The very best bank cards for airport lounge entry in Canada for October 2023

Airport lounge entry can rework an in any other case gruelling layover into a calming respite. Relying on the airport and the kind of program you belong to, lounges could provide free snacks and drinks (together with complimentary alcoholic drinks), free Wi-Fi, plentiful snug seating, devoted work areas, showers, sleep pods and even spa companies. It’s little marvel, then, that for a lot of Canadian frequent fliers, lounge entry is an particularly coveted bank card function. Fortunately, you possibly can select from a stable number of bank cards that function airport lounge entry applications as a part of their perks. 

Notice that solely a choose few playing cards provide limitless lounge entry, whereas others provide a restricted variety of visits per yr. All the playing cards featured under include an annual price. These charges differ considerably between playing cards, so realizing how a lot you fly in a median yr, and what different perks you may make use of, will provide help to decide which card provides essentially the most worth.

Greatest general airport lounge entry bank card

Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card*

At a look: With six complimentary airport lounge visits a yr, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card provides essentially the most free visits amongst bank cards in a comparable price vary. For that motive alone, the cardboard pays for itself. Including to its travel-friendly attract is the truth that it’s one of many few playing cards in Canada that doesn’t cost a overseas transaction (FX) price. Different playing cards usually cost 2.5% on purchases made in a overseas forex. It additionally provides aggressive journey insurance coverage protection, together with uncommon lodge/motel housebreaking protection. You’ll additionally earn Scene+ factors in your on a regular basis bills. Redeem your factors for journey, together with motion pictures, merchandise, present playing cards and extra.

• Annual price: $150
• Annual earnings requirement: Private earnings of $60,000, family earnings of $100,000
• Welcome bonus: You’ll be able to earn as much as $1,100+ in worth within the first 12 months, together with as much as 35,000 bonus Scene+ factors. Provide ends 31 October 2023.
• Rewards: 2 factors per $1 on grocery, leisure, eating and transit/journey; 1 level per $1 on all different purchases
• Perks: No overseas transaction price; complete journey insurance coverage

Greatest luxurious airport lounge entry card

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege*

At a look: For Aeroplan factors collectors who need an elevated airport expertise, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege bank card is usually a nice journey companion. It’s filled with journey advantages like limitless free entry for you and a visitor to Maple Leaf Lounges all through North America. The cardboard additionally comes with a complimentary membership within the Visa Airport Companion Program hosted by DragonPass and consists of six lounge visits, usable at over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide. You’ll actually really feel like a VIP on the airport with different perks like precedence check-in, boarding and baggage dealing with, and also you’ll get peace of thoughts with an intensive suite of journey insurance coverage. That is additionally one of many few playing cards in Canada that function a companion cross.

• Annual price: $599
• Annual earnings requirement: Private earnings of $150,000 or family earnings of $200,000
• Welcome bonus: You’ll be able to earn as much as 70,000 Aeroplan factors. Situations apply. Account have to be permitted by January 3, 2024.
• Rewards: 2 Aeroplan factors per $1 spent on direct purchases with Air Canada and Air Canada Holidays, 1.5 Aeroplan factors per $1 spent on eligible fuel, grocery, journey and eating purchases, 1.25 factors per $1 spent in all places else

Greatest airport lounge entry card for frequent travellers

American Categorical The Platinum Card*

At a look: It’s probably the most costly premium bank cards in Canada, however the $799 annual price will get you entry to essentially the most complete and amenity-laden number of airport lounges worldwide, together with top-tier American Categorical Centurion Lounges. Relying on the lounge, cardholders could have a limiteless variety of free visits and may also carry one companion with them at no extra value. Cardholders may also benefit from a yearly $200 journey credit score, which primarily brings the price of the cardboard all the way down to $599 so long as you make some extent of utilizing the credit score. Each 4 years, you’ll additionally get a $100 credit score in the direction of a Nexus membership price. Extra perks like late check-out and each day complimentary breakfast at choose accommodations, in addition to journey insurance coverage and upgraded lodge membership standing with manufacturers like Marriott Bonvoy, spherical out this prime journey bank card.

