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The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access

The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access
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What is LoungeBuddy?

***Update October 8, 2024: The LoungeBuddy website will be closed as of January 30, 2025. Therefore, all associated services will be discontinued and will no longer be functional as of this date. We keep this article as an archive.

***Update June 5, 2024: As of July 1, 2024, the mobile app on iOS (iPhone and iPad) will no longer be available. However, you can still visit the LoungeBuddy website.

LoungeBuddy is a free app that makes it easy to locate airport lounges that you may or may not have access to during your trip.

In addition, it allows you to:

  • see photos of the lounges
  • read comments from other travelers
  • know the opening hours
  • see the inclusions of each lounge (shower, Wi-Fi, bar, printer, food, children’s area, etc)
  • Purchase access to select airport lounges in the Plaza Premium network (for American Express cardholders)
The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access - LoungeBuddy iPhone

How LoungeBuddy works for airport lounge

This application is in English and works only for iPhone and iPad. Android users can use the LoungeBuddy website directly.

LoungeBuddy is owned by American Express, which is linked to the Plaza Premium network of airport lounges. For this reason, access to this network can only be purchased on LoungeBuddy with an American Express card.

Please note that access to Centurion lounges is not available. Centurion lounges are reserved for American Express Platinum cardholders at all times.

How to use the LoungeBuddy app

You can simply open the application and browse the lounges in each airport. But you will only have a general view of the available lounges.

The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access - Lounge Buddy accès général

To get a better idea, you should create your profile in the application under « Account« .

The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access - Lounge buddy account

Your profile under »Access Methods » is the basis for all the information needed to check which accesses you have and for which lounge.

The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access - Lounge Buddy set up account

Enter any credit cards, lounge memberships and airline statuses that you hold and provide lounge access.

The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access - Lounge Buddy access methods cards

Often there is no need to purchase a subscription to an airport lounge network. All you need is a credit card that gives you membership AND free access!

Here are the best ones:

Number of free accesses

BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard

CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card

4

Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card

6

(DragonPass Network)

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card

Unlimited

(Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges)

American Express Platinum Card®

Unlimited

(American Express® Global Lounge Collection)

National Bank World Elite Mastercard

Unlimited

(National Bank Lounge, International Zone at YUL)

Back to the home screen, under »My trips« , click on the blue + in the bottom right corner. Then, enter your departure and arrival city of the flight segment, the exact date and flight.

The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access - Trips Lounge Buddy

If you have multiple flights with stopovers, you will need to enter each segment.

The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access - Lounge Buddy exemple

Then you will be transported to the map of the departure airport.

The blue circles mean the lounges where you can enter.

The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access - lounge Buddy lounges

The green circle indicates a lounge to which you do not have access, but for which you can purchase access directly in the application.

The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access - Lounge Buddy access Air France

If you have a red circle, you do not have access. If it’s grey, you will be able to access the salon under certain conditions and pay the required fees.

The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access - Lounge Buddy JFK

How to know the starting terminal

On LoungeBuddy, the results show you all the lounges, from all the terminals of the airport. So it can be confusing to know which ones apply to you.

The terminal is announced a few days or even hours before the flight. But if you do a Google search with the flight number, chances are you’ll get a good estimate.

The LoungeBuddy app: your friend for airport lounge access - Exemple LoungeBuddy terminal

Reviews on airport lounge access with the LoungeBuddy app

Unfortunately, LoungeBuddy will be closed from January 30, 2025. As a result, all associated services will be discontinued and will no longer be available from this date.

In the meantime, LoungeBuddy is a great aggregator for planning your trip to the airport. This application is a must have on your phone when going from one airport to another!

