How to Get Free Airport Lounge Access?
- The strategies
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The easiest way to get free airport lounge access is a credit card that includes visits: from 4 a year with the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card at $139, up to no visit limit at the National Bank Lounge at Montréal-Trudeau with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard at $150. Here are the networks, the cards and the real cost of a visit.
Of the 203 active Canadian credit cards tracked in our comparison tool, 29 open a lounge network and only 15 include complimentary visits, from 2 to 10 a year. That is the first sort to make: a card that hands you the membership does not pay for your entry.
Airport Lounge – A Premium Travel Experience
In almost every international airport, airport lounges are true havens of peace. These exclusive spaces let you:
- Eat and drink for free with premium buffets
- Relax comfortably before your flight
- Work in a quiet environment with high-speed WiFi
- Celebrate your departure with champagne and cocktails
- Take a refreshing shower after a long flight
- Enjoy newspapers, magazines, and sometimes spas
Airport lounges turn waiting at the airport into a relaxing experience. Whether you’re travelling from Montréal-Trudeau or anywhere else in the world, these spaces offer unmatched comfort and enhance your airport experience.
How to Get Airport Lounge Access
Airport lounge access was traditionally reserved for an exclusive clientele:
- Frequent travellers with elite status (such as Aeroplan and Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges)
- Business class or first class passengers
- Preferred clients of certain financial institutions
- Members of prestigious loyalty programs
- Premium clients of a financial institution (such as the National Bank Lounge or the Desjardins Odyssey Lounge at Montreal Trudeau YUL)
Fortunately, credit cards have made access to these spaces more accessible. Most lounges are part of networks like Priority Pass and DragonPass. To increase their revenue, they partner with credit card issuers to offer complimentary access to cardholders.
By choosing your card wisely according to your travel profile, you can enjoy complimentary access to airport lounges around the world. Simply present your boarding pass along with your Priority Pass or DragonPass at the entrance, and you’re all set!
Here, it’s important to determine your traveller profile. For example, a card that offers unlimited airport lounge access for two people isn’t relevant if you only travel solo once or twice a year.
Priority Pass and DragonPass: the two lounge networks
In Canada, two main networks offer airport VIP lounge access:
Some Visa and Mastercard credit cards issued in Canada are part of the DragonPass network.
On the American Express side, the American Express Platinum Card and the Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card give access to the Priority Pass network.
Priority Pass
- More than 1,900 lounges and experiences in more than 600 cities and 143 countries
- Accepted in most international airports
- Comes mostly with American Express cards, including the American Express Platinum Card and the Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card
- Paid membership available without an eligible card: USD 99 a year, then USD 35 per visit
DragonPass
- More than 2,500 experiences available to members
- Activated through Visa Airport Companion or Mastercard Travel Pass, depending on your card
- More than 1,200 lounges available through Visa Airport Companion
- Included with several Canadian Visa Infinite and Mastercard World Elite cards
To activate DragonPass, you first register your eligible card on Visa Airport Companion (Visa cards) or on Mastercard Travel Pass (Mastercard cards). You then present the QR code from the app at the lounge entrance. Beyond the included visits, each entry costs US$32 per person.
Credit card airport lounge benefits can vary. A distinction must be made between a lounge program membership (right to access the lounge) and visits (to enter it).
Canadian credit cards offer different levels of access. Many cards offer both. A subscription to a lounge program AND the possibility of free access or not.
Credit cards for up to 6 lounge visits a year
If you travel occasionally, here are the best credit cards to get free access:
Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite +* Card
- 6 free visits a year for the primary cardholder
- $150 annual fee, waived with an eligible Scotiabank bank account
- Personal income of $60,000 or household income of $100,000
- Access to the DragonPass network and Visa Airport Companion
TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card
- 4 free visits per year
- Access to DragonPass lounges
- $139 annual fee
- $100 TD Annual Travel Credit
BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*
- 4 free visits per year
- Access to DragonPass lounges
- $150 annual fee, rebated in the first year
- Mastercard Travel Pass membership included
For these cards, each complimentary visit allows entry for one person. If you’re travelling with your family and exceed the included number of visits, each additional person pays USD 32.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 |
Credit cards for frequent travellers
Frequent travellers should consider these premium credit cards:
National Bank World Elite Mastercard
- No visit limit at the National Bank Lounge, Montréal-Trudeau
- Free for you, one guest and two children aged 12 or under
- International flights only, not Canada or the United States
- Full buffet, premium bar, showers
American Express Platinum Card® and American Express Business Platinum Card
- A collection of more than 1,550 lounges and partner spaces in 140 countries
- Centurion lounges with no visit limit and up to two guests
- One free guest in Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges
- Priority Pass and Plaza Premium with no visit limit until December 31, 2026
- From January 1, 2027: 6 visits a year in each of those two networks, unlimited again from $20,000 in eligible purchases in the year
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Privilege Card
- 10 visits a year for each cardholder, primary and additional
- Visa Airport Companion, which opens the DragonPass network
- $599 annual fee
- $250 Annual Travel Credit
Scotiabank Platinum American Express® Card
- 10 visits a year for the primary cardholder
- Priority Pass and Plaza Premium combination
- $399 annual fee
- 4 visits a year for each additional cardholder
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card
- 6 DragonPass lounge visits a year
- $399 annual fee
- Minimum personal or household income of $200,000
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $399 | |||
| $599 | |||
| $399 | |||
| $799 | |||
| $799 |
Access to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges
To access Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounges without elite status, two credit cards stand out:
TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card
- Maple Leaf Lounges in North America, on the day of an Air Canada or Star Alliance flight
- 6 visits a year through Visa Airport Companion
- One free guest with each visit
- First checked bag free on Air Canada
American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card and American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card
- Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés in Canada and the United States, with one guest
- Priority check-in and Zone 2 boarding
- First checked bag free for up to 9 travellers when the trip starts on an Air Canada flight
- $599 annual fee
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $599 | |||
| $599 | |||
| $599 |
Strategies to Maximize Your Airport Lounge Access
To make the most of your airport lounge access, consider these strategies:
- Combine two complementary cards: the free visits from each card add up.
