Going RTW: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, Central Terminal, LaGuardia

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this on the blog before, but I’ve actively started to avoid early morning flights. I’ve done my fair share in the past, and maybe I’ll do more, but I try and plan around them as much as I can.

However, this was one of those days when flying early morning was unavoidable, and hence I went over to LGA, groggy! After collecting my boarding pass, I walked over to the security check area. I needed a quick coffee and something to start my day, so I decided to head to the lounge landside.

The two options were the United Club and the AC Maple Lounge, both accessible via the Priority Pass. I went with the AC club, where after a simple validation they let me in. The lounge was just about waking up too, so there were not many people except me and the staff, and the lights were dim. While chatting up with the staff that checked me in, I was told this was a Continental lounge earlier, and AC got to take it over after the merger of UA/CO. Heck, even the wifi still takes in from the United Club wifi network.

The lounge was sufficiently stuffed with the usual eats, such as toast, energy bars and cereal at this early hour, and overlooked the tarmac. There was also a bar, which gets operational later in the day.

The lounge seating areas and bar, everything dead at the moment

Break of dawn at the airport

I stuck around for about 20 minutes to finish some coffee and toast, and then I was on my way for the flight. The Coke labelled refrigerator there, I never went through too close initially because I thought it only had sodas, but walking by later, I realised there was salads in takeaway containers as well.

My first time at a AC lounge, however, I don’t love landside lounges too much because I’d have to keep track of time to factor in the security check. In a few moments, I was through with the TSA and on my way to the gate to take my first United flight ever.

The lounge is reportedly an interim measure in place since September 2012, and AC plans to renovate it soon. Also check out Modhop’s review from 2011.

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