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The luxury of airport lounges is part of how I structure my travel day and turn a three-hour connection into something actually worth looking forward to.
That baseline is why the latest changes to Amex Canada’s Platinum lounge access have set off alarms across my inbox.
Last October, Amex Canada announced that lounge visits will be limited to 12 per year starting in 2027 (6 to Plaza Premium and 6 to Priority Pass). When a long-standing “unlimited” promise becomes a limited benefit, the natural next question is which other cards can keep your travel rhythm intact without locking you into one airline every time you fly.
The goal of this post is to identify strong alternatives that maintain reliable lounge access across Canadian and international airports. I’m focusing on cards that either deliver complimentary visit allotments through DragonPass via Visa Airport Companion or Priority Pass, or that provide unlimited access within a defined ecosystem, such as Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge network.
More Changes Coming to Centurion Lounge Access
Note that Amex has announced further changes to Centurion lounge access just days ago. Presumably, this is to further address the extreme crowding many Centurion lounges face.
Beginning July 8, 2026, guests accessing the Centurion lounge must be on the same flight as the main cardholder. This policy makes a lot of sense, in my opinion, because it does not make sense if the guest is on a later flight and then is hanging out in the lounge without the Platinum cardholder present.
The second change is that cardholders and eligible guests will only be able to access the Centurion Lounge only 5 hours before departure during layovers. The latter part is key because, right now, you can bypass the 3-hours-before-departure rule that Centurion Lounges have, as long as you are on a layover between two flights.
To be fair, 5 hours is still quite generous, so I can’t imagine this will affect most people, but it is something to be aware of if you have a long layover coming up. I used the layover benefit in Miami last year to access the Centurion Lounge when I had 8 hours between flights. If this trip took place after July 8, I’d only be able to access the lounge 5 hours before my next flight departs.
Best Credit Cards in Canada for Lounge Access
The best credit card for lounge access is an airline-agnostic card that offers complimentary lounge visits and maximum flexibility. It should work for your travel plans regardless, when you’re on WestJet to Calgary, Porter to Newark, Delta out of Detroit, or a low-cost carrier in Europe.
If you frequently mix airlines for schedule or price, or you’re booking corporate-dictated fares that bounce between alliances, a non-airline card keeps you covered and avoids the “wrong logo on the boarding pass” problem. However, the cost of flexibility is predictability, as most non-airline cards limit complimentary access to 6-10 visits, and popular lounges can restrict entry during peak periods.
Comparatively, an airline card with lounge access is frictionless when you fly that airline or its partners. No visit limits to manage, no separate app to load, and a lounge network at the exact airports where you’re likely to connect.
For many readers, the best answer is not “either/or”, but a combination of both. Here are my recommended cards (premium and non-premium) to anchor your wallet with an airline card and complement it with a non-airline card that covers you during out-of-network trips.
Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card – Apply Now
This should be your card to “show up and get in” at a wide range of lounges. The card now comes with an all-time high high welcome bonus offer of 100,000 Scotia Sene+ points (Apply by April 30, 2026).
Additionally, a $250 annual travel credit, 10 complimentary airport lounge visits, no foreign transaction fees on international purchases, a comprehensive insurance package, VIP services and curated experiences, the card is clearly for those who value travel as a lifestyle, especially in how rewards are earned and redeemed.
The annual fee for the card is $599, but its benefits easily offset that cost, delivering enhanced value. A detailed analysis of the benefits and perks can be found here.
RBC® Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card – Apply Now
This is another premium card fantastic for steady, bank-agnostic access. It offers six complimentary global airport lounge access passes through the Visa Airport Companion Program, as well as security fast-track lanes at select Canadian airports.
New cardmembers can earn up to 70,000 Avion points, which are worth at least $ 1,500 (using fixed-rate redemption). The value proposition of Avion points skyrockets well beyond $1500 when you transfer it to other airline frequent flyer programs, such as British Airways Avios, American AAdvantage miles, or even Cathay pacific Asia miles.
The annual fee for the card is $399, and a detailed analysis of the benefits and perks can be found here.
Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card – Apply Now
The welcome bonus is currently also high at 80,000 Scene+ points (apply by July 1, 2026) and this is a premium travel card that offers an elevated 2x earn on all purchases (without a spending cap), along with 10 complimentary lounge access for the primary cardholder (supplementary cardholders get four complimentary visits per year from the date of enrolment), no foreign transaction fees, and comprehensive travel insurance.
The annual fee for the card is $399, and a detailed analysis of the benefits and perks can be found here.
Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* – Apply Now
If you’re not looking to step up to Infinite Privilege or Platinum level annual fees, Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite remains the most balanced non-premium option for broad, repeatable access.
The card now comes with a historic high welcome bonus offer of 60,000 Scotia Sene+ points (Apply by July 1, 2026). Dubbed the best No Foreign Transaction fee card in Canada, the card comes with a complimentary Priority Pass™ membership plus six complimentary lounge visits per membership year.
Supplementary cards are also free in the first year and only $50/year after that, and each supplementary cardholder can also register directly with Visa Airport Companion for their six lounge passes.
That’s a fantastic return as the annual fee for the card is just $150. A detailed analysis of the benefits and perks is available here.
TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card – Apply Now
The surprise mover this year in the non-premium bracket is the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite, which now includes Visa Airport Companion access with four complimentary lounge visits per membership year.
With an annual fee of just $139 (and free for the first year), new cardmembers can earn up to 165,000 TD Rewards Points, a $100 travel credit, and a comprehensive insurance package. The card punches well above its weight, and a detailed analysis of the benefits and perks can be found here.
American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card – Email me for a Referral link
For travellers who live on Air Canada and Star Alliance metal, the American Express Aeroplan Reserve remains the best single-card lounge solution in Canada by a distance.
It provides the cardholder with unlimited access to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés in North America, with the ability to bring one complimentary guest, provided you’re travelling on a same-day flight marketed or operated by Air Canada or any Star Alliance member. Maple Leaf Lounge coverage is deep across Canadian hubs, U.S. gateways, and many international airports.
The annual fee for the card is $599, and new cardmembers can earn a welcome bonus of up to 95,000 Aeroplan points, along with exceptional travel and Air Canada airport benefits. A detailed analysis of the benefits and perks can be found here.
Takeaway
For readers who build their wallets around use cases rather than brands, the takeaway is simple: pick one card that always works with your most-flown airline and one that usually works everywhere else. That two-card structure is resilient to issuer policy changes, handles family travel gracefully, and keeps you out of the terminal scrum when you need it most.
Featured Image: Atlanta Centurion Lounge
