In anticipation of our ultimate guide to VIP airport lounges coming soon, here’s how 6 different types of lounge access benefits work very concretely. These 6 excellent cards are among the best that offer free lounge access, but their lounge access benefits are not identical at all.
Yes! Everything is often different from one card to another in the wonderful world of travel rewards. That’s normal; they’re different cards. You’d better get used to it if you want to maximize the thousands of dollars in free travel you can easily get.
All lounge benefits are a bit different, but it’s nothing complicated. Flytrippers helps you travel for less with our free newsletter specifically about travel rewards, our ranking of the best deals, our monthly live videos, and our infographic with all the basics.
Here are the details in infographic format for the 6 cards, with many more details (and many more cards) to come very soon.
TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card
Airport lounge access: Visa Airport Companion by DragonPass
We have a complete guide to the TD First Class Travel airport lounge benefit with all the details.
Here are the details of the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card‘s welcome bonus:
- $905 in free travel by unlocking the welcome bonus
- $905 in rewards
- $0 fee (waived the 1st year)
- 12.1% back on $7500 in spending
- $905 value divided by
- $7500 minimum spending requirement
- $7500 to spend in a maximum of 180 days (6 months)
- The equivalent of just $288 per week
- There are tips to meet spending requirements
- Rewards of the more simple type (TD Rewards points)
- Value is fixed at 0.5¢/pt
- Redeemable for almost any travel expense
- Great increased offer
- One of this card’s highest-ever offers
- The best offer for simple points currently
American Express Platinum Card
Airport lounge access: American Express Global Lounge Collection (including Priority Pass)
We have a complete guide to the Amex Platinum airport lounge benefit with all the details.
Here are the details of the American Express Platinum Card‘s welcome bonus:
- ≈ $852 in free travel by unlocking the welcome bonus
- ≈ $1650 in rewards + 2 dining credits ($200 each)
- $599 net fee ($799 minus $200 credit you can cash out)
- The fee is deducted twice (the offer includes a renewal bonus)
- ≈ 8.5% back on $10,000 in spending
- ≈ $852 value divided by
- $10,000 minimum spend requirement
- $10,000 to spend in a maximum of 3 months
- There are tips to meet spending requirements
- Rewards of the more lucrative type (Amex points)
- Value is extremely variable (and unlimited)
- Our conservative Flytrippers Valuation is ≈ 1.5¢/pt
- Can easily be worth 2X more for business class
- Redeemable for specific flights only (to get ≈ 1.5¢/pt)
- Good offer
- Increased offers are rare on this card
Here are some of the American Express Platinum Card‘s benefits:
- Unlimited access to Amex Global Lounge Collection (with 1 guest)
- 1400+ lounges worldwide
- Automatic elite status with Marriott and Hilton
- 15,000+ hotels worldwide
- NEXUS credit to partially reimburse the cost
- Faster customs and airport security
- Annual $200 dining credit at high-end restaurants
- No out-of-pocket expense required
- It’s $200 off a $200 transaction
- Excellent travel insurance coverage
- All the main types
- No minimum income requirement
- As with all American Express cards
BMO Ascend World Elite MasterCard
Airport lounge access: Mastercard Travel Pass by DragonPass
Benefits of the BMO Ascend World Elite MasterCard:
- Best Mastercard with lounge access (so it’s accepted at Costco)
- Simple points that can be used for any trip booked on any website
- Free welcome bonus of $330
- One of the best earn rates for travel (3.33%), even if it’s not that important
- Excellent insurance
American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
Airport lounge access: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges (North America)
We have a complete guide to the Air Canada airport lounge benefit with all the details.
Here are the details of the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card‘s welcome bonus:
- ≈ $442 in free travel by unlocking the welcome bonus
- ≈ $1041 in rewards
- $599 fee
- ≈ 5.9% back on $7,500 in spending
- ≈ $442 value divided by
- $7,500 minimum spend requirement
- $7,500 to spend in a maximum of 3 months
- There are tips to meet spending requirements
- Rewards of the more lucrative type (Aeroplan points)
- Value is extremely variable (and unlimited)
- Our conservative Flytrippers Valuation is ≈ 1.5¢/pt
- Can easily be worth 2X more for business class
- Redeemable for specific flights only (to get ≈ 1.5¢/pt)
- Good offer
- Increased offers are rare on this card
Here are some of the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card‘s benefits:
- Unlimited access to Air Canada lounges in North America (with 1 guest)
- 20+ Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Café lounges
- Flight on Air Canada or Star Alliance required
- Free checked bags on Air Canada
- For 8 companions too
- Free full-size carry-ons on Air Canada
- Even in basic economy fare class
- Priority boarding (and other luxury benefits)
- On Air Canada
- NEXUS credit to partially reimburse the cost
- Faster customs and airport security
- Discounts on flights booked with points
- On Air Canada
- Not on partners (low fixed prices)
- Shortcut to requalify to Air Canada Aeroplan elite status
- Headstart of 10% of the previous year’s SQCs
- Excellent travel insurance coverage
- All the main types
- No minimum income requirement
- As with all American Express cards
American Express Gold Rewards Card
Airport lounge access: Plaza Premium (Canada only)
Here are the details of the American Express Gold Rewards Card‘s welcome bonus:
- ≈ $930 in free travel by unlocking the welcome bonus
- ≈ $1080 in rewards
- $150 net fee ($250 minus $100 credit you can cash out)
- ≈ 7.8% back on $12,000 in spending
- ≈ $930 value divided by
- $12,000 minimum spend requirement
- $12,000 to spend ($1,000 per month for 12 months)
- 12 separate monthly bonuses
- There are tips to meet spending requirements
- Rewards of the more lucrative type (Amex points)
- Value is extremely variable (and unlimited)
- Our conservative Flytrippers Valuation is ≈ 1.5¢/pt
- Can easily be worth 2X more for business class
- Redeemable for specific flights only (to get ≈ 1.5¢/pt)
- Great offer
- Increased offers are rare on this card
- One of the best current offers for lucrative points
Here are some of the American Express Gold Rewards Card‘s benefits:
- 8 lounge passes in the 1st year of your card (4 in 2026 and 4 in 2027)
- Only 14 Plaza Premium lounges in Canada
- NEXUS credit to partially reimburse the cost
- Faster customs and airport security
- Excellent travel insurance coverage
- All the main types
- No minimum income requirement
- As with all American Express cards
Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card
Airport lounge access: Priority Pass
Benefits of the Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card:
- More lounge passes than any other card in Canada (except cards with unlimited access)
- Good INCREASED welcome bonus of $601 (highest ever seen for this card)
- No foreign transaction fees (savings of 2.5%)
- Simple points that can be used for any trip on any website
- Low minimum income requirement
- Excellent insurance
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