Review: Aspire Lounge, Ottawa International Airport (YOW)

Aspire Lounge YOW – Lounge location

The lounge is open to all domestic and international travelers. Unfortunately, cross-border travellers cannot access the lounge area. To enter the Aspire lounge, once through security, follow the signs to gate 20. The entrance to the Aspire lounge is on the right-hand side, just past gate 18. It is located directly opposite Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge.

Review: Aspire Lounge, Ottawa International Airport (YOW) - Salon Aspire YOW-02

Aspire lounge opening hours are as follows:

Monday	5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tuesday	5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Wednesday	5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursday	5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday	5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday	10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday	10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Aspire Lounge YOW – Credit card access

The easiest way to gain free access to the Aspire Lounge is by presenting the Platinum Card^MD from American Express, the Business Platinum Card^MD from American Express; lounge access is for the primary cardholder as well as a traveling companion. Access is also available through Priority Pass and DragonPass; many credit cards offer free access via DragonPass.

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American Express Platinum Card^®

American Express Amex Membership Rewards

Annual fee: $799
Our valuation: $1,700Milesopedia first-year estimate First-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.; 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

Unlock special experiences with the newly designed metal Platinum Card
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
Earn 3 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible dining in Canada, 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible travel, and 1 point for every $1 in all other Card purchases
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
Take full advantage of the American Express Global Lounge Collection^™ which unlocks access to over 1200 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion^® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience
Enjoy complimentary benefits that offer an average value of $550 USD at over 1,000 extraordinary properties worldwide when you book Fine Hotels & Resorts.
Platinum Cardmembers can enjoy access to special events and unique opportunities
Enjoy premium benefits at the Toronto Pearson Airport including security bypass, complimentary valet car service and discount car care and parking
You will also have access to many leading hotel and car rental companies’ loyalty programs. Our partners include Marriott International, Hilton Hotels and Resorts^®, Radisson Hotel Group Hotels and Resorts, Hertz^® and Avis^®
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

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details, current product information and Terms and Conditions, click the Apply now link. Conditions Apply

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*Terms and conditions apply.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of the information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

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:

70,000 points after charging $10,000 to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
30,000 points when you make a purchase between the 15th and 17th month after your Cardmembership begins

With this Card, you get:

2 points per $1 on eligible dining and delivery purchases in Canada
2 points per dollar on eligible travel purchases charged to the Card
1 point per $1 on all other purchases charged to the Card

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.
Transfer points to hotel partners, including Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
Redeem points for statement credits to offset any travel purchase charged to your Card (1,000 points = $10)
Redeem points for statement credits towards other purchases (1,000 points = $10)
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
100,000 Avios
100,000 Flying Blue Miles
120,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With this card, you also have advantages for your travels:

$200 Annual Travel Credit
An annual meal credit of $200
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
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
Access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program

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

Aspire Lounge YOW – Reception

Whenever I’ve been to this lounge, the admission formalities have always been completed quickly… but then again, my flights are mostly outside morning rush hour. So, on this Tuesday afternoon at the end of August, the lounge was almost empty.

Review: Aspire Lounge, Ottawa International Airport (YOW) - Salon Aspire YOW-03

Aspire Lounge YOW – My experience

The lounge has only been open since 2020, and what strikes you upon entering is its very modern, up-to-the-minute decor. We also like the large windows throughout the lounge, which offer a beautiful view of the tarmac.

The seating area is essentially split in two… there’s a « lounge »-type corner along the windows, and a « bistro »-type corner near the dining area. For those who want to work on the computer, the best option is to take a seat at a long table facing the window and the tarmac.

On the catering side, everything is self-service, including alcoholic beverages, but an attendant is never far away if you need something special. For our part, we concocted our own « mocktails » with various products on offer.

I particularly liked my chicken curry dish. However, the choice of desserts is a little limited.

Ready-to-eat snacks such as cookies, fruit and muffins are also available.

Review: Aspire Lounge, Ottawa International Airport (YOW) - Salon Aspire YOW-18

The lounge has a capacity of 100 people and covers an area of 340 square meters, yet on my last visit it never seemed to be more than 20% full.

The lounge offers its own WiFi, it’s free and the signal works well. Almost every seat has a charging station, so you can recharge the batteries of all your devices before your journey.

Lockers are available for your personal belongings, but they don’t seem to be used very often. Same story for the conference room, which was used more as a storage room for lounge logistics.

The only negative point I could find with this lounge is its single bathroom. So it’s one person at a time. The other option is to use the bathrooms located outside the lounge.

Bottom Line

A two- to three-hour visit to the Aspire lounge has become a mandatory stopover before each of our flights out of the Ottawa airport.

The food has always been very good, and we can even take some pre-packaged cookies home with us from the lounge. Muffins and fruit were also pre-packaged and available. No soft drinks are available in cans or bottles.

If one day this lounge becomes very busy, my review might change, but for now it’s a secret little spot that we love. Even Air Canada’s Maple Leaf lounge across the hallway, which occupies a larger area, offers nothing more to compete with it.

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