Greatest airport lounge entry bank cards in Canada
Airport lounge entry can remodel an in any other case gruelling layover into a calming respite. Lounges might provide free snacks and drinks (together with complimentary alcoholic drinks), free Wi-Fi, plentiful comfy seating, devoted work areas, showers, sleep pods and even spa companies. It’s little marvel, then, that for a lot of frequent fliers, lounge entry is an particularly coveted bank card characteristic. Let’s have a look at the lounge entry playing cards that presently prime the class in Canada.
Greatest general airport lounge entry bank 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 purpose 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 international transaction (FX) price. Different playing cards sometimes cost 2.5% on purchases made in a international forex.
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Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite
Annual price: $150
Welcome provide: earn as much as $1,100 in worth within the first 12 months, together with as much as 35,000 bonus Scene+ factors. To qualify, apply by October 31, 2024.
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances, 22.99% on steadiness transfers |
| Earnings required | $60,000 per yr |
| Credit score rating | 725 or increased |
| Level worth | 1 Scene+ level = $0.01 when redeemed for journey on any airline or lodge (together with AirBnBs). |
Greatest luxurious airport lounge entry card
At a look: For Aeroplan factors collectors who need an elevated airport expertise, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege bank card generally is 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.
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TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
Annual price: $599
Welcome provide: You may earn a welcome bonus of 20,000 Aeroplan factors while you make your first buy along with your new card; Earn a further 25,000 Aeroplan factors while you spend $12,000 inside 180 days of Account opening. Circumstances apply. Account should be accepted by September 3, 2024.
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on steadiness transfers, 22.99% on money advances |
| Earnings required | Private revenue of $150,000 or family revenue of $200,000 |
| Credit score rating | 725 or increased |
| Anniversary bonus | Earn 30,000 Aeroplan factors while you spend at the very least $24,000 inside 12 months of opening the account. Circumstances apply. |
| Level worth | Aeroplan factors are value $0.02 on common. |
Greatest airport lounge entry card for frequent travellers
At a look: It’s one of the vital costly premium bank cards in Canada, however the $799 annual price will get you entry to essentially the most complete and amenity-laden choice of airport lounges worldwide, together with top-tier American Specific Centurion Lounges. Relying on the lounge, cardholders might have a vast variety of free visits and can even deliver one companion with them at no extra value.
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American Specific Platinum
Annual price: $799
Welcome provide: earn as much as 100,000 rewards factors ($1,000 worth). Circumstances apply.
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | N/A (as a cost card, you’re required to repay your steadiness in full each month) |
| Earnings required | None |
| Credit score rating | 760 or increased |
| Anniversary bonus | $200 annual eating credit score to make use of at a curated checklist of Canada’s prime eating places. Plus, $200 annual journey credit score when reserving via American Specific Journey On-line. |
| Level worth | 1 Amex Membership Rewards level = $0.01 when redeemed with the Versatile Factors Journey Program, $0.015 on common with the Mounted Factors Journey Program, and as much as $0.02 with airline factors transfers. |
Greatest airport lounge entry card for infrequent journey
At a look: If you end up in an airport even just some occasions a yr, you’ll respect that the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard provides free membership within the Mastercard Journey Move program supplied by DragonPass, plus 4 free passes a yr.
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BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard
Annual price: $150
Welcome provide: You may earn as much as 100,000 factors
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 20.99% on purchases, 23.99% on money advances, 23.99% on steadiness transfers |
| Earnings required | Private revenue of $80,000 or family revenue of $150,000 |
| Credit score rating | 760 or increased |
| Level worth | 1 BMO Rewards level = $0.0067 when redeemed for journey. |
Greatest airport lounge entry card for travelling to the U.S.
At a look: In the event you ceaselessly cross the border to the U.S. for holidays, work journeys or household visits, think about the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite. The cardboard contains membership within the Visa Airport Companion Program and in addition offers you 4 free lounge visits a yr. Each 4 years, you get an announcement credit score of as much as $100 in the direction of a Nexus software price.
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CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite
Annual price: $139
Welcome provide: You may earn as much as $1,400 in worth together with a primary yr annual price rebate.
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances, 22.99% on steadiness transfers |
| Earnings required | Private revenue of $60,000 or family revenue of $100,000 |
| Credit score rating | 760 or increased |
| Level worth | 1 level= $0.01 on common. |
Professionals
- Features a free membership to the Visa Airport Companion Program managed by DragonPass, in addition to 4 free lounge visits per yr.
- Versatile rewards program that means that you can redeem factors for journey, merchandise, reward playing cards, mortgage funds and extra.
- Save as much as 10 cents/litre on fuel at eligible fuel stations should you hyperlink your card with Journie Rewards, a loyalty program that helps you earn factors at Pioneer, Fasgas, Ultramar and Chevron fuel stations.
