Ottawa Airport Hotels

Airport hotel guide for overnight stays, early departures, and business trips at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.

Showers and Lounges at Ottawa Airport

Ottawa Airport has no showers for passengers. This guide covers the lounge, its hours, and the hotel options for washing between flights.

No showers, anywhere

YOW has no shower facilities: none in the lounge, no pay-per-use showers and none landside.

To shower after a red-eye you need a hotel room. ALT Hotel Ottawa Airport is connected to the terminal by an indoor walkway, so a short booking does not involve a shuttle; the shuttle hotels are a few minutes away.

The lounge

The Aspire Lounge is airside near gate 18. It offers access through card-linked lounge membership programmes and sells entry at the door, so a business-class ticket is not required. It has seating, food and drink, and Wi-Fi.

The lounges at Ottawa are not open overnight. The lounge is also airside, which means security has to be open for you to reach it, and at YOW security closes overnight. See sleeping in Ottawa Airport.

Lounge or room?

For a couple of hours in daylight, the lounge costs less than a room, and a card programme can make entry free. For stops over about four hours, or to wash or lie down, you need a room, because the lounge has no showers or beds. See day rooms and layovers.

Overnight: sleeping in Ottawa Airport and sleep pods and rest zones. Terminal layout and where gate 18 falls: the YOW terminal guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there showers at Ottawa Airport?

There are no showers at YOW, in the lounges or anywhere else in the terminal. To wash between flights you need a hotel room; the ALT Hotel is reachable from the terminal by indoor walkway.

What lounges are there at Ottawa Airport?

The Aspire Lounge is airside near gate 18, with both membership-programme access and pay-at-the-door entry. Ottawa's lounges are not open overnight, so a lounge cannot cover a long night wait.

Can I use the Aspire Lounge without a business-class ticket?

The Aspire Lounge does not require a business-class ticket: it accepts card-linked lounge programmes and sells entry at the door. Availability at the door is not guaranteed at peak times, and the lounge is airside, so security must be open.

Information last verified: September 30, 2026