Unlike airline-specific lounges, Plaza Premium lounges are available to everyone, but PPG offers more than lounges. The 360-degree airport experience includes 14 brands ranging from lounges to terminal hotels (Aerotel and Refreshhh by Aerotel) to ALLWAYS concierge services.

The post-pandemic travel boom has shown an increased interest in elevated travel experiences with passengers finding obvious (lounge passes) and creative ways (DIY charcuterie boards, martinis, etc) to add a dash of luxury to their journey. The current PPG campaign, Art of Travel, leans into this desire to make the end-to-end journey a complete experience with as few hiccups as possible. The Art of Travel “celebrates travel as more than just moving from point A to B.” PPG sees this complete journey as “a form of expression, discovery, and human connection”. Naturally, one way to reduce the stress of the travel day is to improve the quality of your airport dwell time with a visit to the lounge.

Cover image: Plaza Premium First, YVR. Image courtesy of Plaza Premium Group.
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Plaza Premium Lounge summer offers

• $10 Lounge Beverage Credit: All guests (walk-in or pre-booked) receive a CAD 10 credit voucher towards premium drinks with a minimum spend of CAD 20 
• 5-Visit Lounge Pass: Buy a 5-visit lounge pass for Canada and receive a $40 Yorkdale Gift Card 
• Each week until August 15th, PPL will also reveal a weekly offer on the Art of Travel homepage, where you can also find quite a few other offers. 

Plaza Premium Lounge (PPL)

All lounges offer a range of comfortable sitting spaces, two tiers of beverage offerings (included and premium), nursing rooms, free wifi, coffee, and hot buffet service. Quite a few of the lounges also have shower facilities. There are over 250 Plaza Premium Lounges in more than 80 airports worldwide. Each lounge is unique; some are smaller express-style lounges (YYZ domestic), while others are large with robust dining options and tarmac views.

The dining menu is different for each location, leaning into the local culture and culinary scene. Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), for example, features Ontario-based brands like Matron Fine Beer (PEC), Sons & Daughters Winery, Paradise Grapevine, Jackson Triggs, and Molson. 

Heathrow Airport (LHR) lounge: bar, dining, and exclusive passenger lounge. Images by Kateryna Topol.

Plaza Premium First (PPF)

An elevated lounge experience with exclusive amenities like gourmet a la carte dining, live cooking stations, premium bar (top-shelf spirits, champagne, signature cocktails), and spa-like showers. There are only a few PPF lounges present in select global hubs like Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and most recently, Vancouver (YVR), the first North American location.

How can I access a Plaza Premium Lounge?

• Purchase a single-visit pass online or simply walk into the lounge. Pre-booking is strongly recommended because in peak times, lounges do get busy. To tackle the rush hour, PPG have implemented a waitlist system which works just as it does at a restaurant. 
• Credit cards: American Express, Capital One, and Visa all have partnerships with PPG, so check your credit card benefit inclusions for lounge access. 
• Airline partnerships: Lounge access is included with certain fares for Cathay Pacific Airways, SkyTeam, Star Alliance, Condor, and SAS (which comes with extra perks in some locations)
• Smart Traveller App: This is a PPG product and includes some complimentary lounge passes, lounge discounts, and other airport dining offers. The app also earns points, which you can redeem in the app marketplace. 

Both PPF and PPL are open to all travellers, with PPF access starting from CAD $110 and PPL from CAD $69 for 2-hour lounge access (tax excluded). Both lounges can be reserved online through the booking page or accessed via walk-in. Prices may vary globally.

Intervals lounge at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). Image courtesy of Plaza Premium Group.

Elevated luxury & Services 

Travellers looking for door-to-door assistance for their journey can also take advantage of the PPG’s ALLWAYS Meet & Assist service. This service includes curbside pick-up and drop-off, assistance with immigration and security, baggage assistance, and even a personalised escort through the airport.