Cons
- To get the best earn fee of two factors for each $1 spent, it’s essential to make a journey buy through the CIBC Rewards Centre.
- The worth of factors decreases after they’re not used for journey.
- There’s an $80,000 cap on the 1.5-point earn fee, after which you’ll solely get 1 level per $1 spent on groceries, fuel and drugstore purchases.
Our methodology: How we decide the most effective playing cards
The MoneySense editorial workforce selects the most effective bank cards by assessing the worth they supply to Canadians throughout varied classes. Our greatest bank cards for airport lounge entry rating is predicated on an intensive checklist of card particulars and options—with a deal with those who matter to air travellers—together with the variety of airport lounge visits, annual charges, rates of interest, welcome provides, rewards earn charges and redemption choices, annual revenue necessities and perks. We’ve got additionally thought of the professionals and cons of every card that will help you decide which of them greatest fit your monetary wants. Our rankings are an unbiased supply of data for Canadians. The addition of hyperlinks from affiliate companions has no bearing on the outcomes. Learn extra about how MoneySense makes cash.
Airport lounge entry applications in Canada
| Program | Key particulars |
|---|---|
| DragonPass Variety of lounges: Greater than 1,200 worldwide |
In 2022, DragonPass took over the airport lounge applications for Visa and Mastercard; in Canada, the applications are actually respectively known as the Visa Airport Companion Program and Mastercard Journey Move supplied by DragonPass. This system contains entry to Plaza Premium lounges in Canada, in addition to tons of of various lounge applications worldwide. Lounges characteristic snacks and drinks, free Wi-Fi, showers and enterprise centres. Cardholders can often use their free passes for themselves and for a visitor, however particular guidelines differ by lounge. |
| Maple Leaf Lounges Variety of lounges: 16 throughout North America and Europe |
Facilities embody cell-free quiet zones, snacks and drinks, free Wi-Fi and showers. Maple Leaf Lounges can solely be utilized by clients departing on flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Air Canada Specific or a Star Alliance accomplice airline. |
| Centurion Lounges Variety of lounges: Greater than 40 worldwide |
Centurion Lounges sometimes characteristic high-quality meals (designed by award-winning cooks) and drinks (and will even characteristic a signature cocktail), free high-speed Wi-Fi, plush seating and devoted working areas. Some characteristic elevated facilities like spa companies, nap pods and showers. Centurion Lounges are sometimes a part of The American Specific World Lounge Assortment that options greater than 1,300 airport lounges in over 140 nations. |
Methods to 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 will get a sure variety of lounge visits yearly in particular nations all over the world. If you wish to get free limitless entry to airport lounges, think about a bank card just like the American Specific Platinum Card which incorporates the American Specific World 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 might outweigh the price if you’re a frequent flier and worth the flexibility to go to airport lounges while you’re touring.
The price of airport lounge entry in Canada
If it’s not provided as a free perk along with your bank card, you’ll must pay for airport lounge entry.
Air Canada provides three tiers of Maple Leaf Membership memberships. Prices vary from $375 to $665 per yr. Friends pay $59 per go to, and hourly passes should not accessible. Observe that Air Canada has briefly suspended the sale of memberships to Maple Leaf Membership, and there’s no indication when it should resume promoting them.
Precedence Move memberships vary from USD$99 per yr for a Customary membership to USD$469 per yr for a Status membership. The previous comes with zero free lounge visits—members pay $USD35 per go to, the identical as friends. In the meantime, Status members get limitless complimentary visits.
The prices of DragonPass memberships are comparable: charges vary from USD $99 per yr for a Traditional membership (which incorporates one free lounge go to) to USD$429 for a Status membership (which comes with limitless lounge entry).
For Plaza Premium lounges, you will get a cross for a set variety of visits. For instance, in Canada, you should purchase a five-visit cross for USD$155. Otherwise you guide with by the hour. The Plaza Premium Lounge at Toronto Pearson Airport, for instance, costs $66.68 for a two-hour go to.
In order for you free airport lounge entry, your choices are extra restricted. First-class passengers might get entry as a part of their ticket advantages, and Air Canada’s Aeroplan program provides entry to Elite members who’ve reached an eligible standing degree. For frequent travellers, carrying an airport lounge bank card often is the easiest and most cost-effective approach to get this premium perk.
DragonPass vs. Precedence Move: Which do you have to select?
DragonPass and Precedence Move are third-party lounge entry membership suppliers. Up till 2022, Precedence Move was the first accomplice for many Mastercard and Visa airport lounge applications. Nonetheless, DragonPass has turn into the accomplice 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 may nonetheless entry the Precedence Move program with the American Specific Platinum Card, nonetheless.
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