- To Sicily for the Weekend: Introduction
- Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver
- Review: Lufthansa First Class Vancouver to Munich
- Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Review
- Review: Lufthansa Business Class Munich to Budapest
- Review: Hilton Budapest
- Review: Platinum Lounge Budapest
- Review: Lufthansa Business Class Budapest to Munich
- Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge Munich
- Review: Air Dolomiti Business Class Munich to Catania
- Review: Air Berlin Economy Class Catania to Munich
- Review: Sheraton Munich Airport
- Review: Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich
- Review: Lufthansa First Class Munich to Los Angeles
I arrived at Vancouver Airport on Alaska at roughly 3PM for the 6:45PM departure, and headed straight to the departure gate for the Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt to retrieve my boarding pass, since I didn’t want to clear customs and immigration.
Vancouver terminal
Vancouver terminal
Vancouver terminal
The agent gladly processed my check-in, and she got out one of the red boarding pass holders which first class passengers get. At this point the supervisor, who was standing near her nearly had a heart attack. The Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt was completely empty in first class and as a result wasn’t catered, so when she saw the red boarding pass holder she assumed someone had just booked first class. She was relieved when she saw I was in fact on the Munich flight.
At that point I headed to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, which is Lufthansa’s contract lounge in Vancouver. It’s a bit disappointing as a first class passenger given that it’s a business class lounge, but at least it’s better than a domestic US lounge, and for that matter I don’t think there are even any better lounges in the terminal.
At the door I was welcomed by the agent. I asked about shower rooms, though was informed there were none, though the Priority Pass lounge next door had some. As a reminder, Priority Pass is a great benefit available to anyone with a credit card with lounge access.
The lounge itself was small, I thought, for being their longhaul international lounge. It was fairly full and the decor was pretty “bleh,” but at least the Wi-Fi speeds were decent so I could get a bit caught up on work.
Lounge seating
Lounge seating
Lounge seating
Lounge seating
Bar
The lounge also had a fairly decent food spread, at least compared to lounges in the US, with pasta salad, chips and salsa, finger sandwiches, veggies, soup, ravioli, etc.
Pasta salad, vegges, etc.
Food selection
Chips, salsa, and finger sandwiches
Soup
Ravioli
Fruit and snack mix
There was also a self serve bar.
Bar
Coffee and cookies
The views from the lounge were of the tarmac, including of an Air Transat A330 and the Lufthansa A330 that arrived from Munich.
View from the lounge
View from the lounge
At roughly 6PM I headed to gate 55, where the flight would be departing from. At around 6:15PM boarding was announced, starting with first class.
Departure gate
Departure gate
Plane to Munich
It’s definitely not worth arriving early to visit the Air Canada lounge, though for a business class lounge in North America it wasn’t bad.
I must say this is one of my least favourite lounges in major cdn airports. The domestic lounge is much nicer and doesn't feel as crowded. However, so far most of the cdn airline lounges have far surpassed the American ones (unless you include international groups like Cathay...)
Maple leaf lounge in Vancover intl airport sucks. Its hot, crowded & washrooms small & cramped. We travel a lot i would rather sit in common area & do. Am super elite. This a poor excuse for business travel b
Worst lounge experience: Alaska Airlines in LA ( and I've been in it numerous times)..Only one time, however....no one seemed to care that bratty kids were running around throwing candy and missing each other (parents were asleep !)...and a group of (drinking) German tourists were So Loud talking to each other and laughing ...even when I moved as far away as I could to get some work done.
I see these lounges as quiet...
Worst lounge experience: Alaska Airlines in LA ( and I've been in it numerous times)..Only one time, however....no one seemed to care that bratty kids were running around throwing candy and missing each other (parents were asleep !)...and a group of (drinking) German tourists were So Loud talking to each other and laughing ...even when I moved as far away as I could to get some work done.
I see these lounges as quiet refuges during travel ....not playrooms and loud bars.
Staff didn't seem to care when I asked if it was acceptable for the lounge to be So noisy.
Thankfully, it hasn't happenened the last 7times I was there..or AA would have ben notified.
I am trying to find out where to get the same coffee machine that is in the Air Canada lounge. Our office is located in Toronto Ontario, so we are looking for a distributor out here. Anyone have any info or contact info for the lounge so that I can talk to the food and beverage manager out there.
I believe you can only access the transborder lounge if you're flying to the US as it's beyond US customs and immigration pre-clearance.
Did not know one could connect in YVR without clearing immigration. Good to know for those of us with "youthful indiscretions" that prohibit entrance into the Great White North.
@Jonathan: To clarify my Post #6, we only visited the Transborder Lounge, but felt that their food selection/quality had gone way downhill since our last visit 5 years ago.
Ben's visit to what I assume was the International Lounge (around Gate 52). That lounge appears to have very similar decor and all the same food as the Transborder lounge, but also had small sandwiches and pasta ... or maybe we just hit the Transborder lounge on an off day.
Try the AC transborder lounge....it is better.
It maybe the best Lounge for Star Alliance but OneWorld has better Lounges at YVR: BA Lounge has both F and J sections and has very nice services. CX has both F and J section as well but minimal service like most CX Lounge out of HKG (except LHR).
Looks a lot like the "Transborder" (vice "International") lounge that we were in on July 4th (the one located around Gate 82) ... except no finger sandwiches or ravioli for us border crossers! :(
I like the Transborder lounge at YVR - on the 2nd floor, so high up and an "open" lounge as well
Correction:
It's 3,500 Amex Points for 1 single use pass for Plaza Lounges.
Please see:
https://catalogue.membershiprewards.ca/viewAwardByBrand.mtw?filterBrandName=Plaza%20Premium
Also please note that even though there are Plaza lounges in other Canadian Airports, the pass is only valid at YVR and YYZ.
And they don't mention this on the Amex website but the passes expire 31 dec 2014 and you are limited to a 3 hour stay.
With fares and rental cars so much cheaper in Seattle, Vancouver loses a lot of air traffic.
Hi Lucky !
Next time you are at YVR or other Canadian airports try the Plaza lounge, ANY Amex Platinum or Priority pass will get you in and there's real hot food (with a cook).
You can also redeem a single use pass with 7,500 American Express points (With the Canadian Cards)
Looks like a Franke Coffee Machine in the coffee photo.