Best card: Canadians looking for lounge access (YUL based)
 

Looking for a CC allowing me to have access with my spouse to lounges mostly in YUL, CDG, CUN.

Had a TD travel card but they no longer offer anything in YUL.

Currently have a National Bank "World" that only allows access to a lounge in YUL (international), but nothing in the US departure terminal.

My research led me to the BMO Reward World Elite Mastercard with Priority Pass.

opinions?

Many thanks

Best card: Canadians looking for lounge access (YUL based)
 

The cdn Amex platinum (not the aeroplan) comes with the upgraded priority pass that has no usage charges for you and 1 guest, unlimited use and can be used at lounges in the US that don't accept credit card issued priority pass.

You also get one world status high enough for their lounges, and bunch of other airline lounges as well as hotel status with SPG, Carlson, Accor etc.

But it is an expensive card.

Since the Diner's Club card is closed to applications, I only know 4 other options for lounge access over the ones you mention:

Amex Platinum - Best ption for a year - The card costs $699 for the year BUT - you get 60,000 Membership Rewards (if referred) which = $600 statement credit or 60,000 Aeroplan or Avios (90,000 on recent promotion), + $200 statement credit for 2013 plus $200 statement credit for 2014, so in effect they ae paying you $301 to get the card and keep it for a year. It then gives three types of lounge: As you are upgraded to Gold status on oneworld, you can use all of their lounges WHEN flying oneworld, you get to use your Plat card directly to access any US Airways Club irrespective of airline, United, AA and DL lounges when flying with them and Premium Plaza lounges, and finally you get an unlimited Priority Pass card which gives access for 2 people to lounges worldwide. Note this is over and above what the regular $499 PP would give you as that has no guests.

In addition you are getting a bunch of other benefits - awesome insurance, SPG gold, Accor Plat.........

Overall awesome deal, your only inconvenience is YUL transborder, the only lounge there (as for domestic) is AC MLL.

Amex Aeroplat - Costs $499, Gives 51,000 Aeroplans, Also gives a 2 for 1 voucher for a 15,000 mile redemption. Gives lounge access at all AC MLLs but nothing else. This would be good in domestic YUL but otherwise, you're pretty stuck outside Canada, there are MLLs at LHR, FRA, CDG, LAX, LGA and tat's your lot.

Scotia Amex Platinum - Costs $399 - Sign up bonus if $300 - Gives priority pass with 10 visits for cardholder and secondary cardholders ($99) get 4 free entries.

BMO - World Elite card - god sign up bonus worth around $300 will offset your fees for two years and you get a Priority Pass with 2 visits included - that would be used on one trip for you and s/o however.

You can use MR points for a statement credit to offset the annual fee?

No, you'll need to spend your statement credit at an actual merchant. But that spend should be pretty doable. It's still a really good deal, IMO.

OK thanks - that should be easy to do.

The terms mentions one annual $200 credit. How do I get two $200 credits if I don't renew for a second year?

The credit is per calendar year. Therefore, if you apply today, you would get $200 credit usable between now and 31/12/2013; and a second $200 credit usable between 1/1/2014 and 5/5/2014.

However, if you renew you will not get a credit for the remainder of 2014. You'd have to wait until 1/1/2015 for the next $200 credit.

Wow. Thanks!

There is currently a promo on the BMO World Elite Rewards MasterCard.
Usual offer is 15,000 points (worth $285 credit).
Current offer is 20,000 points (worth $380 credit) IF you use their promo link.
Rewards on spend are 1.9% as well, which I think is quite good.
Annual fee is $150; no way around that.

Link: http://www.bmo.com/credit-cards/we20000golf/single.html

Thanks for sharing, it is a very good offer, and I have always like the way BMO understates their points (giving them 1.9c value) over than a certain competitor who overstates them by giving them 0.5c value.

Some years ago Mrs. Redtop had the Aeroplan Amex Plat, and it gave her access to the Premium Plaza Lounge in the transborder area at YYZ. We thought it would only give her MLL, but it included this also, and she liked it better. However, this was a few years ago and it was YYZ not YUL, so you might want to check. I think I'd still get the Amex Plat though because the fee credits are better. I'm not sure if she got a free guest either, since we never traveled together.

BMO started waiving the fee for the first year (not sure how long this promo is on for)

http://www.bmo.com/home/personal/ban...ite-mastercard