After a reward trip on Singapore Airlines Business Class, we had one last positioning flight to return home. The last flight of our trip had returning to Canada on a last Air Canada transborder segment departing out of Los Angeles. Our Air Canada flight was on their newest Boeing 737 Max product in Air Canada Business Class. Read on to see how our transborder business class experience was…

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This post is one chapter on a trip with my 82 yr old mom from Canada to Singapore. For informaton on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction. This trip was enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status, Air Canada Aeroplan and Hertz Gold Plus Rewards. For parts of the trip, please see this index.

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Review: Air Canada Business Class B737 Max 8, Los Angeles Innternational Airport Terminal Six -Vancouver International Airport

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The last leg of our journey from Singapore to Canada was a positioning flight from Los Angeles to Vancouver after an Air Canada Aeroplan reward ticket on Singapore Airlines Business Class Singapore – Los Angeles.

I wasn’t able to find any Aeroplan saver reward availability between Los Angeles and Vancouver. As a result, the easiest way to get home was to pick up a revenue paid ticket to position to return back to our home city.

I purchased and paid for this ticket using the Toronto Dominion Visa Infinite Credit Card, which allowed me to learn 1.5 Aeroplan miles per dollar spent. I credited these flights to Air Canada Aeroplan frequent flyer program.

Checking into Air Canada Business Class:

As indicated upstream, we had flown in with Singapore Airlines Business Class Singapore – Los Angeles. We had stayed overnight at the nearby Marriott LAX, which was convenient and offered one of the better Club M Marriott Lounges in the area for breakfast.

After taking the complimentary Marriott LAX Shuttle Bus to Los Angeles Terminal Six, we were dropped off. At the time of this trip, American and Alaska Airlines Flight Attendents were in the middle of labour action and had a strike picket line up outside the terminal building.

Navigating inside, we checked in at the Air Canada Priority Access lanes, which were well marked once inside the terminal. The terminals at Los Angeles International Airport are pretty functional instead of aspirational. Terminal six was no exception to this.

The Air Canada ground agents validated our passports with a document check. Surprisingly, the inside baggage conveyor belt was broken. We were directed back outside to the curb side check in to drop our two checked bags off.

When our boarding cards were issued, consistent with a paid Air Canada Business Class ticket, we were placed into boarding group 1; the highest possible boarding group.

The Lounge: The United Club Los Angeles

Our Air Canada Business Class ticket offered complimentary lounge access into two nearby lounges at Los Angeles International Airport.

While we had access to the smaller and nearby Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge – Los Angeless Terminal Six, we ended up walking over to the larger United Club – Los Angeles Terminal Seven. Since I’ve reviewed it before, I won’t be doing a comprehensive review this time around. The United Club was located a short five minute walk away behind security, in nearby LAX Terminal Seven.

During our time there, we were able to obtain a light breakfast and snacks. We also had the opportunity to see our Air Canada Boeing B737-Max8 arrive to gate.

Boarding Air Canada Business Class:

Given that the traffic accessing Los Angeles International Airport was always variable given the usual volume, I had us arriving to the airport really early. After about an hour in the lounge, we wandered back towards Terminal Six.

It is always really busy at Los Angeles International Airport. I can’t say that time spent in these walls is a “relaxing” or “tranquil” experience.

I eventually located Gate 62. There aren’t many places to sit near the gates in Los Angeles, so we ended up parking next to a column while we waited for the boaring annoucement.

During this time, I ended up checking the Air Canada mobile app to see what the flight status was. There were at least seven on the e-upgrade list, competing for two available seats. Given limited frequencies on this route, this wasn’t the route to use e-upgrades on with any measure of success; especially in the middle of the weekday.

