C ports with wattage to charge a laptop. The lounge was designed in partnership with Vancouver-based design firm Smart Design, blending subtle aviation references with elements inspired by the city’s natural landscape.
While guests are allowed to hang out there, the primary intent of this space is that it offers a seamless, convenient grab and go experience, for those who don’t have time for a traditional lounge visit. The Air Canada Cafe features a selection of local snacks and self-serve beverages.
When it comes to the food and beverage offerings:
- The grab and go food selection includes Japanese-inspired matcha and white chocolate overnight oats, Vancouver-favorite Lee’s Donuts, homemade Vietnamese nems (pork and vegetable spring rolls), and a Korean crispy chicken burger
- The beverage selection includes local craft beer and seltzer from Vancouver’s Persephone Brewing, and Nitro cold brew available on tap, along with milk alternatives, including oat, almond, and soy
- Menu selections accommodate a variety of dietary needs, with ingredient and allergen labelling accessible via QR code
As far as access goes, the Air Canada Cafe is available to customers traveling on a business class ticket, Star Alliance Gold members, Aeroplan premium co-brand cardholders, and Aeroplan 50K, 75K, and Super Elite members.
It’s so great to see this lounge concept expand!
Air Canada deserves huge credit for innovation with the Air Canada Cafe concept. The airline debuted this in 2019 at Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), then opened a second facility in 2023 at Toronto Billy Bishop Airport (YTZ), and then opened a third facility earlier this year at Montreal Airport (YUL).
We’ve seen United follow Air Canada’s lead this with the United Club Fly concept, which are similarly grab and go facilities, now open in Denver (DEN) and Houston (IAH). The United Club Fly locations have the benefit of having barista coffee, but they don’t have alcohol, and also don’t offer as much seating.
Now American is getting into this game as well, with the Provisions by Admirals Club concept, as a first location has opened in Charlotte (CLT).
It’s rare that we actually see airlines materially innovate the lounge experience, and this is an area where Air Canada deserves a ton of credit. Lots of times you might want to grab a quick drink or snack, but don’t want a traditional lounge, and this is the perfect kind of facility in such a situation. For that matter, this also helps with crowding in other lounges.
Not only does Air Canada have the excellent Air Canada Cafe concept, but on the other end of the spectrum, there’s the Air Canada Signature Suite concept, which is the carrier’s most premium business class lounge, with a restaurant style dining experience. Air Canada often flies under the radar for the ways in which it innovates, so the airline deserves a bit of love there, if you ask me.
Bottom line
An Air Canada Cafe has opened at Vancouver Airport, in the domestic departures area. The facility can accommodate 52 guests, and offers a variety of grab and go food and drinks. This is the fourth such facility from the airline, so I’m delighted to see the concept expand, as it’s ideal for those who don’t have much time.
What do you make of the Air Canada Cafe Vancouver Airport?
Seems their grab & go selection is kind of limited
@lucky, have to call you out here that AC was the innovator here. You wrote about LH opening a grab and go concept in 2018 in MUC (https://onemileatatime.com/lufthansa-munich-lounge-food-to-go/). In addition, I saw at least 2-3 SAS outstations that had this idea as well in the 2018-2019 timeframe. While AC may have enhanced the idea (which I like), pretty sure LH was first to the game here.
Can we use CSR to get into this space?
Do Chase Sapphire customer get access?
CP@YOW is correct, but it's also a very nice lounge!
FYI, the "Air Canada Cafe" at Billy Bishop (YTZ) is not at all the same concept (grab and go) and has nothing to do with the others. It is actually an Aspire lounge that AC has co-branded with to allow access for their customers. AC just pays for use; they do not operate it.
But YTZ's does have a grab and go section, although not as bigger as the other AC cafés.
This is very much needed. The domestic MLL frequently has a waiting line to get in. I've even made the walk to the Plaza Premium lounge (which I can use via AmEx) in the B gates, only to find that it too had a wait. I'll be there tomorrow and am looking forward to checking it out.
I was there this morning. The space is a bit small but there were plenty of open seats, although that could be because it is so new. The hot food (all pre-portioned in small paper bags) was really good, so much so that I would go there to eat first, even if I intended to spend time in the MLL on a longer connection.
I love the Air Canada Cafe concept. I tend to hang out there when I layover in YYZ instead of the main maple leaf lounge. It has nicer more modern decor, tends to be less crowded from my experience and offers a more chill vibe. I don't drink alcohol so the barista cafe is a better option for me then a bar.
We recently used the AC Cafè at YUL, which has a full complement of any Air Canada cafē has to offer, and is quite good if you don't have the time for a regular lounge. The threshold (50K+) for using these facilities however is a bit high, IMHO. As AC Elite 35K passengers who mainly book PE at 2X - 5X the price of economy to sit in their tiny premium cabins, It would be...
We recently used the AC Cafè at YUL, which has a full complement of any Air Canada cafē has to offer, and is quite good if you don't have the time for a regular lounge. The threshold (50K+) for using these facilities however is a bit high, IMHO. As AC Elite 35K passengers who mainly book PE at 2X - 5X the price of economy to sit in their tiny premium cabins, It would be prudent of AC to at least allow Elite 25K & 35K passengers into the cafè to help justify and to add value to a much higher airfare! For example YVR- Yul Nov 20, OW; Econ: $242; PE: $1045; Bus: $1345. This will go a long ways in justifying the high premium for just a larger seat and a few more inches of legroom.