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Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) is Quebec’s main airport, located in Dorval. It welcomes travelers for domestic and international flights, daily, 24/7. Passengers can check in, clear security, and access on-site services to easily board to their destination.
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport has four distinct sections:
The separation is at the border of the green and orange zones. This has an impact on access to the Montreal-Trudeau airport lounges, as travellers cannot move from one area to another.
Therefore, access to airport lounges at Montreal-Trudeau Airport is divided based on your destination. For example, you cannot use the lounges in the International zone if you have a flight within Canada in the Domestic zone.
Maple Leaf Lounge (Gates 1 and 3)
Air Canada Café (Gates 1 and 3)
Aspire AMEX Lounge (Gates 1 and 2)
Maple Leaf Lounge (Gates 72-73)
Desjardins Odyssey Lounge (Gate 76)
Maple Leaf Lounge (Gate 52)
Desjardins Odyssey Lounge (Gate 63)
National Bank Lounge (Gate 53)
Air France KLM Lounge (Gates 55-57)
Aspire Lounge (gate 52)
You can see these 4 zones on the diagram below.
In the domestic flights section (flights within Canada only) of Montreal-Trudeau Airport, there are two lounges and one Café: the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge, the Aspire AMEX lounge, and the Air Canada Café, all located near gates 1 & 3.
The Air Canada Café is located on the main floor, while the Maple Leaf Lounge is upstairs, directly above.
There are several ways to access both the Lounge and the Café, and the options are similar. Read all the details in our article on how to access an Air Canada lounge Maple Leaf.
You need a Business Class ticket, a high Aeroplan Elite Status, or a specific Aeroplan credit card. Check for a lounge seat icon at the top right of the QR code on your boarding pass.
At the lounge entrance, a person simply needs to scan their paper or mobile boarding pass at the lounge reception or at the digital kiosks at the entrance of the Café.
To access this Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge and Air Canada Café with a credit card, you have several options.
The American Express, CIBC Aeroplan, and TD Aeroplan cards listed below offer unlimited access to all Maple Leaf lounges and Air Canada Cafés at Montreal-Trudeau Airport. The airline ticket can be an Aeroplan reward or a paid ticket on Air Canada and its Star Alliance partners. Furthermore, the primary or secondary cardholder can bring one guest free of charge to the lounge. If there is a second guest or more, the cost is $59 per person.
Before you travel, make sure your credit card is linked to your Aeroplan profile.
For individuals with Aeroplan Elite 50K, 75K, and Super Elite status, up to 5 children accompanied by an adult under 24 years of age of the member may access the lounge.
Otherwise, children aged 0 to 1 year have free access. For ages 2 and up, they are considered a guest, so access is free. If the number of guests is more than one, there will be a cost of $59 for each child entering the lounge.
This Aspire AMEX airport lounge, opened in July 2025, is located between Gates 1 and 2.
It is open daily from 5 AM to 9 PM, and to access it, you must have an airline ticket for a flight within Canada and access to an airport lounge network such as Priority Pass, Visa Airport Companion, or Mastercard Travel Pass.
At all times, American Express cardholders have priority for lounge entry. The best way to get free and unlimited access to the Aspire AMEX lounge in Montreal for you and a guest is to hold one of these cards:
If there is availability, you may be able to access the lounge with select credit cards, as well as through their partnership with Visa Airport Companion, such as:
Children aged 0 to 1 year have free access. Children aged 2 and up are considered as guests.
If the number of guests is more than one, there will be a cost of US$35 or more for each additional child entering the lounge with an American Express credit card and Priority Pass.
If you have a child aged 2 and over and enter with Mastercard Travel Pass or Visa Airport Companion, they will count as a free entry/visit (if you have one) or you will have to pay USD 32 per additional person.
In the transborder section (flights to the United States), there are:
Access to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in the transborder zone is exactly like the Maple Leaf Lounge in the domestic zone. Click here to analyze your entry options with Aeroplan credit cards, as described above. Additionally, read all the details in our article on how to access an Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge.
When entering a lounge, passengers simply scan their paper or mobile boarding pass at reception.
For Aeroplan Elite 50K, 75K and Super Elite members, up to 5 of the member’s children under the age of 24 may enter free of charge.
Otherwise, children aged 0 to 1 year can access for free. For ages 2 and up, they are considered a guest. If the number of guests is more than one, there will be a cost of $59 for each child entering the lounge.
