Review: I flew 16 hours in Air Canada’s business class with a toddler

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While planning a trip to Sydney, Australia to visit family, the idea of spending 16 hours on an airplane was initially daunting. The challenge wasn’t just the duration of the flight — it was also the passenger manifest, which included my wife and our one-year-old son. 

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In my former life as a travel editor, I sampled dozens of business- and first-class flights, including Air Canada’s business class which is what we booked for this trip. With the airline’s next-generation Glowing Hearted cabin set to debut later this year, this felt like a good moment to take stock of where the product stands before the redesign arrives.

When I fly solo, my main concerns are inflight amenities, working my way through the menu and balancing work with rest. This time, my priorities had shifted: it wasn’t just a flight review, but also a stress test of our travel endurance as parents. 

Booking 

With comfort playing such an important role on ultra-long-haul flights, business-class tickets from North America to Australia are commensurately expensive. Cash fares can easily approach five figures, and you’ll usually pay a premium if you book with points. As a longtime points enthusiast, I know that great deals exist … if you have the patience and dedication to find them. 

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For this flight, we scored an outstanding redemption with Aeroplan, paying 106,000 points and $80 in taxes and fees per adult. Because our son is under two, he flew as a lap infant for 2,500 points and $50 in taxes and fees.

Airport experience

Our journey to Australia began at our home airport in Comox, B.C., where check-in and security lines are virtually non-existent — a perk of small-town living. After a scenic 20-minute hop across the Salish Sea, we landed in Vancouver, already airside. 

Normally, a business-class ticket with Air Canada grants you access to the Maple Leaf Lounge, which is perfectly fine for a meal and drink. This time, we spent a few more points for a Business Class (Flexible) fare, which gained us access to the Air Canada Signature Suite — otherwise reserved exclusively for passengers on paid business class tickets.

It’s a world away from the buffet lines of standard lounges, and feels more like a fine-dining restaurant.

We took turns entertaining our son while the other sat down for a proper, à la carte experience. We sampled most of the menu over the course of the afternoon, including spicy Szechuan wontons, lobster and scallop stuffed pasta and grilled venison loin, washed down with drinks from an elevated beverage list and pistachio opera cake as the finale. 

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It was hands-down the best meal I’ve ever had in an airport, and well worth the extra points. 

Boarding 

When it came time to board, we joined the Zone 1 queue. As business‑class passengers, we were among the first on and had plenty of time to settle into our seats before departure. 

As we settled in, I swear I heard a collective groan from other passengers in the cabin when they saw not one, but two infants-on-lap taking stock of Air Canada’s flagship premium product. 

We exchanged tired smiles with the other parents in the cabin, as we unpacked our survival kit of toys, books and snacks for easy access.   

The flight attendants came by to confirm our meal orders and give us a briefing about travelling with an infant on lap. 

Before takeoff, we had plenty of time to toast the occasion with our choice of Champagne or sparkling water.

Seat and cabin

When it comes to business-class seats, Air Canada’s fleet of wide-body aircraft is remarkably consistent. No matter which plane you’re on (with few exceptions), you know what to expect: individual pod seats in a reverse herringbone setup, direct aisle access for every passenger and a lie-flat bed.

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Air Canada introduced these seats more than a decade ago, and while they don’t feature cutting-edge amenities like sliding privacy doors, the seats remain competitive with what’s offered by other North American carriers on routes to Oceania. 

On this trip, we opted for seats 3K and 4K, which are both window seats on the right-hand side of the aircraft. The pairs of seats in the middle of the cabin have a partition that doesn’t slide down and we haven’t had great luck with bassinets when travelling with our son. 

Amenities and tech

Upon boarding, an Acqua di Parma amenity kit was waiting at my seat, stocked with essentials like an eye mask, socks, a toothbrush and lip balm. Noise‑cancelling headphones and bedding were also provided. 

I’ve always found Air Canada’s entertainment selection excellent, and this flight was no different. Its huge library of movies and shows (including HBO, Apple+ and more) helped the time pass on the flight. 

Wi-Fi was available for purchase (with free messaging for Aeroplan members), but I skipped it as an infantile emperor was commanding my attention. 

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Unlike most passengers, I stowed my duvet and mattress pad in the overhead bin until after meal service. I prefer to keep my seat clear of crumbs until it’s time to sleep. 

On previous long-haul flights with Air Canada, slippers were included in the amenities and I was disappointed they weren’t available this time. 

Food and drink

A few weeks before departure, I pre-ordered our meals on the Air Canada website. I like seeing the menu beforehand and locking in my choice rather than leaving it up to chance onboard. 

Frankly, after an indulgent day of dining in the Signature Suite, I wasn’t particularly hungry when the meal service began an hour after takeoff.

Air Canada offers dine-on-demand service in business class, and I could have had my meal later. However, I wasn’t sure how our son was going to behave so I ate while I had the chance. 

First up: a mixed greens salad with a warm bun and a burrata appetizer.

For the main course, I opted for the chimichurri portobello mushroom dish with polenta.

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The meal service closed with what I consider the star of the show: San Sebastian cheesecake with a glass of port.

While the onboard meal didn’t quite measure up to the Signature Suite, it still left a good impression, and I soon shifted my focus to getting some rest. 

Breakfast was also served around 90 minutes prior to landing, with my choice of pancakes or the ubiquitous parsley omelette. I opted for the former this time, washed down with a cappuccino and plenty of sparkling water. 

Sleep experience

One of the best parts of business-class flying is being able to stretch out and get some actual rest in the skies.

Unfortunately, the mattress pad provided didn’t add much cushioning. It’s more of a glorified sheet. While it’s possible to adjust the firmness of the seat cushion using the seat controls, bedding is an area in which I hope to see some enhancements when Air Canada unveils its soft-product redesign later this year.

Otherwise, the duvet and pillow are just fine, and I kept the temperature comfortable with the air nozzles. 

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Our son gifted us (and the rest of the cabin) around 10 hours of sleep, with both my wife and I managing about six hours each. 

Service

We had a senior crew on this flight, and I found the service to be mostly polished and professional, with some minor aspects feeling a bit transactional.

We weren’t greeted by name when our orders were taken before takeoff. After reaching altitude, our hot towels were presented to us scalding hot, which made it feel hurried.

The crew catered to our family by allowing us to stagger our meals so one of us could look after our son, which we really appreciated. 

The only hiccup was regulatory rather than service-related. After I woke up, the seatbelt sign remained on for what felt like an eternity, despite the ride being mostly smooth. Unfortunately, this happened right when I wanted a cappuccino to help match the energy of my well-rested son. 

In the grand scheme of things, the seatbelt sign is a minor gripe. But I couldn’t help wondering whether the captain had simply forgotten to flip a switch — especially at a moment when a caffeinated beverage would have made all the difference. 

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Final thoughts

We touched down in sunny Sydney on schedule, slightly groggy but grateful to do the trip in comfort and in one fell swoop.

Air Canada recently unveiled its new Glowing Hearted cabins, debuting later this year. In business class, passengers can expect new seats with sliding privacy doors, enhanced technology, more storage and Signature Plus Suites with extra space and privacy on the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. I’m also hopeful the soft product refresh addresses bedding, which in my opinion is one of the weaker points of the current experience.

Until then, the existing long-haul product won’t be the most cutting-edge in the sky, but it’s consistent, and the Signature Suite ground experience remains one of the best available in North America.

If I had my choice of North American carriers to Australia, I’d side with Air Canada for the convenience of non-stop routes and a consistent experience that will only improve with the upcoming redesign. If you can get a good deal using Aeroplan points, it only sweetens the appeal.

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