The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Halifax is the only lounge in the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Halifax is a Star Alliance Gold Lounge and is one of the few lounges accessible as an Air Canada elite member. I visited the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge on a trip from the Halifax airport.

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This post is one chapter on our trip to Atlantic Canada on Air Canada. This trip was booked and credited to Aeroplan. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.

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My Air Canada Business Class Halifax – Ottawa flight was set for the mid-afternoon, and after the morning’s events, I headed up to the airport from the Westin Nova Scotian, returned the rental car, happy to have made it out of the snow belt, and headed to the mostly deserted departures hall of the Halifax airport.

Surprisingly, there was a Clearwater fresh lobster vendor immediately in the airport. I can’t recall ever seeing a lobster kiosk in an airport, let alone fresh lobster tanks. These lobsters have a view of the Air Canada check in agents!

It was certainly unusual to see a lobster vendor in an international airport in North America.

Locating the Maple Leaf Lounge:

I located the Air Canada check in desks and eventually headed through security to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge. The Halifax Stanfield International Airport is much like other Canadian airports; clean, small format, empty and institutional in style.

The lounge was shortly after the security checkpoint through a small elevator and stairway access.

Accessing the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge:

The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge was accessed today courtesy of a business class ticket for an Air Canada Business Class Halifax – Ottawa flight. Unlike in the United States, Air Canada allows for lounge access when flying in domestic or trans-border first class. No guests are permitted under these circumstances.

You could also get access into the lounge through a business class ticket on Air Canada under the Star Alliance Lounge policy, by purchasing an annual lounge membership, or through select Canadian based credit card memberships affiliated with American Express.

Access to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is also permitted for Star Alliance Gold Customers travelling in any class of travel. Access is permitted for a Star Alliance member airline operated flight which departs at the same day as the visit or latest by 05:00 AM the next morning. If your boarding pass does not carry the Star Alliance Gold indicator, you will need to also show your valid Star Alliance Gold card. Under these circumstances, one guest is permitted.

I presented my boarding pass to the scanner at reception and was given access to get in. I was welcomed and I led myself into the lounge.

Inside the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Halifax:

This version of the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is one of the smaller and more tired ones in the system. It seems like all the attention and love have been focused on Canada’s major business cities such as Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, leaving these smaller outposts in need of a bit of renovation and repair. The lounge had standard Maple Leaf Lounge fare, although the color scheme on my visit was stuck in the early turn of the century with browns and greys.

This Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge had a peaceful fish tank in the lounge area. It was unusual to see a fish tank in a Canadian Lounge since these are usually more reserved for tropical destinations.

The lounge was completely deserted on my visit. As a result, you had your choice of seats at almost anywhere in the lounge. Seating was on a choice of loungers or tables and chairs in the dining area.

Food and Beverage:

The lounge offered a small seating area with tables and chair seating. This was situated next to the food offerings. During my visit, the food offerings consisted of light salads along with self service wine and beer.

I filled up with a little snack prior to getting onto my Air Canada Business Class Halifax – Ottawa flight.

Summary of the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Halifax:

The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in Halifax was one of the older outposts in the Maple Leaf Lounge system. Your time here won’t be spent enjoying wonderful views or any spa treatments. However, it does have enough food and beverage to keep you entertained before your flight, as long as you’re not expecting anything else (except for a peaceful fish tank).

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If you fly through Atlantic Canada, is the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Halifax on your travel circuit?

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