New Amex Lounge Access Rules For Canadian Travelers: What The Changes Mean

Published on October 24, 2025

As of January 1, 2027, American Express (AMEX) has announced awesome changes to nan benefits offered to their Canadian Platinum Cardholders. Starting January 1, 2026, AMEX will region nan limit connected complimentary lounge visits for Platinum Cardholders successful Canada, frankincense redefining nan lounge entree that has often been associated pinch nan card’s premium features.

At present, AMEX Platinum Cardholders bask unlimited entree to a number of lounges successful nan Plaza Premium and Priority Pass networks. This has been 1 of nan benefits offered to customers who recreation often, whether for business aliases leisure. However, pinch nan caller policy, Platinum cardholders will only person a maximum of six complimentary visits each twelvemonth to these lounges. All Supplemental cardholders will person a maximum of 2 visits each year. This alteration to nan AMEX Platinum paper policy, considered to beryllium a alteration successful `terms and conditions’, will travel into effect connected January 1, 2026.

The Changes to Lounge Access for Canadian Travellers

The AMEX Platinum Card has catered to its holders’ tops needs and convenience and 1 of these has been lounge access. Cardholders successful Canada request not interest astir nan agelong hold for nan boarding to beryllium announced, and nan agonizing emotion earlier nan flight, arsenic these holders person entree to lounges that connection comfort. These paper holders person had entree to lounges specified arsenic nan ones located successful nan Toronto Pearson, Vancouver International, and Montreal-Trudeau airports, which person been constructed by Plaza Premium and Priority Pass, and service successful nan cardinal metropolitan areas successful Canada.

The truth that AMEX has now decided to limit lounge entree to conscionable superior cardholders and 6 visits per year, reflects a important displacement successful accuracy successful what nan paper holders of nan platinum paper value. This displacement successful worth is assumed to person a important effect connected predominant travellers, particularly those agelong layovers which thin to beryllium highly tedious. No longer is nan relaxation from layovers a reality for AMEX cardholders, and due scheduling and readying is basal to reap nan fast-paced perk of relaxation erstwhile unrestrained.

Effect connected Holders of nan AMEX Platinum Card

For holders of nan Platinum paper successful Canada from 2027 onward, nan caller argumentation entails that they will person to negociate their lounge accesses much efficiently. Cardholders successful 2027 will person to determine if nan further accesses are worthy it and really to strategically connected nan very fewer accesses they are allowed. Since nan capable travelers thin to utilize nan Plaza Premium and Priority Pass lounges for their top-notch services, it is anticipated that immoderate cardholders mightiness person to research different options for lounge access, including Priority Pass memberships aliases different premium recreation cards that are much advantageous successful lounge access.

In argumentation shifts specified arsenic these, AMEX Platinum paper holders successful Canada, particularly those successful nan business of world travel, find discomfort successful nan worth that is brought by nan card. In nan business that paper holders are incapable to entree aggregate lounges, nan card’s costly interest successful nan marketplace region would look unjustifiable for each travelers.

Options for Canadian Travellers

Canadian travellers wanting to entree airdrome lounges beyond nan six-visit limit whitethorn opt for further airdrome amenities. Some Canadian Airports specified arsenic Toronto Pearson, Vancouver International, and Montreal-Trudeau, for instance, supply independent lounge memberships to Priority Pass and Plaza Premium which licence travelers to entree lounge accommodation irrespective of AMEX Platinum perks. This offers infrequent travelers who wish to entree lounge-like amenities endless options extracurricular nan AMEX Platinum benefits.

Moreover, respective different Canadian premium in installments cards besides supply akin benefits and amenities for travel, including lounge entree without restrictions. Business travelers whitethorn besides wish to see definite business-class tickets which, arsenic portion of nan recreation experience, often supply complimentary lounge access.

What AMEX Cardholders Can Do to Get Ready for nan Change

To hole for nan alteration successful lounge access, AMEX cardholders tin show their lounge visits and utilize nan remaining visits earlier nan change. AMEX mightiness besides see different services to reside nan displacement towards argumentation change. It is advisable to mention to nan astir caller news connected AMEX Canada aliases scope retired straight to nan institution for tailored recommendations concerning nan revised argumentation and imaginable alternatives aliases changes.

Also, immoderate predominant flyers who find nan caller rules to beryllium inconvenient whitethorn want to upgrade to business-class seats aliases analyse different premium recreation in installments cards pinch less restrictions connected lounge access. Some recreation loyalty programs, aliases nan further perks that whitethorn beryllium bundled pinch nan caller limitations to nan AMEX Platinum card, whitethorn connection immoderate further worth to offset nan caller restrictions.

Future Outlook: Shifts successful Loyalty and Journey Perks

In nan lawsuit of American Express, nan company’s determination demonstrates wider activity successful nan in installments paper and recreation assemblage arsenic companies perpetually refine their connection to optimize competition. Shifts successful user behavioral patterns, successful conjunction pinch nan appetite for premium perks, will person consumers looking to recreation loyalty programs and in installments cards to extract worth from their recreation endeavors.

The reduced lounge entree for Canadian AMEX Platinum cardholders serves arsenic a reminder of really recreation perks whitethorn alteration successful nan coming years. With request from travelers for much luxury and elastic recreation arrangements increasing, American Express and airlines whitethorn person to proceed adapting to nan competitory recreation marketplace.

Conclusion: Changing Benefits connected Canadian AMEX Cards

Though nan changes group to statesman successful 2027 will undoubtedly person an effect connected nan recreation behaviour of Canadian Platinum cardholders who person benefitted from nan convenience of AMEX lounges connected world flights, they will request to deliberation of alternatives to summation cost-free entree to lounges, specified arsenic further Membership Fee paid lounges, aliases premium in installments paper lounge access. These customers, who are loyal to nan AMEX Platinum card, will still person entree to world-class lounges and premium Canadian recreation services arsenic they scheme early travel, moreover though I understand if they consciousness disappointed that they mightiness suffer immoderate of nan different disposable recreation perks.