Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Frankfurt Airport

My 24 hours layover in Frankfurt went quickly and it was time to fly again back to Doha. My flight to Doha departed at 5:35 PM in the afternoon so I reached the airport around 3 PM to check my bags and relax in the lounge.

Check-in was smooth and being a Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum member, I was entitled to use the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge at Frankfurt Airport. Qatar Airways elite members are able to use one of two lounges at Frankfurt Airport:

• Lufthansa Senator Lounge
• Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge

But I personally prefer to use the Maple Leaf Lounge as the lounge is less crowded compared to the Senator Lounge and has better seats.

Getting to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge

To get to the Maple Leaf Lounge, you first need to clear the security and immigration through A,B,D,Z gates, as the lounge is located inside the non-Schengen area. After immigration at concourse B, head up to the 3rd floor and you will find a lounge in front.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Operational Hours

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge does not operate 24 hours, instead, it operates only when there are Air Canada flights departing from Frankfurt. As there are five flights to Canada from 9 AM to 5 PM, the lounge opens from 0600 AM in the morning to 1645 PM in the afternoon.

Qatar Airways operates one morning flight (QR70) and two in the afternoon (QR68, QR72). Passengers are eligible to use the Air Canada lounge on flights QR70 and QR68 but as QR72 departs after the lounge closes, you must use the Lufthansa Senator Lounge.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Entry Requirements

Leaving the Star Alliance lounge aside, Qatar Airways made a contract with Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in Frankfurt as there are no Oneworld lounges at Frankfurt’s Terminal 1.

The entry requirements are as follows:

• Qatar Airways Privilege Club Gold and Platinum members traveling on Qatar Airways
• Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald members traveling on Qatar Airways
• Qatar Airways Business Class passengers

I am not sure about the guest access policy as I never brought a guest to Maple Leaf Lounge but I think Platinum/Emerald members are eligible to bring one extra guest.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Layout and Seating

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge was first opened in 2013, designed by dialogue 38, a company based in Canada. The 726 square meter lounge features individual seating to quiet rooms to bistro-style dining areas.

There are different types of seating: From armchairs, a dining table, a countertop and a large-rectangular seating area in the center of the lounge with a decorative fireplace resembling a hotel lobby.

With floor-to-ceiling windows in the lounge, you can view aircraft departing and arrive while having a cup of coffee.

With the warm-toned design, the lounge feels restful but it also feels slightly outdated as the lounge kept the same design for almost 10 years now.

Most of the seats are equipped with universal power sockets to charge electronic devices but there were none in the center of the lounge.

On the corner of the lounge, there are six quiet rooms with loungers. These quiet rooms feature a couple of power sockets, a small coffee table and a reading lamp.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Dining

Food and beverage options in the lounge were satisfying. The bistro-style dining area offers hot and cold food, and complimentary German and Canadian wines, beer & spirits.

During my visit in the afternoon, a light buffet was served along with various kinds of pastries and fruits. If you did not have a chance to get an authentic German pretzel, the lounge got plenty of them hanging on a wooden stand.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Bar

There is no separate “Bar” area at the Maple Lounge, but the alcoholic beverages are located along in the beverage section opposite the countertop. I haven’t been to the Senator Lounge so I can’t compare which lounge has better alcoholic drinks.

There was a wide selection of champagnes, red and white wines as well as liquors. And of course, a beer dispenser on the corner.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Restroom and Shower Facilities

Restrooms and showers are located behind the lounge reception. Though I didn’t take a photo There are four shower facilities in the lounge each equipped with a rainforest shower, a separate toilet and a sink.

I hardly see any lounge staff but the restrooms and showers were kept clean while I was in the lounge.

Summary

Nearly two years later, I visited Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge again. There are some changes in the lounge compared to the pre-pandemic era but overall, the lounge stayed the same since I last visited.

During my visit, I spent about an hour in the lounge before taking my flight back to Doha. Breakfast was great with wide selections of food and beverages. The lounge was not really crowded in the afternoon as there was only one Air Canada flight departing at 5 PM.

I have another flight from Frankfurt coming up in a couple of days which departs in the morning so let’s see how crowded the lounge will be in the morning peak.