• Annual price: $799
• Annual earnings requirement: None
• Welcome bonus: You’ll be able to earn as much as 100,000 rewards factors ($1,000 worth).
• Rewards: 2 factors per $1 spent on eating and meals supply; 2 factors per $1 spent on journey; 1 level per $1 on the whole lot else

Greatest airport lounge entry card for infrequent journey

BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard*

At a look: If you end up in an airport even just some occasions a yr, you’ll admire that the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard provides free membership within the Mastercard Journey Cross program supplied by DragonPass, plus 4 free passes a yr. BMO additionally has probably the most versatile redemption applications within the nation, so you possibly can redeem your factors to cowl eligible journey purchases like flights, accommodations and automotive leases it doesn’t matter what journey supplier you booked with. Or when you’re not travelling a lot in a given yr, you possibly can even put your factors in the direction of a contribution to a BMO financial savings or funding account. The cardboard additionally comes with journey insurance coverage, together with journey medical insurance coverage that may cowl you, your partner or youngsters for as much as 21 days.

• Annual price: $150 
• Annual earnings requirement: Private earnings of $80,000 or family earnings of $150,000
• Welcome bonus: You’ll be able to earn as much as 70,000 factors and the annual price waived within the first yr for each the first cardholder and approved customers.
• Rewards: 5 factors per $1 spend on journey, 3 factors per $1 on eating and leisure, 1 level per $1 on the whole lot else

Greatest airport lounge entry card for travelling to the U.S.

CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite

At a look: In the event you incessantly cross the border to the U.S. for holidays, work journeys or household visits, contemplate the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite. The cardboard consists of membership within the Visa Airport Companion Program and likewise offers you 4 free lounge visits a yr. Each 4 years, you get a press release credit score of as much as $100 in the direction of a Nexus software price. The cardboard additionally comes with an intensive suite of journey insurance coverage, together with out-of-province emergency journey medical, in addition to the hard-to-find lodge housebreaking and cell machine insurance coverage. Aventura is a reasonably versatile rewards program that permits you to redeem factors for a wide range of issues, together with journey bookings, merchandise, bank card funds, contributions to a financial savings or funding account and even funds in the direction of your CIBC mortgage.

• Annual price: $139
• Annual earnings requirement: Private earnings of $60,000 or family earnings of $100,000
• Welcome bonus: You’ll be able to earn over $1,250 in worth together with a primary yr annual price rebate. Situations apply. Provide not accessible to QC residents. Situations apply.
• Rewards: 2 factors per $1 spent on journey by way of the CIBC Rewards Centre; 1.5 factors per $1 on fuel, EV charging stations, groceries and drugstores; 1 level per $1 on the whole lot else

Airport lounge entry applications in Canada

How you can get free entry to airport lounges in Canada

A number of journey bank cards provide entry to airport lounges for cardholders. Relying on the bank card, you may get a sure variety of lounge visits yearly in particular international locations around the globe. If you wish to get free limitless entry to airport lounges, contemplate a bank card just like the American Categorical Platinum Card which incorporates the American Categorical International Lounge Assortment. The cardboard comes with a reasonably large annual price, like most bank cards with airport lounge entry, however the card’s rewards and advantages could outweigh the price if you’re a frequent flier and worth the flexibility to go to airport lounges if you’re touring.

DragonPass vs. Precedence Cross: Which do you have to select?

DragonPass and Precedence Cross are third-party lounge entry membership suppliers. Up till 2022, Precedence Cross was the first companion for many Mastercard and Visa airport lounge applications. Nonetheless, DragonPass has change into the companion of alternative for many bank card lounge entry applications for playing cards just like the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege and the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite. You’ll be able to nonetheless entry the Precedence Cross program with the American Categorical Platinum Card, nevertheless.

Ceaselessly requested questions

Extra of Canada’s greatest bank cards: