I stopped to check out the Air France/KLM Lounge Toronto prior to my KLM business class flight to Amsterdam.
I had previously enjoyed my recent visit to the Air France Lounge Montreal, so I decided to see how its counterpart in Toronto stacks up.
Air France/KLM Lounge Toronto – Access
Air France and KLM operate out of Toronto Pearson’s Terminal 3, where the lounge options are fairly limited. Other than the Franco-Dutch airline group’s own lounge, the only other lounge I could’ve visited was the Plaza Premium Lounge just opposite.
Both lounges are located one floor above the main concourse, accessible via a set of stairs or elevators opposite Gate C33 in Terminal 3.
The lounge is accessible as a business class passenger with Air France, KLM, or other contracted airlines, as an Air France/KLM Flying Blue Gold and Platinum member, or as a SkyTeam Elite Plus member.
In addition, passengers with a Priority Pass membership via a credit card can enter the lounge as well. If space is available, the lounge will accept guests at the door for $28 plus tax.
Note that the lounge is only available for international travellers, and is not accessible to passengers departing on domestic or US flights.
The lounge operating hours start at either 9am or 1pm depending on the day of the week, until the last Air France or KLM departure of the day; however, these hours can vary seasonally.
Air France/KLM Lounge Toronto – Seating
As you enter the lounge, you immediately find the cafeteria area and a wide variety of seating with wooden and metallic colours incorporated into the columns and chairs.
The space was recently redesigned in 2016, and its decor is meant to pay homage to the “aluminum airline lodges” of vintage days.
At 575 square metres in size, the room offers panoramic views of airport activities and runways. This is complemented by a 90-foot window facing the airport bay that allows natural light to pour throughout the lounge and bring about a brighter atmosphere.
As you first enter, there is a small nook with bench-style seating and a flat-screen TV, which is useful if you’re looking to tuck yourself away in a more isolated area.
On the other side of the wall, you can find more tables and chairs surrounded by wooden lattice frames, creating additional privacy. I camped out here for the most part as I finished up some work and helped myself to a light snack during my time in the lounge.
The dining and buffet area functions as the lounge’s central hub, from which guests can disperse into the more quiet or intimate areas. Here, you’ll find two-person dining tables and a row of high-top seats.
A space in the corner of the lounge is a reserved area for Flying Blue Ultimate members (i.e., the program’s invitation-only top-tier status, although I never saw anyone making use of it.
As you move further into the lounge you can find ottoman chairs, couches and more seating, as well as communal workstations with long tables and power outlets.
Then, you arrive at the main seating area, offering small-group seating clusters and further benches along the walls. All seats were custom-designed, incorporating metallic fabric upholstery and aerodynamic forms.
There was also a good distribution of power outlets throughout the entire lounge, but not at every seat, so I had to occupy a few different seats as I charged my plethora of devices prior to the flight.
You can also find artwork inspired by Air France, France, Netherlands, and Europe scattered throughout the lounge.
Air France/KLM Lounge Toronto – Dining
Due to the pandemic, the Air France/KLM Lounge Toronto currently operates with assisted buffet service, in which you choose from a covered buffet selection and a staff member helps you plate your items.
The cold buffet selection included items such as fresh baked goods, charcuterie, pasta, salads, and a few other light bites.
Hot food was provided via a limited à la carte menu, which consisted of two main dishes and a soup choice.
Additionally, there is a fairly standard selection of wines and spirits to choose from. You can also find a hot beverage station with hot chocolate and a variety of coffee and tea.
The lounge bathrooms were located in the back-right corner of the lounge. Unfortunately, the Air France/KLM Lounge Toronto does not have any showers available, as many other Air France lounges offer.
Conclusion
The Air France/KLM Lounge Toronto is a rather pedestrian lounge experience, serving premium passengers on SkyTeam and other non-alliance flights departing out of Toronto Pearson’s Terminal 3. It doesn’t offer as nice of an experience as I enjoyed at the newly-opened Air France Lounge in Montreal.
Still, the lounge is comfortable enough place to relax before a long-haul international flight. I’d certainly choose to kill extra time in here before a flight out of Terminal 3, but this isn’t necessarily a lounge that’s worth going out of your way to experience.
