Aspire Lounge Terminal 2 at Ontario International Airport [Review]

I visited the Aspire Lounge in Terminal 2 at Ontario International Airport (ONT) in California with my family. Our visit was in early October for about 2 hours during a lunchtime layover.

We were pleased to find the lounge mere steps away from the gate we arrived at and departed from and that it was calm, comfortable, and quiet — perfect for relieving stress on a long travel day! My kids were delighted to find a pancake-making robot, unlimited cereal, and fast Wi-Fi, and I was glad to take advantage of a great spot to grab lunch and catch up on a few work tasks. We were thankful for an easy, relaxing spot before our next flight.

Read on to learn what’s available at the Ontario Terminal 2 Aspire Lounge, how to get in, and what to expect during your visit.

What Are Aspire Lounges?

Aspire Lounges are third-party airport lounges. Visitors can enter the lounge by getting a day pass, using a qualifying membership, such as Priority Pass, or flying in a qualifying class with participating airlines. These lounges offer complimentary food and beverages, seating, and free Wi-Fi in a more relaxing space than the typical airport terminal.

There are only 3 Aspire Lounges in the United States. Ontario has Aspire Lounges in Terminals 2 and 4, and San Diego International Airport (SAN) has a lounge in Terminal 2 East. There are many more Aspire Lounges worldwide, mostly in Europe.

Aspire Lounge Location

The Aspire Lounge at ONT Terminal 2 is near gate 210. The location was perfect for us, as we visited the lounge on a layover, and our flights arrived and departed from gate 210.

A distinctive sign on the wall made spotting the Aspire Lounge entrance easy.

How To Access the Aspire Lounge at ONT

The Aspire Lounge is open daily from 5 a.m. to midnight. Due to space constraints, access may be restricted between 8 p.m. and midnight.

There are numerous ways to get into Aspire Lounge. Adults can purchase a pass for $47.85 (tax inclusive). The lounge participates in numerous lounge networks, so qualifying members can get in for free.

Airport lounge memberships you can use to get into Aspire Lounge include:

• Aspire Lounges annual membership
• Priority Pass
• DragonPass
• Diners Club
• Institute of Directors
• Lounge Club
• Lounge Key

Eligible passengers of participating airlines and frequent flyer programs can also get access to Aspire Lounge.

You must show your eligibility or purchase a pass at the lounge entrance. You’ll also need to present your boarding pass. Guests can stay up to 3 hours.

We visited as a family of 5 using Priority Pass. I have a Priority Pass Select membership as a benefit of my Chase Sapphire Reserve^® card. That grants me and up to 2 guests complimentary lounge access. My husband is an authorized user of my Chase Sapphire Reserve card and has his own Priority Pass Select membership. I got myself and 2 kids in, and he got himself and another kid in.

Hot Tip:

Read our Priority Pass guide to get a full list of U.S. lounges and find out how you can get Priority Pass to access lounges, including the Aspire Lounge.

First Impressions

I couldn’t believe our good luck accessing a lounge beside our arrival and departure gate on a lunchtime layover. It was very convenient, and the front desk agent checked us in quickly and cheerfully. Though the lounge was about half full, it was quiet and had enough seats for us to sit together.

The lounge was small, with an open-concept seating area divided into partitions, plus a food buffet and bar seating. Still, we didn’t feel cramped on our midday visit. It was clean, and the buffet seemed well-stocked.

Seating

The seating at the Aspire Lounge wasn’t plentiful, but it was adequate for the crowd. Most of the seating consisted of lounge chairs and low tables, though there was also bar seating and some dining tables and chairs.

The lounge seating next to the walls and partitions had outlets available. All of the spaces were brightly lit with various overhead and lamp lighting. The overall look was modern, balancing comfort with functionality. While it was a single open seating area, the space was divided into semi-private areas with low partitions and furniture to create cozy zones.

One of the walls featured a long row of bar seats.

Small tables and chairs lined the window wall. However, there was a reason they stayed mostly empty during our visit. Even with the shades pulled down, these seats were too close to the window and much warmer than the rest of the lounge. Other seats were comfortable — we just had to stay out of the sunny spots.

Dining tables behind the buffet wall offered a view, an easy place to eat, and enough distance from the windows to maintain a comfortable temperature.

While there weren’t any child-specific amenities like a kids room or entertainment terminals, my family was comfortable in the lounge. Everyone found a seat that suited them. The buffet had crowd-pleasing options, and the Wi-Fi was plenty strong for videos and gaming to pass the time.

Also, the small size made it easy to keep track of the kids while we relaxed. I didn’t have to worry about juggling bags or seats or accompanying kids to a faraway buffet, as I could stay seated but easily see them as they visited the buffet or went in or out of the restroom.

