I reveal what it’s like to fly in Air Canada 737 Max 8 Business Class cabin to the southernmost Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago. I set off to see what it’s like to fly almost six hours over the southern Atlantic on a single-aisle 737 Max 8 for four thousand kilometres to the charming and historic Port of Spain, Trinidad.
I’ve flown various routes to this Caribbean nation with Air Canada Rouge and United Airlines on their 737s. I was once again eager to compare whether the service is worth it on Canada’s flag-carrying Airline. Let’s see if you should book Air Canada on this route!
Read on to see the highlights, the lowlights and what it cost for this international flight in domestic business class.
Preboarding and Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Access
My routing on this flight was YYC Calgary, YYZ Toronto, to POS Port of Spain. I had ample time to enjoy the Maple Leaf Lounge in Calgary on the first leg of my 15-hour journey. The lounge was relatively quiet, as I was there very early.
Calgary’s Maple Leaf Lounge is one of my favourite Air Canada lounges, especially when compared to Toronto or Vancouver. Those lounges are extremely busy and no longer offer an enjoyable experience, in my opinion.
The notable exception to that is the Air Canada Signature Suite Lounges in Toronto and Vancouver for outbound International Business Class. Unfortunately, this flight did not qualify.
When I travel through Toronto, I usually stop at the Air Canada Café located in Terminal One at Pearson Airport. The AC Café is a grab-and-go style lounge offering drinks, snacks and coffee meant to be eaten on the go to your next flight. The lounge offers comfortable seating and includes good areas to do some work. This Airport lounge can be very busy at times, but it is only a fraction of the size of the other AC lounges at Toronto Pearson Airport and seems much calmer. The AC Café can also be accessed by Star Alliance Gold passengers.
There was no business class lounge in the POS Port of Spain airport, only a few duty-free shops and a handful of restaurants. It was well after midnight when I was waiting for my flight home, so I was just fine hanging out in the main terminal in Port of Spain.
Boarding and Departure From Toronto Pearson Airport
We departed 45 minutes late out of Toronto Pearson bound for Port of Spain. The plane, for some reason, was parked about 30 metres back from the ramp and had to be pulled into the jet bridge when it came time to load. This looked concerning, and many fellow passengers were worried about longer delays. Not much of an explanation was given as to why we were late to depart, but the rest of the flight went smoothly from there onward.
Air Canada 737 Max 8 Business Class Cabin and Amenities
There was no amenity kit offered for this business class flight. AC operated the flight very much like a domestic or US transborder flight, even though it was an overnight red-eye on the way back. Blankets and pillows were available to all of us in Business Class seats. See the seatmap for this 737 aircraft here.
The entertainment system on the Air Canada 737 Max 8 (and the rest of the AC fleet) is very good. AC offers a large and bright touchscreen in their Business Class cabin with a decent TV and movie selection that is pretty similar to that on AC’s International flights. On offer are also a number of Apple TV channels and even Apple Fitness+ selections for those who want to work on their fitness during flight(?).
Food and Beverage Service Air Canada 737 Max 8 Business Class
Service on all four of my Air Canada Flights on this trip was quite good. With such a small Business Class Cabin on the 737 Max compared to a 787-9 or even larger 777-300, the flight attendants were always very visible. They each made multiple trips up and down the aisles, filling glasses and offering snacks throughout the flights.
Read my review of Air Canada’s Signature Business Class on 787 and 777 aircraft.
The real standout was on my flight back to YYC, where the Perser went above and beyond. I asked for a simple cup of coffee, and he promised to return after making a fresh pot. He came back with a tray of coffee, cream, a bottle of Baileys, and chocolates.
He asked my fellow seatmate if he wanted anything and teased him saying ‘you need to let me take care of you’ when he wasn’t ordering anything. Again, this same cabin attendant passed out snacks moments before descending.
The food on Air Canada’s single-aisle Business class seems to be better lately than the meals on Air Canada’s Signature Business Class on international flights (you can read my recent review here). This is in stark contrast to the horror show that was the jerk chicken I ordered on a recent Air Canada flight from Munich.
Air Canada’s free WiFi is a Game-changer for Long Flights
Air Canada has recently included free, high-speed WIFI in all cabins across its fleet to destinations in North America, Mexico and the Caribbean, including Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
I hate using the phrase ‘game changer’, but it truly is! Having connectivity like you do at home, allowing you to stream directly to your device, game, or simply check emails in flight, is amazing.
I’ve previously had terrible luck with AC’s old WIFI that I chose as a free benefit of my Aeroplan Super Elite Status. I never once successfully used the service, and was very disappointed. This new service from Bell, however, is excellent. I’ve used it seamlessly on every Air Canada flight I’ve taken this year in both business and economy.
Major Cabin Updates to the Air Canada Fleet
All four of my flights had similar cabins to the 737 Max. Air Canada is overhauling their entire fleet to the same standard. As such, Air Canada’s domestic Business Class on the Airbus mainline fleet has been dramatically overhauled over the last two years. The tired-looking A320 and A321 cabins have been updated to the new 737 Max 8 style cabins. This includes a complete refresh with in-flight WIFI, Bluetooth connectivity and tail cameras. The Airbus cabins are arguably better than the 737’s as they have Bluetooth audio integrated into the entertainment system.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
I can confidently say this newly relaunched service is leaps and bounds ahead of the dated Air Canada Rouge service AC previously offered on their dated Rouge A320 aircraft. The modern and very comfortable seating on the 737 Max 8, along with free(!), fast wifi service and attentive service made this a very enjoyable flight.
At a cost of around $3500 CAD this was a pretty decent value compared to the other North American offerings from airlines like United and Delta.