The Desjardins Odyssey Lounge is open at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport and is located near Gate 76.
It is available to holders of the following Desjardins credit cards:
The Odyssey Gold Visa card
The Prestige Platinum Card
The Platinum Visa card
*The Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege and Desjardins Odyssey Visa Platinum cards are no longer available for new applications, but some existing cardholders may still have them.
There are other credit cards that provide access to the Desjardins Odyssey Lounge! Since it comes under the DragonPass banner, members and holders of certain credit cards can access it, for example:
Children aged 0 to 2 are admitted free of charge to the Desjardins Odyssey Lounge.
Between ages 3 and 11, they count as one admission and the cost is $26, if you no longer have free access. For those aged 12 and over, the cost is $42.
In the International section (for flights outside Canada and the United States), you have plenty of options!
Access to the Maple Leaf Lounge in the international zone is exactly the same as the Maple Leaf Lounge in the domestic and transborder zones above. Read all the details in our article on how to access an Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge.
Otherwise, children aged 0 to 1 have free access. For 2 years and over, they are considered guests. If the number of guests is more than one, there will be a $59 charge for each child entering lounge.
Temporary Closure of the National Bank Lounge
The National Bank lounge at Montréal-Trudeau Airport (YUL) will close for renovations on April 30, 2026, at 10 PM, with reopening planned for 2027. A temporary lounge will take over starting May 1, 2026, in the same location near Gate 53. Holders of eligible cards will be able to continue accessing services throughout the construction period.
The National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau Airport can be accessed in a variety of ways with:
Simply present the National Bank World Elite Mastercard at the entrance or the QR code of your subscription (DragonPass, Priority Pass) to gain direct access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau Airport.
Please note that if the lounge is very busy, priority entry will be given to National Bank World Elite Mastercard holders.
Here are the eligible cards:
Once you’ve exceeded the number of free annual accesses, you can still enter an airport lounge, but at a cost of USD 32 per person.
Children aged 0 and 1 are admitted free of charge to the National Bank Lounge. Starting at age 2, they count as an entry and require a DragonPass or Priority Pass access from your credit card.
If the number of guests is exceeded, or if you no longer have free access, admission for children aged 2 to 12 costs $40.24 plus tax. For those aged 13 and over, the cost is $63.24 plus tax. If you’re a National Bank customer, you’ll receive a 25% discount on these rates.
The Montreal Aspire International Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau is open to all travellers with a boarding pass for an international flight (outside of Canada and the United States) from all airlines, and is free for Air Canada Business Class travellers.
It is open to everyone by paying $60 per adult and $40 per child.
But if you have access to an airport lounge network such as Priority Pass, Visa Airport Companion, and Mastercard Travel Pass, it can be free!
The best way for you and a guest to gain free access to the Aspire lounge at YUL is to hold one of these cards:
These cards give you unlimited access to airport lounges in the Priority Pass network (including Aspire airport lounges in Montreal’s domestic and international zones), and the American Express Worldwide Lounge Collection, including Plaza Premium lounges.
It is also possible to access this Aspire lounge with other Visa and Mastercard credit cards, thanks to the Visa Airport Companion program, as well as Mastercard Travel Pass, with the DragonPass network.
Children aged 0 to 1 have free access. For 2 years and older, they count as paid ($40) or as a guest (if you have free access).
If the number of guests is more than one, there will be a cost of $40 or more for each additional child who enters the lounge with an American Express card and Priority Pass.
If you have a child aged 2 or older and enter with Mastercard Travel Pass or Visa Airport Companion, they will count as a free visit or entry (if you have any available). Otherwise, you will need to pay $40 for each additional person.
The Desjardins Odyssey Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau Airport is accessible to holders of certain Desjardins credit cards:
Available to passengers travelling in business class with Air France-KLM on international flights, you can also enter with certain credit cards available in Canada. According to travellers, the Air France-KLM lounge at YUL is one of the best lounges at the airport.
Attention: In this Air France – KLM lounge, priority entry is given to Air France Business Class ticket holders. Even if there is space in the lounge, entry may be denied if you wish to enter only with a DragonPass, Priority Pass, or Plaza Premium access.
With a credit card, this very modern lounge airport is accessible with:
The following credit cards are eligible for admission to the Air France KLM lounge:
When you exceed the number of free annual accesses, you can still enter the lounge, but at a cost of USD 32 per person.
