American Express lounge opens at Montreal YUL

Published on Sep 4, 2025, 9:09 am CDT

5 min read

Swissport's Aspire brand and American Express have opened a co-branded lounge in the domestic jetty at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL). The space is the airport's first common-use lounge for Canada-bound departures, located near Gate 1 between Starbucks and YUL Pizza, and open daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eligible American Express Cardmembers receive priority access, with additional entry through Priority Pass and other networks.

Key Points

Why it matters: First common-use lounge in YUL's domestic area adds capacity beyond airline-run clubs.
Travel impact: Amex Platinum, Business Platinum, and Centurion receive priority access, with Priority Pass and DragonPass access also available.
What's next: Domestic travelers now have three clear choices across YUL's zones, with National Bank and Air Canada covering international and transborder.

Snapshot

The Aspire x American Express Lounge spans about 3,700 square feet with roughly 100 seats and a restaurant-style layout centered on an open kitchen and full bar. Hours are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Expect table-side ordering, a limited grab-and-go area, and local touches such as Café Saint-Henri coffee, St-Viateur bagels, and Cloakroom Bar cocktails. The lounge sits in the domestic concourse near Gate 1, after security, and is not accessible from transborder or international checkpoints.

Background

Until now, YUL's pay-in and card-access lounge options skewed to international and transborder travelers, led by the National Bank Lounge near Gate 53 and multiple Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges across all three zones. The new Aspire x American Express location fills a domestic-side gap, especially for travelers who hold networked lounge memberships rather than airline status. It also aligns with Amex's broader push to add capacity and new formats across its lounge portfolio, a trend we tracked with Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge. See our related coverage: Sidecar Speeds Up the Centurion Lounge Experience at LAS.

Latest Developments

American Express lounge Montreal access, location, and hours

Access pathways include American Express Platinum, Business Platinum, and Centurion with priority entry, plus Priority Pass, DragonPass via Visa Airport Companion, and Mastercard Travel Pass. Most third-party programs restrict entry to within three hours of scheduled departure. The lounge is open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and is positioned in the domestic jetty between Gates 1 and 2, next to Starbucks and YUL Pizza. Because security zones at YUL are sealed, domestic-only access means U.S.-bound or international passengers cannot use this lounge after clearing the respective checkpoints.

How it compares to National Bank and Air Canada lounges

If you are flying internationally, National Bank Lounge sits by Gate 53 in the international zone and is not available to domestic or U.S. departures. Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges cover all three areas, with domestic between Gates 1 and 3, transborder near Gate 75, and international by Gate 52. Those clubs require eligible premium cabins, Aeroplan status, or qualifying credit cards, rather than Priority Pass-style memberships.

Analysis

For domestic flyers, YUL has long been a study in haves and have-nots. Air Canada loyalists could retreat to the Maple Leaf Lounge, but everyone else relied on concourse seating or pre-flight cafés. The Aspire x American Express lounge changes that equation by bringing a polished, restaurant-forward experience to the domestic side with multiple access rails. Priority access for upper-tier Amex Cardmembers should help manage waits, while Priority Pass, DragonPass, and similar programs broaden the funnel for travelers on WestJet, Porter, and other carriers.

The location near Gate 1 places it within steps of Air Canada's domestic gates as well, creating a de facto alternative when the Maple Leaf Lounge is crowded or when companions lack airline status. The three-zone distribution now becomes straightforward: domestic equals Aspire x Amex or Maple Leaf, transborder leans Maple Leaf, and international travelers choose between National Bank and Maple Leaf based on eligibility. The main watchouts are capacity and time limits, since third-party networks typically cap stays to three hours and domestic peaks around morning banks could compress dining service. Even so, the addition marks a practical upgrade for everyday travelers who value convenience over airline-specific perks.

Final Thoughts

The Aspire x American Express lounge gives domestic flyers at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport a polished option with multiple entry channels and consistent hours. Know your zone, check your card benefits, and head to Gate 1 when flying within Canada. International departures should target National Bank or Air Canada, and U.S.-bound travelers should use the Maple Leaf lounge after preclearance. For domestic travelers, this is a timely, useful addition to the airport's lounge map, and a strong new entry for the American Express lounge Montreal scene.