Lounge access rules change often — confirm in the lounge's app or the card's benefits page before you fly.
Toronto Pearson is Air Canada's main hub and Canada's busiest airport, with frequent flights to almost every major US city. For a US cardholder, YYZ lounge access is mostly about Plaza Premium: Priority Pass at YYZ covers Plaza Premium lounges in both terminals, including the US transborder areas behind preclearance. There's no Centurion Lounge at YYZ, no Sapphire Lounge and no Capital One Lounge.
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Quick answer
- Best overall for YYZ lounge access: Any Priority Pass card — Amex Platinum (which also gets Plaza Premium through Amex), Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X
- Best for Priority Pass at YYZ with companions: Chase Sapphire Reserve, with two free guests
- Best value for Priority Pass: Capital One Venture X — the same Plaza Premium lounges for $395
- Best for frequent American flyers: Citi AAdvantage Executive with the Terminal 3 transborder Admirals Club
Airport snapshot
Terminal 1 is Air Canada, United and the rest of Star Alliance. Terminal 3 is WestJet plus most other airlines, including SkyTeam carriers and American. Each terminal is split into domestic, international and US transborder zones, and flights to the US clear US Customs (preclearance) in Toronto before you reach the gate.
Where to go by terminal
| Terminal | Airlines | Lounges there |
|---|---|---|
| T1 domestic | Air Canada | Maple Leaf, Plaza Premium |
| T1 transborder (US) | Air Canada, United | Maple Leaf, Maple Leaf Express, Plaza Premium |
| T1 international | Air Canada, Star Alliance | Maple Leaf, Signature Suite (Plaza Premium closed) |
| T3 domestic / international | WestJet, SkyTeam, others | Plaza Premium (both zones), KLM Crown (international) |
| T3 transborder (US) | WestJet, Delta, American | Plaza Premium, Admirals Club |
Terminals 1 and 3 are linked by the landside Terminal Link train, so switching terminals means clearing security again. Once you've cleared US preclearance, you can't go back to the domestic or international lounges.
Lounges at YYZ
Plaza Premium lounges (Terminals 1 and 3)
- Location: T1 domestic, T1 transborder (past preclearance, F gates), T3 domestic (near B22–B24), T3 international (near C32) and T3 transborder (near A10). Priority Pass also lists one in the Infield Concourse with limited hours. The T1 international lounge near E77 is closed.
- Access: Priority Pass, and Amex Platinum through the Global Lounge Collection. Paid entry is sold, cheaper when booked online.
- Guest policy: Through Priority Pass, Platinum and Sapphire Reserve include two free guests; Venture X guests cost $35.
- Best for: Almost every US-bound traveler. Pick the transborder lounge in your terminal.
KLM Crown Lounge (Terminal 3)
- Location: Above gate C33, Terminal 3 international.
- Access: KLM and Air France business class, SkyTeam Elite Plus, and Priority Pass (3-hour cap). It's on the Amex Platinum YYZ list as a Priority Pass lounge.
- Guest policy: Priority Pass rules as above.
- Best for: International departures from T3. It isn't in the US transborder zone, so it won't help on a flight to the US.
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges (Terminal 1)
- Location: Domestic (near D20), international (Level 3) and transborder (F gates, with a smaller Express lounge on Level 1).
- Access: Air Canada and Star Alliance business class, and Star Alliance Gold (United Premier Gold and higher) on a Star flight. Top-tier Aeroplan cards also qualify, but those are Canadian cards. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders (and Sapphire Reserve for Business primary cardholders) get into the domestic, transborder and international Maple Leaf Lounges with a same-day Star Alliance boarding pass.
- Guest policy: Set by Air Canada; Sapphire Reserve cardholders get one free guest, then C$59 each.
- Best for: United elites flying home through Terminal 1, and Sapphire Reserve holders on a Star Alliance flight.
Admirals Club (Terminal 3 transborder)
- Location: Terminal 3 transborder area, after US preclearance.
- Access: Admirals Club members (including Citi AAdvantage Executive cardholders) and eligible American and oneworld premium passengers and elites, on a same-day American or oneworld flight.
- Guest policy: Citi AAdvantage Executive cardholders can bring two guests or immediate family.
- Best for: American flyers to Dallas, Charlotte, Miami and other hubs. It closes in the early evening.
Priority Pass at YYZ
- Terminal 1: Plaza Premium (domestic); Plaza Premium (USA transborder); Be Relax spas (domestic and transborder).
- Terminal 3: Plaza Premium (domestic); Plaza Premium (international); Plaza Premium (USA departures); KLM Crown Lounge; Be Relax spa.
- Infield Concourse: Plaza Premium, limited hours.
- Access: Enroll through your card. Be Relax is an "experience" that the Amex and Capital One Priority Pass memberships don't cover.
Best credit cards for YYZ
| Card | Annual fee | Lounges you get at YYZ | Guests | Best if you… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Platinum | $895 | Plaza Premium, Priority Pass | 2 free at Priority Pass | Want Centurion elsewhere |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $795 | Plaza Premium, KLM Crown (Priority Pass), Maple Leaf on Star Alliance flights | 2 free | Travel with companions |
| Capital One Venture X | $395 | Plaza Premium, KLM Crown (Priority Pass) | $35 each | Want the lowest fee |
| Citi AAdvantage Executive | $695 (new accounts) | Admirals Club (T3) | 2 guests or immediate family | Fly American |
| Citi Strata Elite | $595 | Priority Pass, 4 Admirals Club passes/yr | 2 free at Priority Pass | Fly American sometimes |
Recommended strategy
- If you're flying home to the US: Clear preclearance early and use the transborder Plaza Premium in your terminal. Transborder lounges close earlier than the rest of the airport (the T3 ones by early evening), so a late flight may have no lounge at all.
- If you fly American: Citi AAdvantage Executive's Admirals Club in T3 transborder is the best US-card lounge at YYZ.
- If you fly United or Air Canada: Star Alliance Gold, or a Chase Sapphire Reserve with a Star Alliance boarding pass, gets you the Maple Leaf Lounge; otherwise use the T1 transborder Plaza Premium with Priority Pass.
- If you want strong lounges at a lower cost: Venture X covers every open YYZ Priority Pass lounge for $395.
FAQ
Is there a Centurion Lounge in Toronto? No. US Platinum cardholders use Plaza Premium lounges at YYZ through Amex or Priority Pass. The nearest Centurion Lounges are in US cities such as New York (JFK and LGA).
Can I use a lounge after US preclearance at Toronto Pearson? Yes. Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 each have a Plaza Premium lounge in the transborder area, and Terminal 3 has an Admirals Club. They close earlier than other lounges, so check hours in the app for an evening flight.
Amex Platinum vs Sapphire Reserve vs Venture X at YYZ? They get you into the same Plaza Premium and KLM Crown lounges. Venture X is the cheapest way in, the Sapphire Reserve is best for bringing guests free, and the Platinum adds nothing exclusive at YYZ.
Is the Terminal 1 international Plaza Premium open? It has been closed since late December 2025, and Amex lists it as temporarily closed. International Air Canada passengers without status have no Priority Pass lounge in that zone.
Related guides
- New York JFK lounges
- Chicago O'Hare lounges
- Admirals Club access
- Capital One Venture X guide
- Priority Pass lounges in the USA
- Best credit cards for airport lounge access
Lounge access rules, guest policies and locations change. Always confirm current details with the airline, lounge operator or card issuer before you travel.
