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• Credit Cards
• Best Travel Credit Cards In Canada

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Best Travel Credit Cards In Canada For April 2024

Updated: Apr 1, 2024, 9:09am

Fact Checked

Beyond cash back , travel is the most valuable redemption category on any rewards credit card. If you’re a savvy cardholder who collects reward points strategically and pays off their card every month—not hampered by a growing balance, fees and interest charges—it’s possible to travel entirely for free just by redeeming reward points alone.

We’re talking free flights, hotel stays, cruises and vacation packages that can all be redeemed with points. Plus, while you’re getting all or part of your trip paid for, many credit cards have built-in perks designed to make the trip itself as stress-free as possible. These include benefits like  travel insurance, free checked bags, airport lounge access and priority designation through airport or border security. Yes, play your (credit) cards right and what once was a stressful experience can now be a breeze.

That said, with so many different travel programs to choose from, it can be difficult to know which program is the best choice to maximize your spending with.

With that in mind, Forbes Advisor Canada has researched the best cards and programs on the market and can guide you to its picks for the best credit cards for travel in Canada.

Featured Partner

Best travel credit cards in canada for april 2024, american express cobalt® card.

• CIBC Aventura Gold Visa Card
• CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
• CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege

• WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard

RBC Avion Visa Infinite

• CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card
• TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
• TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum
• Alterna Savings Visa Infinite Card

WestJet RBC Mastercard

Here’s a summary of the best travel credit cards, methodology, best travel credit cards in canada, how travel credit cards work in canada, why get a travel credit card, travel credit card pros and cons, how to choose the right travel credit card, general travel cards vs. co-branded travel cards, travel points vs. cash back, types of travel credit cards in canada, additional rewards to look for in a travel card, using travel rewards, what are the different types of travel insurance, how to redeem travel credit card rewards, how to apply for a travel rewards credit card in canada, tips for maximizing your travel rewards credit cards, frequently asked questions (faqs), advertiser's disclosure.

• Best Credit Cards
• Best Airport Lounge Access Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
• Best Aeroplan Credit Cards
• Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards
• Best Balance Transfer Credit cards

American Express’s Secure Website

Welcome Bonus

Up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points

$155.88 ($12.99 per month)

Regular APR

On RBC’s Website

Get up to 55,000 Avion points* (a value of up to $1,100†), that’s enough to fly anywhere in North America or the Caribbean

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

On TD’s Website

Up to $1200 in value†

Regular APR (Purchases) / Regular APR (Cash Advances)

20.99% / 22.99%

Best Overall Travel Credit Card

The  American Express Cobalt   also tops our Best Grocery Credit Cards   list, but it wins when it comes to travel too. This is thanks to its impressive yearly earnings (nearly $600 worth of points) and its extensive suite of travel perks, which includes seven types of travel insurance. Plus, this card earns even more points when you spend on travel too—2 points per dollar on travel purchases—and offers flexibility, since you can transfer Membership Rewards to several frequent flier and other loyalty programs.

• Competitive welcome offer worth up to $300.
• 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on groceries (up to $30,000 annually).
• 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on travel and transit.
• Flexible redemption options for Membership Rewards points such as statement credits, and the ability to transfer points to leading frequent flier programs.
• An extensive suite of travel insurance coverages.
• A $100 USD hotel credit that can be used on dining, spa or other leisure activities at select hotels.
• High annual fee.
• Amex is still not accepted as widely as Visa or Mastercard.
• No interest-free grace period on cash advances.
• In your first year as a new Cobalt Cardmember, you can earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in net purchases on your Card. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year. That’s up to $150 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets
• Earn 5x the points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery. Spend cap applies.
• Earn 3X the points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada
• Earn 2X the points on eligible ride shares, transit & gas in Canada
• Earn 1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings via American Express Travel Online
• Earn 1X point for every $1 in Card purchases everywhere else
• Enjoy access to hotel bookings, and up to $100 USD hotel credit to use on amenities when charged to the room for a stay of 2 or more consecutive nights through The Hotel Collection from American Express Travel
• Transfer points 1:1 to several frequent flyer and other loyalty programs
• Cobalt Cardmembers receive regular Perks such as bonus reward offers and access to great events
• Access Front Of The Line® Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts and theatre performances and special offers and events curated for Cardmembers with American Express® Experiences
• American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment

Best Credit Card For Travel Points

35,000 Aventura Points

$139 (waived in the first year)

The Aventura Gold Visa card gives you an annual earnings value of over $400. Plus, it includes five types of travel insurance and flexible redemption options for your points. When redeeming points for travel, you’ll find yourself using fewer points when booking both long and short-haul flights compared to other loyalty programs.

• Flexible redemption options for Aventura Points
• $139 annual fee is waived in the first year
• Flight booking options that see you use fewer points on flights than with other frequent flier programs
• Five types of travel insurance
• Access to 1,200 airport lounges worldwide with four free visits annually
• $139 annual fee
• It costs $50 for an extra card
• Welcome bonus of up to 35,000 Aventura Points (earn 15,000 points when you make your first purchase and 20,000 points when you spend $3,000 or more in the first 4 monthly statement periods)
• 2 Aventura Points per dollar when you make travel purchases through the CIBC Travel Rewards Centre
• 1.5 Aventura Points per dollar spent at eligible gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, grocery and drug stores
• 1 Aventura Points per dollar spent on all other purchases
• Forbes Advisor estimates you can earn $444 worth of rewards value based on average Canadian spending, factoring in the annual fee
• Four complimentary airport lounge visits per year on the Dragonpass network of over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide through the Visa Airport Companion Program
• Get a rebate on your NEXUS application every four years
• Link your CIBC Aventura Gold Visa to a Journie Rewards card for $0.10 per litre off at participating Ultramar, Pioneer, Fas Gas and Chevron gas stations
• Out-of-province emergency travel medical insurance
• Flight delay and baggage insurance
• Auto rental collision and loss damage insurance
• $500,000 common carrier accident insurance
• Hotel burglary insurance
• Mobile device insurance
• Purchase security and extended protection insurance
• Access to CIBC Pace It to pay off individual purchases in installments
• Make personalized travel booking arrangements at no additional fee with the Aventura Travel Assistant
• Optional credit card balance protection insurance

Best Credit Card For Premium Travel Perks

Cibc aventura® visa infinite* card.

Up to 60,000 Aventura Points

The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card earns over $600 annually in value per year, with the annual fee factored in. It has an almost identical offering to the CIBC Aventura Gold Visa with 12 types of insurance and the Visa network benefits that come with the Infinite designation.

• 12 types of travel and consumer protection insurance, including $500,000 in common carrier accident insurance and rare mobile device insurance.
• Luxury upgrades, tickets and tours through Visa Infinite benefits.
• 4 complimentary airport lounge visits per year through the Visa Airport Companion Program.
• A NEXUS application fee rebate every 4 years.
• A $139 annual fee.
• A $60,000 personal and $100,000 household annual income requirement.
• Welcome offer of up to 60,000 Aventura Points (up to $1,200 in travel value): 15,000 Aventura Points after making your first purchase, 20,000 Aventura Points after spending $3,000 or more in net purchases in the first 4 monthly statement periods and 25,000 Aventura Points after having at least $6,000 in net purchases posted to your account in the first 4 monthly statement periods
• $139 annual fee, rebated on your first year of card membership
• 4 complimentary airport lounge passes, valued at nearly $200
• 1 NEXUS application fee rebate, a $50 value
• $60,000 minimum income requirement, $100,000 household
• Earn 2 points for every dollar spent through the CIBC rewards centre
• Earn 1.5 points for every dollar spent on gas, groceries, drug stores and EV charging stations
• Earn 1 point for every dollar spent on all other purchases.
• Points can be used for flights on any airline with points that don’t expire and cover airfare taxes and fees
• Built-in travel insurance, including emergency medical, travel accident, trip cancellation/interruption, flight delay and baggage insurance.
• Includes rental car collision/loss damage insurance, mobile device insurance and hotel/motel burglary insurance.
• Access personalized travel booking and trip planning with no booking fees through Aventura’s travel assistant
• Visa Infinite concierge service, hotel collection, and dining and wine country program
• Offer is not available to residents of Quebec
• Terms and conditions apply

Best Airline Travel Credit Card

• CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

Up to 50,000 Aeroplan points

$139 (rebate in the first year)

It gives you the usual Visa Infinite benefits, but with Air Canada specific perks as well. Also, you get over $500 worth of Aeroplan points per year and the insurance coverage is still valid, even on flights paid for with Aeroplan Points.

• Healthy welcome bonus
• Annual fee rebate in the first year for the primary cardholder and up to three authorized users.
• First free checked bag whenever you fly Air Canada for you, authorized users and up to 8 traveling companions
• Reach Aeroplan Elite Status sooner.
• Get a free checked bag whenever you fly Air Canada.
• $139 annual fee.
• A $60,000 individual and $100,000 household annual income requirement to qualify for the card.
• $50 for each additional credit card.
• Welcome bonus of up to 50,000 Aeroplan points (10,000 points with first purchase, 15,000 after four months of spending $4,000 or more and 25,000 as anniversary bonus)
• 1.5 points for every dollar spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries and with Air Canada directly (with spending caps)
• 1 point for every dollar spent on other purchases
• Car rental discounts of up to 25% at participating Avis and Budget locations worldwide
• This offer is not available for residents of Quebec

Best Travel Credit Card For Aventura Rewards

80,000 Aventura Points

The welcome bonus on this card is huge and you can get high value rewards of nearly $700 annually, with the annual fee factored in. Plus, you get a lot of supplementary benefits, including travel insurance.

• A high and generous welcome bonus
• 3 points per dollar when you book travel through the CIBC Rewards Centre
• Exclusive business class bookings
• Includes 6 complimentary airport lounge visits per year
• A $200 annual travel credit
• High $499 annual fee
• High $150,000 individual or $200,000 household income requirement
• $99 for each additional credit card for up to nine authorized users
• Get up to 80,000 Aventura Points in the first year (25,000 points when you spend $3,000 in the first 4 months, 25,000 points when you spend $6,000 or more in the first 4 months and 30,000 points as an anniversary bonus)
• 50,000 Aventura Points when you spend $3,000 or more over your first 4 statement periods
• 30,000 Aventura Points as an additional account anniversary bonus
• 3 Aventura points per dollar on all travel purchases made through the CIBC Rewards Centre
• 2 Aventura points per dollar on all eligible dining, entertainment, grocery, gas and transportation purchases
• 1.25 Aventura Points per dollar on all other purchases
• Based on average Canadian yearly spending, can potentially earn $671.72 per year in rewards value, with the annual fee factored in
• 6 complimentary visits to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide through the Visa Airport Companion Program
• $200 annual travel credit
• 2 NEXUS application rebates every four years (a $100 value)
• An annual fee rebate is available for the primary cardholder every year if they have CIBC Smart Plus account
• Dedicated taxi and limo services, exclusive dining and wine experiences. Plus, VIP experiences at luxury hotels and more Visa Infinite benefits
• 25% off vehicle rentals when you pay with your Aventura card at participating Avis and Budget locations
• All cardholders receive a metal card
• Get $0.10 off per litre of gas at Chevron, Ultramar, Fas Gas and Pioneer gas stations
• Includes 8 types of consumer protection and travel insurance combined, including out-of-province emergency medical, common carrier accident, mobile device insurance, trip cancellation/trip interruption, rental car collision/loss damage insurance, flight delay and baggage insurance, hotel/motel burglary insurance and purchase security and extended warranty insurance

Best Travel Credit Card For WestJet Flyers

Up to $450 in WestJet Dollarsǂ

Even if you’re not a frequent WestJet flier, this card provides enough excellent trip benefits to make it more than worth it when you do. You’ll also have access to their three partner airlines: Delta, Qantas and Air France, be able to redeem for much more than just flights and get annual earnings valued at over $300 a year.

• A generous welcome bonus worth up to $700.
• Flexible redemption options that include flights, vacation packages and with partner airlines.
• An annual companion voucher to anywhere WestJet flies starting at $119.
• Free first checked bag for you and up to 8 guests.
• Link this card with your Petro-Points card to save $0.03 per litre on gas and 20% more in bonus Petro-Points.
• Link this card with your Rexall Be Well membership and earn 50 Be Well Points per dollar at Rexall.
• High income requirement of $80,000 in personal annual income or $150,000 household income.
• Low base earn rate of 1.5% on all purchases.
• WestJet Dollars don’t cover airline taxes and fees.
• Increasing redemption minimums depending what you’re redeeming for (minimum $15 for one-way, $30 for round-trip and $50 for vacation packages).
• Get up to 450 WestJet dollars (a value of up to $450 off the base fare): – 250 WestJet dollars upon your first purchase – 200 WestJet dollars when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months
• Plus, get a Round-Trip Companion Voucher every year – for any WestJet destination starting from $119 CAD (plus taxes, fees, charges and other ATC).
• Get free first checked bags for the primary cardholder and up to 8 guests on the same reservation
• Earn WestJet dollars 1.5% on everyday purchases and 2% on flights or packages with WestJet or WestJet Vacations
• WestJet dollars never expire. Use your WestJet dollars to book flights anytime so you can travel when and where you want.
• No blackout periods.
• Travel coverage including emergency medical insurance as well as trip interruption insurance, hotel burglary and rental car insurance. Even eligible purchases you make on the card are protected.
• Link your RBC card with a Petro-Points membership to and instantly save 3₵ per litre on fuel and always earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada.
• Free Boingo Wifi for Mastercard holders at over 1 million hot spots
• Get $0 delivery fees for 12 months from DoorDash^ Add your eligible RBC credit card to your DoorDash account to: – Get a 12-month complimentary DashPass subscription± – a value of almost $120 – Enjoy unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more when you pay with your eligible RBC credit card
• Conditions apply

Best Travel Credit Card For Avion Rewards

Up to 55,000 Avion Points

An incredibly generous welcome bonus that can fly you anywhere in North America or the Caribbean on Avion Points. Plus, a very good selection of trip benefits and an annual earnings value of nearly $500 anchor this card for only a very average purchase interest rate and annual fee.

Learn more:  Read our RBC Avion Visa Infinite Review

• Avion Points can potentially be worth a lot on redemption (between $0.2 and $0.233 per point when you redeem through the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule).
• Flexible redemption options, including flights, merchandise, gift cards, charitable donations, RBC financial products, transfer to HBC Rewards and more.
• 4 different airlines to transfer points to, including Cathay Pacific, British Airways, WestJet and American Airlines.
• 12 different types of travel insurance and purchase protection, including the rare mobile device insurance policy.
• A huge welcome bonus that allows you to fly anywhere in anywhere in North America or the Caribbean
• High income requirements at $60,000 individual or $100,000 household annual income.
• Low redemption value for anything besides the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule and transferring to airline partners.
• A $120 annual fee.
• Get 35,000 Welcome Points on approval and 20,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 in your first 6 months*. Apply by April 30, 2024.
• Earn 1 Avion point for every dollar you spend* and an extra 25% on eligible travel purchases.
• Avioners can book flights with points on any airline, on any flight, at any time, early or last minute, with no blackout periods or restrictions.
• Access to The Avion Collection of exclusive experiences, including red carpet events, rare tee times at exclusive golf courses and happenings involving dining and entertainment.
• Purchase and travel insurance options that include $1,500 of mobile device insurance, $500,000 on emergency medical travel insurance, $1,500 in trip cancellation, $5,000 in trip interruption, 90 days of purchase protection and 1 year of an extended warranty.
• Visa Infinite benefits, including front of the line event access and exclusive hotel or dining perks.
• Optional extras including RBC Road Assist, RBC BalanceProtector Max Insurance. Extra travel insurance that can be added on and identity theft and credit protection.
• †Terms and conditions apply. Refer to the RBC website for up-to-date offer terms and conditions.

Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Card

10,000 Aeroplan Points

The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card offers an annual earnings value of over $400,this card has a modest selection of insurance options, flexible rewards and the ability to add authorized users for free.

