Plaza Premium Lounge Review - Toronto Pearson Airport Terminal 3 YYZ International Departures

I had the opportunity to visit the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 3 at Toronto Pearson Airport last fall during a layover on the way to the Maldives. Layovers at Pearson Airport seem to be hit or miss depending on the airline. When I flew to Paris via Toronto on Westjet and then Air France, the Westjet flight from Montreal landed in the same terminal as my departing Air France flight which made for a smooth layover without having to change terminals or go through security. However this time, I had to transfer from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3. Unfortunately, to do so you have to exit Terminal 1 and go through security again at the Terminal 3 entrance along with everyone else checking in. The airline can check your bags through to your final destination so you don't have to pick up your luggage though.

The Lounge

This Plaza Premium Lounge is located in Terminal 3 in the International Departures section. Signs for the lounge are prominently displayed throughout the Terminal. The Lounge is located just upstairs from Gate C32 and can be accessed by elevator. Entry to this lounge is complimentary for all passengers flying on a business class ticket with Etihad. Access may also be complimentary for those with a Plaza Premium membership provided by some American Express cards or Visa (please check their website for more info). There is a separate area within the lounge for British Airways business class passengers. Their entrance is on the right after the reception while regular entry is to the left.

The lounge featured plenty of seating and it was very calm and not crowded on this Sunday evening while I visited. The couches in the centre of the lounge had several small tables for your food and drinks. There were also some side tables with reading lamps and electrical outlets to charge your personal devices. I recall newspapers were also available.

Food

The dining area was to the left of the main entrance with the buffet at the far end. There was a selection of hot meals and snacks including rice, meatballs, steamed veggies, chilli and pirogies. There were also some samosas which were very tasty! Chocolate chip and raisin cookies were available for dessert.

Hot meal options

Snacks

Spicy samosas

Cake and brownies for dessert.

Drinks

The drink selection was somewhat restricted compared to other lounges. There was a limited option of local wines only and a small selection of spirits. Drinks were not self-serve and there was a bartender to take your order. As you can see below, Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray gin cost an extra $6.99 CAD (+ tax). All drinks not listed under house pours were at an additional charge. This felt pretty stingy considering the cost of a business class ticket on Etihad.

Bathrooms & Shower

The bathrooms are located on one side of the lounge and featured individual stalls and gorgeous floor to ceiling ceramic tiles. The bathroom were spotless and sparking clean. Showers were also available but I did not get any photos since I didn’t use them.

After a few snacks and some wine, it was soon time to head downstairs for boarding. Note that like many lounges, there are no flight announcements so it’s always wise to keep an eye on the time and the departure screens.

In conclusion, this was a decent lounge to spend a few hours during a short layover. It was very close to the Etihad departure gate which definitely helped with not having to leave too early to reach the gate for boarding. I had a good experience overall at the lounge although the limited drink selection felt a little cheap for Etihad Business Class passengers. Nonetheless, any lounge is a much appreciated hideaway from the chaos of the public areas of the airport.

Now, onto my 13 hour flight to Abu Dhabi!

Montreal Maple Leaf Lounge Review - YUL Airport (Domestic)

There was a long line to enter the elevator.

In the fall of 2022, I went on the most epic trip of my life to the Maldives! (more on that in another post). As part of my itinerary, I flew out of Montreal Airport (YUL) on Air Canada. This was the first out of three flights with a layover at Toronto Pearson Airport then on to the Maldives with Etihad Airways and a layover in Abu Dhabi. This first flight was in Premium Economy but because I booked my ticket to the Maldives in Business Class , my boarding pass still granted me access to the Maple Leaf Lounge. Regular Premium Economy tickets on Air Canada do not include lounge access, this must be purchased separately.

This was a short one hour flight from Montreal to Toronto Pearson Airport and therefore I had to remain in the Domestic side of the Airport and couldn’t access the (much nicer) International Maple Leaf Lounge.

The lounge is located at the far end of the YUL domestic terminal, between Gates 1 and 3. After going through security, turn right and walk to the end until you reach Gate 3. There will be a sign on your left. The lounge is located upstairs and can be accessed by stairs or an elevator.

Right off the bat, I had a bad first impression. The elevator waiting area was very crowded and as we made our way up, the doors opened to a long line of travellers waiting to enter. Thankfully I did not end up waiting too long but a large crowd of passengers showed up right behind me. I assume it was a 10-15 min wait to get in. Once inside, the lounge was pretty crowded and it was hard to find a place to sit. There were several people travelling on business working on their laptops as well as a rowdy group of guys drinking who looked like they were heading to Vegas.

The Air Canada Domestic Maple Leaf Lounge.

Above was the seating area next to the buffet. Unfortunately, I did not get a photo of the main area which was much more crowded.

The dining area offered a selection of rice, pasta and DIY salads.

On the menu were hot meals like chicken skewers and a chicken curry. Behind the hot meals was the coffee and snacks station.

Smoked meat sandwich with wine and a cappuccino.

The chicken skewers looks appetizing but were bland and chewy.

While the food looked appetizing, I was very quickly disappointed after taking a single bite. The smoked meat sandwich was made up of tender, juicy smoked meat slices sandwiched between stale bread. I ended up eating the smoked meat with a fork and spat out the bread.

The chicken skewers were very chewy and bland. I left mine and so did Felix. The pasta and salad were decent.

In between the main lounge area and the buffet was the drinks section. There was a bar with several liquor choices and mixers for DIY cocktails. The fridge contained juices and bottled water. Across from it was the wine bar with multiple selections of red and white. Unfortunately there was no sparkling wines or champagne. There were a selections of beers available on tap to self pour.

Across from the buffet was a cappuccino machine and some cookies and snacks. I tried one it was mediocre at best.

The main bar had a range of liquor available for DIY cocktails.

The wine bar

Overall, I felt like this lounge was too crowded and the food needs some improvement. It feels more like a reluctant effort on AIr Canada’s part since they have to provide a lounge for their domestic business travellers. The Maple Leaf Lounges in Vancouver and London are significantly better than this lounge but in the end, it still offers an area away from the chaos of the airport to relax with some food and drinks before your flight.