Inside the flagship Plaza Premium Lounge at Vancouver airport | Daily Hive

Inside the new flagship Plaza Premium Lounge at Vancouver airport opening in December 2024

The elevated Plaza Premium First experience at the new Plaza Premium Lounge for the international wing of Vancouver International Airport. (Plaza Premium Group)

There is now an opening date for the much-anticipated brand new replacement and expanded Plaza Premium Lounge within the international terminal building of Vancouver International Airport (YVR).

This new Plaza Premium Lounge will be a vastly improved experience, with not only an improved and larger physical lounge space with the latest creature comforts, but also a brand-new higher-calibre menu for guests — different from other Plaza Premium Lounge locations at the airport.

Technically, two different lounge experiences will be opening at this location.

This new lounge at YVR will be co-located with the first-ever Plaza Premium First lounge experience in North America, and it will be the third of its kind in the world outside Hong Kong International Airport after the recent openings of such experiences at Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

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“The launch of our new flagship lounge at Vancouver International Airport marks a significant milestone for Plaza Premium Group. We are thrilled to introduce Plaza Premium First to North America, offering travellers an unparalleled level of luxury and personalized service that sets a new standard in airport hospitality,” said Pascal Bélanger, senior vice president of the Americas for Plaza Premium Group, in a statement today.

“This new lounge at YVR embodies that vision, seamlessly blending innovation, luxury, and personalized service to redefine what an airport lounge can be.”

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Entrance into the Plaza Premium Lounge experience at the new location for the international wing of Vancouver International Airport. (Plaza Premium Group)

The standard Plaza Premium Lounge experience at the new location for the international wing of Vancouver International Airport. (Plaza Premium Group)

Officially opening on December 2, 2024, the new Plaza Premium Lounge is located next to Gate D68 on Level 4, just before the atrium of the recently built Pier D terminal building expansion.

Overlooking the Pier D atrium, the new lounge spans about 10,800 sq ft of space and has 251 seats, including 136 seats for the standard Plaza Premium Lounge experience and 115 seats for Plaza Premium First.

The design of the new lounge is inspired the natural elements of the West Coast, with floor-to-ceiling windows flooding the space with natural light, intricate wallpaper designs, a visually soothing colour palette, and art installations by local artist Ken Prescott.

A range of seating configurations will be offered, including quiet zones for more privacy and relaxation, international charging ports accessible from a seat or table, flight information display screens, and free WiFi.

The standard Plaza Premium Lounge experience at the new location for the international wing of Vancouver International Airport. (Plaza Premium Group)

For this location’s standard Plaza Premium Lounge complimentary food and beverage offerings, there will be interactive live cooking stations for rotating seasonal menu options like noodle bars, pasta bars, and a poutine station, which is unlike the menus of other Plaza Premium Lounge locations at YVR. As well, this new lounge will have a self-service bar for soft drinks, juices, locally sourced wines and beers, and a selection of spirits.

The standard lounge experience will also provide family-friendly amenities, such as a welcoming seating area for families, offering board games on request and a “Mama’s Room” for nursing mothers. Shower facilities are available for a special charge of $25.

Co-located with the standard lounge, the new Plaza Premium First experience offers a premium buffet plus refined a la carte dining with a gourmet menu featuring dishes like crab omelette and vegan Thai curry. The full-service bar also offers a selection of top-shelf spirits, fine wines, champagne, and handcrafted cocktails. Within Plaza Premium First, the showers are complimentary.

Both lounge menu experiences at the new location also offer vegetarian and vegan options alongside fresh pastries, desserts, and cookies.

plaza premium first lounge yvr vancouver international airport

The elevated Plaza Premium First experience at the new Plaza Premium Lounge for the international wing of Vancouver International Airport. (Plaza Premium Group)

“I am pleased to welcome the first North American location of the Plaza Premium First lounge — the fifth of its kind globally, and a great addition to the travel experience at YVR,” said Tamara Vrooman, CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority, in a statement.

“Imagine stepping into a haven of luxury and comfort before your international flight, where a wide array of amenities and offerings await you. Indulge in exquisite local cuisine, stay connected with cutting-edge technology, and unwind in an atmosphere designed for maximum comfort.”

Across the global aviation industry, demand for such airport lounge experiences — which offer complimentary food and beverage, quiet space, extra space to stretch, more comfortable seating options, faster Wi-Fi, charging stations, and special luxurious amenities, services, and features, including showers — is surging.

According to Business Traveler, as of Summer 2023, airport lounge usage has exceeded pre-pandemic figures, with a 12% increase in lounge visits spanning 1,374 lounges at 671 airports worldwide compared to 2019.

A June 2023 industry report on the “Global Airport Lounge Access Market” forecasts this sub-sector of the aviation industry will generate US$55.7 billion annually by 2028 — up by US$6.4 billion compared to 2022.

Additionally, with nearly 25 million passengers recorded at YVR in 2023, coming close to the record of 26.4 million passengers in 2019, YVR increasingly has the critical mass and the resulting economies of scale to support such enhanced amenities and experiences. For 2024, YVR is on track to come very close to reaching the 2019 record for passenger volumes.

The elevated Plaza Premium First experience at the new Plaza Premium Lounge for the international wing of Vancouver International Airport. (Plaza Premium Group)

With the opening of the international terminal building’s new standard Plaza Premium Lounge and Plaza Premium First, Plaza Premium Lounge now has five lounge locations across YVR.

Both new lounges will operate daily from 6:30 am to 1:30 am. The standard experience is accessible to some business class and first class passengers, depending on the airline and select bank/credit card partners. Alternatively, all passengers can also pay an admission fee for entry.

Access to Plaza Premium Lounge costs $69, not including taxes, while Plaza Premium First starts at $110. Both lounges can be reserved online or accessed via walk-in. To celebrate the opening, for a limited time only, travellers can save 30% on admission fees for their companions when booking online.

Prior to the YVR’s newest lounge is currently the 2017-renovated Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in the international terminal. In June 2023, Cathay Pacific reopened its 2016-built lounge at YVR after a long pandemic closure.

Other newer lounges at YVR are also located on Level 4, including the international terminal building’s Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge and the SkyTeam Lounge, as well as the domestic terminal building’s primary Plaza Premium Lounge near Gate B15, which opened in 2015 — the same year the A-B terminal building connector reached completion.

The previous Plaza Premium Lounge at the international terminal building near the security screening checkpoint permanently closed in Fall 2023, with the space repurposed into a duty-free shop. A temporary Plaza Premium Lounge space was subsequently setup in the Pier D atrium.

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