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A second Aspire Amex Lounge opens in Calgary, with a third coming to Montreal in 2027
American Express and Aspire opened a co-branded lounge in Calgary's domestic area on September 16. A transborder lounge for US flights at Montreal-Trudeau follows in early 2027.
By Patrick Karsh, Founder, Lounge Frog ·
Page updated October 2026.
Canada still has no Centurion Lounge. But American Express is building something else there. On September 16, 2026, Amex and Aspire Pre-Flight Hospitality opened a new Aspire Amex Lounge at Calgary International Airport (YYC). A third one is planned for Montreal-Trudeau (YUL) in early 2027, according to Amex and Aspire's announcement.
Aspire is the lounge brand of Swissport, the airport services company. It runs about 100 lounges around the world.
The new Calgary lounge
The Calgary lounge is in YYC's domestic terminal. It serves passengers flying within Canada. This is the first Aspire Amex Lounge in Western Canada.
Like the first one in Montreal, it mixes a buffet with tableside ordering, so you can grab food yourself or order from a server. Amex and Aspire say the menu leans on local Calgary partners.
The companies did not share the lounge's size, seat count or hours in the release. We list it in our directory as the Aspire Amex Lounge (Domestic). It has a full bar and no showers, and our users rate it 4.0 out of 5.
A transborder lounge for Montreal in 2027
The next lounge will open in early 2027 in the transborder area at Montreal-Trudeau. That is the part of the airport for flights to the United States, after US preclearance.
It joins the first Aspire Amex Lounge, which opened in YUL's domestic area in September 2025. Amex says that lounge has had more than 50,000 visits from Amex cardmembers in its first year. We list the Montreal domestic lounge as Aspire Lounge (Domestic), rated 4.4 out of 5.
Once the new lounge opens, an eligible cardholder will have an Aspire Amex Lounge in three places:
- Calgary, domestic flights
- Montreal, domestic flights
- Montreal, flights to the US
Who gets in
Aspire Amex Lounges are not exclusive to Amex cardholders. They work much like other Aspire lounges, so travelers can also get in through programs like Priority Pass or by paying at the door.
What Amex cardholders get is priority. Amex says eligible cardmembers get priority entry and priority on the waitlist when the lounge is full. That matters, because popular lounges in Canada often run waitlists at busy times.
At the Montreal domestic lounge, Aspire lists these Canadian cards as getting free priority access:
- The Platinum Card (Canada)
- The Business Platinum Card (Canada)
- The Centurion Card issued in Canada
Amex hasn't said whether the Calgary lounge uses exactly the same list. If you hold a different Amex card, check with the lounge before you go.
Also note that Amex has announced changes to Canadian Platinum lounge benefits starting January 1, 2027. Check your card's terms before relying on any lounge perk next year.
Other lounges at Calgary
YYC has a strong lineup for domestic travelers. The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is one of the best-rated in Air Canada's network on Lounge Frog, at 4.7 out of 5. WestJet's Elevation Lounge is rated 4.5. For flights to the US, the Aspire Lounge and WestJet Garden is open to Priority Pass members and has two showers.
See every lounge at Calgary and Montreal-Trudeau.
Written and checked to our editorial standards. Scores follow our methodology. Join the discussion below.