Food and Beverages

Aspire Lounge had a bar and a food buffet with hot and cold items. It wasn’t a large buffet — the main items were limited to a single countertop — but the variety offered something for everyone, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. The bar offered complimentary drinks.

Buffet

The main buffet counter combined a salad bar, pasta, nachos, and fresh snacks. Fresh whole fruit — apples and oranges — was also available on top of the bar.

The food selection wasn’t extensive, but it covered a lot of bases. Not quite enough for a big meal, but it made a nice lunch.

We could load up on veggies from the salad bar, customize nachos with shredded beef, nacho cheese, and toppings, choose a favorite pasta, or put together a small charcuterie plate.

The buffet catered to various dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices.

The salad bar featured fresh greens and various vegetable toppings. It also had salsa, sour cream, and onions to accompany the nacho bar next to it. Everything looked and tasted fresh.

Behind the salad bar was an assortment of pasta, cheese, meats, and vegetable snacks, including an orzo pasta salad, mac and cheese, cubed cheese, cut vegetables, and ham and turkey rolls.

The hot buffet featured mainly nacho supplies, including beef barbacoa, beans, and melted nacho cheese. In addition, there was a warm pasta salad. My husband and oldest kid were happy to make a meal out of the nachos.

Another counter featured dry snack mixes and breads with butter, jelly, and a toaster.

My kids were thrilled to find a “pancake robot” topped with syrup packets. They love finding these machines at hotel breakfast buffets and watching a pancake work down a conveyor belt to their plate with the push of a button!

On the other side of the buffet were cereals — Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch — and a selection of pastries, including muffins and small fruit croissants.

The drink bar featured drip coffee and a coffee machine with lattes, hot chocolate, and other coffee drinks. The machine also provided hot water.

The chilled and sparkling water tap machine was out of order during our visit, but water bottles were available at the bar, and canned sparkling water was in the adjacent cooler. There was an ice bucket and tall glasses to pour canned drinks into. I also spotted various Stash teas and a selection of creamers and sugars.

A full cooler of drinks was next to the coffee machine, featuring sodas and sparkling water. The cooler was always stocked with plenty of choices. We got glasses and filled them with ice for drinks from the cooler — then grabbed an extra can for the next flight on our way out.

Bar

The bar, which was next to the buffet, had many open stool seats. It was a full-service bar where we could get beer, wine, liquor, and mixed drinks. Seating was available at the bar, or we could take our drinks to other seating available in the lounge.

It took just a few moments for my husband to get a tall and spicy Bloody Mary.

Complimentary liquor, beer, and wine were available — but top-shelf liquor was not included. Though the drinks are free, tips are appreciated.

Hot Tip:

If you don’t have cash for tips, you can tip the lounge staff using one of the QR code stickers found throughout the lounge.

Amenities

I didn’t expect the small Aspire Lounge to have many amenities, but it delivered what we needed for a quick lunchtime visit.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi was plenty speedy for our needs. Connecting using the front desk password was easy, and we quickly got everyone’s devices online.

We could browse and watch videos; some other guests took video calls without issue. I got my laptop online quickly and fielded no complaints from the kids as they soaked up all the gaming and video time they could before facing the horror of getting on a flight without Wi-Fi.

Restrooms

The Aspire Lounge had 2 private restrooms. Both were unisex and spacious. These were clean and fully stocked with paper products, soap, and hand sanitizer.

The restrooms were very large, and each had a private sink.

A changing table was in one of the restrooms.

Entertainment and Information

One of the factors that made this lounge so calm and easy was the lack of TVs. While there were some information screens in the main seating area, I only saw 1 TV, and it was in the bar either on low or no volume.

It seemed pretty clear we were in charge of bringing our own entertainment, which was fine by me. There was, however, a small literature shelf with a couple of magazines on it.

Flight information screens were posted near the entrance and main seating area.

Hot Tip:

Bring your own entertainment to this lounge. The lounge’s screen-light environment is good for relaxing, working, reading, or watching videos on your mobile screen with headphones.

Staff and Service

We only saw a few staff members running the lounge, but they managed it effectively. Our check-in process was friendly and efficient, the buffet selection stayed full, and my husband quickly got a drink at the bar. We didn’t see lingering trash or dishes, and the lounge seemed clean. I was satisfied with the service and staff interactions.

Final Thoughts

Visiting the Aspire Lounge added comfort and convenience to our family trip. We got to relax while enjoying snacks — especially robot-produced pancakes — and cozy seating with necessary amenities, including large restrooms. Though it was a small lounge, it had adequate seating, was well-maintained, and had capable staff. It was an overall great visit, and I’d be happy to visit again.