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The most effective bank cards for airport lounge entry in Canada for 2023
Airport lounge entry can remodel an in any other case gruelling layover into a soothing respite. Relying on the airport and the kind of program you belong to, lounges might 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 characteristic. Fortunately, you possibly can select from a strong number of bank cards that characteristic airport lounge entry packages 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 12 months. The entire playing cards featured beneath include an annual price. These charges range considerably between playing cards, so realizing how a lot you fly in a median 12 months, and what different perks you can also make use of, will make it easier to decide which card affords probably 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 12 months, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card affords probably 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 sometimes cost 2.5% on purchases made in a overseas foreign money. It additionally affords 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 films, 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 may earn as much as $1,100+ in worth within the first 12 months, together with as much as 35,000 bonus Scene+ factors. Supply 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 full of 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 characteristic a companion move.
- Annual price: $599
- Annual earnings requirement: Private earnings of $150,000 or family earnings of $200,000
- Welcome bonus: You may earn as much as 70,000 Aeroplan factors. Circumstances apply. Account should be accredited 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 all over the place else
Greatest airport lounge entry card for frequent travellers
American Categorical The Platinum Card*
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 probably the most complete and amenity-laden number of airport lounges worldwide, together with top-tier American Categorical Centurion Lounges. Relying on the lounge, cardholders might have a vast variety of free visits and also can convey one companion with them at no extra value. Cardholders also can make the most of a yearly $200 journey credit score, which basically brings the price of the cardboard right down to $599 so long as you make a degree 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 every 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 may 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 every part 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 12 months, you’ll recognize that the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard affords free membership within the Mastercard Journey Cross program supplied by DragonPass, plus 4 free passes a 12 months. BMO additionally has one of the vital versatile redemption packages within the nation, so you possibly can redeem your factors to cowl eligible journey purchases like flights, accommodations and automobile leases it doesn’t matter what journey supplier you booked with. Or in the event you’re not travelling a lot in a given 12 months, 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 kids 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 may earn as much as 70,000 factors and the annual price waived within the first 12 months 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 every part else
Greatest airport lounge entry card for travelling to the U.S.
CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite
At a look: When you regularly cross the border to the U.S. for holidays, work journeys or household visits, take into account the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite. The cardboard consists of membership within the Visa Airport Companion Program and in addition offers you 4 free lounge visits a 12 months. 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 cellular system insurance coverage. Aventura is a reasonably versatile rewards program that allows 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 may earn over $1,250 in worth together with a primary 12 months annual price rebate. Circumstances apply. Supply not out there to QC residents. Circumstances apply.
- Rewards: 2 factors per $1 spent on journey via the CIBC Rewards Centre; 1.5 factors per $1 on fuel, EV charging stations, groceries and drugstores; 1 level per $1 on every part else
Our methodology: How we decide the most effective playing cards
The MoneySense editorial crew 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 listing of card particulars and options—with a give attention to those who matter to air travellers—together with the variety of airport lounge visits, annual charges, rates of interest, welcome affords, rewards earn charges and redemption choices, annual earnings necessities and perks. We now have additionally thought-about the professionals and cons of every card that can assist 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 packages in Canada
| Program | Key particulars | Variety of lounges |
|---|---|---|
| DragonPass | In 2022, DragonPass took over the airport lounge packages for Visa and Mastercard; in Canada, the packages are actually respectively referred to as the Visa Airport Companion Program and Mastercard Journey Cross supplied by DragonPass. This system consists of entry to Plaza Premium lounges in Canada, in addition to lots of of various lounge packages worldwide. Lounges characteristic snacks and drinks, free Wi-Fi, showers and enterprise centres. Cardholders can normally use their free passes for themselves and for a visitor, however particular guidelines range by lounge. | Greater than 1,200 worldwide |
| Maple Leaf Lounges | Facilities embrace 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 Categorical or a Star Alliance accomplice airline. | 16 throughout North America and Europe |
| Centurion Lounges | Centurion Lounges sometimes characteristic high-quality meals (designed by award-winning cooks) and drinks (and should 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 Categorical World Lounge Assortment that options greater than 1,300 airport lounges in over 140 international locations. | Greater than 40 worldwide |
Learn how 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 international locations around the globe. If you wish to get free limitless entry to airport lounges, take into account a bank card just like the American Categorical Platinum Card which incorporates the American Categorical 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 in case you are a frequent flier and worth the flexibility to go to airport lounges while 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 accomplice for many Mastercard and Visa airport lounge packages. Nevertheless, DragonPass has grow to be the accomplice of alternative for many bank card lounge entry packages for playing cards just like the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege and the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite. You may nonetheless entry the Precedence Cross program with the American Categorical Platinum Card, nevertheless.
Often requested questions
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