• Flexible rewards that can be redeemed for merchandise, gift cards and entertainment in addition to flights.
• Rewards can cover taxes and fees on flights.
• A modest selection of travel and purchase insurance.
• No annual fee.
• Add authorized users free of charge.
• A $15,000 annual household income requirement.
• A low welcome bonus only worth $200.
• Earn 10,000 Aeroplan Points when you make your first purchase (a $200 value) enough for a short-haul, economy class flight within North America.
• 1 Aeroplan Point per dollar on gas, groceries and on Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada vacations.
• 1 Point per $1.50 you spend on all other purchases.
• Based on average Canadian yearly spending, can potentially earn $444 per year in rewards value, with the annual fee factored in.
• Get $0.10 off per litre of gas with Fas Gas, Chevron, Ultramar and Pioneer when you link your Journie Rewards card.
• Earn points twice when you shop at over 150 Air Canada retail partners and over 170 online retailers through the Air Canada eStore.
• Earn Aeroplan Elite Status faster.
• Cover airfare taxes and fees with Aeroplan Points.
• Rental car collision theft. loss and damage insurance.
• $100,000 in travel accident insurance.
• Extended warranty insurance for one additional year past the manufacturer’s warranty.
• Purchase protection insurance for up to 90 days after buying an item.

Best Travel Credit Card For Aeroplan Rewards & NEXUS Rebates

Td® aeroplan® visa infinite privilege* card.

Up to 85,000 Aeroplan Points†

True to its name, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card is exclusive and expensive, but brings to bear a broad array of perks and benefits, along with a surprisingly accessible credit score threshold.

• Extensive travel perks, insurance and consumer protections
• Low credit score threshold for such a powerful card
• The most expensive annual fee on the list
• Requires minimum personal income of $150,000 a year or $200,000 in annual household income
• Earn up to $2,900 in value† including up to 85,000 Aeroplan points (enough for a round trip to Honolulu†) and additional travel benefits. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.
• Earn a welcome bonus of 20,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card†.
• Earn an additional 40,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $10,000 within 180 days of Account opening†.
• Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $15,000 within 12 months of Account opening†.
• Enroll for NEXUS and once every 48 months get an application fee rebate†.
• Share first free checked bags with up to 8 travel companions† and get unlimited access to Maple Leaf Lounges†, including complementary access for one guest.
• Plus, primary card holders get 6 complimentary worldwide select airport lounge visits annually through the Visa Airport Companion Program†.
• This offer is not available to residents of Quebec.
• †Terms and conditions apply.

Best Low Annual Fee Aeroplan Rewards Credit Card

Td® aeroplan® visa platinum* card.

Up to $500 in value†

$89 (first year of annual fee rebated)

The TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Card shares many lots of the same features seen in premium cards that cost five times the annual fee. However, it does lack a bit in the insurance department.

• Decent travel and consumer protection benefits
• Allows cardholders to earn Aeroplan Points twice
• Low annual fee that’s rebated the first year
• Lower insurance coverage than other Aeroplan cards
• Earn up to $500 in value† including up to 20,000 Aeroplan points† and no annual fee for the first year. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by September 3, 2024.
• Earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card†.
• Earn an additional 10,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $1,000 within 90 days of Account opening†.
• Get an annual fee rebate for the first year†.
• To receive the first-year annual fee rebate, you must activate your Card and make your first Purchase on the Account within the first 3 months after Account opening and you must add your Additional Cardholders by September 4, 2024.
• † Terms and conditions apply.

Best Credit Union Travel Credit Card

15,000 points

20.99% (fixed)

The Alterna Savings Visa Infinite card offers a small amount of rewards and a few perks.

• A welcome bonus worth $150 that you can redeem for gift cards, travel experiences and cash rewards in the form of statement credit
• 5 combined types of travel and purchase insurance
• A fixed interest rate
• Includes some Visa Infinite Benefits
• $120 annual fee
• A low welcome bonus
• $50 for an additional credit card
• 3 points per dollar on grocery purchases.
• 2 points per dollar on dining and entertainment purchases.
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
• Based on average Canadian yearly spending, can potentially earn $266.11 per year in rewards value with the annual fee factored in.
• Includes auto rental collision/loss damage insurance for up to 48 consecutive days.
• Comes with purchase protection for 90 days.
• Double the manufacturer’s warranty (up to one year) on eligible purchases.
• Includes mobile device insurance.
• Includes emergency travel healthcare coverage up to 60 days.
• Trip cancellation insurance up to $2,000.
• Includes unlimited trip interruption insurance.
• Includes lost or delayed baggage coverage.
• Visa Infinite benefits.

Best Low Annual Fee Travel Credit Card For WestJet Flyers

$150 WestJet Dollars

The WestJet RBC Mastercard is a low-annual-fee card that earns a decent amount of WestJet dollars and other perks, including an annual companion voucher.

• Low annual fee ($39).
• An annual round-trip companion voucher for $199.
• $0 delivery fees for 3 months at DoorDash.
• A low welcome bonus.
• A low earn rate.
• Additional fees for some benefits.
• $100 WestJet Dollars when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months.
• Get 50 Be Well points per dollar spent on eligible products at Rexall.
• Save $0.03 per litre on fuel and earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada.
• Unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more on DoorDash when you pay with your RBC credit card.
• A complimentary three-month DoorPass membership.
• Earn 1% in WestJet dollars for all other eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5% in WestJet dollars when you buy WestJet flights or WestJet Vacations packages.
• No blackout periods and no expiration on WestJet dollars.
• Extended warranty for an additional year.
• 90 days of purchase protection.
• $500,000 in travel accident insurance.
• $500 in baggage delay and lost or stolen baggage insurance.
• $2,500 in hotel/motel burglary insurance.
• Rental car collision loss/damage insurance.

When determining a rating for individual credit cards, the Forbes Advisor Canada editorial team factors in an exhaustive list of data points. With travel, the scoring model used takes into account factors such as, but not limited to, travel points value, earn rate in various purchase categories, fees, welcome bonus, and other rewards and features. Keep in mind, what may be best for some people might not be right for you. Conduct informed research before deciding which cards will best help you achieve your financial goals.

• American Express Cobalt

The   American Express Cobalt is one of the most decorated and award-winning credit cards in the Canadian market, giving massive rewards value for travel and  groceries .

Rewards: Earn 5 Membership Rewards per dollar spent on groceries (up to $30,000 annually), 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada, 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on rideshares, transit and gas in Canada 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases and 1 additional Membership Rewards point for every dollar spent on eligible hotel or car rental bookings made with American Express Travel.

Welcome Offer: In your first year as a new Cobalt Cardmember, you can earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in net purchases on your Card. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year. That’s up to $150 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets

Annual Fee: $155.88 ($12.99 per month)

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Despite the annual fee and the fact that Amex is still not accepted in as many places in Canada as Visa or Mastercard , (though the Amex acceptance map is expanding) the American Express Cobalt remains arguably the most lucrative credit card in Canada. It dominates two categories (travel and groceries) with the value of its annual rewards. Plus, the ability to transfer Membership Rewards points at a one-to-one ratio to many loyalty programs makes it extremely versatile for frequent flyers.

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CIBC Aventura Gold Visa

The CIBC Aventura Visa Gold card is a good alternative to the Amex Cobalt with a slightly lower annual fee and slightly less annual rewards value, earning an estimated $444 per year with the annual fee factored in. It also has similar redemption flexibility to the Cobalt card and includes travel insurance options.

Rewards: 2 Aventura Points per dollar spent on travel purchases made through the CIBC Rewards Centre. Plus 1.5 points per dollar spent on gas, grocery and drug purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Welcome Offer: 35,000 Aventura Points (earn 15,000 points when you make your first purchase and 20,000 points when you spend $3,000 or more in the first four monthly statement periods).

Annual Fee: $139 (First year rebated)

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Though the $139 annual fee and the $15,000 personal annual income requirement could be considered drawbacks, a big benefit is the fact that one Aventura point is worth an average of $0.02 per point when redeeming for travel and they could be worth between 2.3 to 2.8 cents per point depending on the route you’re redeeming for. This means that the Aventura Gold (and any Aventura credit card) stretches your dollar even further than the typical points-based credit card loyalty program that keeps its points worth an average of $0.01 per point.

Basically the same offering as the Aventura Gold Visa Card with higher annual earnings and extra Visa Infinite benefits.

Rewards: 2 Aventura Points per dollar spent on travel purchases made through the CIBC Rewards Centre. In addition, you’ll get 1.5 points per dollar spent on gas, grocery and drug purchases and 1 Aventura point per dollar for all other purchases.

Welcome Offer: Earn up to 60,000 Aventura Points (up to $1,200 in travel value): 15,000 Aventura Points after making your first purchase, 20,000 Aventura Points after spending $3,000 or more in net purchases in the first 4 monthly statement periods and 25,000 Aventura Points after having at least $6,000 in net purchases posted to your account in the first 4 monthly statement periods. Terms and conditions apply. This offer is not available to residents of Quebec.

Annual Fee: $139 (rebated in the first year)

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: You’ll get the network exclusives and benefits of the Visa Infinite banner, like special events and experiences, but you need to be making $60,000 as an individual and $100,000 as a household for the privilege.

A great card for Air Canada frequent fliers who also want Visa Infinite benefits. It also gives you annual reward earnings totaling $527.32 based on an average spend in a number of common purchase categories from Canadians.

Rewards: 1.5 Aeroplan Points for every dollar spent on gas, groceries and on Air Canada flights, including through Air Canada vacations. 1 point per dollar on all other purchases and you can earn points twice when you shop at 150 Aeroplan partners and 170 eStore online retailers.

Welcome Offer: A welcome bonus of up to 50,000 Aeroplan points (10,000 points with first purchase, 15,000 after four months of spending $4,000 or more and 25,000 as anniversary bonus). Terms apply. This offer is not available to residents of Quebec.

Annual Fee: $139 (Get an annual fee rebate)

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Though you’ll need at least $60,000 in annual individual personal income or $100,000 in household income to qualify for this card, it will give you supplemental benefits like a free checked bag and a full suite of travel insurance options. Plus, redeem for flights, merchandise, gift cards and more.

For a hefty annual fee, cardholders get every premium credit card benefit a traveller could want.

Rewards: 3 Aventura points per dollar on all travel purchases made through the CIBC Rewards Centre. Plus, 2 points per dollar on all eligible dining, entertainment, grocery, gas and transportation purchases. Finally, you’ll get 1.25 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Welcome Offer: 80,000 Aventura Points in the first year. This means 50,000 Aventura Points when you spend $3,000 or more over your first four statement periods and 30,000 Aventura Points as an additional account anniversary bonus.

Annual Fee: $499

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: This card has a huge $499 annual fee and income requirements that will exclude most Canadians from applying for it at $150,000 individual or $200,000 household annual income. Still, if you can afford it, a world of luxury benefits is open to you like airport lounge access, dedicated taxi and limousine service, exclusive dining and wine experiences, a car rental discount, high dollar maximums on travel insurance and even a metal credit card for every successful applicant.

This card offers flexible rewards and generous trip and World Elite credit card network benefits, including insurance, for frequent WestJet fliers. However, it offers a modest annual rewards value at $311.69 according to average Canadian spending.

Rewards: 2% back in WestJet Dollars when you book WestJet flights and vacation packages. Plus, 1.5% back in WestJet Dollars on everyday purchases.

Welcome Offer: Earn up to 450 WestJet dollars (a value of up to $450 off the base fare). Get 250 WestJet dollars after the first purchase and 200 WestJet dollars after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. Conditions applyǂ.

Annual Fee: $119

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Though the base earn rate of 1.5% can be beaten easily by other travel credit cards, the annual companion voucher, the free-checked bag, the World Elite benefits like membership in the airport lounge club, Mastercard Airport Experiences and 10 types of insurance, make a compelling case to any potential cardholder who likes flying WestJet.

Your dollar can go further per point with the RBC Avion Visa Infinite as long as you redeem for the right rewards.

Rewards: 1 Avion Point per every dollar spent and an extra 25% savings on eligible travel purchases.

Welcome Offer: Get 35,000 Welcome Points on approval and 20,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 in your first 6 months*. Apply by April 30, 2024. †Terms and conditions apply. Refer to the RBC website for up-to-date offer terms and conditions.

Annual Fee: $120

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Though the RBC Airline Redemption Schedule gives you incredible value per point, other modes of redemption, though flexible, only give you 1% in value. The extra travel benefits like the Rexall Be Well points and Petro-Points are nice, but you have to decide if the extra perks and insurance are worth the high income requirements.

CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Card

A great card if you want flexible rewards that cover taxes and fees on flights with a little bit of travel and purchase insurance for no annual fee.

Rewards: 1 Aeroplan Point per dollar on gas, groceries and Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada vacation packages. Also, get 1 point per $1.50 on all other purchases.

Welcome Offer: 10,000 Aeroplan Points when you make your first purchase ($200 in travel value).

Annual Fee: $0

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Though the base earn rate and welcome bonus are low, it’s still nice to get flexible rewards that can be redeemed for fights, gift cards and merchandise with a modest selection of travel and purchase insurance for no annual fee.

If you’re looking for every possible travel perk, reward and consumer protection a TD card has to offer, look no further than this one.

Rewards:  Earn 2 Aeroplan Points for every dollar spent on Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada Vacations. Cardholders also earn 1.5 points for every dollar spent on gas, groceries, travel and dining purchases, as well as 1.25 points on every dollar for other purchases made with your card.

Welcome Offer: Earn a welcome bonus of 20,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card. Earn an additional 40,000 Aeroplan points† when you spend $10,000 within 180 days of Account opening. Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $15,000 within 12 months of Account opening.† Terms and conditions Apply. Not available for residents of Quebec. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.

Annual Fee:  $599

Other Benefits and Drawbacks:  Cardholders need a minimum annual income of $150,000 individually, or $200,000 all together, so this card is beyond the means of most Canadians.

All of the features found in TD’s more expensive cards for under $100 a year.

Rewards:  Earn 1 point for every dollar spent on eligible gas, grocery and direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®) made with your card. Earn 1 point† for every $1.50 spent on all other eligible purchases made with your Card. Earn points twice when you pay with your Card and provide your Aeroplan number at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and at 170+ online retailers via the Aeroplan eStore (www.aeroplan.com/estore).

Welcome Offer:  Earn a welcome bonus of up to $500 in value† including up to 20,000 Aeroplan points†. Earn 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card and an additional 10,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $1,000 within 90 days of account opening. †Terms and conditions Apply. Account must be approved by September 3, 2024. This offer is not available to residents of Quebec.

Annual Fee:  $89 (Get a first-year annual fee rebate; account must be approved by September 3, 2024)

Other Benefits and Drawbacks:  This card’s insurance coverage is lower than other TD Aeroplan offerings, but it does allow cardholders to earn Aeroplan Points twice at certain participating retailers.

A cheap annual fee ($89) gets you quite the selection of travel perks, benefits and insurance.

Rewards: 3 points per dollar on grocery purchases, 2 points per dollar on dining and entertainment purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Welcome Offer: A welcome bonus of 15,000 Welcome Points worth $150 that you can redeem for gift cards, travel experiences and cash rewards in the form of statement credit.

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: There’s a low welcome offer and modest annual rewards but you do get a lot of travel benefits for only an average annual fee.

Welcome Offer: $100 WestJet Dollars when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months and make your first purchase.

Rewards: Earn 1% in WestJet dollars for every qualifying purchase you make on your card and 1.5% in WestJet dollars when you buy WestJet flights or WestJet Vacations packages.

Annual Fee: $39

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: It may come with a low annual fee and a good selection of insurances, but the welcome bonus and earn rate are modest. Still, with the lower barrier for entry thanks to an average qualifying credit score, it might be the window to collecting WestJet Dollars faster for the rest of us.

Credit card data research and analysis by Debra Toews and Tia Duncombe.

Generally, travel credit cards in Canada come in two distinct varieties: those that are specific to a particular airline, like WestJet or Alaska Airlines and those that belong to a loyalty program that offers travel rewards as one of their main features, like Aeroplan, Air Miles, Aventura, Avion or Amex Membership Rewards.

They also either follow a cash back or points model when it comes to earning points, dollars or miles towards travel rewards. What that means is, you’re either collecting a point from an airline or travel loyalty program or you’re collecting a percentage of a point with every purchase.

As for redemption, largely if you’re redeeming for flights—typically, the marquee reward on any travel credit card—when you’re flying, where you’re flying, what class you’re flying in and how far you’re flying all have an impact on how many points, dollars or miles flights can cost. As a result, the value of your travel rewards are not usually static or straightforward. Instead, it’s constantly fluctuating.

What Credit Score Do I Need to Get a Travel Credit Card?

Credit scores needed to get a travel credit card can vary, but the best ones usually require credit scores described as Very Good/Excellent (740-900). A more limited selection of travel credit cards with lower earn rates and fewer travel benefits or perks are available for credit scores classified as Fair/Good (580-739) or Good/Very Good (661-780). Meanwhile, travel credit cards aren’t available for those with Poor/Fair (0-580) credit scores.

