2023.01 New York City and Caribbean Cruise (Part 12)
Our time on board the Anthem of the Seas had come to an end. It was time for our short flight home. I didn’t know traffic in New York City could cooperate so well!
LaGuardia Airport
Our departure time from the ship was early enough in the morning that we were quickly shuttled from the New Jersey port through the Holland tunnel, across downtown Manhattan, and effortlessly delivered to LaGuardia airport without any traffic. Like our flight into New York City, we were using LaGuardia’s new Terminal B.
LaGuardia Terminal B
LaGuardia Terminal B
LaGuardia Terminal B
Air Canada’s check-in was at area G, near one end of the terminal. The flight frequency schedule by Air Canada allowed us to change to an earlier flight and avoid spending most of the day waiting for the flight. At security, only a few passengers were around at this early hour on a Saturday. The TSA agent checking ID was surprised when our answer to his “How are you today?” was “If only there was a Junior’s Cheesecake.” He laughed and informed us that it’s in the main food court area after security.
Immediately after security is a small shopping area in a circular pattern that opens out to a central food court. Here, she headed directly to the Junior’s Cheesecake. She lucked out as well, and was able to purchase a frozen small whole cheesecake to take home as a gift, and, a slice for us to enjoy before our flight.
The amount of available space at LaGuardia, or rather the lack of space becomes apparent while navigating the terminal. After the main food court, and two lounges, you walk over a taxiway towards the gates.
And then there are multiple escalators that take you down to the gates.
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge LaGuardia
The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is almost impossible to miss. It’s located on a landing as you travel down to the gates, located on the left side.
After being admitted into the lounge, we had the pick of seats as the lounge was almost empty on a quiet Saturday. I think we had arrived just after a pair of flights, to Montreal and Toronto, had departed.
Breakfast selection was available at the buffet with non-alcoholic hot and cold beverages being available.
We made some tea, found a seat and took in the view.
This lounge is open to the terminal below giving you almost a birds-eye view of fellow passengers and the gates. Spotting planes from the lounge is not straightforward as there’s a bit of a distance to any windows, however the runways at LGA are close to the terminals, and I was able to grab a few pictures of our inbound plane.
The layout of the lounge has the buffet and self-serve bar along the left side after entering the lounge. On the right side, is the main seating area. With the lounge as new as the terminal, there are USB and power outlets in easy reach of every seat that I saw. Below is a gallery of pictures of the lounge:
Past the buffet area is then a workstation/office area, and at the end are washrooms. Even with being moved to an earlier flight, we stayed in the lounge long enough that the buffet switched from breakfast to lunch.
We grabbed a snack. Following the inbound plane on a flight tracking app, I watched our flight land, and that was our queue to head to the gate.
FLIGHT
Air Canada LaGuardia to Toronto (LGA to YYZ), AC8521
Scheduled Departure: 12:30pm
Schedule Arrival: 2:07pm
This was a full flight! Every seat of the plane was taken. Although there were screens on the seatback, they were not available for use. Being on this plane with the older IFE reminded me of when I had a flight pass for North America and this was the latest technology available on board.
Departure was without delay and we took off from runway 04. Being on the right side of the plane we watched the terminal disappear as we took off, with Manhattan visible from the left side of the plane.
Service for this hour long flight was simple and the two flight attendants quickly served every passenger a package of pretzels and a choice of non-alcoholic beverages and juices.
The flight was smooth, and we on the ground in Toronto before 2pm.
Customs, baggage pick up followed and we were easily in a taxi back home. This was a great trip to escape the winter darkness, and cold. Trading it for sun, heat and visiting new places was an excellent journey.
Explore other parts of this trip:
Part 1 – Air Canada Flight Toronto to New York City, LaGuardia
Part 2 – Millennium Hotel New York, One UN Plaza
Part 3 – Things to do in New York City
Part 4 – Caribbean Cruise Introduction
Part 5 – Things to do while Cruising
Part 9 – Port, Antigua and Barbuda
Part 11 – Port, St. Kitts and Nevis
Part 12 – Maple Leaf Lounge LaGuardia, flight New York to Toronto (this post!)