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.
Beautifully designed lounge that just opened in September 2025!
Very kind service when I checked in with my US Amex Plat, had questions about ordering breakfast, & needed help getting nitro cold brew. There were a lot of empty seats on a Sunday morning. Famous St-Viateur bagel for breakfast was a treat!
4 stars because food options were limited overall, & there's no washroom in the lounge.
Other nice features: a phone booth, grab & go boxes & coffee if you're in a time crunch, good WiFi, & ample outlets!
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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Sad to see low rating as the lounge is good, staff is nice & food is delicious. Used Amex lounge as maple leaf is under renovation. The place is not big & busy so you may need to wait.
As it is small lounge, there is no restroom so you need to go out. You can find a table & order food using QR code. Kitchen is well equipped & plenty of food options.
I order Avocado toast & it was great. There is open bar. Some item you may need to pay.
The place is accessible but sitting area is tight.
I just had a visit & here is few points that I thought I should share. Excellent staff & super polite. However the system of ordering one item per person at a time it is a bit frustrating specially if your flight is coming up shortly!! The quality of food is a bit concerning I would expect more from Amex name!!! the choices for lunch & dinner was very weak when I visited. I had a choice of roasted chicken or a Hotdog for an extra fee. yes those were the main options for a 70 dollar lounge access!! I really believe when you enter the lounge the staff should give you more information about the system in place before accepting you as a guest. I will pay a visit back & I hope this time there would be some better dining options. & please work on the food quality & presentation.
I use Amex Platinum, was excited to try this lounge for the first time. I asked the waiter for'anything vegan I,m not fussy'. First I was told the menus are clearly labeled. They are not. Nothing in terms of allergens is noted which is dangerous. Then I was told they have NOTHING Vegan to offer me for food except the chicken'without the chicken'. This is absurd & unacceptable. Shame on whoever made this menu. Meat is the leading cause of environmental destruction & the leading cause of needless suffering in animals. Get your act together & offer some cruelty free options!
Mar 22, 2026
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This lounge is beautiful! The staff are so friendly & accommodating & the food is a wonderful change from the generic buffets or grab-&-go options! The food is elevated & the cocktails are fantastic. David is particularly welcoming & friendly & went out of his way to stop & connect with passengers.
I had a great experience in the Aspire lounge while passing through Montreal recently. The food was delicious, the staff was very helpful finding me options to address my dietary restrictions & they even ensured my food came quickly because I had a short stopover. I especially love that the food offerings are healthy & made to order. I look forward to coming back again.
Not enough vegetarian options. Mostly appetizers. Even the salad has Caesar dressing with anchovies in it. & then it's MAc n Cheese as a dinner meal. Which is a kids food item.
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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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!
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.
After trying this lounge & reviewing it as a Visa-Dragon Pass user, I can say that it is not worth the time you spend waiting to get in. The food quality is average at best, & in some cases poor. You must order everything through your phone, one dish or drink at a time, & each order takes around 10 to 15 minutes to arrive.
To even have the option of using the lounge, you need to join the waiting list at least 5 hours in advance, & they will only allow entry 3 hours before your flight. In my case, I arrived 5 hours early & was called only 2.5 hours before my flight. I don't think someone arriving just 3 hours before departure would have any chance of getting in.
Overall, I no longer think this lounge service is worth it.
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
