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Aspire Amex Lounge at Calgary: Who Gets In, and With Which Card

Seating area of the Aspire Amex Lounge at Calgary International Airport
American Express Canada
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The Aspire Amex Lounge at Calgary has been welcoming you since September 16, 2026, on Concourse A, on the domestic departures side. With a Platinum Card, a Business Platinum Card or a Corporate Platinum Card, you get in free, your eligible guests come with you, and you move to the front of the waitlist. Calgary is now the second Canadian airport with a lounge co-branded by American Express and Aspire Pre-Flight Hospitality, after Montreal-Trudeau.

A third Aspire Amex Lounge is planned at Montreal-Trudeau by early 2027, this time in the transborder area. Here is where you will find the Calgary lounge, what you will eat there and, above all, which card gets you through the door.

Where the Calgary lounge is

You will find it at the start of Concourse A, near the small food court with the A&W. You check in at concourse level, then you go one floor up by elevator or stairs. YYC regulars will recognize the spot as the former Chinook Lounge.

It only serves domestic flights. If your flight leaves for Phoenix or London, this lounge is no use to you, whatever card you carry: the departure areas at YYC are separate.

You will find 109 seats and washrooms of the lounge's own, stocked with Aesop products, something the Montreal lounge does not have. You can settle into an après-ski feel, with plenty of greenery, a central fireplace and views of the apron.

Who gets in

With one of these American Express Cards, you get in free and you move to the front of the waitlist when the lounge is full:

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Annual fee$799Welcome offer
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You bring in your spouse and two children under 21, or one travel companion, at no charge. Beyond that, fees apply, and your guests have to walk in with you. Keep two more conditions in mind: a Supplementary Gold Card on your Platinum account does not open the door for free, and you show your Card, a same-day boarding pass and government-issued photo ID.

The other two Aspire lounges at YYC, on the international side, accept the lounge programs that come with Canadian credit cards: Priority Pass, Mastercard Travel Pass, Visa Airport Companion and Diners Club. Access there is capped at 3 hours before departure, without the priority entry Platinum Cardmembers get. The Concourse A lounge is not listed in those directories yet: if you plan to get in on a third-party program rather than an eligible Amex Card, check at the desk before you make the trip.

What you can eat and drink

You will eat what Charcut put together, the Calgary restaurant run by chefs Connie DeSousa and John Jackson, which already handles food at the other Aspire lounges at YYC. At the bar, you will find Missy's This That, another Calgary business, with mocktails on the list.

The setup is hybrid: you help yourself at the buffet, or you order at your table.

A transborder lounge in Montreal in 2027

If you fly out of Montreal to the United States, mark what comes next: the following Aspire Amex Lounge opens at Montreal-Trudeau by early 2027, in the transborder area. American Express has not set a firm date.

YUL will then have two separate Aspire Amex lounges: the domestic one, open since September 2025, and the transborder one. If you fly from Montreal to the United States often, this is the more useful news of the two: the transborder area at YUL is thin on lounges.

The first Montreal lounge has logged more than 50,000 Cardmember visits since it opened, according to the joint release from American Express and Aspire. "Airport lounge access is an important part of the value we deliver to our Cardmembers," said Kim Kuzmak, Vice President at American Express Canada.

Aspire Amex lounges in Canada
AirportDepartures servedOpening
Montreal-Trudeau (YUL)DomesticSeptember 2025
Calgary (YYC)Domestic, Concourse ASeptember 16, 2026
Montreal-Trudeau (YUL)United StatesBy early 2027
Annual fee
$799
Our valuation
$1,700
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,700Total$1,700Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 100,000 points
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on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

Terms of the offer

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  • New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn 25,000 Welcome Bonus Membership Rewards® points when you charge $2,000 in purchases to your Card in the first three months of Cardmembership
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  • You will have access to a $200 CAD Annual Travel Credit to use towards any single travel booking of $200 or more charged to your Platinum Card and made on www.americanexpress.ca/travel or through Platinum Card® Travel Service
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  • As a Charge Card, the balance must always be paid in full each month. 30% annual interest rate applies to balances not paid in full. Payments must be received and processed by the date of the next monthly statement to avoid interest charges
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The Platinum Card® is the best premium card in Canada for travellers.

With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® points:

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With this Card, you get:

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You can use your Membership Rewards® points in many ways:

  • Transfer points to airline partners: Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways / Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Delta SkyMiles, etc.
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  • And more!

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards® points to a partner loyalty program, you could earn up to:

  • 100,000 Aeroplan points
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With this card, you also have advantages for your travels:

  • $200 Annual Travel Credit
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  • A $100 statement credit for NEXUS membership
  • Complimentary access for you and one additional guest to more than 1,550 airport lounges in over 140 countries
  • Hilton Honors Gold status
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Last but not least, The Platinum Card® offers a wide range of insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, $500,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out-of-province or out-of-country), lost or stolen baggage, flight delays and misdirected baggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Annual fee

Primary card$799
Additional card$250

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 2xTravel
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,482
2nd Year Value$470

Transfer partners

  • AeroplanAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • Etihad GuestAirline
  • Flying BlueAirline
  • Hilton HonorsHotel
  • Marriott BonvoyHotel

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$400
Travel creditsIncluded

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $1,000
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

The Platinum Card is not the only way through a lounge door. If its eligibility profile or its annual fee does not suit you, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege also comes with airport lounge access, backed by an annual credit meant for it.

