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Bar counter with leather stools, shelved spirits, and hanging plants at the Aspire Air Canada Café, Toronto Billy Bishop Airport
Lounge Review

Review: Billy Bishop Airport Aspire Lounge

TORONTO BILLY BISHOPYTZDEPARTED · JUL 2024
5.0My rating
Access
DragonPass (Visa Airport Companion)
Area
Domestic departures
Visited
July 2024
Time of day
Late morning
By JasonAugust 2, 2024 · 3 min read

Quiet, modern, and full of places to work. I just wish the breakfast trays hadn’t been half empty at 10:40am.

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In June 2023, a brand new concept lounge called Aspire Air Canada Café opened in Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport.

Initially, I didn’t think much of it since there are only a handful of flight routes from/to Billy Bishop Airport, and chances are, I’ll fly from Toronto Pearson Airport anyway.

Flight route map showing Toronto (YTZ) connections to North American cities including Chicago, New York, Montreal, and Halifax.
Where you could fly from Billy Bishop in 2024 (map: FlightConnections).

However, after hearing lots of good reviews about the Aspire Lounge, I decided to fly from Billy Bishop Airport instead of Pearson for my recent trip to Ottawa.

Let’s take a look, shall we?

Entrance

The entrance to the Aspire Air Canada Café at Toronto Billy Bishop Airport is easily visible.

Since the airport is so small, it’s near impossible not to be able to find it.

After going down the elevator, just turn right and you’ll spot the entrance immediately.

Entrance to the Aspire Air Canada Café at Toronto Billy Bishop Airport, with glass doors and a Billy Bishop sign beside it
The entrance, a right turn off the elevator.

Access

There are many ways to access the Aspire Lounge.

Aspire reception desk with Air Canada Café signage and a living plant wall at Toronto Billy Bishop Airport
The reception desk.

The entry requirements are already quite generous, but it doesn’t stop there.

Passengers with a connecting Air Canada business class ticket also receive complimentary access.

This is because no aircraft with business cabins operates from Billy Bishop airport.

If you don’t fall into any of these categories, there is an option to pay $56.50 CAD to get in.

However, given decent dining and seating options available in the gate area, it’s worth questioning whether paying for entry is worthwhile.

Billy Bishop Airport gate area with seating, the Obispo bar, and Balzac’s Coffee RoastersRows of tan seating pods and travellers with luggage in the Billy Bishop Airport gate area
Outside the lounge: the gate area, with Obispo and Balzac’s Coffee.

Seating & Atmosphere

Stepping into the lounge, a visually appealing bar comes into sight, and the overall vibe is very modern and elegant.

Although the airport was quite busy, the lounge remained quiet, providing a peaceful and calm experience.

Aspire Air Canada Café dining area with a central bar, hanging plants, and tan chairs at Toronto Billy Bishop Airport
The bar and dining area.

In addition to the bar setting, there was a variety of other seating options, including individual dining tables and family-style restaurant tables.

Dining tables with tan chairs near the bar and open kitchen at the Aspire Air Canada Café, Toronto Billy Bishop AirportPrivate booth seating in a modern airport lounge with teal upholstered banquettes, geometric tile accent wall, and ambient lighting.
Dining tables by the bar and the open kitchen.

There are also armchairs with coffee tables for relaxing.

Modern airport lounge with contemporary art mural, neon geometric lighting, wooden flooring, and gray upholstered seating.Brown armchairs and small tables by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the airfield at Toronto Billy Bishop AirportArmchairs, dining tables, and colourful wall art by the windows at the Aspire Air Canada Café, Toronto Billy Bishop Airport
Armchairs under the mural and neon lights.

There’s also a large table with power outlets for those who need to get some work done.

Aspire Lounge work space with wooden tables, modern pendant lighting, and blue accent walls at YTZ Toronto airport.
Dedicated workspace in the Aspire Lounge with plenty of seating and contemporary design.