Air Canada
AC 557 – Business Class (Z)
LAX – YVR (Los Angeles International Airport Terminal Six -Vancouver International Airport)
June 13, 2024
2:20 PM – 5:21 PM
Booked: Boeing 737-Max8
Flown: Boeing 737-Max8

On Board Air Canada Business Class:

I have reviewed the Air Canada Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft on several occasions previously. Please see the following posts if you’d like a little more description of the cabin.

• Air Canada Business Class: Vancouver – Phoenix
• Air Canada Business Class: Calgary – Vancouver
• Air Canada Business Class: Ottawa – Vancouver
• Air Canada Business Class: Vancouver – Ottawa
• Air Canada Business Class: Vancouver – San Francisco

After boarding Air Canada Business Class, we found our seats. Air Canada Business Class on their Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft is offered in four rows of business class in a 2–2 configuration. Some photos from an previous flight:

The Air Canada Business Class cabin still looks sharp in different shades of black and gray. There is a reasonable amount of shoulder hip and leg room in the seats, allowing for a comfortable flying experience. While the seats aren’t full flat seats, they would be reasonable comfortable for flying for up to five hours of travel.

Unusually today for a short flight, a small blanket was waiting for us on the seat.

Our seats were on the shady side of the aircraft today in 2D and 2F. As I was travelling with my 82 year old mom, I offered her the window which she throughly enjoyed, more than I would have expected.

Pre Departure Services:

Air Canada doesn’t offer an official pre-departure beverage service on it’s transborder flights. Instead, there was a bottle of Naya water waiting for us on the seat console.

During this time, we had a public address announcement from Service Director Xavier of our flight time being approximately two hours and forty five minutes up to Canada. As with all flights on Air Canada, the announcement were repeated into French.

Air Canada’s Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft offer photographs of the destination. Our flight today was marked with twilight photographs of the Expo Centre on Vancouver’s False Creek.

There was also a flight map that displayed a mostly land based flight directly northward up to Vancouver, Canada.

The Air Canada Boeing 737 Max 8 offers a smart and modern way to travel. Air Canada is mostly ahead of the curve when it comes to having a modern fleet as it replaces it’s aging Airbus 320 series products. The Air Canada Boeing 737 Max 8 offers a

Departing Los Angeles:

We had a departure from Los Angeles that was on time and without the usual waits. We had a westward departure which resulted in us turning right up the coast on our northerly track.

Since I didn’t have the window seat this time around, I didn’t get many more window views on the ride up.

The Meal: Lunch

Shortly after arriving to cruising altitude, the meal service started. Air Canada has recently eliminated the printed menu. As a result, the menus have migrated to the app; a fact that hasn’t seem to catch on with every traveler.

Once at altitude, the meal service started with a beverage service. These were paired with a packet of Krispy Kernel roasted and salted almonds.

I was offered a second round of snacks, which arrived in the form of Twigz Craft Buttery Herb and Garlic pretzels.

When it came time for meal selection, I ended up ordering the honey gincer sesame chicken. However, they had run out of it by the time they had taken my order in Row 2. As a result, I ended up with an off the menu pasta dish.

The pasta dish wasn’t very exciting, but it served as lunch. I haven’t found the catering on Air Canada to be all super engaging, and this meal was no exception.

Instead, I enjoyed the Pacific Northwest mountain views as we travelled up to Canada.

Landing at Vancouver International Airport:

We had an easy landing at Vancouver International Airport. With a late afternoon arrival, there was minimal wait at the border. We easily passed through inspection with the Canada Border Services Agency and collected our checked luggage without any issues.

After arriving, it was a short bus ride home since MrsWT73 mis timed our pick up; the end of another terrific overseas trip.

The Bottom Line: Air Canada Business Class B737-Max 8

The Air Canada Business Class service on the Boeing 737 Max 8 remains a much more comfortable way to travel transborder than it’s competitors: United Airlines and American Airlines. With a state of the art cabin, the service offers a comfortable seating environment accompanied by a mostly edible meal.

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If you’ve flown Air Canada Business Class Transborder, do you prefer it to United Airlines?

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