Annual fee
$399
Our valuation
$1,500
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,500Total$1,500Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 100,000 points
Ends Nov 25, 2026
Apply Now

on RBC's website

  • Start travelling today with 25,000 welcome points
  • Earn 1.25 RBC Rewards points for every dollar you spend
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For a limited time, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card offers a welcome bonus of up to 100,000 Avion points, representing a travel value of up to $2,375.

  • 35,000 points upon approval of your application
  • 20,000 points when you charge $5,000 in purchases to your account within the first six months
  • 45,000 points on your account’s first anniversary

With the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card, you also receive 6 complimentary airport lounge visits each year.

You can redeem your Avion points for flights on over 500 airlines, with no blackout periods or seat restrictions, or transfer them to partner programs such as American Airlines AAdvantage, The British Airways Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, and WestJet Rewards.

The card also gives you access to priority lanes, security services, and reserved parking at select Canadian airports.

You earn 1.25 Avion points per dollar on all your purchases, and the card includes comprehensive insurance coverage: emergency medical care, trip cancellation and interruption, and mobile devices up to $1,500.

Annual fee

Primary card$399
Additional card$99

Annual income required

Individual$200,000
Household$200,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 1.25xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,607
2nd Year Value$321

Transfer partners

  • American Airlines AAdvantageAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • WestJet RewardsAirline

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$240

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Included
Travel medical (55-64)Included
Travel medical (65+)Included
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $2,500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $3,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+2 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,500 / 1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $85,000 / 48 days

What it changes for a Canadian traveller

If you leave Calgary on a domestic flight, you now have one more option before boarding. The other lounges on the domestic side at YYC belong to Air Canada and WestJet, and the WestJet lounge is often at capacity for third-party program members. With a Platinum Card, you get in first and you eat better.

Looking further ahead, you stand to gain from a direction this opening confirms: Amex is building its own lounge network in Canada rather than relying only on third-party lounges. Three Canadian addresses in under two years is the pace of a network settling in.

Bottom Line

The Aspire Amex Lounge in Calgary is waiting for you on Concourse A, on the domestic side. You get in free and ahead of the queue with a Platinum Card or the Centurion Card, with your spouse and two children under 21, or one travel companion. To get in on Priority Pass or a similar program, we suggest you check at the desk first: the lounge is not listed in those directories yet. Pencil in early 2027 for the Montreal transborder lounge, and check the new Platinum lounge access limits before you pick a card. To keep up with the next openings, sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Aspire Amex Lounge Calgary - Frequently Asked Questions

When did the Aspire Amex Lounge in Calgary open?

On September 16, 2026. It is the second co-branded Aspire Amex Lounge in Canada, after the one in the domestic departures area at Montreal-Trudeau, which opened in September 2025.

Where is the Aspire Amex Lounge at YYC?

At the start of Concourse A, on the domestic departures side, near the food court with the A&W. Check-in is at concourse level and the lounge is one floor up, reached by elevator or stairs.

Which American Express Cards give access to the Calgary lounge?

The Platinum Card, the Business Platinum Card and the Corporate Platinum Card come with complimentary access to Executive Lounges by Swissport in Canada, the programme American Express files its Aspire lounges under. The Centurion Card is also listed among the eligible Cards.

Does a Supplementary Gold Card on my Platinum account get me in?

No. American Express excludes Supplementary Gold Cards on Platinum accounts from complimentary access. Only the eligible Card itself opens the door, on presentation of a same-day boarding pass and government-issued photo ID.

Can I bring a guest?

Yes. An eligible Cardmember brings in their spouse and two children under 21, or one travel companion, at no charge. Fees apply for additional guests, and a guest must be accompanied by the Cardmember.

Can I get in with Priority Pass?

The other two Aspire lounges at YYC, in the international terminal, accept Priority Pass, Mastercard Travel Pass, Visa Airport Companion and Diners Club, within 3 hours of departure. The Concourse A lounge is not listed in those directories yet: check at the desk before you make the trip.

Can I use this lounge if I am flying to the United States?

No. The Calgary lounge serves domestic departures only. Flights to the United States and international destinations leave from other areas of the airport, where the Concourse D and E Aspire lounges are.

When will the Montreal transborder lounge open?

By early 2027, for travellers leaving Montreal-Trudeau for the United States. American Express has not set a firm date.

Our featured card

Featured
Annual fee
$120
Our valuation
$990
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$990Total$990Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 110,000 points
Ends Sep 22, 2026
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.

New Cardmembers can earn up to 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points with the current offer:

  • Earn 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on your Card in your first 6 months of Cardmembership.
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This offer ends on September 22, 2026. The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

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Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 110,000 point welcome offer is worth about $990, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

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The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
  • 2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,437
2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

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