The Aspire AMEX Lounge stands as the exclusive common-use lounge in the YUL Domestic terminal offering sophisticated table-side dining service. You can indulge in culinary creations from celebrated local chefs and signature cocktails crafted by the Montreal's most distinguished cocktail bars.
Overall, reviews describe Aspire AMEX Salon/Lounge as a stylish, well appointed space with good food and strong cocktails and a friendly, attentive staff that create a calm, welcoming ambiance for travelers between flights. The made to order, à la carte approach and healthy options are appreciated, and many guests praise fast, restaurant style service and clear help choosing dishes. However, several concerns appear: the QR code ordering system can feel slow and restricts guests to one item at a time, sometimes leading to waits or incorrect orders; some experiences note delays during busy periods; restrooms are outside the lounge; seating is not always comfortable and the space can feel crowded; menu variety can be limited with few vegetarian options and no buffet; and service times can vary. Despite these issues, the lounge is frequently described as clean, bright, and well staffed, with standout food and drinks and a desire to return.
The lounge is clean & well decorated. Great service once you gain access to the lounge. We did have to be put on the waitlist & waited about 20 minutes. Our food & drink arrived rather quickly, in about 5-10 minutes after our orders. Only thing I'd change is to make access available 3 hours prior to boarding rather than departure time. I don't love the one order at a time rule either, but can understand & respect it. I'd just suggest to other travellers to be cautious that their order may come later during busier hours, so make sure you have time to spare.
The only reason I'm giving this 5 stars is because of the amazing staff, as the lounge itself has a number of shortcomings compared to other world-class lounges I've had the privilege of visiting internationally.
Had a really nice experience at the Aspire Lounge at YUL overall. When I first arrived, there was a pretty big line-up & I had to leave my number to join a waiting list. I ended up walking around the airport for a while, & honestly couldn't find a better spot to spend the two hours before my flight. Thankfully, I received a text just in time & was greeted very warmly when I returned. The staff, despite having what seemed like an extremely busy day, were attentive, friendly, & made the experience feel welcoming from start to finish.
Special shoutout to *Yulia & David*, the wonderful person who greeted me at the front desk who I think may have been the manager (in a grey/light sweater, I think - you were awesome), the two attentive guys behind the bar, & the girl who brought me the food, you were all fantastic & so warm. The food came out quickly & was about a 6.5/10, the latte was 9/10 - but for me, despite how busy they were, it was the service that really elevated the experience.
The space itself is contemporary & clean, with many seating options. Not all seats have access to a plug, but the manager was kind enough to offer me a portable outlet if needed. I ended up doing some writing at the bar (premium access to drinks ;-) hehe).
One notable downside is the lack of a washroom inside the lounge, which doesn't feel very lounge-like compared to other lounges I've visited that had plenty of washrooms & even showers. To access washrooms, you have to leave the lounge & come back, which feels quite absurd in my opinion. I'd personally deduct 3 points for that. I'd strongly suggest to management to add 2-3 all-gender washrooms within the lounge itself so guests don't have to leave the space. I'm not even sure this setup aligns with National Building Code expectations for a lounge/dining environment, so it may be worth reviewing.
Overall, a solid experience made memorable only by the excellent team who elevated the experience. Hope to see you again soon :)
Apr 24, 2026
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Very clean & aesthetic. Great natural lighting, comfy lounging. Food is very good & comes out fast. Friendly staff. Only reason I am giving 4 stars is because of no restrooms & no buffet (I'm American & love buffets).
I am honestly surprised by the negative reviews, I had a great experience here.
From the moment I arrived, I was walked to my table & noticed how clean & well-kept the place was. The service was super fast, & since I went on December 31st, the lounge wasn't busy at all, there were hardly 10 people so it felt very relaxed.
I really enjoyed the food I ordered: the spinach eggplant lasagna, focaccia bread, hummus, & the chocolate orange cake were all delicious & fresh. I also had a wholesome conversation with the waitress, which made the experience even better.
My only small suggestion would be to add more dessert options if possible, but overall everything was great & I have no complaints. I'd definitely come back!
I love the atmosphere, the cleanliness of the place, the various seat options & the staff. I gave it a 4 star instead of five due to limited lunch options (it's kale sale or kale chicken salad or chicken again) & the inability to order more than 1 item at a time.
Jan 12, 2026
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OK. This may be a contentious opinion given the recent reviews, but here goes.
The lounge is busy. Very busy. They are not only accommodating their own guests, but those from the AC lounge across the hall. Secondly, they are taking the overflow from the underwhelming AC Cafe that serves pre-packaged food & a limited offering of beer & wine (no spirits.)
So yes, there is a wait. If you can't get in quick enough for your liking, pay more for the premium AmEx, or fly more for higher status.
The lounge is well appointed, quiet, & clean. The staff are wonderful. The manager floating around the lounge accomplished dozens of small tasks & constantly checked in with guests to ensure they were comfortable. Kudos to her, I wish I got her name so I could publicly acknowledge her.
There are no restrooms; however, if you are comparing that against the AC cafe it's the same (no washroom,) & the Maple Leaf lounge restroom was usually so crowded / in such poor condition I would exit the lounge to use one of the terminal facilities anyway.
The food is fine. The dinner selections & breakfast options have a variety of plates for varied tastes. There are scads of drink options, including signature cocktails from local bars.
I suspect the majority of the complaints directed at this facility are coming from people that couldn't get in, had to wait to get in, or expected to be higher priority than the thousands of other travelers that have'status' flooding through here everyday.
It's great. The Google rating implies some of the clientele aren't.
MLL Client, here because our lounge is closed. So glad it was. We walked right in at lunch time on a Sunday. The food was excellent & the table ordering via QR code was simple & fast. It is smaller than the MLL down the hall, but brighter, cleaner. We chose a table but there are variety of options. Loved the service - - staff were more than friendly. Thanks YUL domestic / you exceeded expectations