During a recent media event in Toronto, Pascal Bélanger (SVP, Americas) and Mei Mei Song (Chief Transformation Officer) spoke about the rising demand for affordable luxury and how PPG is working to address the changing market through technology and new luxury offerings. One of these recent luxury developments is a new bar concept called Intervals. Piloted at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), this lounge is focused on mixology. Guests can get a signature cocktail flight and single cocktails, even if all they have is 20 minutes to spare.

Accessibility & Sustainability 

Plaza Premium Group has big ambitions when it comes to ESG, focusing on diversity, equality, and inclusion, in addition to sustainable tourism through partnerships that promote environmental responsibility. Among key initiatives is a collaboration with the Accessibility of International Air Transport Association (IATA) focused on making travel universally accessible. 

One of the more recent sustainable initiatives is a zero-waste program piloted in Malaysia, led by Chef Vojtech Végh, a zero-waste advocate. PPG is also a strategic partner with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). IBCCES is the global leader in cognitive difference training and certification, aiming to support passengers with hidden disabilities, and 3,000+ PPG employees have already acquired this certification.

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This article might contain affiliate links. Read the disclaimer about affiliate links & PR gifting here. 

Airport lounge basics

Airport lounges are most often located after security, have a screen with upcoming flight updates, and in some announcements are made over PA. These lounges are typically less crowded, have a wider range of seating options, and in some lounges, there is table service and even showers. Food and drinks are included in the airport lounge access pass. A few lounges, in my experience those that require a purchase or a subscription (ie. Plaza Premium) have limited inclusions when it comes to alcohol and can have fewer food options in smaller lounges.

There are 3 types of airport lounges:

1. Airline lounge: Access to these lounges is gained either through the airline membership program or with premium flight tickets (business and up).
2. Credit card lounges: In North America, for example, Amex lounges are quite common and are only available to specific credit card holders. Certain other credit cards have partnerships with Airline programs (ie. Aeroplan) and can also come with a limited number of annual lounge passes.
3. Subscription or individual purchase lounges: These can be accessed with a same-day admission purchase or an annual subscription. The more common in North America are perhaps Plaza Premium and Priority Pass.

Tips for Accessing Aiport Lounges

• Aeroplan credit cards are limited to AirCanada/AC Partner lounges, so if you do a lot of international travel this might not be the right fit. That being said, nourish your Aeroplan membership because, with 25K status, you get 2 lounge passes.
• Lounge Pass offers a single visit pass which can be a good deal for long layovers. This visit, however, must be booked at least 24 hours before local arrival, so if you’re having last-minute delays this option is out of the question.
• CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite Card includes 4 lounge passes with an annual fee of CA$139. The card also offers a rebate on one NEXUS application fee every 4 years. Plus you collect Aventura points so this CC is an easy choice which you can use for future flights.
• Priority Pass* includes 1,400+ lounges worldwide, their pricing is a bit tricky. The Standard plan IMO is not really worth it (no free visits). Standard Plus, however, includes 10 “free” visits for an annual fee of US$263 ($26.30/visit) which is pretty good. But, make sure they have lounges where you plan to travel. 
• Smart Traveller app: this app is free and offers up to 30% off for Plaza Premium lounges. And while we’re here, not all Plaza Premium lounges are worth it. Some are very small, and nearly all have limitations on what’s included in the entry fee (no mimosas friends). 
• Dragon Pass: another popular lounge aggregator, once again the base fair (Classic), is not really worth it. But the Preferential package is US$259/year for 8 visits ($32.38/visit) and $35 for guests. These lounges are available globally and in my experience so far have been quite nice.
• Last but not least, the business class tickets nearly always come with lounge access (in addition to other great perks). These tickets can get quite pricey but there are a few ways to get business-class seats for less:
  • upgrading at the time of check-in is often less than the initial ticket rate
  • bidding on the business class seat
  • using your points (for that airline) to update your economy seat. Aeroplan, for example, offers a few upgrade credits to 25K members, more on those here

Images are from the Icelandair Reykjavik airport lounge which was included in the Business Class upgrade gained through a bid, learn more here.

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