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Air Canada Café is Air Canada’s premium, grab-and-go lounge concept, which is expanding rapidly after great success in Toronto. As of today, April 10, Air Canada’s second Café has opened in Vancouver (YVR), in the domestic terminal. The first one in Vancouver opened last November.
This is the 6th Air Canada Café location in Canada, joining Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Montréal-Trudeau (YUL) domestic and U.S. departures, Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre (YTZ, in collaboration with Aspire), and Vancouver (YVR).
Air Canada Café – YVR, C50
This second new Café in the Domestic Terminal at YVR is located by Gate C50. The first Café is between Gates C46 and C47 (a review). While the gate numbers might make it sound like the two are close together, it’s actually not the case in YVR’s C-gates layout, as Gates C50-52 are in a different area, closer to the US gates.
The newly-opened C50 Air Canada Café is significantly larger than the first one, accommodating 84 guests. It’s great to see a larger space open in the domestic terminal, since the first one was on the small side with a capacity of 52 guests.
New AC Cafe by Gate 50 – Exterior
The design motif is classically Vancouver, with a sculptural ceiling evoking the shoreline of Stanley Park, while lighting recalls the organic forms of river rocks. Art is by local artist Renée Van Halm, and the space is anchored by a custom piece, ‘Connections’, by Kelly Cannell, a Coach Salish artist from the Musqueam Nation.
Lounge seating and artwork
Artwork: ‘Connections’, by Kelly Cannell
The grab-and-go concept remains the core of the Café experience, where travellers will find selections that offer both convenience and a connection to Vancouver:
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Warm char siu pork bao buns
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Vegan curry bao
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Lee’s Donuts, a long-time and well-loved Vancouver staple
- Freshly made vegetarian Kimbap
All food items depicted below are on the regular menu and are available to guests beginning today as the lounge is now open.
Hot food selection
Salad bar
Desserts – ‘Grab-n-Go’ options
More desserts – Macarons
Noticeably, the food overlap between the two lounges is only 30%, which is great to see. You’ll be able to use the lounges evenly and make your picks on your favourite bits from each lounge.
On the beverage side, the Café offers specialty barista-made coffees, local craft beers on tap, and a selection of local wines featuring Narrative Red, a sparkling rosé from Okanagan Crush Pad. Of course, this is on top of the international wine options and crafted cocktails.
Self-serve Drinks and Coffee bar
Speciality coffee and liquor bar
Similar to the other locations, the YVR café is designed with short-stay travellers in mind. Seating includes a combination of workstations, high-top surfaces, and traditional lounge seating.
View from the lounge
Lounge Seating – Connectivity at each seat
Air Canada Café – Montreal YUL, U.S. Departures Pier Gate C72
Air Canada has also recently opened an Air Canada Café in Montreal-Trudeau International Airport in the U.S. departures piers on March 24. This makes it Air Canada’s second Café location in Montreal and is conveniently located across the hall from the Maple Leaf Lounge by gates C72 and C73.
This Air Canada Café, which seats 62 guests, is inspired by Montreal’s “third wave” coffee culture. The menu features Montreal classics:
- Smoked meat sandwiches
- Fresh bagels
- Artisanal pastries like pistachio croissant and vegan soup by Sagamité Watso, a Québec-based, Indigenous-owned business
Beverage options celebrate local Québec craftsmanship, with wines from L’Orpailleur Winery, gin from distillerie du Fjord, and craft beers from Montreal’s RJ Brasseur brewery.
Air Canada Cafe – Who Has Access
Entry into the Café uses scan-enabled access gates, allowing eligible guests to self-scan their boarding passes for a streamlined arrival experience. Aligned with access guidelines at the other Air Canada Café locations across the network, access to the Air Canada Café at YVR is available to:
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Customers travelling on an Air Canada Business Class ticket
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Aeroplan 50K, 75K, and Super Elite members
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Star Alliance Gold members
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Aeroplan premium co-brand credit cardholders
Takeaway
Air Canada Cafe has become my preferred spot for short stays and quick bites, as the overall experience feels much more elevated than the usual Maple Leaf lounges. Yes, the Cafe can get crowded during peak travel hours, but it remains an excellent option for frequent travellers who do not care for a traditional lounge experience. For frequent domestic travellers through YVR, and particularly those with Aeroplan status or premium co-brand cards, the new Air Canada Café will add incredible value.