What’s more, the DragonPass network will give you access to lounge with a World or World Elite Mastercard. Please verify your eligibility on the Mastercard Travel Pass website before departing; you may have the free membership, but you might need to pay for your entry at a cost of USD 32. The only Mastercard in Canada to offer both a DragonPass subscription AND 4 free accesses is the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard.
A 0- or 1-year-old child enters free of charge.
If the child has a Business class ticket on Air France/KLM, they may enter the lounge free of charge.
From 2 years old and up, a child entering with an American Express Platinum Card can enter if they are the guest. If the number of guests is more than 2, they will have to pay a reduced rate to enter.
For DragonPass and Priority Pass networks, a child aged 2 and up counts as one lounge access.
Before settling into an airport lounge, it’s convenient to know your connectivity options. Good news: Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) offers free and unlimited Wi-Fi throughout the terminal. Simply select the “YUL Wi-Fi” network on your device and accept the terms of use. The connection is generally stable and fast enough to browse the web, answer your emails, or stream light videos.
In airport lounges, Wi-Fi is also included, often with better speed and a more reliable connection than in public areas, which is convenient if you need to work or make a video call before your flight.
If you’re travelling abroad, also consider the eSIM option to stay connected as soon as you land. We recommend Holafly, which offers unlimited data plans in over 250 destinations. You can buy and install your eSIM before departure, then activate it in seconds upon landing, without having to look for a local SIM card or pay roaming fees.
Discover Holafly eSIMs here and enjoy instant connection abroad.
Remember: one access = one person entering lounge. So for a family of four, this will count as four accesses.
It is also important to note that a minor child entering an airport lounge must be accompanied by an adult. If they are alone, the underage child will not be allowed to enter by law, as alcohol is served. It is also advisable to check the lounge’s opening and closing hours.
To be sure of being able to access a lounge, regardless of your destination, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card and the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card will be your best allies.
Indeed, these are the only ones that offer access to Maple Leaf lounges, present in all three sections of the airport (provided you are traveling with Air Canada or one of its Star Alliance partners).
To access the Desjardins Odyssey Lounge near gate 63 and the Desjardins Odyssey Lounge in the transborder area near gate 76, you must have your same-day boarding pass and be a holder of a valid Desjardins credit card.
To see all the amenities, schedules and photos, read our article on the Desjardins Odyssey Lounge.
You need a specific credit card or a subscription to an airport network. See all the ways to access it for free above.
Only a handful of the 200 credit cards in Canada provide access to this service. Please see the article above for all the easy ways to get there, as it all depends on your boarding area.
Read the instructions above to find out how to access a Maple Leaf Lounge or check our article on how to gain access.
One of the questions we get asked the most on our Facebook group is which is the best lounge airport lounge at Montreal YUL? Many like the Air France KLM Lounge and the National Bank Lounge.
If you have a credit card associated with the lounge, it can be free!
Please see our article below to learn the terms and conditions.
Access to VIP lounges at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport depends on several criteria:
Airline ticket and boarding pass: Some lounges are accessible only to passengers traveling in business class or with high Elite status on certain airlines (such as Air Canada, Air France-KLM).
Domestic or international flights: Access may depend on your destination; some lounges are reserved for international flights, while others welcome domestic flights.
Credit cards and memberships: Many Canadian cards, as well as memberships to lounge networks like Priority Pass, DragonPass, or Plaza Premium, allow free entry or entry with a guest.
Guests and restrictions: Depending on the lounge, a guest may be accepted free of charge or at an additional cost. For children, specific rules apply (often free entry for those under 2 years old).
In summary, to access a VIP lounge, you must either have a ticket and boarding pass, or be a holder of a credit card or a partner membership recognized by the lounge, and comply with the conditions related to domestic flights or the international zone.
There isn’t one single “best” card, but some stand out for unlimited lounge access:
American Express Platinum Card® and Centurion Cards: provide unlimited access to Maple Leaf lounges and partner lounges, for you and a guest, on all your domestic and international flights.
CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card, TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card and Desjardins Odyssey World Elite Mastercard: offer limited free access based on the number of visits per year.
Priority Pass memberships: some credit cards include membership, providing access to numerous international lounges at the airport.
Tip: Choose a card suited to your travel habits. If you frequently travel in business class or on international flights, a card offering unlimited lounge access will be the most advantageous.
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