A few tips on accessing airport lounges

Let’s talk lounge access. Generally speaking, I try to avoid spending too much time at the airport but layovers and mishaps happen. There are quite a few credit cards out there that offer lounge access, most of which come with a steep annual fee. Here are a few of my learnings about gaining lounge access for less. If you have over an hour to spend at the airport, let alone a long stay, lounges can be a great alternative to public spaces.

Note, this post was originally shared through the by-monthly newsletter, Postcards from the Road.

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Airport lounge basics

Airport lounges are most often located after security, have a screen with upcoming flight updates, and in some announcements are made over PA. These lounges are typically less crowded, have a wider range of seating options, and in some lounges, there is table service and even showers. Food and drinks are included in the airport lounge access pass. A few lounges, in my experience those that require a purchase or a subscription (ie. Plaza Premium) have limited inclusions when it comes to alcohol and can have fewer food options in smaller lounges.

There are 3 types of airport lounges:

Airline lounge: Access to these lounges is gained either through the airline membership program or with premium flight tickets (business and up).
Credit card lounges: In North America, for example, Amex lounges are quite common and are only available to specific credit card holders. Certain other credit cards have partnerships with Airline programs (ie. Aeroplan) and can also come with a limited number of annual lounge passes.
Subscription or individual purchase lounges: These can be accessed with a same-day admission purchase or an annual subscription. The more common in North America are perhaps Plaza Premium and Priority Pass.

Tips for Accessing Aiport Lounges

Aeroplan credit cards are limited to AirCanada/AC Partner lounges, so if you do a lot of international travel this might not be the right fit. That being said, nourish your Aeroplan membership because, with 25K status, you get 2 lounge passes.
Lounge Pass* offers a single visit pass which can be a good deal for long layovers. This visit, however, must be booked at least 24 hours before local arrival, so if you’re having last-minute delays this option is out of the question.
CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card includes 4 lounge passes with an annual fee of CA$139. The card also offers a rebate on one NEXUS application fee every 4 years. Plus you collect Aventura points so this CC is an easy choice which you can use for future flights.
Priority Pass* includes 1,400+ lounges worldwide, their pricing is a bit tricky. The Standard plan IMO is not really worth it (no free visits). Standard Plus, however, includes 10 “free” visits for an annual fee of US$263 ($26.30/visit) which is pretty good. But, make sure they have lounges where you plan to travel.
Smart Traveller app: this app is free and offers up to 30% off for Plaza Premium lounges. And while we’re here, not all Plaza Premium lounges are worth it. Some are very small, and nearly all have limitations on what’s included in the entry fee (no mimosas friends).
Dragon Pass: another popular lounge aggregator, once again the base fair (Classic), is not really worth it. But the Preferential package is US$259/year for 8 visits ($32.38/visit) and $35 for guests. These lounges are available globally and in my experience so far have been quite nice.
Last but not least, the business class tickets nearly always come with lounge access (in addition to other great perks). These tickets can get quite pricey but there are a few ways to get business-class seats for less:
- upgrading at the time of check-in is often less than the initial ticket rate
- bidding on the business class seat
- using your points (for that airline) to update your economy seat. Aeroplan, for example, offers a few upgrade credits to 25K members, more on those here

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I will keep adding to this post as new learnings come up and feel free to share your tips in the comments!

The above images are from the Icelandair Reykjavik airport lounge which was included in my Business Class upgrade gained through a bid, learn more here.