Guide: How to Experience the F1 Grand Prix du Canada in Montreal with Points and Card Perks
Loading article…
The F1 Grand Prix du Canada returns to Montreal from May 22 to 24, 2026, on the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. This year’s edition is a Sprint weekend — a first for Montreal — which means two F1 races over three days instead of one.
Beyond the action on the track, the Grand Prix weekend opens the summer season in Montreal with concerts, festivals, and the city’s famous restaurant terraces in full swing.
This guide covers how American Express Cardmembers can access the F1 Grand Prix du Canada — from tickets to on-track perks and curated off-track experiences in Montreal — plus how to use your credit card points to save on flights, hotels, and meals around the race weekend.
F1 Grand Prix du Canada in Montreal
The F1 Grand Prix du Canada takes place every year in Montreal on the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, a 4.361-kilometre semi-permanent track on Île Notre-Dame, in Parc Jean-Drapeau.
In 2026, the event runs from May 22 to 24, with the Formula 1 Lenovo Grand Prix du Canada race scheduled Sunday afternoon between 4 PM and 6 PM ET. The 70-lap race is the highlight of a weekend that also features the F1 Sprint Race on Saturday at noon, plus a full schedule of activities, food, drinks, and live music on-site.
Two notable additions for 2026: Formula 2 comes to Montreal for the very first time, and F1 Academy introduces a new three-race weekend format, including an opening race, a reverse-grid race, and the feature race.
The weekend is part of the 2026 F1 season’s 24 races across 5 continents, scheduled between March and December. The calendar includes stops in Las Vegas, Monaco, Barcelona, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, and more, giving F1 fans plenty of reasons to travel.
How to Get Tickets
Tickets to the Montreal Grand Prix can be purchased through the F1 Grand Prix du Canada website, where attendees can buy general admission tickets along with grandstand tickets, suites, terraces, and hotel/ticket packages.
Since American Express is an official partner of Formula 1, eligible American Express Cardmembers can also access a range of perks and benefits for many of the global events, including early access to tickets.
Amex presale tickets
American Express Cardmembers get access to Amex Presale Tickets and Amex Reserved Tickets for both the 2026 and 2027 F1 seasons.
For the F1 Grand Prix du Canada, this includes Grandstand tickets, General Admission tickets, and F1 Experiences ticket packages. Demand is high, so book early.
To purchase presale tickets, visit the American Express Canada F1 page and follow the link to Amex Presale Tickets for your event of choice.
How to Get to Montreal
The city of Montreal is located on the St. Lawrence River in the southern part of Quebec. Travellers coming in for the F1 race, or just to visit this spectacular city, can choose to fly, drive, or take a train.
By plane
The Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) is a major Canadian travel hub and connects travellers from around the world to this compelling city.
Save on your flight
If you’d like to arrive in Montreal by plane and keep your costs down, there are a couple of programs worth knowing.
First, the Aeroplan program is one of your best options for saving on flights to and from Canada since Air Canada is the country’s most popular airline with the largest network of destinations.
Aeroplan points can be earned by flying on eligible flights and through co-branded Aeroplan credit cards like the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card and the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card. You can also add to your Aeroplan account balance by transferring points from the Membership Rewards (MR) program, earned with select American Express cards.
Depending on where you’re flying from, another program to consider is Air France/KLM’s Flying Blue. In Canada, Flying Blue miles can be earned through eligible flights, with the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard, and by transferring your Marriott Bonvoy or MR points.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 |
Plus Flying Blue also offers monthly discounts on award flights via its Promo Rewards, potentially netting you even more savings.
Check out our guides on redeeming Aeroplan and Flying Blue points to learn how many points you need for a free flight and how to maximize the value of your points.
Keep in mind that it’s best to make your redemptions early since both Aeroplan and Flying Blue use dynamic pricing — the cost of a flight tends to climb as the travel dates get closer.
By car or train
If you’re travelling from a closer point in North America, you can also reach Montreal by train. The downtown train station — Gare Centrale — sits near many hotels and is served by both VIA Rail and Amtrak’s Adirondack line from New York City. Note that the Adirondack route has faced summer service suspensions in past years, so confirm your booking on the Amtrak website before travelling.
Driving to Montreal is another option, especially if the Grand Prix is part of a longer road trip. Just plan extra time: traffic and one-way streets downtown can slow things down, particularly during Grand Prix weekend.
Save on gas, car rentals, and train fare
For families and younger travellers coming to Montreal by train, see if you’re eligible for VIA Rail’s offers of 25% discounts and free fares through the Canada Strong Pass. Designed to make it more accessible for people to see and explore Canada, this promotion can save you a meaningful amount on transport.
If you’ve decided to drive to Montreal for the Grand Prix, the right credit card can get you a discount on your car rental, help you save on gas, and potentially get you free loss/damage insurance for your rental.
You can also lower your costs by using your points to save on your car rental fee.
Hotels near the Montreal Grand Prix
The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is a short taxi or transit ride from downtown Montreal, so you have plenty of accommodation options.
