Air Canada Signature Suite YVR

[antycbr]

My partner and I were invited to use the AC Signature Suite at YVR before our flight to SYD (VA business award) - by rights this lounge is off limits to award tickets on partners.
The signature suite is primarily a dining experience, with a la carte offerings.



The lounge offers a buffet as well which has a variety of hot dishes, including Montreal smoked meat sliders, bao, curry, soup and dumplings.

Drinks options












The food looks something like this:

Risotto appetiser and dumpling appetiser:





Alberta Beef Tenderloin:



Dessert options - chocolate tart and espresso martini with maple syrup:



The wine I chose was a Pinot from the Okanagan Valley, Canadian RRP $90/bottle. Moët was the sparkling choice.

To use lounge facilities such as showers you go downstairs to the normal Maple Leaf lounge. There are two shower suites.

Overall it’s a great experience and very relaxing compared to normal lounge buffets, definitely a step up. Clearly AC is not yet flying a full Asian schedule so the lounge feels very quiet.

 

[RooFlyer]

Wow, that looks great! Light years ahead of what I was used to from AC. Signature Class is just their international business class, isn't it? How did you score the invitation?

And $90 Okanagan pinot wine served ... pretty tough!

 

[antycbr]

Yes we don't know how we got the invite but not complaining in the slightest.

Signature is only for transpac/transatlantic J (not North American itineraries) and should only be for full paid J not for redemptions, but hey, if the systems have errors in my favour I'm not going to complain when OLCI shows "Signature Lounge - Tick" on the screen...

The YVR Maple Leaf Lounge is also quite decent, and with recent changes VA Gold and Platinums now have access as well.

The Alberta beef was devine, as was the chocolate tart.

Signature Buffet:

Decor:

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for the report! Yeah, entry is supposed to be for full fare AC business class, as well as their premium award redemptions (as in not the ‘saver’ category).

I was booked in but changed to AA as I wanted to experience their flagship dining in JFK before it disappears. I’d rate AA’s flagship equal to AC’s signature offering. AA had better champagne, LPGS.

 

[RooFlyer]

ACs lounge offerings have come a long way since the airlines reincarnation! Back on the list

 

[luxury-lizard]

Mr LL and I were also "invited" to the Signature lounge on a recent YVR-SYD J flight (Sept 6) booked using LM points - no idea why. When the entry agent scanned my BP - no mention - but when she scared MrLL's she immediately switched to a different online system - re-printing BPs with lounge invites. Who knows - we did not object.

(For unknown reasons Mr LL's booking was somehow "different" than mine, even thought both were booked as LN awards on each of our accounts) - his booking was able to select seats online while mine would not, I had to call AC to select a seat) - somehow due to due some error on LM's part his ticket booked into the wrong fare bucket.)

 

[Must...Fly!]

Oh that's interesting, to be honest I did not even know this lounge existed. I might try my luck later this year. Flying YVR-NRT in J on an award redeemed via Velocity.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Oh that's interesting, to be honest I did not even know this lounge existed. I might try my luck later this year. Flying YVR-NRT in J on an award redeemed via Velocity.

No luck, sadly. They must've smartened up. Pleb Maple Leaf Lounge for me.

Also I think MLLs should have maple syrup on tap.

But that's just me.

Happy travels.

 

[Mattg]

I just flew YVR-BNE on a Velocity business reward and wasn't able to access the Signature Suite in Vancouver. A bit disappointing that they would specifically exclude reward bookings, but I guess those paying full-fare would be happy to have a more quiet space.

Are there any other airlines that exclude pax on reward bookings from accessing the dedicated J/F lounges?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I just flew YVR-BNE on a Velocity business reward and wasn't able to access the Signature Suite in Vancouver. A bit disappointing that they would specifically exclude reward bookings, but I guess those paying full-fare would be happy to have a more quiet space.

Are there any other airlines that exclude pax on reward bookings from accessing the dedicated J/F lounges?

You were also able (still can?) access the Signature lounge when flying on the flexible Aeroplan award level. TATL it was around 10k more expensive.

Was looking forward to it but decided to go with AA F instead to do the Flagship dining in JFK before it disappeared.

Can’t think of any other examples ATM of airlines excluding their own award ticket pax from premium lounges. Quite common to exclude other airlines from top lounges though… LH/LX/SQ F for example.