For frequent international travellers, those who regularly cross the Canada-U.S. border and those who routinely jet around Canada, having airport lounge access can turn lengthy, boring waits into luxurious, swanky pamper sessions.
From affordable accounts for novices, to fancy-as-heck cards for seasoned travellers, here's a look at some of Canada's best credit cards for lounge access, as well as other travel perks.
What is airport lounge access?
For those not in the know, airport lounges essentially offer a little taste of luxury before you fly.
They range from being fancy-as-heck to basic-but-affordable, and what's available really depends on the individual airport and the country you're flying from.
Those on the cheaper end—which you can often pay a small fee to enter without a lounge access membership—offer services like pre-flight meals, drinks, Wi-Fi, comfy seating, and TVs, among other things.
The more luxury versions are like mini hotels, offering facilities like showers, private beds, unlimited buffets, specialty restaurants, fully stocked bars, extremely comfy seating areas, and more.
In Canada, most airport lounges are separated via memberships like Priority Pass, American Express Global Lounge Collection, Mastercard Experience Lounges and Maple Leaf Lounges.
What are the best credit cards for airport lounge access in 2024?
Ultimately, it depends on exactly what you're looking for.
As of September 2024, there are a range of credit cards in Canada that offer travel perks like airport lounge access, but how much you'll pay annually for these benefits varies from around $150 all the way up to $799.
There are accounts that promise seriously bougie services, like unlimited access to the renowned Centurion Lounges (which include spa services, signature cocktails and more), as well as excellent travel insurance policies, annual travel credits and other airport benefits.
On the other hand, there are more basic accounts that offer limited annual access to lounges, or discounted rates rather than free visits. However, naturally, the cost of maintaining these accounts is a lot lower.
If you're wondering exactly what options are available, here's a closer look:
BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard
Annual fee: $150 (waived in the first year)
Rewards: 1-5 points per dollar
T&Cs: A minimum $80,000 (individual) or $150,000 (household) annual income is required
With this Bank of Montreal rewards credit card, holders can get complimentary membership in Mastercard Travel Pass, provided by DragonPass.
With this, you can get four complimentary passes per year to use at any of the 1,300 lounges that belong to the DragonPass program. What's more, these complimentary passes can also be used to cover the cost of any companions travelling with you. If you use up all four freebies, additional passes can be purchased at a cost of US$32 per person.
Just download the Mastercard Travel Pass app on your mobile and present your membership to gain access to over 1,000 lounges across over 140 countries globally.
Other perks of the $150-per-year card include annual fees waived in the first year, travel and medical insurance, exclusive access to flights, hotels, cruises and vacation packages, and discounts on eligible car rental services.
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Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card
Annual fee: $150
Rewards: 1-3 points per dollar
T&Cs: A minimum $60,000 individual annual income is required
With this Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card, the cardholder can get free airport lounge access via the Airport Companion Program membership, as well as six complimentary lounge visits each year.
This means holders have access to more than 1,200 airport lounges around the world, including some Plaza Premium Lounges. Included in the six free lounge visits is the option to bring a companion with you, although that will count as one of your freebies. If you get through all of those passes, you can get extra lounge visits for US$32 per person, per visit.
Other related perks include automatic room upgrades at certain hotels, discounts on car rentals and a 24/7 Visa Infinite concierge service.
Frequent travellers will also be able to make the most out of the card's $0 foreign transaction perk. It enables card holders to avoid being charged a foreign currency conversion mark-up on foreign currency purchases made either online or outside of Canada. Only the exchange rate will apply.
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American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
Annual fee: $599
Rewards: 1-3 points per dollar
T&Cs: No specific income requirements
Ok, let's get the bad news out of the way first. This Amex Aeroplan Reserve Card has an annual fee of $599, so it's not going to be for light travellers or those who won't be able to make the most of its benefits. However, for those who are likely to maximize the offerings of this card, it will be a long-term money saver.
It's a good option for those who frequently travel with Air Canada, as it offers carrier-specific perks like priority check-in, priority boarding and priority baggage handling for you and up to eight companions, as well as three times the points on eligible Air Canada spending.
Moreover, you (and a guest) can get unlimited access to select North American Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges (which are pretty fancy), as well as Air Canada Cafes. You'll also be first on the list for standby waitlists and upgrades, and can get a one-off free luggage perk.
