As Air Canada continues expanding its Caribbean network from cities across Canada, the airline is also upgrading the airport experience, opening a new premium Air Canada Café at Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport.
The new lounge is the first dedicated premium lounge at Québec City’s airport and marks another investment as Air Canada continues modernizing its lounge network while Canada’s importance as a Caribbean source market continues to grow.
Canadian travelers have become increasingly important to tourism across the Caribbean, with destinations throughout the region adding new flights, increasing frequencies and extending seasonal service to meet rising demand. Air Canada has played a major role in that growth, continuing to expand service to destinations including Jamaica, The Bahamas, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Turks and Caicos, Aruba, Curaçao, Martinique, Guadeloupe and the Cayman Islands.
A New Premium Experience Before You Board
The new Air Canada Café offers 97 seats across more than 3,600 square feet and was developed in partnership with Plaza Premium.
Rather than functioning as a traditional airport lounge, the Café is designed for travelers who want to grab a meal, enjoy a coffee, catch up on work or simply relax before boarding.
Every seat includes power outlets and USB-C charging capable of powering laptops, with productivity seating throughout the lounge for business and leisure travelers alike.
The Québec City location is the seventh Air Canada Café to open and forms part of the airline’s broader lounge modernization program.
“Travellers love Québec City for its food, charm and character,” said Jacqueline Harkness, Air Canada’s Managing Director, Product & Services. “With this new Air Canada Café, we’ve created a space that feels like a love letter to the city.”
A Taste of Québec Before Takeoff
One of the biggest attractions is the food and beverage program, which highlights producers from Québec and Indigenous partners.
Breakfast includes signature pancakes topped with maple butter, fleur de sel and Sigewigus pumpkin seed spread sourced from the Mi’gmaq Nation of Gespeg.
There’s also a build-your-own power bowl station featuring fresh local ingredients, along with regional cheeses, artisanal jams and menu options for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free diets.
Behind the bar, travelers will find premium Lavazza coffee, handcrafted cocktails featuring spirits from Distilleries du Fjord and beers from Québec brewery La Souche.
The result is a lounge experience that reflects the character of the region rather than offering the same menu found elsewhere in the network.
Local Art Shapes the Space
Air Canada says the Café follows its “Glowing Hearted” design philosophy, with interiors inspired by Québec City’s French heritage and the province’s natural landscape.
The lounge includes original works by celebrated Canadian artists Antonietta Grassi and Douglas Coupland, adding another local touch to the passenger experience.
The airline says the approach is intended to create airport spaces that reflect each destination while maintaining a consistent premium standard across its network.
Why It Matters for Caribbean Travelers
Canada has become one of the Caribbean’s most important international tourism markets.
Every winter, millions of Canadians head south for warm-weather vacations, supporting nonstop routes to resorts throughout the region. That demand continues to grow, with airlines adding new service and increasing capacity from gateways across Canada.
For Air Canada, that has meant continued expansion of its Caribbean network alongside investments on the ground that improve the travel experience before passengers even board their flights.
While the new Québec City Café serves travelers heading throughout Air Canada’s global network, it also reflects the airline’s continued focus on premium service at a time when more Canadians than ever are choosing Caribbean vacations.
Who Can Use the Lounge?
Access is available to eligible customers departing on Air Canada and Star Alliance flights from Québec City.
That includes Aeroplan Elite members at the 50K level and above, Star Alliance Gold members, eligible Aeroplan premium credit card holders and customers traveling in Business Class.
The opening continues Air Canada’s broader investment in premium airport facilities. Over the last year, the airline has added more than 500 lounge seats worldwide while introducing new Air Canada Café locations and renovated Maple Leaf Lounges, including projects at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport.
For Canadians planning their next Caribbean getaway, the newest Air Canada Café adds another premium stop before takeoff—and another sign of the airline’s continued investment in one of the Caribbean’s fastest-growing visitor markets.
Caribbean Journal Staff
2026-06-26 16:33:00