The primary reason to get a travel credit card is the chance to travel the world for free (except maybe taxes, fees and surcharges). Not only that, but with the right credit card, flying goes from stressful to swanky and it starts from the moment you get to the airport.

From airport lounges to free checked bags and more, there are several reasons to get a travel credit card. Not just where you can go for free, but the perks you’ll get at the airport and on the plane.

Plus, while you’re abroad, several insurance protections that come with your travel credit card can cover you if you run into medical issues while on your trip or if your rental car gets in an accident. Some insurance options you might find on a travel credit card include emergency travel medical, common carrier accident, delayed or lost baggage, trip cancellation or interruption and rent car collision loss/damage insurance.

Along with several benefits, there are a few drawbacks to travel credit cards that you should be aware of. They are the following:

• You can collect points or miles on everyday spending so you don’t necessarily have to travel all the time to take advantage of potentially flying for free and all the extra travel perks that may come with it.
• You’ll often receive perks at the airport that will make flying a lot easier, including priority security screening, free checked bags, priority boarding, priority check-in and a dedicated parking spot when you arrive.
• You may be able to transfer your original points or miles to other travel loyalty programs either at an equal 1:1 ratio or, if you’re lucky, more than that. This way, your points will go further faster and you’ll be able to spend less of them than you do with your original travel loyalty program to get a free flight to a further destination.
• Travel credit cards often have large sign-up bonuses, so you’ll have enough points for a free trip somewhere right away.
• Usually travel credit cardholders pay high annual fees for the privilege of having all those travel benefits, perks and rewards.
• Redeeming travel points can be anything other than straightforward with the value of a point sometimes being worth fractions of a cent and fluctuating in terms of worth depending on where you’re flying, when you’re flying, what class of travel you want and how far you’re going.
• Redeeming points or miles for any other rewards besides travel, like gift cards or merchandise typically makes them worth less than they would be if you just redeemed them for travel expenses like flights or hotels.

If you’re picking a travel credit card, it’s important to evaluate them based on the following criteria.

You’re going to want a welcome bonus that is not only large and gives you enough points or miles for a free trip right off the bat, but a welcome bonus where the criteria for those points or miles is something you both can and want to achieve. Depending on your financial situation, spending $5,000 in three months and signing up for electronic statements may not be something you can easily do, so only sign up for cards where the welcome bonus is actually achievable and makes sense for your current situation.

Related: Best Credit Card Welcome Offers

With any travel credit card, you should look for a credit card with the highest possible earn rate so you can rack up as many points and miles with your spending to get to travel rewards faster. If the earn rate is too low, you may feel like a hamster on a wheel: always turning—or in this case, earning—but never getting anywhere.

High annual fees are customary when dealing with travel credit cards, especially when it comes to the most premium among them with long lists of perks and benefits. Since you’re likely going to be paying an annual fee in every case, a good general rule of thumb is, the more benefits the card has, the higher the annual fee and the lower the number of benefits, the lower the annual fee.

Further to that, a great way to decide if an annual fee is worth it when measured against the rewards and benefits is to see if the value of those rewards and benefits are greater than the annual fee itself. If you’re getting more value from your rewards and perks than the annual fee is costing you, then the card can generally be considered worth the annual fee.

Reward Flexibility

Reward flexibility is also a great quality to use when evaluating travel credit cards. Ask yourself, “Does this card give you reward points or miles only for travel or can you redeem them for something else as well?”

Often, travel rewards cards also allow you to redeem points or miles for merchandise, gift cards, statement credits and more. However, the value of your points or miles is usually less than if you just redeemed them for travel.

Still, if multiple redemption options are important to you, then look for a travel credit card with more reward flexibility.

Perks and Benefits

Beyond reward points, every travel card comes with perks and benefits like concierge service, lounge access, travel insurance, extended warranty, free first checked bags at the airport and purchase protection, among other things, so you’ll need to ask yourself, what supplemental benefits and perks are actually important to you and choose a credit card based on that.

General Travel Cards

General travel credit cards offer the ultimate flexibility. They are agnostic in the sense that they are not tied to a specific airline or frequent flyer program like Aeroplan , Air Miles and Avion Rewards. Generally, this is good news because it means you can transfer the points associated with your credit card into a variety of frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs, which gives you access to enough airline or hotel variety that you can truly find the best value for your points and potentially fly further and stay longer for a cheaper price. The few things you need to note about general travel cards is that the points program on your card may not have the same value when transferred into an airline, frequent flyer or hotel loyalty program of your choice, so choose a transfer partner where you can get the most value for your points. Also, you may need to redeem through your credit card issuer’s own travel portal or travel agency. Sometimes when you book travel through such an online travel portal. your points automatically become more valuable just because of how you are booking.

The Best General Travel Cards

• CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card

Co-Branded Travel Cards

Co-branded travel cards are those affiliated with frequent flyer programs or specific airlines like Air Canada, WestJet, Cathay Pacific, Air Miles, Aeroplan, Avion or Marriott Bonvoy . If you have a favourite airline, hotel or frequent flyer program you collect points from on a regular basis through their various retail partnerships, a card featuring that brand is probably best to maximize the amount of points you can collect from that brand. Your loyalty will also be rewarded because as you collect more and more points you will usually get higher status with brand, which gives you perks like free checked bags on flights with a specific airline, late check-ins with specific hotels or the privilege of needing fewer points to redeem for travel arrangements with certain loyalty programs. The one thing that co-branded travel cards take away from you is flexibility. Once you choose one, your committed to only flying that airline or only staying in that hotel or only using that frequent flyer program. If you don’t, your points will go to waste and likely eventually expire due to inactivity.

The Best Co-Branded Travel Cards

• RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
• TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card

If you travel a lot and find yourself spending a lot of money on flights and hotels, then a travel card is probably for you. Most travel cards allow you to collect points towards all your essential travel expenses, such as free flights, free hotel stays and even privileges and upgrades to make your flight or hotel stay more enjoyable. It’s recommended that if your spending would lean you towards a travel card, you should select one that’s brand agnostic, with no specific allegiance to any particular hotel, airline or loyalty program. This way, you can transfer your points to any of the leading travel loyalty programs according to which one gives you the most for your spending and collected number of points and you don’t have to fly with a specific airline, stay at a certain hotel or pick from offers available from a particular travel loyalty program.

However, if your spending takes you in a more general direction, not associated exclusively with travel, or if you carry a balance pretty often, it’s best to go with a cash-back card . Cash-back cards most often give you a certain percentage of cash back on specific purchase categories. Some cards offer flat-rate cash back that gives you the same percentage of cash back for all of your purchases, regardless of category, but all cash back can be redeemed for statement credit that you can put towards your balance to bring it down. Some cash-back cards allow you to redeem your cash back for gift cards, merchandise or cash, in the form of deposits into a savings account from the bank that issues the credit card.

There are different types of travel credit cards in Canada. They generally split into the following overarching varieties based on what kind of travel rewards you can redeem.

General Travel Rewards

General travel rewards are rewards that you can redeem for any kind of travel. In addition to flights, you’ll be able to redeem for cruises, vacation packages, hotel stays and other things besides travel, like merchandise and gift cards. Most people prefer these travel credit cards because they give you the most flexibility and don’t force you to use one provider when redeeming rewards.

Airline Rewards

Airline rewards are pretty straightforward. You’re most often redeeming for flights on that particular airline. Sometimes the airline also provides vacation packages you can book with rewards or the airline has its own portal for merchandise and other rewards outside of travel, like events and experiences.

Another aspect of an airline travel rewards card is the airline may belong to a wider partnership with other airlines, such as Star Alliance. In those cases, you’ll be able to transfer your points from your airline card and exchange them for points from another airline, giving you the opportunity to cast a wider net to look for flights and redeem them with your points at a potentially greater value with the other airline’s rewards program.

Hotel Rewards

Hotel rewards cards allow you to redeem points for free nights at whatever hotel your hotel credit card is linked to. You’ll often also be entitled to a free night on your birthday or the anniversary of the day you opened the credit card account. You might also be entitled to other benefits at the particular hotel in question, such as free Wi-Fi, a discount at the hotel restaurant and more.

Usually with a hotel credit card linked to that hotel’s rewards program, you can often achieve a higher status in that hotel’s loyalty program much faster simply by having the hotel credit card. As you rise in the ranks to gold, silver and platinum for example, this will entitle you to even more perks and special treatment at that hotel.

• Travel insurance. The best travel credit cards also include travel insurance , so if anything happens with your flight, bags or on your trip, you might be covered. Particularly if you suffer a medical emergency while on your trip, something happens to your rental car, your bags are lost or delayed or your flight is delayed or canceled for a covered reason.
• Free checked bags. This benefit offers a free first checked bag for a specified number of travel companions.
• Airport lounge access. A popular perk on travel credit cards is airport lounge access , which gives you membership and either pay or free access to a semi-private lounge where you can relax, freshen up, eat, work, have a meeting or charge your devices before your flight.
• No foreign transaction fees. Useful when you’re spending money on your credit card abroad, some travel credit cards come without the customary 2.5% foreign transaction fee , so all you’re paying is the currency conversion fee.
• Free or discounted companion fare on flights. With this benefit, one of your traveling companions travels with you for free or at a discounted rate.
• NEXUS application rebate. Get an application fee rebate, in the form of statement credit, for the NEXUS program, which helps you skip the line at the Canadian border and breeze through airport security.
• Extended warranty. An extended warranty extends the manufacturer’s warranty on any purchase made with the card for typically one year.
• Purchase protection. Gives you purchase protection against damage or theft on any item purchased with your card for a certain number of days.

To use travel rewards effectively and get the most benefit from your points, it’s important to understand how to use travel rewards credit cards effectively and it starts with their earn rate.

Understanding Travel Credit Card Earn Rates

The earn rate on a travel credit card is how many points or miles you earn for every dollar you spend. The more points you earn per dollar, the faster you’ll be able to rack up the points and the quicker you’ll be able to redeem them for a trip.

You obviously want a travel credit card with a large earn rate, but you should also be aware that certain purchase categories may have a larger earn rate until you hit a maximum dollar amount and then the earn rate will revert to what the base rate is for all purchases and this is usually a lot lower. This is why, along with the earn rate, you will want to know those spending caps as well.

How to Calculate the Value of Travel Credit Card Points

The best way to calculate the value of travel credit card points is to divide the dollar value of the points by the number of points required to achieve that dollar value. For example, if 50,000 points on a welcome bonus have a $300 value, that means that each point is with $0.006 (a fraction of a cent).

Be aware however, that the value of travel points or miles change based on where you are going, what class of ticket you want, what season you are booking in and whether it is a short-haul or long-haul flight.

Points also don’t often cover taxes, fees or airport surcharges. They also usually decrease in value if you are redeeming for anything other than travel, so a gift card usually will cost more to get per point, relative to the number of points you have, than a flight would.

Do Travel Rewards Points Ever Expire?

Typically, travel points do not expire as long as your credit card account remains open and in good standing. However, some loyalty program points do expire if you do nothing with them and they sit idle for up to a year. It really depends on the program, but the vast majority of points in most travel rewards programs do not expire.

There are several different types of travel insurance policies that you may find included as part of the benefit package on a travel rewards card. Typically, the more types of insurance included, the better the card’s overall benefit package.

Out-of-province Travel Emergency Medical Insurance

This is insurance that pays out if you suffer a medical emergency while outside of your home province. Policy amounts are usually in the multiple thousands to millions of dollars. You will want to look at your credit card benefits guide to see what sort of medical circumstances are not covered by the policy and therefore not considered an “emergency travel accident.”

Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

This is insurance that covers you in the event that the common carrier (train, plane, bus, car, etc.) you are traveling on gets in an accident and you are injured as a result. Amounts here are typically slightly less than emergency out-of-province medical insurance and are in the neighbourhood of several hundred-thousand dollars. Like all insurance policies, check the exclusions before making a claim.

Travel Interruption/Cancellation Insurance

Travel interruption insurance reimburses the lost portion of your trip and related travel expenses, like hotel stays, if your trip is interrupted for a covered reason. Trip cancellation provides a lump sum payment meant to reimburse you for travel expenses if you had to cancel your trip in advance for an unforeseen covered reason, such as the unexpected illness or injury of you and your traveling companion that deems you unfit to travel according to a licensed medical doctor.

Flight Delay Insurance

Flight delay insurance covers your expenses related to the fact your flight was delayed past a covered amount of time, such as four hours. Covered expenses can include meals, accommodations and other reasonable or necessary expenses that occur up to a certain length of the delay, like 48 hours.

Lost/Delayed Baggage Insurance

Lost or delayed baggage insurance covers expenses, up to the maximum amount of the policy, related to lost or delayed baggage. This can include replacement clothing, replacement toiletries and any other essentials covered by the policy.

Rental Car Collision/Loss Damage Insurance

Rental car collision/loss damage insurance covers a rental car in the event that it’s damaged in a collision or stolen after you rent it. In order to qualify for this kind of coverage on your credit card, you must decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) offered by the rental car company. This type of insurance usually comes in two varieties, primary and secondary.

Primary means it will overtake your own personal car insurance policy as the primary source of insurance in case coverage is needed and secondary means the policy will cover anything your personal car insurance policy doesn’t cover.

Also, rental car collision/loss damage insurance only covers damage or theft of the car, it doesn’t cover damage on the other car involved in a collision or any other property damage. In addition, it won’t cover any expenses related to bodily injury or death.

Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance

Hotel/Motel burglary insurance covers any covered personal items stolen from out of your hotel or motel room during your stay and reimburses you for the subsequent replacements up to a certain amount determined by the insurer.

There are various ways you can redeem the points or miles that come from travel credit cards and the style you encounter largely depends on the loyalty program you’re redeeming points or miles from.

Different Travel Redemption Models

Primarily there are three different travel redemption models you will see with a travel rewards credit card. They are the following:

Consistent Points

Consistent Points are points that are always the same value no matter what you’re redeeming for and where you are traveling. This is the most straightforward redemption model as you always know what points are worth and their value never changes.

Fluctuating Points

Fluctuating points are what you will find with most travel credit card loyalty programs, including the largest ones, Aeroplan and Air Miles. This is a model where the value of your points change according to where you’re traveling, when you are traveling, how far you are going and your class of ticket.

Typically, short-haul flights within North America are the cheapest, while long-haul flights to distant lands, such as Asia and Australia are the most expensive. Business class flights always cost more than flights in economy class and bookings during busy times always cost more than time periods that aren’t as busy.

Point Transfers

A third way to redeem rewards is through point transfers to other travel loyalty programs through other airlines. Some programs, like Amex Membership Rewards, allow you to redeem points at a ratio of 1:1 to a number of airline and travel reward loyalty programs. While sometimes point transfers decrease the original value of your points, sometimes transferring points to another travel loyalty program or airline will actually increase their value.

You can apply for a travel rewards credit card online or in-person at the issuing financial institution, the same way you can apply for any type of credit card.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a travel rewards card you likely need to be the age of majority in the province or territory where you are a resident. You must have the target credit score the issuing bank is looking for on a particular travel card. Plus, on certain cards, you will need to make a certain annual personal or household income.

Fill Out an Application

To fill out a travel credit card application, follow these steps:

• Review the terms, conditions, fees and rewards program details before applying.
•  Enter your personal and income information like date of birth, place of residence, annual income, employment status, phone number, email and more.
•  Provide your social insurance number (SIN).
•  Enter your debts and monthly expenses.
•  Verify your identity by providing photos of you and your government-issue identification.
•  Review your application, make sure the information is correct and submit your application knowing a hard credit inquiry could temporarily impact your credit score by taking it down a few points.
• Don’t carry a balance. The value of your travel rewards will go down the moment you have to pay interest and pay down a balance.
• Actually get your full welcome bonus. Make sure you don’t leave points on the table and reach your spending threshold to actually receive the amount of points and rewards that come with your welcome offer .
• Maximize the best earning rates. Always make purchases that earn you extra points and buy goods from the purchase categories that earn the most points per dollar on your credit card.
• Redeem for the rewards with the greatest value. Don’t redeem for rewards that cost the most points but provide limited value, like gift cards and merchandise, and instead save up your points and redeem for higher value items like hotel stays, flights and cruises or vacation packages.
• Pay attention to points expiration rules. Some points never expire, but some travel rewards programs will start eroding points due to account inactivity or if you don’t redeem your points fast enough, like by a certain date. If this is your situation, use them before you lose them.

What are three benefits of a travel rewards credit card?