There is also a small room labelled as “Work Space” offering a great spot if you need to hop into a quick call.

Work space room in Aspire Lounge with neon blue bilingual sign, desk, chair, and glass doorsDesk with a brass lamp and a pop-art photo on a teal wall inside the Work Space room at the Aspire Air Canada Café
Private work space available at the lounge for guests needing a quiet area.

There is a larger meeting room on the other side of the lounge, suitable for guests who need to hop on a quick meeting during work travel.

Meeting room with a wooden table, chairs, and concert photos on teal walls at the Aspire Air Canada Café, Toronto Billy Bishop Airport
The meeting room on the other side of the lounge.

Food & Drinks

During my visit (around 10:40am), breakfast was being served.

Two plates with sausages, potatoes, scrambled eggs, bacon, and a pastry, plus yogurt and coffee, at the Aspire Air Canada Café
My breakfast: sausages, potatoes, scrambled eggs, bacon, a pastry, yogurt, and coffee.

However, lots of dishes were quite empty, making it visually not appealing at all.

My guess is that they weren’t replenishing them as it was getting closer to lunch time, but I personally think 10:40am was a bit too early to make that decision.

Overall, it was pretty much a continental breakfast with slightly more bakery and pastry options.

While I think it was better than a typical domestic Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, it didn’t offer anything spectacular.

Cold breakfast buffet with sliced meats, cheese, fruit, and pickled vegetables in grey bowls at the Aspire Air Canada CaféScrambled eggs with peppers and beans in a black serving pan at an airport lounge breakfast buffetRoasted baby potatoes in a black pot at the Aspire Air Canada Café breakfast buffet, Toronto Billy Bishop AirportA few peeled hard-boiled eggs in a black pot at the Aspire Air Canada Café breakfast buffetThree sausages left in an almost empty black pot at the Aspire Air Canada Café breakfast buffetStrips of bacon on a wire rack inside a black pot at the Aspire Air Canada Café breakfast buffetNearly empty soup kettle with the last of a hot cereal at the Aspire Air Canada Café breakfast buffetMostly empty buffet tray with one yogurt parfait and small bottles of juice at the Aspire Air Canada CaféCroissants, pastries, and bagels on wooden trays with tongs at the Aspire Air Canada Café, Toronto Billy Bishop AirportPastries under glass domes on a wooden stand in front of the open kitchen at the Aspire Air Canada Café, Toronto Billy Bishop AirportJars of cereal, granola, and jams with bowls and a kettle at the Aspire Air Canada Café breakfast station
The cold buffet: sliced meats, cheese, fruit, and pickled vegetables.

Coffee, tea, and soft drinks were complimentary, but alcoholic beverages were extra cost.

Coffee and tea station with glasses, plants, and a kettle at the Aspire Air Canada Café, Toronto Billy Bishop AirportDAVIDsTEA branded presentation box with eight assorted tea varieties on white marble counter at airport loungeCopper beer taps and glassware at the bar, with a departures board behind, at the Aspire Air Canada Café
The coffee and tea station.

There was also a grab-and-go section for guests who are in a rush.

Fresh fruit and pastries display at Aspire lounge featuring apples, bananas, oranges, croissants, and pastries.Overnight oats and granola cups with bilingual labels in the grab-and-go section of the Aspire Air Canada Café
A self-serve snack station at the Aspire lounge offers fresh fruit and baked goods for lounge guests.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed my stay at the Aspire Air Canada Café.

It wasn’t too crowded, the food options were decent, and there were a handful of ways to access the lounge.

The lounge alone makes me want to fly from Billy Bishop instead of Pearson, and I probably will for destinations that are available from Billy Bishop Airport.

Bar with hanging plants and tan dining chairs at the Aspire Air Canada Café, Toronto Billy Bishop Airport
Modern dining space in the Aspire Lounge featuring a sleek bar and comfortable seating.

What do you guys think?

Would you fly from Billy Bishop to enjoy this awesome lounge?

Let me know in the comments below!

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