I had the opportunity to visit the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 3 at Toronto Pearson Airport last fall during a layover on the way to the Maldives. Layovers at Pearson Airport seem to be hit or miss depending on the airline. When I flew to Paris via Toronto on Westjet and then Air France, the Westjet flight from Montreal landed in the same terminal as my departing Air France flight which made for a smooth layover without having to change terminals or go through security. However this time, I had to transfer from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3. Unfortunately, to do so you have to exit Terminal 1 and go through security again at the Terminal 3 entrance along with everyone else checking in. The airline can check your bags through to your final destination so you don't have to pick up your luggage though.
The Lounge
This Plaza Premium Lounge is located in Terminal 3 in the International Departures section. Signs for the lounge are prominently displayed throughout the Terminal. The Lounge is located just upstairs from Gate C32 and can be accessed by elevator. Entry to this lounge is complimentary for all passengers flying on a business class ticket with Etihad. Access may also be complimentary for those with a Plaza Premium membership provided by some American Express cards or Visa (please check their website for more info). There is a separate area within the lounge for British Airways business class passengers. Their entrance is on the right after the reception while regular entry is to the left.
The lounge featured plenty of seating and it was very calm and not crowded on this Sunday evening while I visited. The couches in the centre of the lounge had several small tables for your food and drinks. There were also some side tables with reading lamps and electrical outlets to charge your personal devices. I recall newspapers were also available.
Food
The dining area was to the left of the main entrance with the buffet at the far end. There was a selection of hot meals and snacks including rice, meatballs, steamed veggies, chilli and pirogies. There were also some samosas which were very tasty! Chocolate chip and raisin cookies were available for dessert.
Hot meal options
Snacks
Spicy samosas
Cake and brownies for dessert.
Drinks
The drink selection was somewhat restricted compared to other lounges. There was a limited option of local wines only and a small selection of spirits. Drinks were not self-serve and there was a bartender to take your order. As you can see below, Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray gin cost an extra $6.99 CAD (+ tax). All drinks not listed under house pours were at an additional charge. This felt pretty stingy considering the cost of a business class ticket on Etihad.
Bathrooms & Shower
The bathrooms are located on one side of the lounge and featured individual stalls and gorgeous floor to ceiling ceramic tiles. The bathroom were spotless and sparking clean. Showers were also available but I did not get any photos since I didn’t use them.
After a few snacks and some wine, it was soon time to head downstairs for boarding. Note that like many lounges, there are no flight announcements so it’s always wise to keep an eye on the time and the departure screens.
In conclusion, this was a decent lounge to spend a few hours during a short layover. It was very close to the Etihad departure gate which definitely helped with not having to leave too early to reach the gate for boarding. I had a good experience overall at the lounge although the limited drink selection felt a little cheap for Etihad Business Class passengers. Nonetheless, any lounge is a much appreciated hideaway from the chaos of the public areas of the airport.
Now, onto my 13 hour flight to Abu Dhabi!