You can earn rewards on everyday purchases, so even if you don’t travel very often you still have opportunities to earn points or miles towards hotel stays and transportation, especially flights. Travel rewards cards also give you an opportunity to fly for free or stay in hotels for free as well. Finally, a travel rewards card can protect you if something goes wrong at the airport with your flight or at your destination thanks to the insurance benefits they usually come with.

What should you look for in a travel credit card?

If you want a good travel credit card, you’re looking for a high earn rate, with a lot of perks and benefits and no spending cap for a low to modest annual fee. Of course, you’re likely not going to get everything, but if the insurance coverage is extensive, at least you’ll be protected should any unforeseen calamities or emergencies befall you while abroad.

What is the best travel credit card?

According to Forbes Advisor’s assessment, the American Express Cobalt gives you the most value of any other travel credit card on this list with nearly $600 worth of points on an annual basis, plus a bevy of perks and benefits along with the ability to find better value for your travel miles by transferring them 1:1 to other travel loyalty and airline programs.

Is it a good idea to get a credit card for travelling?

Yes, the rewards like free flights, hotel stays, vacation packages, merchandise, gift cards and more, are too good to pass up. Plus, the benefits you get like a NEXUS rebate, airport lounge access and a free first checked bag make actual traveling a lot less stressful. Plus, any travel insurance you get can help reimburse any expenses you may have if things go wrong on your trip. This is especially important because your provincial health insurance doesn’t cover you when you travel outside of your province of residence.

What’s the best credit card for international travel?

Because you can transfer your American Express Membership Rewards to several different frequent flier programs around the world at a 1:! Ratio, the Amex Cobalt is probably best for international travel.

Is Visa or Mastercard better for travel?

Let’s be clear that Visa or Mastercard are only the payment networks that most credit cards work on (there’s also American Express , which issues its own cards). Visa and Mastercard do not issue their own cards, so most of the benefits a travel Mastercard or Visa may have should be attributed to the issuer of the card. That being said, more Visa cards appear high on this list, while the best branded travel cards on this list come from Mastercard. The split in terms of quality is pretty even, but Mastercard and Visa cards do have some network benefits that come with its Infinite and Infinite Privilege cards, in the case of Visa, and World and World Elite, in the case of Mastercard, so whether Visa or Mastercard is better may come down to which network benefits you might prefer.

Is it worth getting a travel card for overseas travel?

If you travel a lot you should invest in a travel card. If you get enough points, you can get a free flight overseas to the destination of your choice and with the right hotel card you might get a free hotel stay while you are there. Be aware though, that your points may have different value depending on when you book, where you are going and what class of travel you’d like to fly in.

Which Canadian credit card is best for travel in Europe?

If your already in Europe, you should pick a card with no foreign transaction fees , so that you aren’t charged them when you make purchases in Europe. The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is a great option because you can put your Scene+ points towards even more travel and it offers a comprehensive list of travel insurance coverages along with rental car collision/loss damage insurance.

What is the best credit card to use while travelling?

Probably the best credit card to use while traveling is a bit of a toss-up between the CIBC Aventura Gold Visa or the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card because of their comprehensive travel insurance benefits, lounge access and exclusive perks. The major difference being that the Visa Infinite has exclusive Visa Infinite network benefits as well as income requirements to be eligible and the Aventura Gold doesn’t have those income requirements and doesn’t have as much travel insurance coverage. Other than that, it’s difficult to tell the two credit cards apart.

Our partners are not responsible for anything reported by Forbes Advisor. To the best of our knowledge, everything is accurate at the time of publishing as of the date posted. For full information and details, please visit the advertiser’s website.

Aaron Broverman is the lead editor of Forbes Advisor Canada. He has over a decade of experience writing in the personal finance space for outlets such as Creditcards.com, creditcardGenius.ca, Yahoo Finance Canada, Nerd Wallet Canada and Greedyrates.ca. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario with his wife and son.

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The best travel credit cards in Canada for 2024

From points to perks, a good travel credit card can make your trip more affordable, more comfortable and even more secure.

Why trust us

MoneySense is an award-winning magazine, helping Canadians navigate money matters since 1999. Our editorial team of trained journalists works closely with leading personal finance experts in Canada. To help you find the best financial products, we compare the offerings from over 12 major institutions, including banks, credit unions and card issuers. Learn more about our  advertising and trusted partners .

The best travel credit cards in Canada by category

By Keph Senett on April 2, 2024 Estimated reading time: 22 minutes

There are numerous travel credit cards in Canada to choose from, but you can get the best value by selecting one that pairs a strong earn rate for rewards along with perks like lounge access, travel credits or rebates, superior insurance coverage and the flexibility to transfer points between cards. Ultimately, choose your card based how you like to travel, your spending and credit card habits and travel perks that fit your lifestyle. To help you pick the perfect card, we’ve come up with a list of Canada’s best travel credit cards.

MoneySense insight

Brim credit cards are getting a serious downgrade. Starting May 18, the Brim Mastercard, World Mastercard and World Elite Mastercard will no longer offer no foreign exchange fees. Cardholders will be charged 1.5% on all foreign currency purchases (which is less than the 2.5% typically charged, but a full 1.5% more than existing cardholders are used to). If you’re searching for an alternative no-forex card, the Scotiabank Gold Amex —our runner up for the overall best travel rewards card—is a good option. Or you can check out our list of the best no-forex cards in Canada .

—Justin Dallaire, senior editor

Best overall travel rewards credit card

At a glance: With outstanding earn rates in broadly-defined, popular spending categories, the American Express Cobalt card is a travel rewards beast. Points are easy to redeem and flexible, and you can increase their value by transferring them to other travel loyalty programs. It comes with a comprehensive insurance package, so you travel carefree.

American Express Cobalt

• Annual fee: $156
• Earn rate: 5 points per $1 spent on dining and groceries; 2 points per $1 spent on transit and gas; and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Welcome offer: You can earn 1,250 points for each month you spend $750, up to a maximum of 15,000 points.
• Annual income requirement: None
• Point value: 1 Amex Membership Rewards point = $0.01 when redeemed with the Flexible Points Travel Program, $0.015 on average with the Fixed Points Travel Program, and up to $0.02 with airline points transfers
• Recommended credit score for approval: 660 or higher
• Interest rates: 20.99% on purchases, 21.99% on cash advances
• At 5 points per dollar spent on eats and drinks, 3 points per dollar on streaming services, and 2 points per dollar on travel and transit, this card has some of the highest earn rates around. Plus, the high earn rate on food and groceries is capped at $2,500 per month, and no limits are applied to other categories.
• The boosted spend categories are very broadly defined so you’ll earn more points for more of your purchases. For example, “eats and drinks”  includes everything from grocery stores to coffee shops to food delivery, and everything from gas to rideshares to flights falls under “travel and transit”.
• Amex points are flexible and lucrative. Redeem points the simple way at a flat rate of 10,000 points for $10 towards any travel expense—or, if you’re a savvy points collector—boost your point values by using Amex’s Fixed Point chart or transferring points to another program like Aeroplan.
• Although American Express is accepted at tens of thousands of businesses across the country, it’s not as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard.
• The annual fee is charged monthly which slightly obscures the fact that the total is $155.88 per year, a bit more than the $120 charged by some comparable cards.
• The travel insurance package lacks Trip Cancellation protection which covers you in case of a sudden illness.

Honourable mention

At a glance: With a lower annual fee and no foreign exchange fees, the Scotiabank Gold American Express gives the Amex Cobalt a run for its money. You’ll enjoy strong earn rates, easy and flexible redemptions, and one of the best travel insurance packages on the market. Frequent customers of Sobeys-affiliated stores like Safeway, FreshCo and Thriftys will especially appreciate the extra points boost on grocery purchases there.

Scotiabank Gold American Express

• Annual fee: $120 (waived for the first year)
• Earn rates: 6 points per $1 spent at Sobeys-affiliated stores; 5 points per $1 on dining, entertainment and groceries; 3 points per $1 on gas, transit and streaming; 1 point per $1 on everything else
• Welcome offer: You can earn up to $650 in value in the first 12 months, including up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points. Must apply by July 1, 2024.
• Annual income requirement: $12,000
• Point value: 1 Scene+ point = $0.01 when redeemed for travel, store purchases and food and drink at Cineplex and Scene partners
• Recommended credit score   for approval : 700 or higher
• Interest rates: 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances, 22.99% on balance transfers
• With 5 points per dollar on entertainment, restaurants, food delivery and groceries (plus an extra point at Sobeys stores).
• Redemptions are simple and super flexible–especially for travel where 10,000 points is equal to $10 in value on any airline. In fact, you can apply points for travel purchases retroactively for up to one year by applying them in your app or online. 
• There are no foreign exchange fees when you use this card to pay in a foreign currency (most cards charge 2.5% on all foreign currency purchases).
• The card’s travel insurance package is excellent and includes up to 25 days of travel emergency medical for those under the age of 65.
• Like all American Express cards, this one won’t be accepted at some retailers such as Loblaws banner stores. 
• Supplementary cards are $29 each, unlike with our winning card, the Amex Cobalt, where they’re free.
• As a fixed-rate program, Scene+ points are always valued at 1 cent per point as opposed to some dynamic programs where you can get better value during certain time periods. 
• You’ll only earn the base rate of 1 point per dollar on foreign currency transactions regardless of whether they are in a bonus category or not.

Best airline travel credit cards

For aeroplan.

At a glance: Although you could use our number one travel card, the Amex Cobalt, to transfer Amex points to Aeroplan, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite tops our list of best Aeroplan credit cards in Canada for its easy redemptions and extras like the $100 Nexus fee rebate. Plus, if you frequently spend on Ubers or are a regular at Starbucks, you could stretch your rewards even further with this card.

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

• Annual fee: $139
• Earn rates: 1.5 Aeroplan points per $1 spent on gas, groceries and purchases made directly through Air Canada (including vacation packages), and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Welcome bonus: You can earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card; earn 20,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $6,000 within 180 days of Account opening. Conditions apply. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.  
• Anniversary bonus: Earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 20,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $10,000 within 12 months of opening the account. Conditions apply. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.
• Annual income requirement: Personal income of $60,000 or household income of $100,000
• Point value: Aeroplan points are worth $0.02 on average
• Recommended credit score for approval : 660 or higher
• Interest rates: 20.99 % on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances, 22.99% on balance transfers
• You can earn Aeroplan Status Qualifying Miles on your everyday purchases so you advance in Aeroplan status faster. The higher you go, the better the perks, like priority boarding, discounts on flights and priority seat selection.   
• Card holders and up to eight travel companions travelling on the same reservation get their first checked bag free when your trip starts on an Air Canada flight. 
• In addition to being able to redeem for Air Canada flights, you can redeem your points on a dozen Star Alliance partners like Lufthansa and United. 
• This card has valuable extras like a $100 Nexus fee rebate every two years. 
• The included insurance package is competitive, and includes emergency medical travel coverage for longer than some competitors (21 days, or 4 days for those 65 and older).
• If you’re looking for the absolute best way to get as many Aeroplan points as you can, using the Amex Cobalt and transferring your points at a 1:1 ratio is a better option, but this is our choice for a simple, Aeroplan-specific card.
• Aeroplan is a dynamic chart-based program which means point values can fluctuate based on where and when you’re flying, so it may not be the right program for cardholders looking for simplicity. 
• This card has a slightly higher annual fee ($139) than some other cards in its category.

Best Aeroplan alternative

If you’re currently a CIBC customer, you might find the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite card to be quite comparable. It shares almost identical earn rates and many similar perks (excluding the Nexus rebate). The insurance offerings are quite similar, though the CIBC card provides $5 million in emergency medical coverage, compared to the $2 million offered by the TD card. However, it’s important to note that CIBC’s coverage is limited to 15 days (or 3 days for those 65 and older). CIBC offers a supplementary card for $50, which is $25 less than the TD card.

For WestJet 

At a glance :   With a 1.5% base rate and 2% back on WestJet flights or vacation packages, this card gives travellers a solid tool to take the sting out of the cost of airfare. Add to that competitive perks like an annual round-trip companion voucher and a free first checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions, and you’ve got a card WestJet flyers will want to consider.

WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard

• Annual fee: $119
• Earn rate : 2% back in WestJet dollars on WestJet flights and vacations packages and 1.5% back on all other purchases
• Welcome offer : You can earn up to $450 in WestJet dollars with the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard. Plus, get a Round-Trip Companion Voucher Every Year – for any WestJet destination starting from $119 CAD (plus taxes, fees, charges and other ATC).
• Annual income requirements : Personal income of $80,000 or household income of $150,000
• Point value: 1 WestJet Dollar = $1 CAD when redeemed for eligible flights or vacation packages
• Recommended credit score: None specified
• Interest rates : 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances
• Get one round-trip companion voucher to anywhere WestJet flies annually, which lets you book a companion fare at a reduced rate when you also book a full fare. Or, you can exchange the companion voucher for four airport lounge passes.
• Receive up to three $500 Status Lifts annually, which get you to the next rewards tier faster. The higher your tier, the more benefits you’ll get, like lounge access.
• The WestJet rewards program is simple, without confusing charts or blackout periods. One point equals 1 cent in savings on Westjet flights. 
• You get rewarded for your loyalty—earn 2% on WestJet flights or vacations, which is a higher earn rate for travel bookings than other cards on this list.
• When you use a round-trip companion voucher, the discount only applies to the base rate of the fare. Taxes, airport fees, and air transportation charges remain the same—and these can be quite hefty. 
• WestJet dollars are not transferable to any other airlines or airline programs.

Best no-fee travel credit card

At a glance: One of our best no-fee cards in Canada , the American Express Green Card earns you points on your everyday spending that you can redeem for statement credits, gifts, cards, merchandise or travel, and like the Cobalt, they’re transferable at a 1:1 ratio to other frequent flyer or rewards programs. This is notable because by transferring to a program like Aeroplan, you can boost the value of your points significantly. 

American Express Green Card

• Annual fee: $0
• Earn rate: 1 point for every $1 spent on all purchases and 1 additional point for every $1 spent on hotel or car bookings made on americanexpress.ca.
• Welcome offer: You can earn 10,000 Membership Rewards points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your card in the first three months of cardmembership.
• Points values: 1 Amex Membership Rewards point = $0.01 when redeemed with the Flexible Points Travel Program, $0.015 on average with the Fixed Points Travel Program, and up to $0.02 with airline points transfers.
• You’ll earn a flat rate of 1 point per dollar on all of your everyday spending with no spending limits, and this will be doubled for hotel or car rental bookings made through Amex Travel Online. 
• When you transfer your points to another program, like Aeroplan, you can double their value to 2 cents apiece. A 1.5% to 2% return on your spending is rare for a no-fee card.
• Amex Membership rewards like Experiences allows you to take advantage of curated dining, shopping, and entertainment events, while Front of the Line gets you advance access to tickets.
• There is no included travel insurance nor travel-related perks like lounge or Wi-Fi access with this card, but that’s not unusual for a no-fee card.
• American Express cards are accepted at tens of thousands of locations across Canada and abroad, but there are limitations–mostly in the grocery sector. In Canada, you cannot use an Amex at Costco or Loblaws banner stores.

At a glance: This no-fee travel card offers accelerated earn rates on restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership and household utility purchases, giving you lots of ways to earn points through your everyday spending. Plus, the birthday bonus perk returns 10% of your annual earnings in points. Points are worth $0.01 each when you redeem for travel, and they never expire.

MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard

• Earn rates: Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on eligible groceries, restaurants, digital media, membership and household utility purchases ($10,000 max annual spend) and 1 point per $1 on everything else
• Welcome offer: You can earn 10,000 bonus points ($50 in cash back value). Plus, get 4 points per $1 spent on eligible restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership and household utility purchases during the first 90 days.. (Not available for residents of Quebec.)
• Points values: 1 MBNA Rewards point = $0.01 when redeemed for travel
• Interest rates: 19.99% on purchases, 24.99% on cash advances, 22.99% on balance transfers
• This card comes with an impressive five bonus categories, giving you many opportunities to rack up points. 
• Unique birthday bonus perk returns 10% of your yearly earnings in points so you’ll get an annual boost.
• Includes $1,000 in new mobile device protection.
• The point redemption process isn’t super intuitive or flexible. You have to redeem points on MBNA’s travel portal and can’t transfer points.
• The annual cap on the bonus categories, such as groceries, is $10,000 per category. Any purchases beyond that amount will earn at the base rate of 1 point per $1 spent.
• Unlike a lot of other travel credit cards, this card doesn’t include travel insurance but that’s to be expected in a no-annual-fee card.

