My first lounge visit of 2023 was at the newly renovated and recently reopened Plaza Premium Lounge in the US departures at the Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The lounge is located by gate 88, just before the duty-free shop.
The last time I went to this lounge was way back in 2016. It was already an excellent lounge at that time with great hot food options in comparison to Air Canada’s Maple Leaf lounge. With my previous excellent experience I was excited to visit this lounge again with its latest renovations and I would imagine it would be even better.
Check-In
The check-in counter had a lot of staff members assisting customers with inquiries and checking into the lounge. They were very friendly and made sure I felt welcomed. At the counter, I presented my membership card through the Visa Airport Companion app, along with my boarding pass. I received three complimentary hours in this lounge thanks to my TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card which comes with six complimentary lounge passes each year.
If you are a member of Plaza Premium’s Smart Traveller loyalty program (free to join!) you can earn points even if you access the lounge using a free pass from your credit card! In the case of this lounge you earn 100 points per entry when using a credit card program.
Recommend reading: Rewards Canada’s Guide to Business Class Lounge Access
Lounge Overview
As you walk in, there is a bar situated right at the center of the lounge. There were only a couple of guests seated at the bar when I visited which meant there were many open seats were available. At the bar, there were two staff members that helped customers with their drinks. If you don’t drink alcoholic beverages you can order drinks like lattes or cappuccinos. There is a limit of four standard alcoholic drinks per visit and premium beverages command an extra charge.
The lounge has a great dining area with a mix of different seating styles. You can choose from high bar stools, regular single and booth type seating. I liked the table at the end of the lounge with the high seating and a coveted power outlet. This is a great setting for you to eat and do some work at the same time.
The food counters are close to the front entrance and are all self-serve. There were plenty of options to choose from with cold dishes on the left side and hot food on the right. The cold foods included salads, desserts, and yogurt, and the hot foods during my visit included mashed potatoes, lasagna, Asian mandarin chicken, and tortellini pasta.
I tried all four hot dishes, which were all really good, as good as any quality restaurant. There was a kitchen window above the hot dishes, where the chef would put a new pot to replenish the food that is running low. I can say during this visit that the Asian Mandarin Chicken was the most popular dish.
There were multiple private washroom stalls in the lounge, and some included showers. The washrooms were bright and very clean, some of the best at any airport lounge in Canada that I have visited.
Wrapping it up
Overall, this was a great lounge and my experience here was awesome. If I didn’t have the complimentary pass, I wouldn’t hesitate to pay the admission fee for this lounge. Access to this lounge starts at ~$55 CDN for 2 hours. It is one of the best lounges that I have been to in Canada recently. What can I say other than it’s a beautiful lounge that allows you to truly relax before your flight to the United States.