With many readers wanting to branch out beyond BA for long haul flights, it feels like the perfect time to take a more in-depth look at Air Canada. Yesterday a small group of journalists was taken airside to see Air Canada’s refurbished lounge at T2 and also a peek at their A330 business class as well as the Arrivals lounge. I admit I have only ever flown Air Canada short-haul, but have always been keen to give them a try. I didn’t actually know they had an arrivals lounge either.
Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge in Heathrow Terminal 2 was launched in 2014, coinciding with the opening of the new Queen’s Terminal. In 2024 the Star Alliance lounges at T2 were refurbished in turn to make sure there was always a lounge available. The Air Canada lounge was relaunched in late 2024 after the lounge was closed for a light refurbishment.
The refurbishment included:
- The installation of new lighting from a Canadian brand
- New furniture to further improve comfort levels
- Addition of extra seats (now 149 seats in total) to cater for demand ○
- The old boardroom was refitted to provide more seating as few people used it.
- New art installations from Canadian artist Nicolas Ruel are also being fitted throughout the lounge
In this post:
Lounge location, access, and hours
The lounge is well signposted and is located just as you arrive at the B Gates in Terminal 2 to the left. It is very close to where Air Canada’s flights depart from.
The lounge is open daily from 6am to 5:30pm, and is accessible to:
- Aeroplan 50K, 75K, and Super Elite Status members
- Star Alliance Gold members
- Aeroplan premium co-brand cardholders
- Customers travelling in Signature Class (Business Class) with Air Canada or another Star Alliance member airline
The lounge
The lounge has a Canadian feel from the moment you arrive with Maple Leaf motives, lots of light wood and a red and neutral colour scheme. Despite several flights that were due to depart in the next few hours, the lounge felt quiet.
As you enter, you are greeted with floor-to-ceiling windows showing the airfield, which gives the lounge a light and airy feel. It’s a great place to sit and enjoy the view if you enjoy a bit of aviation action! To the right and straight ahead are the more comfortable areas for relaxing and enjoying the airfield scenery. Almost all the seats have power with USB and UK and US sockets.
I liked that there were two areas with really comfortable sofas and chairs if you wanted to settle down for a bit.
Just behind the sofa at the right of the lounge is a large communal work area.
Food and drink
The back of the lounge has a dining area with tables and chairs, a buffet, and a staffed bar.
As it was early morning when we visited, the selection was all breakfast items but there was a good choice. As well as a cooked breakfast with things like bacon, eggs and hash browns, there were some healthier options such as fresh fruit and cereal as well as treats like pastries.
It was also good to see a cook-to-order station, which featured waffles and croffles (a croissant made into a waffle) made to order. These were delicious and even were shaped like a maple leaf, which was a cute little touch, and of course, they came with maple syrup!
The bar is staffed and will make cocktails such as the Canadian Bloody Mary alternative, a Bloody Caesar which is made with Clamato instead of tomato juice. There was a good choice of spirits including Tanqueray Gin, Camus VSOP, a single malt and Appletons rum as well as drinks such as Aperol. If you are a ber drinker there were four beers on tap including Coors.
If it was a bit early for a drink, there were two flavoured waters to choose from and a selection of soft drinks too.
Facilities
There are three showers in the Air Canada Lounge at Heathrow, including a disabled one.
There are plenty of places to work, including some individual booths and quieter areas near the dining area.
If you need to charge your phone and don’t have the right cable, there was also a phone charger station.
If you need to relax or get some rest, there are also a few individual rest areas with power and a chaise longue, which can be found on the back wall on the right of the lounge.
I will look at the A330 business class seats and the Arrivals lounge in a future article.