Best hotel credit card

At a glance : You’ll earn Marriott Bonvoy points on every purchase you make at the world’s largest hotel conglomerate, redeemable at more than 30 hotel chains (from Marriott and St. Regis to The Ritz-Carlton) in 130 countries. Get service upgrades like free Wi-Fi, spa treatments, dining experiences, or free hotel stays. Points are also transferable to around 40 other airline programs like Aeroplan, Delta SkyMiles and Virgin Atlantic.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

• A nnual fee:  $120
• Earn rates:  5 points per $1 at Marriott properties, 2 points per $1 everywhere else
• Welcome offer:  Earn up to 80,000 points. Offer ends May 6, 2024.
• Point value: 1 Marriott Bonvoy point = $0.0117 on average when redeemed for eligible flights or hotel stays.
• Recommended credit score for approval : 725 or higher
• Interest rates:  20.99% on purchases, 21.99% on cash advances
• You can treat yourself to hotel-related upgrades, services and free nights at hotels, including St. Regis, The Ritz-Carlton and Westin, or for other travel-related expenses like flights or car rentals. Bonvoy points are flexible—you can also use them for merchandise and experiences.
• The base rate of 2 points per dollar is quite good, but your points will really rack up when you earn 5 points per dollar spent on your Marriott hotel stays. 
• This card comes with some valuable perks like one free night’s stay at a Marriott property every year and 15 Elite Night Credits to help you achieve the next level of status.
• If you reach $30,000 in total annual spending on the card, you’ll be upgraded to Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and unlock perks like room upgrades, savings on points redemptions for hotel stays and more.
• As an Amex card, this package gets you Amex benefits like Front of the Line and dining, retail and wellness experiences.
• The value of Marriott Bonvoy points can fluctuate based on a mix of factors—from the hotel you’re staying at to the time of the year—meaning maximizing points and transfer options isn’t always straightforward to newer point collectors. 
• Points are worth less for airline transfers at a 3:1 ratio, meaning you’re missing out on maximizing value for anything other than hotel bookings.
• American Express is less widely accepted than Mastercard or Visa.

Best credit card for premium perks

At a glance: The Amex Platinum gives new meaning to the old saying, “You get what you pay for.” In this case, the $799 annual fee pays for itself through a smorgasbord of incredible perks. Your travel experience will be transformed with unlimited airport lounge access, partnerships at Fine Hotel + Resorts properties, and priority treatment at Toronto Pearson Airport. The many perks—like several hundred dollars worth of annual travel and dining credits and a Nexus fee rebate—go a long way toward offsetting the price tag.

American Express Platinum

• Annual fee: $799
• Rewards: 2 points per $1 on dining and food delivery; 2 points per $1 on travel, plus 1 additional point on purchases booked through Amex Travel Online; 1 point per $1 on everything else.
• Welcome bonus: You can earn up to 100,000 rewards points ($1,000 value). Conditions apply.
• Recommended credit score: 760 or higher
• Interest rates: N/A (as a charge card, you’re required to pay off your balance in full every month)
• You’ll get a $200 travel credit each year that can be redeemed towards a travel purchase made through American Express Travel Online. Spend your additional annual $200 dining credit at select restaurants around the world, including 100 in Canada.  
• Get access to The American Express Global Lounge Collection composed of more than 1,300 lounges in over 140 countries, including American Express Centurion Lounges, Plaza Premium and Delta Sky lounges. Cardholders may have unlimited free visits and companion passes at no additional cost, depending on the lounge.
• Automatically achieve the higher tier in the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy hotel programs.
• Obtain personalized assistance through Platinum Concierge service. The concierge can make restaurant reservations, obtain tickets to special events, book services for you, and more—at no additional cost to you. 
• Because the Platinum is a charge card, high-volume spenders are not restricted by a conventional credit limit.
• Additional cards cost $250 each annually. 
• Given the annual fee, the travel medical insurance is lackluster. Whereas some cards offer 20 days or more, this card only covers you for up to 15 consecutive days and doesn’t offer any insurance to those who are 65 or older.
• Charge whatever you want to the card (there’s no credit limit), but because it’s a charge card, you’re required to pay off the balance in full every month.

Best travel credit card for students

At a glance: The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for Students bundles the ability to earn Aeroplan rewards with a few travel benefits and student-friendly perks to deliver a competitive package for no annual fee.

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for Students

• Earn rates: 1 point per $1 spent on gas and EV charging, groceries and Air Canada purchases, and 1 point per $1.50 on everything else
• Welcome offer: Earn 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase ($200 value).
• Interest rates: 20.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (21.99% in Quebec)
• You can use your points on any available Air Canada seat and there are no blackout dates. Plus, you can use your points with any of Aeroplan’s many partners such as United and Aer Lingus.
• Aeroplan points are worth a lot compared to those of other programs, and they can be redeemed for flights with multiple airlines, not just Air Canada. 
• You can often get preferred pricing so you can often book flights using fewer points and you can pay for flight rewards with a combination of points and cash.
• A free SPC membership is included, giving you access to discounts and giveaways, and you’ll save up to 10 cents off per litre when you buy gas at participating stations with Journie Rewards.
• You’ll have common carrier accident coverage, car rental collision and loss damage protection and purchase protection.
• Unlike other Aeroplan cards, you won’t earn Status Qualifying Miles on your everyday purchases. 
• The Aeroplan points program isn’t the most intuitive to understand, especially for first-time card holders, because point values fluctuate based on a regional chart.

At a glance: The no-fee TD Rewards Visa combines the ability to earn flexible travel rewards points with other student-friendly perks like bundled banking services. Although TD Rewards points are worth less than some other loyalty programs, the earn rate is fairly generous across everyday spending categories giving you lots of opportunities to earn.

TD Rewards Visa Card

• Earn rates: 4 TD Rewards points per $1 spent on travel purchases made through Expedia for TD , 3 points per $1 on groceries and at restaurants, 2 points per $1 on recurring bill payments, and 1 point on all other purchases
• Welcome offer: You can earn a value of $50 in TD Rewards Points to use on eligible Amazon.ca purchases, plus no annual fee. Conditions apply. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.
• Point value: 1 TD Rewards point = $0.005 when redeemed for travel via Expedia For TD or $0.004 when redeemed through other providers and websites
• Recommended credit score: 660 or higher
• Interest rates: 19.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances and 22.99% on balance transfers
• You can quadruple your points by simply booking travel through Expedia for TD, but bookings made elsewhere still earn at a rate of 1 point per dollar and there’s no limit to how many points you can earn on travel.
• In addition to travel rewards like flights or hotels, you can redeem your points for Amazon purchases, or put them towards statement credits to cover your balance. 
• You’ll enjoy student-friendly perks and discounts at partners including Amazon, Starbucks, and Uber.
• Point values are easy-to-understand: 200 points always equals $1 in travel rewards booked on Expedia. 
• The boosted spending categories for grocery and restaurants, and recurring bill payments are capped at a $5,000 annual spend so after that, you’ll earn at the 1 point per dollar base rate.
• Travel insurance isn’t included with this card, so you’d have to pay extra to cover yourself.

How we determine the best travel credit cards

Our editors apply their credit card expertise and knowledge of Canadians’ financial goals to come up with selection criteria that matches the needs of the intended cardholder. For travel credit cards, your return on spending is a key consideration, because it represents the value of the points you are earning with every purchase. We consider annual fees and eligibility criteria (for student cards), perks and insurance (for premium cards) and other factors, specific to the category. The addition of links from affiliate partners has no bearing on the results. Read more about our selection process and about how MoneySense makes money .

Frequently asked questions

The best travel credit card will depend on your needs, travel habits and how you intend to use the card. The American Express Cobalt , for example, is our pick for the best overall travel rewards credit card because you have the ability to earn rewards at a high rate across everyday purchases. The Scotia Gold Amex is a close second, because of its high earn rates and strong insurance package.

The most common types of travel points programs are consistent or chart-based. With consistent rewards programs, the value of the points is always the same. For example, BMO Ascend World Elite users earn BMO Rewards points, for which 150 points equals $1 in travel rewards. Point values in chart-based programs depend on variables like the destination, ticket price and time of travel. Points redemption for the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite are based on Aeroplan’s dynamic redemption chart. Consistent points programs are ideal if you want a simple redemption process. Chart-based programs are more complex, but potentially more valuable.

Different types of travel credit cards 

Generic travel rewards credit cards.

Some credit cards offer you the ability to earn rewards on everyday purchases and other purchase categories, which can be redeemed towards a wide variety of things, including travel. This means you are not necessarily limited to booking through certain airlines when redeeming your points on flights. You may also be able to transfer your credit card points to an airline rewards program, such as with the American Express Cobalt .

Airline rewards credit cards

Some travel credit cards offer rewards with specific airlines where your points’ redemption values may vary, such as the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card. When you accumulate enough points, you can book a flight or vacation package with affiliated airlines like WestJet or Air Canada. Keep in mind though that the value of your points can depend on the date of your flight and your destination. 

Hotel rewards credit cards

Hotel rewards credit cards offer you the ability to redeem your points towards a hotel stay, and to earn points when you book at affiliated hotels like Marriott or Delta, or earn perks such as room upgrades or free breakfasts when you book eligible hotel stays. If you frequently book hotels for work or travel, consider a hotel rewards credit card like the Marriott Bonvoy American Express .

Travel credit card features 

Some important features to look out for in travel credit cards, besides points value and your booking redemption options (flights, hotels, cars), include: 

• Travel insurance coverage for medical issues or trip delays. Most credit card travel insurance programs cover you up to 15 days and tend to be more limited for those over the age of 65, but there are exceptions. (Read about how to know if your credit card comes with enough travel insurance coverage .)
• Airport lounge access for free or discounted lounge passes through Priority Pass, Visa Airport Companion Program, Dragon Pass and others. 
• Hotel discounts, like discounts at Marriott hotels. 

Whether the card charges you foreign transaction fees while you are abroad, on top of regular exchange rates. These fees can be as high as an added 2.5% on every purchase.

What travel points program is best?

Not all travel reward programs are created equal. So how do you choose the right one for you? 

First, it’s important to understand that travel rewards programs can be broken down into two basic types: Consistent and chart-based.

It’s worth noting that in rare cases, like the American Express Membership Rewards Program, you might get to choose to redeem points for travel based on either a consistent system or as a chart-based system.

Many of the big banks offer consistent points travel reward programs. They’re aimed at people who want to operate within a simple program that has an easy-to-understand redemption process; people who dislike complicated programs will appreciate these. Chart-based programs can be considerably more complicated—but also potentially more valuable. Since the number of points needed to redeem for a flight isn’t consistent, using the rewards chart strategically can help you stretch the value of your points and net a higher return when flying on certain routes, or even when booking premium seats or business class. These programs are more popular with personal finance enthusiasts and left-brain thinkers.

Compare travel credit cards rewards points values 

How many travel rewards points do you need for a flight , how many avion points you need for a flight.

Premium Avion cardholders need at least 15,000 points for a flight within or near your province or territory, at least 35,000 points for a flight within North America, 65,000 points for a flight to Europe and 100,000 points for other destinations around the globe. 

How many Amex points you need for a flight 

Using the American Express Fixed Points Program, you’d need at least 15,000 points for a short flight within North America, 20,000 points for a flight from a Canadian province or territory to a nearby U.S. State, 40,000 points for a longer North American route, 50,000 points for a vacation destination and at least 60,000 points for Europe or 100,000 points for other continents. 

How many Aeroplan points you need for a flight

Aeroplan’s chart system uses Miles to measure the minimum point redemptions. For shorter flights within North America, you’d need at least 6,000-22,500 points for an Economy flight, 35,000-70,000 points for North America and Atlantic zones, and so on. 

How many Scene points you need for a flight

1 point is worth 1 cent. For a $300 airline ticket, you’d need 300,000 Scene points. 

How many BMO Rewards points you need for a flight

You can redeem your points for a statement credit towards flights. 1 BMO Rewards point is worth 0.7 of a cent in travel rewards.

How many TD points you need for a flight

You need a minimum of 200 points for a redemption through Expedia for TD. 1 TD Rewards point is worth 0.5 cents in travel rewards. 

How many MBNA rewards points you need for a flight

You can redeem a minimum of 10,000 points for a $100 statement credit on travel. 

Do travel credit card points expire? 

Some travel rewards points expire after a certain period of inactivity, while others do not. For example, Aeroplan points expire after 18 months of inactivity, and Marriott Bonvoy points expire after 24 months, while WestJet dollars generally do not expire, unless they were earned during certain promotions or other circumstances. To avoid having your points expire, you can book hotels with your points, buy products through the loyalty program’s store, transfer points from another program or to a family member, in some cases, and more.

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More of Canada’s best credit cards :

• Best credit cards in Canada
• Best rewards credit cards
• Best cash back credit cards
• Best no fee credit cards
• Best low interest credit cards
• Best balance transfer credit cards
• Best student credit cards

Table of contents

• Compare travel cards at a glance
• Best travel cards by category
• About travel cards
• Also read: Best cash back cards

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About Keph Senett

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Travel rewards credit cards in Canada

The best travel rewards credit cards let you earn points with your everyday credit card spending and enjoy free flights, airport lounge access, upgrades and other perks..

In this guide

How do travel credit cards with rewards work?

How to compare the best credit cards for travel rewards, why get a travel credit card, compare more travel rewards credit cards, the 3 types of travel points programs offering credit cards in canada, compare travel points credit cards from popular rewards programs, how to decide which travel rewards program to join, how to compare credit cards with travel points, how to redeem travel rewards points, how to recover travel miles or points with frequent flyer programs, how can i get a companion certificate or travel credit, what else should i consider when using a travel credit card, what is trip delay insurance, how to get trip delay insurance, how to get bonus points with a travel credit card, 4 tips to maximize travel rewards credit card perks for vacation, bottom line, best travel credit cards faqs.

With a powerful travel rewards credit card, you can be rewarded for your spending and earn points so you can travel for free sooner. As well as points, some travel credit cards offer other travel perks, including free travel insurance, free airport lounge access and flight vouchers for your traveling companion.

But which travel rewards credit card are popular? Find out how credit cards with travel rewards work in this comprehensive guide and compare travel credit cards in Canada.

Popular travel rewards credit cards in Canada by category

The best travel credit cards allow you to quickly earn rewards so you can take your next trip sooner. They’ll also come with low (or no) annual fees and little or no foreign exchange fee. Here are some popular travel rewards credit cards by category.

Travel rewards credit cards give you a way to earn points on your everyday spending by offering a set number of points for every dollar spent (such as 1 point for $1 spent or 1 point for $2 spent) on eligible purchases. This means the more you spend, the more points you can rack up. There are different ways to earn and redeem reward points depending on the type of credit card you choose and the rewards offered by the provider.

Some travel points credit cards send points directly to your account and other rewards credit cards allow you to transfer points to a variety of other eligible travel reward accounts. Your card may also have tiered earn rates – different earn rates depending on the type of purchase – and points caps that reduce or limit points earnings after you spend a certain amount each statement period. As your points are debited to your account, you can redeem them for a variety of rewards including flights, upgrades, accommodation and plenty of other perks.

When you’re searching for the best travel rewards credit cards, there are two different options to consider:

With a large variety of travel points credit cards in Canada, you have plenty of options to discover a card that suits your travel goals and financial circumstances. You should compare the following key factors when choosing the best travel rewards credit card for you:

• The travel credit card rewards program. Choosing a credit card that earns points for a specific travel program you already use will help you maximize your rewards. For example, if you exclusively fly with WestJet, you wouldn’t get as much value from a card that offered British Airways points. If you don’t belong to a program yet, think about which airline(s) you travel with the most and look at their loyalty program options.
• Points earning rate. Check the standard rate of points you’ll earn for each dollar spent on the card. Be aware that a different earn rate could apply for certain types of spending, such as overseas purchases. There are usually some transactions that won’t earn points – such as cash advances and gambling transactions – and there may be a limit to the points you can earn each month or year, so make sure you check restrictions for the cards you’re comparing.
• Reward values. Consider the types of rewards you want to claim, the number of points you’ll need and how much you’d have to spend to redeem your preferred reward. Check how these values measure up between programs, so you can apply for the card that offers the greatest value based on your spending and reward goals.
• Annual fee. Ideally, the card’s annual fee should cost less than the rewards and any complimentary extras that you intend to use. If you don’t reap these rewards, it may not be worth paying a high annual fee for the card.
• Promotional rates and features. Travel rewards credit cards sometimes have promotions for new customers, such as bonus points, 0% purchase rates or no annual fee for the first year. These benefits can add value to the card that you choose, but make sure you read the terms and conditions and confirm the length of the introductory period so that these offers work for you.
• Complimentary extras. Travel rewards credit cards often come with a selection of complimentary extras such as international travel insurance, extended warranties, concierge services and airline lounge access. The value of these perks can be used to offset the cost of the annual fee of the credit card, as long as you know you will actually use them.
• Foreign transaction fee. The best travel credit cards may come with no foreign transaction fees. Skipping this fee means saving around 2.5% on every purchase made abroad and with foreign online merchants.
• Secured vs. unsecured. You’ll need to put down a security deposit to open a secured card, but you might have more products to choose from. Meanwhile, you don’t need a security deposit for an unsecured card, but you might have fewer options.

