The Ultimate Guide to Canadian Airport Lounges Access

This guide has been regularly updated since 2015 based on new credit card offers.

There are several ways to access an airport lounge with Canadian credit cards.

This will be with:

1. a credit card partner of many airport lounge networks
2. a credit card with a Priority Pass subscription
3. a credit card with a LoungeKey subscription
4. a credit card with a DragonPass subscription
5. a credit card from the bank managing the lounge
6. an airline-branded credit card giving lounge access

For your information, Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DragonPass are three airport lounge networks and will be the most common methods of accessing airport lounges worldwide.

Here are the 6 methods of accessing airport lounges, and a list of accessible lounges at major Canadian airports.

The other easy way to access a Canadian airport lounge is to hold a credit card with a Priority Pass membership. There are many credit cards like this in Canada:

• some will offer unlimited access
• others will offer some annual visits

To access dozens of airport lounges, you will have to present the Priority Pass Card at the lounge entrance.

Here is a list of all airport lounges in Canada you can access with a Priority Pass membership:

American Express Platinum Cards no longer offer access to Priority Pass restaurants.

Here are the best credit cards with a Priority Pass membership and annual visits to airport lounges.

If you travel a few times a year, the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite*: offers six airport lounge visits per year, and it is one of the only credit cards in Canada with no conversion fees for foreign currency transactions.

If you would like ten visits to airport lounges per year, you could apply for to Scotiabank Platinum American Express^® Card, also offering a high point earning rate, especially at the grocery store.

Finally, if you travel more frequently, the investment in the Platinum Card^® from American Express or the Business Platinum Card^® from American Express will quickly pay off. These are the only credit cards in Canada with unlimited access for the Cardmember and one guest at Priority Pass airport lounges.

Another easy way to access a Canadian airport lounge is to hold a credit card offering a LoungeKey membership. These will only be World, World Elite or Muse Mastercard credit cards.

To access dozens of airport lounges, you will have to present the credit card at the lounge entrance.

Here is a list of all airport lounges in Canada you can access to with a LoungeKey membership:

Here are the best credit cards offering a LoungeKey membership and passes (or travel credit) to access airport lounges.

If you travel a few times a year, you could apply for the HSBC World Elite^® Mastercard^®: its $100 annual travel credit can cover the cost of lounge access: it’s convenient if you only plan to need a lounge once or twice a year. It is also one of the only credit cards in Canada with no conversion fees for foreign currency transactions. See its presentation here.

Alternatively, the BMO^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®* is the only Mastercard credit card first-year free (a $150 saving) and four annual access to LoungeKey airport lounges! It is also a card known for its outstanding insurances.

From July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, some Visa credit cardholders will be able to access lounges part of the DragonPass network.

To access dozens of airport lounges, you will have to present the credit card at the lounge entrance.

The following is a list of all airport lounges in Canada where you could enter with a credit card linked to DragonPass:

In Canada, 8 Visa Infinite Privilege credit cards offer 6 complimentary visits to airport lounges:

• BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
• TD^®Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
• CIBC Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
• CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
• Desjardins Odyssey^® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
• RBC^® Avion^® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
• RBC^® Avion^® Visa Infinite Privilege* for Private Banking
• Vancity enviro™ Visa Infinite Privilege* card

Here are the current welcome offers for some of these cards:

Also, the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card is the only “Infinite” card to offer 6 complimentary visits to airport lounges. And there is a great offer for this card right now.

Finally, two CIBC Visa “Infinite” cards offer 4 complimentary visits to airport lounges:

• CIBC Aventura^® Gold Visa* Card
• CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card

Another less common method of accessing a Canadian airport lounge is to hold a credit card from a bank managing the airport lounge.

In Canada, two financial institutions are managing an airport lounge: National Bank of Canada and Desjardins.

To access these airport lounges, you will have to present the credit card at the lounge entrance.

Finally, you can access Air Canada’s Maple Leaf lounges with a credit card from the airline’s loyalty program.

In Canada, three financial institutions are partners with Air Canada: American Express, CIBC and TD.

To access these airport lounges, you will have to present the credit card at the lounge entrance.

As you may have seen, there are many ways to access Canadian airport lounges. Moreover, in the forum of milesopedia, you will find an excel file, created by Caroline and Frédéric, listing access rules according to each credit card!

As you can see, you don’t have to pay for a high annual-fee credit card to start visiting Canadian airport lounges!

You could start entering it for free with the BMO^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*, which offers four annual visits to airport lounges.

Need more visits? The Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* will give you six annual visits (including Priority Pass restaurants), and you’ll save money on your foreign currency transactions since this card does not charge any conversion fees!

Or if you regularly travel internationally from Montreal-Trudeau, the National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard^® will give you unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge.

Finally, if you are a frequent Air Canada traveller, the American Express^® Aeroplan^®* Reserve Card and the American Express^® Aeroplan^®* Business Reserve Card will open the doors to Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounges in North America.

And if you travel regularly, the Platinum Card^® or the Business Platinum Card^® from American Express will give you unlimited access – and with the person of your choice – to over 20 airport lounges in Canada and over 1,300 worldwide!

These are the five cards we recommend, depending on your needs!