Annual fee
$799
Our valuation
$1,700
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Welcome offer
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Terms of the offer

  • Unlock special experiences with the newly designed metal Platinum Card
  • New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn 25,000 Welcome Bonus Membership Rewards® points when you charge $2,000 in purchases to your Card in the first three months of Cardmembership
  • Earn 3 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible dining in Canada, 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible travel, and 1 point for every $1 in all other Card purchases
  • You will have access to a $200 CAD Annual Travel Credit to use towards any single travel booking of $200 or more charged to your Platinum Card and made on www.americanexpress.ca/travel or through Platinum Card® Travel Service
  • Take full advantage of the American Express Global Lounge Collection which unlocks access to over 1200 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience
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  American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details, current product information and Terms and Conditions, click the Apply now link. Conditions Apply

The Platinum Card® is the best premium card in Canada for travellers.

With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® points:

  • 70,000 points after charging $10,000 to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
  • 30,000 points when you make a purchase between the 15th and 17th month after your Cardmembership begins

With this Card, you get:

  • 2 points per $1 on eligible dining and delivery purchases in Canada
  • 2 points per dollar on eligible travel purchases charged to the Card
  • 1 point per $1 on all other purchases charged to the Card

You can use your Membership Rewards® points in many ways:

  • Transfer points to airline partners: Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways / Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Delta SkyMiles, etc.
  • Transfer points to hotel partners, including Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
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For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards® points to a partner loyalty program, you could earn up to:

  • 100,000 Aeroplan points
  • 100,000 Avios
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  • 120,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With this card, you also have advantages for your travels:

  • $200 Annual Travel Credit
  • An annual meal credit of $200
  • A $100 statement credit for NEXUS membership
  • Complimentary access for you and one additional guest to more than 1,550 airport lounges in over 140 countries
  • Hilton Honors Gold status
  • Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
  • Access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program

Last but not least, The Platinum Card® offers a wide range of insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, $500,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out-of-province or out-of-country), lost or stolen baggage, flight delays and misdirected baggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Annual fee

Primary card$799
Additional card$250

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 2xTravel
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,482
2nd Year Value$470

Transfer partners

  • AeroplanAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • Etihad GuestAirline
  • Flying BlueAirline
  • Hilton HonorsHotel
  • Marriott BonvoyHotel

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$400
Travel creditsIncluded

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $1,000
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Is LoungeBuddy available on Android?

No. It is only available to iPhone and iPad users.

Is LoungeBuddy free or does it cost money?

Yes! The LoungeBuddy app and its download are free. You only pay if you want to buy access to an airport lounge with LoungeBuddy.

Has Amex bought LoungeBuddy?

LoungeBuddy is owned by American Express, which is linked to the Plaza Premium network of airport lounges. For this reason, access to this network can only be purchased on LoungeBuddy with an American Express card.

Our featured card

Annual fee
$150
Our valuation
$350
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$350Total$350Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 35,000 points
Ends Nov 1, 2026
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With this welcome offer for the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card +* CardMC, you’ll earn 25,000 welcome bonus Scene+ points after charging $2,000 in purchases to your account within the first three months.

Plus, every year, earn an annual bonus of at least 10,000 Scene+ points when you charge at least $40,000 in purchases to your account. In total, the offer represents up to 35,000 Scene+ points and a value of up to $1,250 in the first year, including rewards, savings on foreign transaction fees and airport lounge access.

With the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card, you earn 3 points per $1 spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland and participating Co-ops, and 2 points per $1 spent at other grocery stores, restaurants, eligible entertainment and eligible daily transit. You earn 1 point per $1 on all your other everyday purchases.

These points can be redeemed against any travel purchase at a rate of 1,000 points = $10 (flights, hotels, all-inclusives and even Airbnb), or as cash back with Scene+ at the same rate.

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card also offers:

  • No fees for foreign currency transactions
  • 6 complimentary airport VIP lounge passes
  • Excellent insurance for your travels and purchases
  • Visa Infinite* Concierge Services

We have named this credit card the Best Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

0%

Earning rate

  • 2xGroceries
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xEntertainment
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$650
2nd Year Value$397

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$240

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Our editorial integrity

Our reviews and rankings are based on an objective assessment. Advertisers do not influence our content. We may receive compensation through some links; our analysis and opinions remain independent.