From large hotel brands like Hilton and Marriott to smaller boutique hotels and Airbnbs, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a suitable place to stay.
To give you a sense of the choices available, here is a partial list of downtown Marriott-brand hotels:
- The Westin Montreal
- Delta Hotels Montreal
- AC Hotel Montreal Centre
- Courtyard by Marriott Montreal
- Residence Inn by Marriott Montreal
- Le Centre Sheraton Montreal
- Montreal Marriott Château Champlain
- Moxy Montreal Downtown
- The Ritz-Carlton Montreal
- Fairfield by Marriott Montreal Downtown
- …and more
Save on accommodations
Accommodation costs are often one of the largest items in a travel budget, so finding a way to save in this category can make a real difference. With the right credit card, you can easily save on one or more nights of accommodations in Montreal.
Hotel loyalty programs
Hotel loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors let you earn points that can be redeemed for free nights at each company’s thousands of locations.
You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points on all your purchases with both the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card. These two cards also often feature valuable welcome offers and come with perks like an annual free night certificate.
You can also earn American Express Membership Rewards points with a card like the American Express Cobalt Card and transfer these to your Marriott Bonvoy account at a rate of 1,000 = 1,200 to boost your account balance. There’s historically been a 30% transfer bonus at least once a year, which is the ideal time to transfer your points.
Flexible travel points
Another way to save on accommodations is with flexible travel points like TD Rewards, Scene+, National Bank À la carte rewards, and more.
These programs let you redeem your points for purchases on the card, and they often offer higher redemption rates for travel. For example, 60,000 Scene+ points can be redeemed for $600 in travel statement credits, while 100,000 TD Rewards points are worth ~$445 when used to pay off travel purchases.
These programs are particularly helpful if you’re staying at a smaller boutique hotel or an Airbnb that can’t be accessed with a hotel loyalty program.
Many of these flexible points can also be redeemed when booking through travel portals like Expedia for TD (200 TD Rewards points = $1), Scene+ Travel, powered by Expedia (100 Scene+ points = $1), and National Bank’s À la carte Travel (100 À la carte points = $1).
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120 | |||
| $150 | |||
| $191.88 |
Amex Cardmember Access On the Track
Beyond presale ticket access, American Express Cardmembers attending the Grand Prix can enjoy several on-site benefits at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve during race weekend. Eligibility and availability vary by perk.
Amex Racing Club
The Amex Racing Club is located in the F1 Parc Zone and is open to all fans. Inside, fans can take part in interactive experiences, photo activations, mini-games, and pick up giveaways. American Express Cardmembers and a guest also get access to a dedicated Recovery Room space within the Racing Club. Capacity is limited, and access is first-come, first-served.
Race radios
Race Radios remain a fan-favourite globally. Cardmembers can pick up a complimentary race radio at designated kiosks around the track to listen to the live F1 and F1 Academy commentary throughout the weekend. One radio per person per day, while supplies last.
Amex Pit Stop
The Amex Pit Stop lets Cardmembers pick up race-day essentials such as a seat cushion or water bottle carrier. Limit one item per Cardmember per day, while supplies last.
Amex Trackside Lounge
The Amex Trackside Lounge offers reservable viewing access along the main straight in a relaxed setting. Reservations are limited, made in person at the lounge entrance, and capped at one session per Cardmember per day. Each eligible Cardmember can bring one accompanied guest.
Access to the Trackside Lounge is reserved for Cardmembers of one of the following American Express cards:
- The Platinum Card
- Business Platinum Card from American Express
- American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
- American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
- American Express Air Canada Card
- The Centurion Card
- Corporate Platinum Card from American Express
- American Express Aeroplan Corporate Reserve Card
Priority Lanes
Eligible American Express Cardmembers can use Priority Lanes at select circuit entry points, which can save valuable time on busy race days.
Fanzone and on-site charging stations
The circuit also features Fanzone experiences open to all attendees, plus on-site charging stations where Cardmembers can grab a complimentary portable charger to keep their phone going throughout the weekend.
Amex Cardmember Access Off the Track
The Cardmember experience extends well beyond the circuit. Two curated experiences run downtown over the same weekend.
Maison Amex Montreal
Returning for its third year, Maison Amex is a bespoke speakeasy-style lounge for eligible American Express Cardmembers in the heart of Montreal. The pop-up runs from Thursday, May 21 to Sunday, May 24, 2 PM to 10 PM, at 2114 rue de la Montagne.
Inside, Cardmembers and their guest can enjoy:
- Complimentary snacks curated by Chef Danny Smiles of Le Violon, ranked #1 Best New Restaurant by Canada’s 100 Best in 2025
- Craft cocktails
- An on-site DJ
Access is first-come, first-served, with a 125-person capacity.