The card will also give you access to Priority Pass membership for free, which means access to an additional 1,200 lounges globally.
At Toronto Pearson, you can get free valet services, cheaper parking rates, expedited security services (you can skip the lines) and more.
As well as travel perks, this pricey-but-impressive account also promises a hefty amount of welcome points (we're talking 85,000 plus) and access to Front Of The Line Presale tickets and Front Of The Line Reserved tickets with American Express Experiences.
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Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
Annual fee: $120 (waived if you open an eligible bank account)
Rewards: 1-6 points per dollar
T&Cs: A minimum $12,000 individual annual income is required
If you're looking for a credit card that's a little less focused on airport lounge access, and a little more focused on everything else, this Scotiabank Gold American Express Card could be a good option.
One of the biggest travel perks this card offers is no foreign transaction fees on foreign currency purchases, including online shopping. This means if you pay for something in a different country, or order an item from an international site, you won't have to pay any extra.
Airport lounge access is still a perk for Scotiabank Gold American Express cardholders, although you'll get discounts as opposed to free passes. The card promises a "preferred discount" on Priority Pass membership at US$65 (a 35% off saving), with the option to visit over 1,200 VIP lounges for US$35 each time.
In addition to travel benefits, this card promises 6X the Scene points for every $1 you spend on grocery, dining and entertainment purchases. Points can then be used to cash in on movies, travel, shopping, dining, and more.
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Scotiabank Platinum Amex
Annual fee: $399 (waived if you open an eligible bank account)
Rewards: 2-3 points per dollar
T&Cs: A minimum $12,000 individual annual income is required
If you're looking for a credit card with airport lounge access, no foreign transaction fees and a low interest rate, this Scotiabank Platinum Amex has probably got you covered.
With 10 free airport lounge visits per year via Priority Pass and no transaction fees on foreign spending, this card is good for anyone who wants a little luxury (and wants to splurge) when they're travelling. It also offers at least two points per dollar in terms of rewards, which means you can build up your points pretty quickly and then use them on travel services like flights or hotels.
The down side, naturally, is that this credit card comes with a pretty hefty annual fee. Although the comparative low interest rate of 9.99% might still be enough to convince you.
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CIBC Adventura Visa Infinite Card
Annual fee: $139 (first year rebated)
Rewards: 1-2 points per dollar
T&Cs: A minimum $60,000 (individual) or $100,000 (household) annual income is required
Those looking for travel perks but who don't want to commit to a high-cost credit card might be interested in this option from CIBC. You can get airport lounge access (four free visits per year) via the Visa Airport Companion Program, as well as the option to redeem points towards flights, car rentals, hotels, vacation packages and more
At $139 per year (with the first year rebated), it's one of the cheaper and most simple options available in Canada as of 2024.
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American Express The Platinum Card
Annual fee: $799
Rewards: 1-2 points per dollar
T&Cs: No specific income requirements
This is the big one and, while it certainly won't be for everyone, it comes with a pretty hefty list of shiny benefits and perks.
Where to start? Well, probably with the cost of it. At $799 per year, American Express' The Platinum Card is easily the most expensive option on this list. That said, it offers top-tier access to the largest range of airport lounges of any similar card, all included within that annual fee.
You'll be able to visit lounges across the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which means being able to visit over 1,300 lounges across 140 countries "and counting." This includes Priority Pass, Plaza Premium Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs, as well as the fancy-as-heck Centurion Lounges.
The Centurion Lounges alone promise you will be able to "escape into luxury before flying, enjoy food and drink from award-winning chefs and top mixologists, and get away from it all in thoughtfully curated spaces designed for work or relaxation."
You'll also find spa services, showers, high-speed Wi-Fi, regional menus, signature cocktails and more. It's exclusive too, as you can't buy membership to American Express' Centurion Lounges—it's strictly cardholders only.
In addition to bougie lounge access, the card promises a $200 annual travel credit, late hotel checkouts, free breakfasts, benefits at Toronto Pearson, travel insurance coverage and discounts on car rentals, among other perks.
As a new Platinum Card member, you can also get up to 100,000 points if you spend enough money in your first three months.
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This article has been updated since it was originally published.
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An empty airport lounge.
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