- Travel as a pair: a card that admits a guest for free doubles the value of every visit.
- Plan your layovers: choose airports where your network has several lounges.
- Check which networks a lounge accepts: the same lounge can welcome both Priority Pass and DragonPass members.
Access to Airport VIP Lounges – Bottom Line
Airport lounge access can completely transform your travel experience. With the right credit cards, you can enjoy complimentary entry to these exclusive spaces around the world. Whether you travel occasionally or frequently, from Montréal-Trudeau or elsewhere, there is a card that fits your needs.
Complimentary lounge visits range from 4 a year with entry-level travel cards to no visit limit with premium cards. Beyond the included visits, each entry costs USD 32 to USD 35, so a card with a few free visits pays off quickly for anyone who flies several times a year.
Our recommended cards for this game plan are:
| Card | Free visits per year | Network and details |
|---|---|---|
| TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card | 4 | Visa Airport Companion (DragonPass) |
| BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard | 4 | Mastercard Travel Pass (DragonPass) |
| Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + Card | 6 | Visa Airport Companion (DragonPass) |
| RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card | 6 | DragonPass |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card | 6 | DragonPass, plus Maple Leaf Lounges in North America with one guest |
| Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Privilege Card | 10 per cardholder | Visa Airport Companion (DragonPass) |
| Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card | 10 | Priority Pass and Plaza Premium |
| American Express Platinum Card | Unlimited until December 31, 2026, then 6 per network | Priority Pass, Plaza Premium and Centurion, with one guest |
| American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card | No limit in Maple Leaf Lounges | Canada and the United States, with one guest |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | No limit at the National Bank Lounge | Montréal-Trudeau, international zone, with one guest and two children |
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $399 | |||
| $599 | |||
| $399 | |||
| $599 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which credit card gives you airport lounge access in Canada?
Three cards cover most needs. The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + Card includes 6 visits a year for a $150 annual fee, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card includes 4 visits for $139, and the National Bank World Elite Mastercard opens the National Bank Lounge at Montréal-Trudeau with no visit limit, for you and one guest.
What is the difference between Priority Pass and DragonPass?
Priority Pass covers more than 1,900 lounges and experiences in 600 cities and 143 countries, and comes mostly with American Express cards. DragonPass advertises more than 2,500 experiences and is activated through Visa Airport Companion or Mastercard Travel Pass, depending on your card. A card can include the membership without including free visits: check both separately.
How much does a lounge visit cost without an eligible card?
With Priority Pass, a visit costs USD 35 for the member and USD 35 for each guest, on top of the annual membership. On the DragonPass side, Scotiabank and BMO charge USD 32 per person beyond the included visits. A lounge that sells entry at the door sets its own price.
Can you bring a guest into a lounge?
It depends on the card. The National Bank World Elite Mastercard covers one guest and two children aged 12 or under. The American Express Platinum Card covers one guest in Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges, and two guests in Centurion lounges. With a card that includes DragonPass visits, each free visit admits one person.
Does the American Express Platinum Card still offer unlimited lounge access?
Until December 31, 2026, yes. From January 1, 2027, access to Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges drops to 6 complimentary visits per calendar year for each network. Unlimited access returns once $20,000 in eligible purchases is charged to the card in the year, and Centurion lounges stay unlimited.
How do you get into Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges?
Two cards open them without elite status. The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card covers Maple Leaf Lounges in North America on the day of an Air Canada or Star Alliance flight. The American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card covers Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés in Canada and the United States. Each admits one guest, and Aeroplan 25K status or a business class ticket also works.
Who can enter the National Bank Lounge at Montréal-Trudeau?
National Bank World Elite Mastercard holders enter free with one guest and two children aged 12 or under. The lounge sits in the international zone, so it does not serve domestic or transborder flights. Holders of other National Bank Mastercards pay for entry.
Do you need a business class ticket to enter a lounge?
No. Business class and elite status open the airline's own lounges, but a credit card with Priority Pass or DragonPass opens independent lounges whatever your fare class. You show your boarding pass and your programme access at the door.
Learn more about airport lounges
If you fly out of Calgary, our article on the Aspire Amex Lounge on Concourse A sets out the eligible cards and the guest rules. To plan your next visit, also check our guide to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge access and our review of the National Bank Lounge at Montréal-Trudeau.