Le Violon — Cardmember reservations
On Friday, May 22, eligible American Express Cardmembers get exclusive access to dinner reservations at Le Violon, Chef Danny Smiles’ celebrated Montreal restaurant — ranked #8 on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants. It’s one of the most sought-after reservations in the city, and Cardmembers can book directly through the Amex Experiences App.
Shop Small in Montreal
Race weekend is also a great chance to explore Montreal’s small business scene. A few local spots worth checking out:
- Café Olimpico — the Mile End espresso institution Montrealers have lined up for since 1970
- Nora Gray — a southern Italian Little Burgundy favourite with one of the city’s most refined wine programs
- Mister Steer — a downtown classic for a great Montreal steak and house onion rings since 1958
You can find more local merchants near the circuit and across the city on the Amex Shop Small Map.
Other Restaurants and Experiences in Montreal
Beyond the race, Montreal makes the weekend worth extending. The city’s neighbourhoods each have their own pull: Old Montreal and the waterfront for postcard views, the Plateau and Mile End for cafés and small shops, Verdun for the local food scene. You can also explore parks, markets, museums, and pedestrian-only streets and festivals across the city.
And the city offers award-winning restaurants, excellent breweries, and classic Montreal food like smoked meat at Schwartz’s and bagels at St-Viateur and Fairmount.
Save on food, drinks, and experiences
With so many restaurants and activities available in Montreal, it’s easy to indulge for every meal, snack, and adventure. Most of us don’t have an infinite travel budget, so it’s worth knowing how to save in this spending category.
Two of the best ways to save on food, drinks, and experiences in Montreal are to take advantage of your credit card’s annual credits and to maximize the rewards you earn on these expenses.
In Canada, several credit cards come with annual credits for travel, dining, or lifestyle. For example, the American Express Platinum Card offers an annual $200 dining credit usable at participating restaurants, on top of the card’s $200 travel credit usable on the Amex Travel website.
- Annual fee
- $799
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,190Total$1,190$510 deferred bonus, excluded from the first-year estimate and not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,190
- Welcome offerAfter $10,000 in 3 months
- Up to 100,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply 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 other strong way to save in this category is to maximize the rewards you earn by choosing a credit card with elevated earning rates on food and drink. Depending on how you prefer to earn and redeem, you could choose cash back, transferable points, or airline/hotel points.
To maximize your savings, a cash back card like the SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express or a high-earning rewards card like the American Express Cobalt Card are both strong contenders.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $119.88 | |||
| $191.88 |
The SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express earns 4% cash back on groceries and gas, and 2% cash back on everything else, netting you nearly immediate savings on all purchases.
The American Express Cobalt Card earns 5 MR points per $1 spent on food and drink, which makes it the best card in its category for many Canadians. Your accumulated MR points can be transferred to programs like Aeroplan and Marriott Bonvoy, or redeemed for gift cards, merchandise, and more.
Recommended Credit Cards for the Montreal Grand Prix
The best credit cards for the Montreal F1 Grand Prix du Canada are:
| Card | Benefits for the F1 Grand Prix du Canada |
|---|---|
| American Express Cobalt Card | Presale tickets, race radios, Amex Pit Stop, Amex Racing Club (with Recovery Room access), Priority Lanes, complimentary portable charger; earn points to redeem for flights, hotels, and travel |
| American Express Gold Rewards Card | Presale tickets, race radios, Amex Pit Stop, Amex Racing Club (with Recovery Room access), Priority Lanes, complimentary portable charger; earn points to redeem for flights, hotels, and travel |
| American Express Platinum Card | All of the above, plus Amex Trackside Lounge access, Maison Amex Montreal, and Le Violon reservations via the Amex Experiences App |
| Business Platinum Card from American Express | All of the above, plus Amex Trackside Lounge access, Maison Amex Montreal, and Le Violon reservations via the Amex Experiences App |
| Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card | Earn Bonvoy points to save on Marriott hotels, a free night certificate at renewal, and 15 Elite Night Credits per year |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card | Earn Bonvoy points to save on Marriott hotels, a free night certificate at renewal, and 15 Elite Night Credits per year |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card | Earn Aeroplan points to save on Air Canada flights to Montreal |
| CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card | Earn Aeroplan points to save on Air Canada flights to Montreal |
Bottom Line
The F1 Grand Prix du Canada hits Montreal from May 22 to 24, 2026, with the new Sprint weekend format and the first-ever F2 race at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
For F1 fans planning the trip, an eligible American Express card unlocks the most valuable on-site perks — presale tickets, Race Radios, the Amex Racing Club, and Priority Lanes — plus off-track experiences like Maison Amex Montreal and Le Violon Cardmember reservations. For everything around the race — flights to YUL, hotel nights, restaurants, and car rentals — the right combination of Aeroplan, Marriott Bonvoy, and flexible rewards programs can meaningfully cut your weekend cost.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $120 | |||
| $150 | |||
| $799 | |||
| $799 | |||
| $250 | |||
| $191.88 |
For your next Hilton stay, see the Hilton Honors American Express® Card available in Canada and the terms of its current offer.
