World Traveller 73 
Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, Vancouver Transborder US Pre-Clearance
The first leg our of trip was in style thanks to car service through Aerocar. We were also able to enjoy my favourite lounge in Vancouver at the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge US Transborder.
This post is one chapter on our trip to South Africa, a Safari in the Maasai Mara in Kenya and Mauritius. This trip was redeemed through Air Canada’s Aeroplan and through Starwood Preferred Guest (Marriott Bonvoy) and Hyatt Gold Passport. 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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Read More from This Trip
- Trip Introduction: South Africa, Kenya & Mauritius via South African Airways, Swiss and Air Canada Business Class
- Vancouver Airport Transborder Maple Leaf Lounge
- United Business Vancouver – Chicago O’Hare
- United Club Chicago O’Hare – Concourse B
- United Club Chicago O’Hare – Concourse C
- United Business First Chicago O’Hare – Sao Paolo International
- Intercontinental Chicago O’Hare
- United Business Chicago O’Hare – Washington Dulles International
- Lufthansa Senator Lounge – Washington Dulles
- South African Airways Business Class Washington Dulles – Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport Dakar
- Dakar Technical Stopover
- South African Airways Business Class Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport Dakar – O.R. Tambo Johannesburg International Airport
- South African Airways Baobab Lounge – O.R Tambo Johannesburg Terminal A Domestic
- South African Airways Economy Class O.R. Tambo Johannesburg – Cape Town international
- Westin Cape Town
- A Visit to Robben Island: South Africa’s Most Famous Jail
- Exploring Table Mountain by Cable Car, Cape Town
- Where the Two Oceans Meet: Visiting Cape Point at Cape of Good Hope
- The Test Kitchen
- Le Quartier Français – Franschhoek
- Touring Western Cape Winelands in Stellenbosch and Franschoek
- The Tasting Room
- South African Airways – Cape Town Cyobab Domestic Lounge
- South African Airways Economy Class – Cape Town – O.R. Tambo Johannesburg
- Hyatt Regency Rosebank Johannesburg
- Soweto & Informal Settlement Tour
- SAA Baobab Premium Lounge – OR Tambo Johannesburg
- South African Airways Business Class O.R. Tambo Johannesburg – Mauritius
- St Regis Mauritius – A Beachfront Suite
- St Regis Mauritius – Le Morne Penninsula, Iridium Spa and The House Reef
- Air Maurituis Amédée Maingard Lounge
- South African Airways Business Class Mauritius – O.R. Tambo Johannesburg
- South African Airways Business Class O.R. Tambo Johannesburg – Jomo Kennyata Nairobi, Kenya
- Fairmont Norfolk, Nairobi
- Travelling the Gritty Streets of Nairobi, Kenya
- Air Kenya – Wilson Airport – Ngrende Airstrip
- Fairmont Mara Safari Club
- Locating Elephants, Rhino’s and Giraffes in the Maasai Mara, Kenya
- Being Surrounded by Lions in the Maasai Mara, Kenya
- Dancing with the Elders at a Maasai Mara Village in the Rift Valley, Kenya
- Air Kenya Ngrende Airstrip – Nairobi Wilson
- Swiss Air Business Nairobi – Zurich
- Swiss Air Arrivals Lounge – Zurich
- Swiss Air Concourse D Lounge (non Shengen) Zurich
- Swiss Air Business Zurich – London Heathrow Terminal 1
- Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge – London Heathrow Terminal 3
- Air Canada / SAS Lounge – Heathrow Terminal 3
- Air Canada London Heathrow – Vancouver International
Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, Vancouver Transborder, Vancouver International Airport, Canada
“The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is the best lounge available in the Vancouver Airport US Transborder Departures Area. It offers ample ambient light, plenty of seating, and great tarmac views”
This review relates to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver Transborder. I’ve reviewed the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver Transborder earlier. For a review of the only other lounge available in the US Transborder area at Vancouver International Airport, please see our review of the Plaza Premium Lounge Transborder at Vancouver International Airport.
Getting Underway for this Trip:
We departed the house all set for our holiday. This time, we decided to use the Aerocar Car service this morning to avoid having the car sitting outside for 3 weeks in airport parking in the fall Vancouver rain. There was frost on the ground for the first freeze of the year in Vancouver.
We arrived to YVR in under 1 hour to United States Departures. It was a super quiet check in today after the initial rush of early morning travellers. It seemed we were in between waves of flights. It was almost like a private terminal but not quite.
As can be expected, there is great art around the Vancouver International Airport. This is Bill Reid’s sculpture which is on the back of the Canadian $20 Bill.
Our original ticket had us travelling today Vancouver – Chicago – Sao Paulo – Johannesburg (YVR-ORD-GRU-JNB) as that’s where I could find reward seat space. As a result, I asked for the bags to be short checked to GRU so that they could be wrapped in plastic security film after we had gotten through TSA screening territory. I was hoping to avoid any pilferage from the bags. Eventually, this idea would turn out to be a major mistake as you will see when you read on.
We proceeded through security to the pleasant Vancouver Air Canada Transborder Maple Leaf Lounge. I have reviewed this lounge before here so please feel free to check in there for another perspective.
Accessing the Maple Leaf Lounge:
The lounge was accessed today courtesy of the class of service of our Star Alliance business class ticket. The lounge can also be accessed for those with a Star Alliance Gold Card, regardless of travel class. There are also certain Canadian Credit Cards that will allow for access.
Inside the Maple Leaf Lounge:
This lounge is always a comfortable place. It’s among my favourites in Vancouver thanks to it’s size, it’s large windows and it’s relaxed atmosphere.
Food and Beverage in the Maple Leaf Lounge:
Today’s servings offered the usual breakfast offerings timed with the morning departure of our flight of 11 AM. It was full of business travelers on the Monday morning of our trip. Somehow the cereal silos look more appealing here, than in the United Club lounges in the United States.
My thoughts on the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge – Transborder:
This lounge is still the place to be for transborder flights. With ample light, comfortable loungers and great views, this IS the lounge to visit for your flights to the United States. As I’ve said before, it’s complimented by great food and a convenient location to most flights departing the Vancouver International Airport US Pre-Clearance Trans-border zone.
World Traveller 73 
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