To the point
As of July 1, 2021, Priority Pass and LoungeKey members will no longer be able to access most Plaza Premium lounges.
Plaza Premium ends its relationship with Priority Pass and LoungeKey
The relationship between the Plaza Premium Lounges management company and the Priority Pass and LoungeKey lounge networks will end on June 30, 2021.
This means that Priority Pass and LoungeKey members will no longer be able to access most Plaza Premium lounges around the world. Some independent lounges will still allow access, but this will be a minority.
In Canada, the airports of Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Winnipeg have Plaza Premium lounges.
Priority Pass has announced the list of 57 Plaza Premium lounges that will be removed from the program worldwide. And as Patrick from Rewards Canada rightly notes, Canada is being hit hard with 15 Plaza Premium lounges no longer available in Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton.
This means that there are only 8 airport lounges (and 8 restaurants) available with Priority Pass in Canada:
| Airport | Type | Name |
| Montreal (YUL) | Lounge | National Bank Lounge |
| Montreal (YUL) | Restaurant | Bistrot Montreal-Trudeau |
| Montreal (YUL) | Restaurant | Houston Avenue Bar & Grill |
| Montreal (YUL) | Restaurant | Pork & Pickle |
| Quebec (YQB) | Lounge | VIP Lounge |
| Toronto (YYZ) | Lounge | Air France KLM Lounge Terminal 3 |
| Toronto (YYZ) | Restaurant | Bar 120 |
| Toronto (YYZ) | Restaurant | The Caplanskys Deli |
| Toronto (YYZ) | Restaurant | Twist by Roger Mooking |
| Toronto (YYZ) | Restaurant | LEE Kitchen by Susur Lee |
| Vancouver (YVR) | Lounge | SkyTeam Lounge International Departures |
| Vancouver (YVR) | Restaurant | Stanley Park Taphouse |
| Ottawa (YOW) | Lounge | Aspire Salon Lounge |
| Calgary (YYC) | Lounge | WestJet Elevation Lounge |
| Calgary (YYC) | Lounge | Aspire Lounge International Departures |
| Calgary (YYC) | Lounge | Aspire Lounge Transborder Departures |
Plaza Premium, based in Hong Kong, manages over 120 airport lounges worldwide. Generally, it is possible to access them for an entrance fee of about 50 to 65 US$ per person.
Some credit cards offer Priority Pass or LoungeKey as a benefit: you were able to get complimentary access to the lounge. This will no longer be possible. Except for some Visa credit cardholders until June 30, 2022, through the agreement with DragonPass.
The only cards offering a complimentary access to Plaza Premium lounges
Now, to access the Plaza Premium lounge, there are three options:
- American Express® Gold Rewards Card : 4 annual visits in Canada
- Platinum Card®: unlimited access.
- Business Platinum Card® from American Express: unlimited access.
The American Express® Gold Rewards Card offers 4 annual visits to Plaza Premium lounges in Canada.
If you want more visits, we recommend that you go for one of the two Platinum cards.
American Express is a partner of Plaza Premium through the American Express Global Lounge Collection.
Here are the conditions of access for each type of lounge:
| Lounge | Details |
| Priority Pass | Complimentary and unlimited access for the cardholder AND a guest 1200 lounges worldwide |
| Executive Lounges by Swissport | Complimentary access for the Cardmember and his spouse 2 children under the age of 21 by presenting the Platinum Card Ex: National Bank Lounge in Montreal, Aspire in Amsterdam, Gatwick… |
| V.I.P. International Airport Lounge Jean-Lesage from Quebec City |
Complimentary access for the Cardmember and a travel companion 2 children under the age of 18 by presenting the Platinum Card |
| Plaza Premium Lounges | Complimentary access for the Cardmember and his spouse by presenting the Platinum Card Ex: Plaza Premium lounges in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg |
| Delta Sky Club | Complimentary access for the cardmember upon presentation of the Platinum card and a Delta Airlines boarding pass |
| Airspace Lounges | Complimentary access for the Cardmember and his spouse 2 children under the age of 21 or 2 travel companions by presenting the Platinum Card San Diego and Cleveland Airports |
| Escape Lounges | Complimentary access for the cardmember & 2 travel companions by presenting the Platinum Card Oakland Airports, Minneapolis… |
| The Centurion Lounge | Complimentary access for the cardmember & 2 travel companions by presenting the Platinum Card Miami, Las Vegas, La Guardia, San Francisco, Hong Kong… |
| International American Express Lounges American Express |
Complimentary access for the Cardmember |
As you can see, in addition to the Plaza Premium Lounges, Platinum Cardmembers or Business Platinum Cardmembers have access to many lounges worldwide.
And through June 30, 2022, select Visa credit cards will offer access to Plaza Premium lounges through an agreement with DragonPass.
Conclusion
This is a blow to Priority Pass and LoungeKey who will lose over 50 airport lounges to their portfolio. So this is something to consider when applying for a credit card to access airport lounges.
If you are travelling internationally from Montreal-Trudeau, the best credit card is the National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard® which offers unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge for the cardholder, one guest and up to 2 children. Alternatively, the Desjardins Odyssey World Elite Mastercard offers you 8 annual passes to the Desjardins Odyssey Lounge.
If you want 6 annual Priority Pass lounge and restaurant passes, a great card is the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card (also a credit card with no-FX fee). You could also earn 4 annual Priority Pass lounge and restaurant visits with the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card or the CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card.
On the LoungeKey side, you could get 4 annual LoungeKey passes with the BMO® World Elite®* Mastercard®*.
Finally, if you are a frequent traveller, the best choice is one of the American Express Platinum cards, which are the only ones to offer unlimited access for the Cardmember and one guest to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide.
Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