If you’re interested in getting a travel rewards credit card, weigh up these pros and cons to decide if it will be worth it for you:

• Redeem flights and travel upgrades faster. If you’re earning points every time you spend with your credit card, you can maximize the number of points you’re earning and reach your reward goals faster. Points can likely be used toward both domestic and international flights, as well as perks like business class upgrades, seat upgrades, dining upgrades and airport lounge access.
• Sign-up bonus points. Some credit cards offer introductory bonus points as an incentive for new customers to sign up. Depending on the card, you could earn up to 100,000 bonus points (or more) when you meet the spend requirement. Not only will this give your points balance a boost, but it’s also another way you can redeem rewards more quickly.
• Large range of rewards. The best travel rewards credit cards let you redeem the points you earn for rewards including flights with your preferred airline and its partners, hotels, online shopping and more.
• Travel perks. Designed to suit frequent flyers and travellers, these cards often come with extra features such as flight vouchers, airport lounge passes and 24/7 concierge services.
• Complimentary insurance. Many travel rewards credit cards come with complimentary travel insurance, which can help you save on stand-alone insurance costs when you’re travelling.
• High interest rates. Travel rewards credit cards often come with less competitive interest rates than other cards and are suited to cardholders who consistently pay off their balance each month and can avoid the high interest charges.
• Expensive annual fees. Travel rewards credit cards typically come with higher annual fees than standard credit card options. Make sure that the value of the points you can earn and the extra features of the card outweigh the annual fee.
• Temptation to spend. If you struggle to repay your credit card on time each month or you need to consolidate debt, a travel rewards credit card might tempt you to spend for the sake of receiving points. If you are struggling to pay off existing debt, you might want to consider a card designed for balance transfers instead.
• Airline and flight restrictions. If you want to use points for flights or upgrades, you will likely be limited to a specific airline or alliance of airlines. There may also be blackout dates or limited availability for reward flights and upgrades.
• Offer requirements. Travel rewards credit cards that come with introductory offers or complimentary insurance may have specific spending requirements you need to meet to enjoy these benefits. Make sure that the spend requirement is realistic with your budget and monthly spending.

There are three main types of travel rewards programs in Canada that offer credit cards. The one that’s the right fit for you will depend on how many miles you want to earn and what you’re looking to get out of the program.

1. Standalone travel rewards programs

Standalone programs require a membership to participate and let you earn miles when you shop with partners and online retailers. You can also use your program-affiliated credit card to earn travel rewards.

• Air Miles. Air Miles is one of the biggest travel points programs in Canada and offers the chance for members to earn miles on everyday purchases like gas, groceries and pharmacy purchases. It works primarily with banking partners BMO and Amex to offer basic and premium credit cards to fit any budget.

2. Bank-affiliated travel credit card rewards programs

Bank-affiliated programs are linked to a specific bank and don’t require a membership to participate. These programs don’t tend to have partners, so you’ll only be able to earn travel rewards when you shop with your bank-affiliated credit card.

• Aventura. Aventura is tied exclusively to the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) . It doesn’t have any partners, so it can take more time to earn points for purchases. The selling point of this program is that your points will be more flexible and you may get better customer service if you run into issues with your account.
• Avion. Avion is operated by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and doesn’t require a membership to participate. Instead, you have to sign up for an Avion credit card to earn points for making everyday purchases. One of the best features of this program is that the rewards are fairly flexible and RBC offers a decent level of customer service.

3. Airline-affiliated travel rewards programs

Airline-specific cards are affiliated directly with certain airlines and don’t require a membership to participate. However, you will need to have a program-affiliated credit card to earn points.

• Aeroplan. The Aeroplan travel rewards program is owned by Air Canada, and is one of the most popular travel points programs in Canada. It offers the chance for members to earn more miles on travel-related purchases or for merchandise in Aeroplan’s eStore. It currently works with banking partners CIBC, TD and Amex to offer a wide range of Aeroplan credit cards.
• Other airline-specific programs. There are a number of other frequent flyer programs that work with specific airlines such as WestJet and Alaska Airlines. You’ll need a program-specific credit card to earn points with these programs. You’ll typically only be able to cash your points in for flights and other travel-related rewards, but you’ll often get a nice suite of travel perks to use with the airline itself.

Before you decide which travel points program to join, it makes sense to think about the following features to make sure you pick the best fit for you:

• Earn rate. Find out how many miles you’ll earn for spending money on your card, and try to track down a program that offers double the miles for shopping with partners.
• Value of miles. Think about how much each mile is worth with each program and calculate the value in relation to your earn rate. Learn more in our guide to calculating the value of credit card reward points .
• More chances to earn. Aim to choose a program that offers special promotions and a wider network of partners to help you earn miles.
• Types of rewards. Look at each program’s “rewards store” to find out what you can use your miles to purchase.
• Available credit cards. Take time to compare the credit cards affiliated with each program to make sure you pick the best fit for you.
• Customer service. Consider customer reviews for each program to figure out which one offers the highest level of customer service.

If you’ve settled on a travel points program and you’re ready to pick a card, be sure to ask the following questions before making your choice.

• How many miles will I earn? Think about how many miles you’ll get for each purchase and pick the card that will give you the highest return for the most affordable fee.
• How big is the welcome bonus? Sign up for the card that gives you the best welcome bonus, with an annual fee that matches your budget.
• Will I get the benefits I want? Think about what kind of perks and benefits you think you’ll use most frequently and get the card that offers the most practical options.
• What will my interest rates be? Calculate what you’ll have to pay in interest on outstanding balances and avoid paying more than 19.99%.
• Will I have to pay an annual fee? Find out how much you’ll have to pay for your card and read the fine print to see if there are any other fees you should be aware of. Make sure you use your card enough to earn enough points or miles to justify the annual fee.

Once you’ve earned enough points, you can redeem them for a variety of rewards, depending on the provider. Popular rewards you could redeem with your travel rewards program include flights, gift vouchers and hotels. The number of points you need for a reward varies depending on the travel rewards program and the type of reward you choose.

How do I redeem points?

• Log in to your rewards account
• Check your point balance to see how many points you have to use
• Select the “Redeem” option
• Choose the type of redemption you want to make (e.g. “flights”)
• Select the specific option you want (e.g. single flight from Toronto to Montreal)
• Follow the prompts to book or secure the reward
• Confirm the redemption

Some travel rewards credit cards also give you a “points plus pay” option, which means you can use a combination of points and cash to redeem your reward.

There are four main frequent flyer programs in Canada and each one has a different policy when dealing with the recovery of points or frequent flyer programs.

How to recover travel miles with airlines

How to recover points or miles with hotels, what credit card transactions don’t earn points.

The list of transactions that do and don’t earn points when you use a travel rewards credit card varies between providers and products. The following are some of the most common exclusions:

• Cash advance transactions
• Balance transfers
• Gambling charges
• Purchasing foreign currency
• Account fees
• Reversed transactions
• Government payments
• Some monthly bills

This depends on the card, and they usually have these perks listed in the terms and conditions. You can also call to find out how your card distributes companion certificates or travel credits. Possible ways include:

• An annual benefit. Many credit cards give you up until 12 months or the end of the calendar year to redeem travel credits. That means these benefits can’t be rolled over to be used the next year.
• An earned perk. In some cases, you have to meet a spending requirement, usually thousands of dollars a year, before you can use your flight or travel credit.
• By request. You may have to request a companion certificate before you can use it. This could take time, so make sure you make your request before the certificate expires.
• To use with an eligible travel partner. Read the fine print to see if your travel credit or companion certificate is limited to a specific airline.
• Beware of currency conversion fees. Currency conversion fees, also known as a Dynamic currency conversion (or DCC), can easily be avoided by always paying in the local currency instead of having the merchant charge you in Canadian dollars. Paying in the local currency could mean you’ll face a poor exchange rate and additional fees.
• Avoid ATM withdrawals with your credit card. Carrying cash while travelling comes with its own risks, so storing your funds on a card can be handy. However, using a regular card can come at a cost of up to $5 per ATM withdrawal – not to mention the excruciatingly high interest rate you’ll be charged from the day you withdraw the money. Using your debit card means you can avoid paying interest. To avoid the withdrawal fee, search for a debit card that waives this charge or look for a card that is a member of an international ATM alliance such as Scotiabank .
• Protect yourself. Currency fluctuations can have either a positive or negative impact on your balance. If you’re worried about losing money due to fluctuating exchange rates, you can withdraw cash and exchange your funds to the local currency when it’s at a beneficial rate.
• Know the relevant fees and charges. Carefully consider the fees and charges associated with a credit card before applying like foreign transaction, annual fees and overlimit fees. You should also consider any terms and conditions or exclusions and limits associated with complimentary insurances before travelling.
• Notify your bank. In case your bank misjudges your overseas transactions as fraudulent activity, you should always call and inform your provider of your travel plans before leaving. Otherwise, you may find that your card is blocked and you no longer have access to your funds while overseas. Some banks allow you to notify them of your travel plans via online banking.
• Beware of geographical sanctions. Some providers place financial sanctions on certain regions due to political instability or illegal activity. If you’re unsure, contact your provider or read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement to confirm whether you can use your card on your next trip.

Trip insurance offers reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred during delays on eligible forms of transportation. For example, if your flight is unexpectedly delayed until the following day, you could be reimbursed for hotel costs, meals and whatever personal items you might need to wait out the delay up to a maximum amount.

What’s the difference between trip delays, trip cancellations and trip interruptions?

Trip delays, cancellations and interruptions are not treated the same way by insurance providers. Most credit card providers split up the details of these types of coverage under 3 separate sections of its policies.

• Trip delay. Covers expenses incurred from flight delays that last longer than a certain number of hours, assuming no reasonable alternative form of transportation exists.
• Trip cancellation. Covers expenses incurred when you have to cancel a trip due to an emergency. Eligible emergencies could include severe illness or death of the insured or his/her travel companion, missed flight connections, business meeting cancellations or travel warnings issued by the Government of Canada.
• Trip interruption. Covers expenses incurred from having to return home from a trip unexpectedly due to an emergency such as the insured or his/her travel companion getting sick or passing away.

Exact coverage and eligible expenses will vary depending on the card issuer, the specific credit card and other factors. Check with a provider to find out this information before registering for any card.

What expenses does trip delay insurance cover?

Here are common items that trip delay insurance might reimburse you for. Eligible expenses vary by provider. Check your card’s benefits guide to confirm.

What you should know about trip delay insurance

• Pay for your fare with your credit card. With most providers, you’ll qualify if you pay for at least a portion of your fare with your card. Some providers require you to pay for your entire fare with your card.
• It’s valid for common-carrier travel. Typically this term refers to major public transportation that requires a purchased ticket. It might not include taxis, rental vehicles or limousines. And your provider might bar other forms of transportation such as commuter buses.
• There will be a maximum amount of coverage per purchased ticket. This is often $500, but could be as high as several thousand dollars depending on the card.
• Your travel must be delayed for a covered reason. Reasons might include poor weather, equipment failure or labor strikes. But it doesn’t include mishaps such as oversleeping or getting stuck in traffic.
• Your travel must be delayed by a significant amount of time. This usually means it’s delayed by more than 4-12 hours or you’re grounded overnight.
• Your travel companion(s) may be covered as well. Some policies allow you to insure the people you’re travelling with , so that coverage extends to them as well. However, not all cards offer this option or it may cost extra.

Travel insurance providers offer policies that cover trip delays. But you can get trip delay insurance at no additional cost with certain credit cards such as: Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card , Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card , Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card , Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card , and Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card to name a few.

Many travel rewards credit cards will offer introductory bonus points in order to get you to sign-up for the card. Some cards will offer 50,000 or even 100,000 bonus points as an introductory bonus, which can sometimes be enough to get you to another continent by only using your points. While this may sound like a great offer, you typically have to spend a certain amount of money within a given time period in order to qualify for the full set of points.

For example, if you read the fine print of the offer, you may discover that you must spend $5,000 in one month in order to qualify for the points. Although you may manage to spend this in one month, you may also discover that only “eligible purchases” qualify for the points. So while everyday purchases like groceries, gas and clothes may count towards the $5,000 total, other purchases like cash advances or payments for certain bills via your credit card may not count. Always be aware of the terms and conditions of a credit card before you commit to a new card.

How do bonus point offers work?

• New customers. Most offers of bonus points apply to people who don’t have existing credit cards with the provider. Some providers also specify that you must not have had an active account with them in the past 12 months to be classified as a “new customer” who is eligible for a bonus points offer.
• Promotional period. You usually have to apply for the card by an offer end date in order to be eligible for bonus points.
• Spending requirement. If you’re approved for a card with a bonus point offer, you may be required to spend a certain amount on the card within a given period of time. For example, $5,000 of purchases within three months of card approval.

1. Redeem your travel card rewards points

If you have a travel points credit card, you can redeem your points for things like flights, accommodation, car rentals and even vacation packages. Just make sure you check the rewards program’s terms and conditions for point expiry and blackout periods. If don’t have enough points to redeem for a flight, consider using your miles to upgrade your airfare instead. Even if your rewards credit card doesn’t directly earn airline miles, you may have the option of transferring rewards points to your frequent flyer account and then using them for an upgrade.

2. Enjoy airport lounge access

Many premium credit cards offer complimentary airport lounge access . This perk allows you to escape the usual airport craziness for some relaxation and pampering before your long weekend flights. Some example credit cards in Canada offering lounge access include the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard and the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card .

3. Use a companion voucher

Some credit cards offer a companion voucher as an annual account benefit or as a reward you can earn, giving your companion a way to fly without paying for the airfare (usually except for fees and taxes) or for a very reduced price. Some of the cards that provide this complimentary extra include American Express AIR MILES Reserve Credit Card and TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card . Note that most of these cards are premium credit cards and they have specific eligibility requirements for claiming your companion voucher.

4. Get insider info from a concierge

A popular feature of premium credit cards, concierge services can provide you with ideas for everything from holiday bookings to restaurant reservations, entertainment tickets and shopping recommendations. These services can usually be accessed at any time, anywhere in the world. So even if you’re planning a staycation, taking advantage of concierge services could help plan your fun and provide exclusive invitations to events you might have otherwise missed out on.

There’s a wide range of basic and premium travel credit cards offering travel rewards for you to choose from. These cards are designed to help you save money on flights and other travel-related rewards. One way to earn more miles is to pay a higher annual fee on your credit card. Another is to shop around for a credit card that offers the best combination of features to suit your unique set of needs and lifestyle.

Are credit cards worth it for travel points?

It depends on how you use your card. If you only use your card for occasional purchases, or if you don't pay off your balance in full each month, you may not earn enough travel points to justify the card's annual fee and high interest rate. But if you find a card with a high rewards earn rate and use it for a wide range of regular purchases, and also make sure to pay your full balance each month, travel rewards cards can definitely be worth it.

How do points caps work?

Some cards come with spend caps, meaning you might be able to only earn a certain number of points per statement period. For example, you may only be able to earn up to 7,500 points per statement period. After you have reached this cap, you'll either continue to earn points at a reduced earn rate or will be unable to earn points until the next statement period.

Check your credit card's terms and conditions for details of points caps and consider whether it could impact your points earning potential. For example, if you have a card that earns 1 point per $1 up to 7,500 points per month, you would only be affected by the cap if you spend over $7,500 each month.

Can I cancel my travel credit card after receiving a bonus points offer?

In most cases, you can cancel the credit card with no additional fees or charges after receiving your bonus points so long as you have paid off your balance in full. However, you may be charged the annual fee or a percentage of that fee based on how long the account has been active. If your credit card has $0 annual fee for the first year and you cancel within the first 12 months, you may be able to avoid this. Check with your provider to find out if fees will apply.

Can I earn points across different travel rewards programs?

