Having access to an airport lounge can turn a layover into a delightful part of travel. As with many luxuries, once you partake a few times retiring to the comforts of the lounge is something you dread having to do without. My access to the Maple Leaf Lounge and its Star Alliance affiliated lounges comes courtesy of having a spouse who flies with Air Canada for work frequently. I’ve often wondered—if I didn’t get this perk as part of a loyalty program, would I pay for the privilege?

Should you pay for Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Access? 

The first time is a revelation

The first time I had the pleasure of using an airport lounge was on a business trip about 15 years ago. The associate I was travelling with had lounge access through her American Express credit card, and I was her guest. I was dumbfounded. I didn’t even know such a place existed and that some people do not spend their layover time crammed into a terminal gate area surrounded by piled up luggage, screaming babies, and the constant drone of flight announcements. Rather, some passengers slip through a discreet sliding door that leads the way to a sublime reprieve from all of that. Who knew?

What’s so great about an airport lounge

Most of what I know about airport lounges is limited to Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge and a handful of affiliated Star Alliance Gold airline lounges such as United Club and Lufthansa.

Depending on location and whether you are in a domestic or international flight lounge, you will have some or all of the following amenities available to you with the cost of entry:

Desk Staff

Need to check your connecting flight? Want to change your seating arrangement? The desk staff at the airport lounge check-in counter will happily do that for you. No need to wait in that long queue at the check-in counter.

Wifi

Most airports now have free wifi so this is not the most amazing perk, but it’s wifi access you can count on. I’ve experienced very good speed and dismal speed depending on the lounge. You are also more likely to find a spot to plug in your devices than you are in the public airport spaces. Some lounges have charging stations.

Quiet Space

If you need to get some work done, there are areas in the lounge that are cellphone-free and have desks.

Comfort

One of the biggest advantages of the airport lounge is the opportunity to get comfy in a seat that isn’t jammed next to a guy scarfing down his breakfast burrito while you await your flight.

Food

The food options vary depending on the lounge and time of day. International lounges offer hot dishes, salads, and desserts. Maple Leaf Lounge domestic fare includes basic options. There are usually two soup options, hearty salads, fruit, cookies, bread, and my personal guilty pleasure tortilla chips with hummus and salsa.

Breakfast offerings include yogurt, hard boiled eggs, fruit, cereal, pastries, and toast. Select domestic lounges offer full hot breakfasts. The Lufthansa international lounges provide outstanding food offerings with even more tasty options.

Beverages

There is always a huge array of beverage choices including the alcoholic variety. It is almost always without additional cost and self-serve. There is sometimes a cost for premium beverages in international Star Alliance lounges.

If you drink alcohol, this is where having lounge access delivers value. Not that you should slam back as many G&Ts as possible during your two-hour layover, but even having just a couple of drinks at a bar in the terminal does not come cheap.

Showers

I have not used a shower in an international lounge, but Steve has once on a layover after a very long overseas flight. Insider tip: If you go to use the showers and don’t see an attendant at the desk, don’t just wander into the shower stall and get into a lather without the benefit of a towel to dry off. There is no towel in the shower area; the attendant will give one to you. Yes, this happened. Steve had to get back into his clothes wet. Lounge shower facilities usually supply shampoo and conditioner.

Reading Materials

You will find an array of newspapers and glossy magazines that are yours to keep.

Is there value in paying for lounge access?

Reposing in the Maple Leaf Lounge is, in my opinion, one of the most valuable perks of being married to a frequent business traveller. If you travel for work, it is well worth choosing an airline loyalty or credit card program that gives you access to airport lounges.

Here’s what Maple Leaf Lounge access costs out-of-pocket:

One-time Access

The purchase of a business class flight entitles you to lounge access, but you can also access the lounge for a fee on other flights. Lounge access costs CAD/USD 25.00 – 30.00 on a Latitude ticket and $50.00 -$60.00 on a Flex ticket each way. You must pay for access prior to check-in, and you cannot purchase access at the airport.

Maple Leaf Club Membership

There are three levels of club membership with different annual fees:

Canada – Access to 16 lounges in select cities across Canada CAD 375.00

North American Plus – Access to more than 60 lounges in Canada, the U.S., and Europe – CAD 495.00

Worldwide – Access to more than 210 lounges around the world – CAD 665.00

You can find more information on the Air Canada site.

Under certain circumstances, I think it is worth paying the one-time fee for lounge access:

• You’re going to eat a meal and have an alcoholic beverage or two. Airport prices are high. I’d pay $25 – $30 to indulge in a lounge visit as it would be less expensive and comfier than eating in an airport restaurant.
• You have a long layover and work to get done. In this case, you’re likely going to grab a snack anyway, and it’s nice to have space to work instead of hunching over your laptop screen in the midst of a hectic gate area.
• You want a treat during a special trip. When you’re paying $500 – $1,000 for flight, what’s another $50 or so? If it’s special occasion travel and you have a 2-hour layover or longer, I’d pay.

Determining the value of paying for an annual membership plan is trickier. As a business expense, I’d consider it if I had to fly regularly and it was mostly domestic to the select cities in the Canada plan. Otherwise, if you were making good use of the paid plan, you’d probably be close to qualifying for loyalty status and get some amount of access anyway.

Best bet: Know someone who has status

If you are flying with someone who has lounge access (Star Alliance Gold or Altitude 50K or higher), you can accompany them at no cost. Also, those with status often get some domestic lounge passes as part of their benefits. Steve and I often give these to friends and family so they can enjoy lounge access when they fly with Air Canada.

Do you have access to airport lounges through your loyalty program? Would you pay for this luxury?

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