A Fantastic Value on Points: Air Canada A220-300 Business Class from New York to Toronto YYZ
by Krish Patel
Air Canada Aeroplan is one of the best loyalty programs of a North American carrier, with several ways to earn and redeem points. One of the best uses for Aeroplan miles is to book Air Canada Business Class from the U.S. to Canada. A number of destinations on the East Coast have terrific value for Aeroplan miles when looking to book a Business flight to destinations such as Toronto or Montreal. Is Air Canada short haul Business Class worth the extra cash or points? Continue reading to find out!
The Ground Experience at LGA
Air Canada operates out of LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, which is one of the nicest terminals in the New York City area. Its design is clean, spacious, and boasts modern architecture.
Check-in was smooth, with access to a priority queue. Business Class passengers and Star Alliance Gold members can use the priority lane to complete their check-in formalities. Travelers could also help themselves to the various self-service kiosks to print their boarding pass.
Air Canada participates in TSA PreCheck, where I was able to clear security in no time at all. The lines were relatively empty on my day of departure. After passing through the checkpoint, it was a brief escalator ride up to the main hall of the terminal.
Air Canada operates its own Maple Leaf Lounge at LGA and is accessible to the airline’s Business Class passengers. Coincidentally, you’ll find it right next to the United Club, another Star Alliance Gold lounge. Air Canada Business Class passengers can also access United’s Lounge, which is less crowded.
The Maple Leaf Lounge offers a plethora of seating options, including armchairs, couches, and high-top stools. The red and brown tones blend well together, creating a relaxing lounge atmosphere. Travelers looking to get some work done or relax will appreciate the open layout, offering plenty of personal space.
If you need some juice in your device or are simply looking for a place to rest your personal items, side table space and charging outlets are available near every seat. The Maple Leaf Lounge also offers a workstation with a printer and clean restrooms.
A decent buffet selection included a salad bar, soups, hot entrees, and desserts. There’s also a soda fountain, coffee machine, and water dispenser. Overall, the buffet is a basic one, especially when compared to the nearby Chase Sapphire Lounge or Amex Centurion Lounge.
At the gate area, boarding was smooth and well-organized, with dedicated priority queues. Business Class passengers and Aeroplan Super Elite members receive boarding in zone 1 (after pre-boarding). The gate agents were friendly and smooth, allowing for a seamless boarding process.
Air Canada A220 Business Class Cabin and Seat
The Business Class cabin on Air Canada’s A220 feels cozy and intimate with only 12 seats arranged in a 2-2 pattern. It strikes the perfect balance between luxury and a narrowbody jet interior. The overhead mood lighting and spacious luggage bins are both modern elements that some other narrobodies are lacking.
Air Canada has one of the most eye-catching designs in a short-haul Business Class cabin. The gray textured seat stitching and leather headrest are not only appealing to the eye, but super comfortable. It’s a nice, personal touch how the Air Canada logo is engraved onto the adjustable headrest.
All seats (21 inches wide) come with a high-resolution seatback entertainment screen equipped with USB-A and C charging ports. If the passenger seated in front reclines their chair, it’s possible to tilt the screen towards you.
Right below the entertainment display are two seatback pockets, one of which is for personal storage and the other houses inflight literature. There’s also a footrest that pops out from under the seat in front of you.
Legroom is quite generous in these seats, with 37 inches of pitch.
The outer end of the seat plays house to the tray table, which pops out by lifting the latch. It’s a pretty generous size, offering a good surface area. I really like the design of the table, with a brushed wooden effect.
Separating the window and aisle seats is a side table, which pops out to offer additional room. There’s also a small storage unit that includes a headphone jack and universal plug.
Built into the side console are buttons for seat recline and lumbar support.
At the front of the cabin is a single Business Class lavatory, which feels spacious compared to those on an A320 or 737. There’s plenty of room to stretch out, and the maple leaves printed onto the back wall were a nice touch. I also love the flooring, which features a stunning gray and white pattern.
Air Canada Business Class Food and Drinks
Not too long before pushing back, a flight attendant went through the cabin offering bottles of water to each passenger.
Since our flight from LaGuardia to Toronto Pearson was under 2 hours, only snacks and drinks were offered in Business Class. After reaching cruising altitude, I was given a hot towel.
When the beverage cart was rolled through Business Class, I asked for a mug of warm peppermint tea. Other drink choices included soft drinks, juices, and complimentary wines and beer. Snack choices consisted of pretzel twists and a milk chocolate bar. I went for the pretzels, which were served with a bowl of nuts. Both were delicious.
Amenities in Air Canada Business Class
Shortly after boarding, I was handed a pair of earbuds for the entertainment system. They weren’t of the best quality compared to noise-cancelling headphones, but the Air Canada logo printed on the earbuds was nice to see.
Air Canada has an impressive entertainment system, with movies, TV shows, music, games, and live TV. The program even has content from channels such as HBO MAX, Apple TV+, and Disney+. There are several genres of movies and TV to choose from, as well as new releases. The carrier is committed to upgrading its inflight entertainment to offer curated movie selections.
Aeroplan members receive free messaging and Wi-Fi. The A220 is a newer aircraft in the Air Canada fleet, equipped with high-speed satellite connectivity powered by Bell.
Service in Air Canada Business Class
The flight attendants working in Business Class on my flight were very friendly and professional. They seemed happy when in the aisle and maintained positive energy. When I told the crew that it was my first flight on an A220, the flight attendant gave me an Air Canada postcard with an A220 on it, which was great.
Booking and Pricing for Air Canada Business Class
One-way Air Canada Business Class cash fares from LaGuardia to Toronto Pearson start at $218 and can soar up to over $700. An Air Canada Business ticket on this route includes one free checked bag and two carry-ons.
You can also pay 15,000 to 25,000 Aeroplan points for a one-way Business Class ticket between New York and Toronto. Air Canada is a transfer partner of Chase, Amex, Capital One, and Bilt. This makes it easy to transfer credit card points to Aeroplan and gives travelers a variety of options.
One of the best credit cards to use when booking Air Canada flights is the American Express Aeroplan Reserve. It allows cardholders to earn 3 points per dollar spent on all Air Canada purchases, making it an ideal choice.
Is Air Canada Business Class Worth it?
Comfortable seats, a modern cabin atmosphere, and updated technology make Air Canada’s A220-300 Business Class a great way to fly short haul. The service provided was friendly and felt personalized, with only 12 passengers in Business Class. If lounge access, priority boarding, and a solid hard product are perks that you value, then Air Canada Business Class is worth it. Best of all, you have several options for accumulating credit card points to book with thanks to Air Canada’s many transfer partners.