This is possible with a credit card reward program that allows you to transfer reward points into travel rewards points. Make sure you check the transfer rate for these cards though as you may "lose" points when exchanging them to different travel rewards programs. Alternatively, if you have a direct earn travel rewards card, the associated airline partners and alliances let you use your points to travel with other airline partners. [/fin_accordion]

As a general rule, most travel reward points cannot be redeemed after they have expired. Some will expire after a certain amount of time, whereas others will expire if your rewards account has remained inactive (meaning you haven't earned or redeemed any points) over a particular period of time. Check with the travel rewards program to confirm when and how your points expire so you can use them while they're still valid.

How do I get complimentary access to lounges?

A selection of premium credit cards offer access to airport lounges, including most travel rewards credit cards.

What is the best credit card for travelling?

There's no best credit card to earn points for travel for every person. This is because everyone has a unique set of needs and lifestyle that will demand different features in a credit card. The best card for you will be one that fits your budget, offers practical benefits and gives you a decent return on points.

How do I get the most travel rewards?

Start by looking for the travel rewards credit card with the highest earn rate and check the value of the points you earn. Then it's a matter of using your card for your regular purchases as well as any other eligible purchases that let you earn points at an accelerated rate. At the same time, you need to be careful not to fall into the trap of overspending with your card.

Is it worth getting a prepaid travel card?

Prepaid travel cards are well worth considering if you're planning an overseas vacation, but they have a mix of pros and cons. On the plus side, they're an easy and safe alternative to carrying a large amount of cash, you can load them with multiple currencies, and they can help you secure a better exchange rate before your trip. However, you'll need to watch out for card fees and transaction fees, and make sure you have enough funds loaded to your card to cover all your travel expenses.

Which frequent flyer program should I get my credit card with?

Only you can know which frequent flyer program best suits your needs. As a starting point, you could try to think about what you want to get out of the program.

For example, do you want to earn double the miles on your purchases? Then it could make sense to go with Aeroplan or AIR MILES. Do you want more flexible rewards? Then a bank-affiliated program like Avion or Aventura might be a better fit. Are you looking to earn miles with a specific airline? Perhaps an airline-affiliated card is the right choice for you.

Think about what's most important to you to help determine which program is the best fit.

Can I apply for a travel rewards credit card online?

Yes. You can apply online for one of the credit cards in the table above by clicking "Go to Site" next to the card you're interested in. These cards don't represent all of the credit cards with airline miles on the market, but they are popular options.

Should I get a travel card now or wait until my credit score is better?

There are actually few high-perk travel cards for consumers with fair credit, so you might have a hard time finding the right product. In that case, there's no shame in waiting until your credit score improves. Once you have a good to excellent score, you'll have access to many stronger cards. Ultimately, the decision rests with you, and it depends on what you're looking for right now.

Is trip delay insurance worth it?

There's no hard-and-fast answer to this. Trip delay insurance is probably most useful if you're a frequent traveler, as there will be more instances in which your trips might be delayed. At the same time, you might find insurance valuable just for peace of mind on an occasional trip.

If you're willing to shop around, there are travel credit cards with annual fees under $100/year that come with trip delay insurance. However, keep in mind that the most comprehensive insurance policies usually come with premium cards that charge higher annual fees.

Will I earn rewards for a balance transfer to my travel card?

No. You'll only earn rewards points or miles for eligible purchases.

Do all travel credit cards have annual fees?

No. You'll find a few no annual fee travel cards, but for the best rewards and benefits, however, you'll need to pay an annual fee — typically $99 and up. Some of these travel cards do come with perks such as travel and baggage insurance, trip delay and car rental insurance and free checked bags.

Will my travel rewards expire?

It depends on the rewards program. Rewards are more likely to expire for hotel and airline cards. Check your cards terms and conditions to learn about your specific rewards program.

Sally McMullen

Sally McMullen is Finder's credit cards and frequent flyer editor by day and a music maven by night. She's also one half of the Pocket Money podcast. Her byline can be spotted on Yahoo Finance, Dynamic Business, Financy and Mamamia as well as Music Feeds and Rolling Stone. Sally has a first-class Honours degree in Communications and Media Studies (majoring in Journalism and Professional Writing) from the University of Wollongong.

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• Tech Stocks What are tech stocks?  Tech stocks represent partial ownership in companies that produce, distribute, manufacture, and research new technology. The sector is vast and ever-changing with plenty of exciting opportunities for growth. Some examples of tech companies include:  Artificial intelligence Blockchain Cybersecurity Computers and software Cloud services The internet The internet-of-things (IoT) Self-driving technologies Semiconductors Smartphones Why invest in tech stocks?  The tech sector isn’t as stable as, say, banking. But that’s not always a bad thing. Tech companies, from startups to big corporations, often promise significant growth. And with new technologies moving as fast as they have in the last few decades, that growth could be exponentially large.  Tech stocks can also help you diversify your investment portfolio. Investing in tech companies exposes you to a different sector in the market, helping you capitalize on gains, as well as minimize overall losses when market downturns affect other sectors. One example of diversification in action: tech stocks performed fairly well during the recent pandemic-induced recession, whereas other sectors, such as banking and energy, took a hit.  Finally, with the sheer amount of great Canadian tech companies, you have plenty of choices between value and growth. If you lean more on…
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Our Top Picks for Travel Credit Cards in Canada

• Latest Posts
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The Motley Fool Canada’s top travel credit card picks at a glance:

Our top pick: scotiabank gold american express card.

See this offer on Scotiabank’s website

Runner-up: American Express Cobalt ® Card

See this offer on American Express’s website

Also consider: American Express ® Aeroplan ® Reserve Card

All of our top travel credit card picks:, scotiabank gold american express card, top overall travel card.

Our Rating:

Open Account

On Scotiabank’s secure website.

• No foreign transaction fees
• Amex Offers and Amex Front of the Line benefits
• Multiple useful insurances including trip cancellation, flight delay, and rental car
• 5x Scene+ points on eligible dining, grocery, and entertainment
• 3x Scene+ points on eligible gas, transit, and streaming services
• 1x Scene+ points on everything else

Welcome bonus

Up to 45,000 Scene+ points (worth up to $450 towards travel)

Read our full Scotiabank Gold American Express Card Review

Annual fee:

Eligibility:.

Credit rating: Good Minimum income: $12,000

American Express Cobalt® Card

Great for racking up rewards.

On American Express’s secure website.

• Earn 1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings via American Express Travel Online
• Get up to $100 USD hotel credit for use on amenities during eligible stays
• Earn 1X point for every $1 in Card purchases everywhere else
• 5x Membership Rewards® points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery; spend cap applies
• 3x Membership Rewards® on eligible streaming subscriptions
• 2X points on eligible ride shares, transit and gas in Canada

In your first year as a new Cobalt Cardmember, earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in net purchases on your card. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year.

Our review of the American Express Cobalt ® Card

Annual Fee:

$155.88 ($12.99 monthly)

Credit rating : Fair

Annual Income : $N/A

American Express® Aeroplan® Reserve Card

Great high-end card for travel rewards and perks.

On American Express’s secure website.

• Priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling with Air Canada
• First checked bag free for up to 9 people travelling on the same reservation on Air Canada flights
• Access to select Air Canada airport lounges for you and a guest on eligible flights, plus access to more than 1,200 Priority Pass airport lounges
• 3X points on eligible purchases made directly with Air Canada® and Air Canada Vacations®
• 2X points on eligible dining and food delivery purchases in Canada
• 1.25x Aeroplan points on everything else

New American Express® Aeroplan® Reserve cardmembers can earn 60,000 Aeroplan points after spending $7,500 in purchases on the card within the first 3 months. Earn 25,000 more Aeroplan points after spending $2,500 in purchases in month 13. That’s up to $2,600 or more in value when you combine your welcome bonus points and card benefits.

New Offer: Cardmembers can now get an extra night free for every 3 consecutive hotel nights redeemed with Aeroplan points. Offer ends December 31, 2024.

Credit rating : Great, Excellent

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Card

Top visa travel rewards and perks.

• Mobile device insurance covering loss, damage, and theft
• $50 annual lifestyle credit
• Earn 10% more rewards when you add an additional authorized user ($50 annually per supplemental user)
• 5x BMO Rewards on eligible groceries, gas, dining, and transit
• 1x BMO Rewards on everything else

Up to 40,000 BMO Rewards points and annual fee waived for 1st year

Credit rating: Very good Minimum income: $60,000 (individual), $100,000 (household)

BMO Air Miles Mastercard

Top-rated no-fee travel card.

• Extended warranty and purchase protection
• 25% discount on rentals from participating National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a Car
• 15% discount at Cirque du Soleil touring Canada and 20% off resident shows in Las Vegas
• 1 BMO AIR MILE for every $25 spent and 3x miles for spend at participating AIR MILES partners.

Earn 800 AIR MILES when you spend $1,000 in the first three months ($80 value)

Credit rating: Good

What is a travel credit card?

Travel credit cards allow you to earn points or miles on eligible purchases, which you can redeem for travel-oriented goods and services. These include airfare, car rentals, hotel stays, vacation packages, and more. They also offer various perks, such as concierge services, airport lounge access, travel-related insurance, and zero foreign transaction fees.

Travel cards are tremendously popular, especially among avid travellers. They provide exceptional deals when it comes to rewards compared to other types of credit cards. The points are generally more valuable when used to cover travel-related expenses than redeemed for gift cards, statement credits, or everyday merchandise.

Due to their exceptional value, travel cards usually charge an annual fee. The annual fee can be pretty steep, but some brands charge reasonable fees or forgo them altogether.

What are the different types of travel cards?

There are several different ways to categorize travel cards. However, the flexibility of their rewards programs is one of the most critical aspects that can help you distinguish them from one another. Travel cards can be characterized as general or co-branded.

With a general card, you can redeem your points for travel-oriented rewards with any airline, hotel chain, vehicle rental agency, etc. You’re not limited to one brand and have numerous options to choose from when you decide to convert your points.

Co-branded cards have a partnership with a specific airline or hotel chain brand. If you hold this type of card, you redeem your points for rewards exclusively with that brand.

How do travel rewards programs work?

A travel card functions very much like a standard points card, but its rewards program is geared toward travel-related goods and services. Each travel card has a unique structure that determines how you can earn and redeem points.

Earning points

Two different models dictate how you collect rewards points on your purchases: a flat earn rate or bonus earn rate .

Under a flat-earn-rate model, you garner the same number of points on every dollar you spend, no matter what you charge to your card. One spending category isn’t more profitable than another, which enables easy and efficient tracking of points.

Under a bonus-earn-rate model, the number of points you collect per dollar varies by the spending category. For example, you might earn two points for every dollar you spend on gas, groceries, and dining and one point for every dollar you spend on everything else.

Redeeming points

How you’re able to redeem your points depends on the redemption model(s) your travel card employs. Some are straightforward, while others are more intricate and will necessitate some time to decipher.

The simplest model is one where the value of each point stays constant, regardless of the reward. This type of model enables you to quickly calculate the exact dollar value of a particular reward and the number of points needed to gain access to it.

Some travel cards come with complex models where the value of each point fluctuates according to the reward. The points’ worth can vary based on factors such as your flight destination, the date of your departure, and whether you use them to cover airfare or accommodation. Under this redemption model, determining the optimal way to utilize your points may entail some research on your part.

Certain travel cards also allow you to transfer your points to other loyalty and frequent flyer programs. In some cases, it’s advantageous to use points through an alternative rewards program, as you can extract more value out of them. Again, you’ll have to crunch some numbers to determine if a transfer is warranted. Still, it’s always nice to have this option available.

What types of perks and benefits do travel cards offer?

Besides lucrative rewards programs, travel cards offer a wide array of perks and benefits, which can save you a nice sum of money and make your trip more enjoyable.

The best travel credit cards come with a travel insurance package, which protects you from trip cancellations, flight delays, theft, accidents, emergency medical care, lost baggage, and more. Travel insurance is a key benefit you should inquire about when scouting for a travel card.

Travel cards routinely offer other perks, including concierge services, airport lounge access, sign-up bonuses, free baggage checks, discounted tickets, hotel and flight upgrades, and priority boarding.

What credit score do you need to get a travel card?

In most cases, you’ll need a credit score of at least 660 before the card issuer approves your application. A score between 660 and 724 is considered a “good” credit score and should be sufficient for most travel cards. However, the minimum credit score required varies; travel cards with top-tier rewards programs and benefits demand higher scores.

Is it worth getting a travel credit card?

Whether it’s worth getting a travel card or not will depend on your lifestyle, budget, and spending habits.

Travel cards are geared primarily to those who frequently travel, as the rewards and perks are skewed heavily toward travel-related goods and services. If exploring the globe is your passion, a travel card can save you a nice chunk of change on flight tickets, hotel stays, car rentals, and other travel expenses. And when you factor in the other perks and benefits you’ll have access to, keeping one in your wallet when you travel is a no-brainer.

Conversely, if you consider yourself primarily a homebody, you’ll find travel cards less appealing. You may be better off with a cash-back card or other rewards card that allows you to redeem points on your everyday shopping. Also, many travel cards charge an annual fee, which may be hard to justify if you don’t take full advantage of all they have to offer.

How can you pick a travel card?

1. decide the type of travel card you want.

The first critical decision you’ll have to make is whether you’d prefer a general card or a co-branded card. A general travel card is an excellent option if you value flexibility — you’ll have an abundance of choices at your disposal when you decide to redeem your points. General cards are ideal if you’re chiefly concerned with keeping your travel costs low. With a wide range of airlines and hotels to choose from, you’re bound to find a deal that fits neatly within your budget.

Suppose you travel routinely with a particular airline or have a preferred hotel brand you book your accommodation with. In that case, you could reap more benefits and cost savings by opting for a co-branded card. You’ll naturally have fewer options when converting your points to rewards, as you’re restricted to a specific brand.

However, co-branded cards often provide superior benefits and perks that general cards don’t offer. These include complimentary lounge access, seat upgrades, free checked bags, priority boarding, and discounted companion fares.

2. Consider your spending habits

Evaluate your spending patterns to see what expenses constitute the bulk of your budget. Ideally, you’ll want a travel card that earns you the most points from these spending categories. That way, you can extract as much value as possible with each purchase you make.

If you can’t find a suitable travel card that aligns with your spending habits, one that employs a flat-rate points model will usually suffice.

3. Compare rewards programs on cards

Evaluating rewards programs is crucial, as you’ll want to ensure you’re getting the most out of the points you earn. Besides browsing the specific travel-oriented rewards a card’s program offers, you should assess the dollar value each point is worth. Determining these values may require diligent research and number crunching, especially since there are several types of loyalty and frequent flyer programs in Canada, each one with a unique points-redemption model.

The most gainful programs offer a ratio of $0.01 per point, so this should be your benchmark. Here’s a quick way to assess how good of a deal you’re getting on a specific redemption:

Step one: Verify the cost of the reward in dollars.

Step two: Find out how many points you need to redeem for the reward.

Step three: Divide the cost in dollars by the number of points required.

For example, suppose a particular reward requires 10,000 points and the dollar value is $85. In this case, each point would be worth $0.0085.

4. Consider the fees

As with any credit card, a crucial factor to examine is the fees you’ll be responsible for paying. The two fees most relevant to travel cards are the annual fee and foreign transaction fees .

Most travel cards’ annual fee ranges from $100 to $150, but some charge higher rates. While you may scoff at the notion of having to pay an exorbitant annual fee, the rewards and benefits travel cards provide can easily offset the cost. Still, if you’re dead set on avoiding yearly fees, travel cards are available that don’t charge one. Bear in mind, though, that the rewards and perks associated with zero-annual fee cards aren’t as lucrative as those found on their pricier counterparts.

Foreign transaction fees should also be on your radar, especially if you’re prone to splurging abroad. The costs can quickly add up, so be sure to select a travel card that eschews foreign transaction fees if you anticipate heavy spending during your trips.

Some offers on The Motley Fool are from our partners — it’s part of how we make money and keep this site going. But does that impact our reviews? Nope. Our commitment is to you. If a product isn’t any good, our review will reflect that, or we won’t list it at all. Also, while we aim to feature the best products available, we do not review every product on the market.

The Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards in Canada 2024

Last Updated on March 14, 2024

Written by Brianna Harrison

Snappy Rates is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the objectivity of our evaluations. Read our disclosure .

Travel rewards credit cards come with various travel benefits, ranging from free annual companion vouchers to travel insurance.

With most credit cards, you can earn points and redeem them for flight tickets or vacation packages.

Travel credit cards are ideal for those who travel often and want to reap the benefits of spending money on their travels and daily purchases.

Below are our top picks of the best travel rewards credit cards in Canada.

Best Travel Credit Cards With An Annual Fee

The following top travel credit cards have an annual fee, though they tend to include many travel benefits that offset the cost, including roundtrip companion vouchers, flight upgrades, travel insurance, and more.

Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card

• Annual fee: $150
• Interest rate: 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances
• Income requirement: $60,000 personal or $100,000 household
• Top features: no FX fees, 6 airport lounge passes, travel insurance

On every purchase with the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card , you earn Scene+ points.

These points can be redeemed for travel purchases, Cineplex purchases, food, drink, and restaurant purchases, and more.

With this Scotiabank travel credit card, you earn:

• 3 Scene+ points for every $1 spent at eligible grocery stores
• 2 Scene+ points for every $1 spent on dining, other grocery purchases, and daily transit
• 2 Scene+ points for every $1 spent at Cineplex and Cineplex.com
• 1 Scene+ point for every $1 spent on everything else

This Scene travel credit card does not charge foreign currency conversion fees, which means you’ll save 2.5% to 3% every time you shop abroad.

You also get a complimentary Visa Airport Companion Program membership plus six complimentary airport lounge visits per year.

As this is a Visa Infinite credit card, you get access to Visa Infinite benefits, including a free concierge service, the Hotel Collection, and Dining and Wine Country program.

8 types of travel insurance come with the card, including travel emergency medical insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and flight delay insurance.

Scotiabank Gold American Express Card

• Annual fee: $120 (waived in the first year)
• Income requirement: $12,000 personal
• Top features: no FX fees, earn Scene+ points on every purchase

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card charges no foreign exchange fees, making it a great travel rewards credit card to use abroad.

You earn a high amount of Scene+ points on each purchase, as follows:

• 6 Scene+ points for every $1 spent at eligible grocery stores
• 5 Scene+ points for every $1 spent on dining, food delivery, other grocery purchases, and entertainment purchases
• 3 Scene+ points for every $1 spent on gas, daily transit, and select streaming services

Since this is an American Express credit card, you get access to Amex Offers and Front of the Line presale tickets.

You also get a discounted Priority Pass membership to over 1,2000 VIP airport lounges worldwide.

9 types of travel and shopping insurance are included, like travel emergency medical insurance, flight delay insurance, travel accident insurance, and purchase security & extended warranty protection.

Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card

• Annual fee: $399
• Interest rate: 9.99% on purchases, 9.99% on cash advances
• Income requirement: N/A
• Top features: no FX fees, 10 free airport lounge passes

With the Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card , you earn 2x Scene+ points on every purchase.

Like the other Scotiabank credit cards on this list, it does not charge foreign transaction fees.

It only has a 9.99% interest rate, which is much lower than all other travel credit cards we reviewed.

Mobile device insurance is included, as well as 10 complimentary airport lounge passes per year.

More benefits include complimentary concierge services, booking travel through Scene+ Travel, and many insurance benefits.

This card includes all other insurance except for purchase security and extended warranty protection, which you can add for an additional fee.

American Express Cobalt Card

• Annual fee: $12.99 monthly
• Interest rate: 20.99% on purchases, 21.99% on cash advances
• Top features: earn & redeem Membership Rewards points

The American Express Cobalt card is a low-fee travel rewards credit card in Canada that makes it easy to earn and redeem Membership Rewards points.

You can use them for discounts on bookings at American Express Travel, eats and drinks, movie tickets, statement credits, and more.

• 5x the points on eats and drinks purchases (up to a combined maximum of $30,000 annually)
• 3x the points on streaming subscriptions
• 2x the points on transit, gas, and travel purchases
• 1x the points on everything else

When you book with American Express Travel, you get an additional Membership Rewards point for every $1 spent.

This card includes a USD $100 hotel credit and hotel upgrades on check-in.

Mobile device insurance and a host of travel insurance are included as well.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card

• Annual fee: $120
• Interest rate: 19.99% on purchases, 21.99% on cash advances
• Top features: earn & redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for free hotel stays and more

The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is perfect for those loyal to staying at Marriott hotels, as all benefits of this card are tailored towards Marriott Bonvoy properties.

On every purchase at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, you earn 5x Marriott Bonvoy points. You earn 2 points for every $1 spent on everything else.

After charging $30,000 in net purchases to your card each year, you’ll automatically be upgraded to Gold Elite status.

As a Marriott Bonvoy member, you can redeem points for free hotel stays or transfer your points to frequent flyer miles.

Flight delay insurance, baggage delay insurance, hotel burglary insurance, and a few other types of protection are all included as well.

You also get access to exclusive offers and events with American Express.

National Bank World Elite Mastercard

• Annual fee: $150 (first year rebated)
• Interest rate: 20.99% on purchases, 22.49% on cash advances
• Income requirement: $80,000 personal or $150,000 household
• Top features: unlimited airport lounge access, full coverage travel insurance

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard earns you points on every purchase, which can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, statement balances, merchandise, and more at the online boutique.

You can earn:

• 5 points per $1 spent on groceries and restaurants (up to $2,500 monthly)
• 2 points per $1 spent on a la carte travel bookings, recurring bill payments, and gas & EV charging
• 1 point per $1 spent on everything else

This is one of the best travel credit cards in Canada for lounge access.

As a World Elite Mastercard cardholder, you get free, unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montréal-Trudeau Airport. If you live in Montreal, this is a steal!

Also included with this credit card is a wide range of travel insurance, including out-of-province hospital medical insurance, flight cancellation or trip interruption insurance, delayed flight and stolen luggage insurance, and vehicle rental insurance.

Extended warranty and purchase protection, as well as mobile device insurance is also included.

American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card

• Annual fee: $599
• Top features: Air Canada benefits, a free Priority Pass membership, a free Annual Worldwide Companion Pass

The American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card is a premium travel credit card that earns you Aeroplan points on all purchases.

You earn 3x Aeroplan points on Air Canada purchases, 2x points on dining and food delivery, and 1.25x points on everything else.

These points can be redeemed for many travel benefits, including Air Canada flights and vacations, in-flight wifi, seat upgrades, hotel stays, and car rentals.

Many Air Canada travel benefits come with this card, including priority airport check-in, boarding, and baggage handling for you and up to 8 people, a free first checked bag, and access to select Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges and cafes.

After you spend $25,000 in net purchases, you get a free Annual Worldwide Companion Pass, which allows you to buy an accompanying Air Canada ticket for less than $600.

You also get a free Priority Pass membership which gives you access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide.

At Toronto Pearson Airport, you get through security faster, free valet service, and 15% off parking rates.

Comprehensive travel coverage, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, flight delay insurance, baggage delay insurance, and emergency medical insurance, comes with this card for free.

TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card

• Interest rate: 19.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances
• Top features: earn points quickly at Expedia and redeem for travel bookings

If you book travel through Expedia often, consider applying for the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card .

It earns you TD points on every purchase, which you can use towards Amazon purchases or travel bookings at ExpediaForTD.com.

You earn 9 TD points for every $1 spent on travel bookings through Expedia for TD, and 3 TD points for every $1 spent on everything else.

As long as you remain a cardholder, your TD points will never expire.

As a TD Travel Credit Cardholder, you get an annual discount on a Priority Pass membership.

Travel insurance included with this card is delayed and lost baggage insurance, travel medical insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and common carrier travel accident insurance.

If you need help at any time, you can call TD for toll-free access in the event of an emergency.

Auto rental collision and loss damage insurance is also included, and you can get up to 10% savings at Avis and Budget car rental locations.

The Platinum Card from American Express

• Annual fee: $699
• Interest rate: 30%
• Top features: no pre-set spending limit, a $200 annual travel credit, airport lounge access

The Platinum Card from American Express is a credit card with no pre-set spending limit.

What this means is your purchases are approved based on various factors, including account history and credit record.

You can pay your card off flexibly, with the minimum amount due, the full balance, or anything in between.

You earn Amex Membership Rewards points on every purchase. The earning structure is as follows:

• 3x the points on dining and food delivery purchases
• 2x the points on travel purchases

In addition, you get one extra point when you book travel through Amex Travel Online.

This premium travel points credit card includes a $200 annual travel credit, as well as other platinum level benefits, including American Express Global Lounge Collection access, a $100 NEXUS card statement credit, and benefits at Toronto Pearson Airport, like access to the Priority Security Lane.

You also get the Hotel Status benefit, where you’ll be fast-tracked to higher tiers of hotel loyalty programs.

​​Fine Hotels + Resorts is also included, which unlocks hotel benefits such as guaranteed 4pm late checkout, free complimentary breakfast, and other benefits at over 1,100 hotels worldwide.

Platinum concierge service is available to cardholders 24/7.

A wide range of travel and shopping coverage is included, like out of province/country emergency medical insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and flight delay insurance.

BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard

• Interest rate: 20.99% on purchases, 23.99% on cash advances
• Top features: cash back rewards, Boingo Wi-Fi access, Mastercard Travel Pass

The BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard rewards your spending with cash back. You can earn:

• 5% cash back on groceries (up to $500 monthly)
• 4% cash back on transit purchases
• 3% cash back on gas and electric vehicle charging
• 2% cash back on recurring bill payments (up to $500 monthly)
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

You can redeem your cash back at any time and put it towards your monthly statement, in a BMO chequing or savings account, or put it into your InvestorLine account.

Besides cash back rewards, this card comes with complimentary access to over a million wifi hotspots with Boingo Wi-Fi, a complimentary membership to Mastercard Travel Pass by DragonPass, and Mastercard Travel Rewards cash back offers.

You can get up to 25% off at select Alamo and National Car Rental locations. Concierge staff is there to help 24/7.

Though this is on our list of the best travel reward credit cards in Canada, it does not include travel insurance.

RBC ION+ Visa

• Annual fee: $48
• Top features: earn & redeem Avion points, mobile device insurance

The RBC ION+ Visa is a great travel credit card for earning Avion points on every purchase.

These points can be redeemed for travel bookings, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, and more.

On each purchase, you earn 3x Avion points for every $1 spent on groceries, dining, food delivery, gas and EV charging, streaming, and recurring subscriptions.

You’ll earn 1x Avion point on all other purchases.

In addition, you can earn 50 Be Well points for every $1 spent at Rexall.

Insurance coverage included with this card are mobile device insurance (up to $1,000 for 2 years) and purchase security and extended warranty insurance.

Other additional features include savings of 3¢/L on fuel and a complimentary 3 month DashPass subscription.

CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card

• Annual fee: $139 (first year rebated)
• Income requirement: $60,000 individual or $100,000 household
• Top features: earn & redeem Aventura points on travel

The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card is a flexible travel rewards card that earns you Aventura points on your purchases, as follows:

• 2 points for every $1 spent on travel through the CIBC Rewards Centre
• 1.5 points for every $1 spent on gas, grocery store, and drugstore purchases
• 1 point for every $1 spent on everything else

Aventura points never expire. They can be used on travel bookings like flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and vacation packages, merchandise, gift cards, and more.

Some travel benefits include 4 complimentary airport lounge visits, a NEXUS rebate every 4 years, and Visa Infinite benefits, like tickets, upgrades, and tours.

This CIBC credit card includes valuable travel insurance, including flight delay and baggage insurance, emergency travel medical insurance, and common carrier accident insurance.

WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard

• Annual fee: $119
• Top features: earn & redeem WestJet dollars, get a free World Elite roundtrip companion voucher

The WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard rewards you in WestJet Dollars.

You earn 2% back in WestJet Dollars when you purchase WestJet flights or vacation packages, and 1.5% back on everyday purchases.

WestJet Dollars never expire, and you can redeem them on travel bookings with no blackout periods.

With this card, you receive a World Elite roundtrip companion voucher to any WestJet destination, and a free first checked bag.

You can earn 50 Be Well points for every $1 spent when shopping at Rexall, and save 3¢/L on fuel at Petro-Canada. A 12-month complimentary DashPass subscription is also included.

Broad insurance coverage includes emergency medical insurance, trip interruption insurance, and hotel burglary insurance.

MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard

• Interest rate: 19.99% on purchases, 24.99% on cash advances
• Top features: earn & redeem MBNA Rewards points

With the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard , you earn MBNA points on every purchase.

For every $1 spent on grocery, restaurant, household utility, membership, and digital media purchases, you earn 5 points up to a maximum of $50,000 annually.

After that and on all other eligible purchases, you earn 1 point for every $1 spent.

Each year, you’ll receive birthday points, equal to 10% of the total number of points earned in the 12 months before your birthday (up to 15,000 points).

MBNA Rewards points never expire. You can redeem them for cash back, travel, merchandise, gift cards, and more.

MBNA also has a payment plan where you can split up purchases over $100 in 6, 12, or 18-month terms.

4 types of insurance are included with this card – mobile device insurance , travel medical insurance, flight/trip delay insurance, and delayed and lost baggage insurance.

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card

• Top features: earn & redeem Avion points, savings at Petro-Canada and Hertz

On every dollar spent, you earn 1 Avion point with the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card .

You can redeem Avion points on travel, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, and more, with no blackout dates on travel.

You can enjoy exclusive experiences, offers, and benefits with the Avion Collection as well as reap the benefits of Visa Infinite.

Insurance coverage includes mobile device insurance, purchase protection, trip interruption/cancellation insurance, and emergency medical insurance.

More benefits include savings at Petro-Canada, earning more Be Well points at Rexall, 20% savings and 3x more Avion points at Hertz, and a complimentary 12-month DashPass subscription.

Best No-Fee Travel Credit Cards in Canada

The following 3 no annual fee travel credit cards in Canada include some benefits of the paid travel credit cards, without annual fees that can be upwards of $500.

CIBC Aventura Visa Card

• Annual fee: $0
• Income requirement: $15,000 household
• Top features: earn & redeem Aventura points

The CIBC Aventura Visa Card pays in Aventura points whenever you make a purchase. You’ll earn:

• 1 point for every $1 spent on travel through the CIBC rewards centre
• 1 point for every $1 spent on gas, grocery, and drugstore purchases
• 1 point for every $2 spent on everything else

You can redeem Aventura points on flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages, gift cards, merchandise, and more.

Aventura Travel Assistant can help book personalized travel with no booking fees.

Link your Journie Rewards card to save on gas at participating gas stations.

Included with this CIBC travel credit card is $100,000 common carrier accident insurance, auto rental collision and loss damage insurance, and purchase security and extended protection insurance.

BMO AIR MILES Mastercard

• Income requirement: $15,000
• Top features: earn up to 3 Air Miles per $25 spent

This BMO travel credit card rewards you with Air Miles for every dollar spent. You earn:

• 3 Miles for every $25 spent at Air Miles partners
• 2 Miles for every $25 spent at eligible grocery stores
• 2x Air Miles at participating partners

Air Miles can be redeemed on travel purchases, as cash back, or dream rewards.

Cardholders get up to 25% off base rates at Alamo and National Car Rental locations, as well as 15% to 20% off Cirque du Soleil shows in Canada and Las Vegas.

Rogers World Elite Mastercard

• Top features: earn & redeem 1.5% to 3% cash back

The Rogers World Elite Mastercard rewards you with cash back plus insurance benefits.

The insurance that comes with this card includes extended warranty and purchase protection, out-of-province/country emergency medical insurance, rental car collision/damage insurance, trip interruption, and cancellation insurance. 

On every purchase, you earn 1.5% cash back, and 3% cash back in US dollar purchases.

You also get a complimentary membership to Mastercard Travel Pass by DragonPass.

Best Business Travel Credit Cards in Canada

If you own a business and travel often, these top 3 business travel credit cards are worth checking out.

TD Business Travel Visa Card

• Annual fee: $149
• Top features: earn & redeem TD Rewards points, 25% off select business purchases

This TD business travel credit card is for the ultimate traveller and business owner. You earn TD Rewards points on every purchase, as per the following:

• 9 points per $1 spent on travel at ExpediaForTD.com
• 6 points per $1 spent on foreign currency purchases, restaurant purchases, and recurring bill payments ($80,000 spend cap)
• 2 points for every $1 spent on business purchaes

TD Rewards points can be redeemed on travel bookings, Amazon.ca, merchandise, statement credits, and more.

There are no travel blackouts or seat restrictions and your TD points will never expire, as long as your account is in good standing.

When you link this card to your Starbucks Rewards account, you get 50% more TD Rewards and Stars.

This TD travel credit card comes with savings of up to 25% off business purchases made under the Visa SavingsEdge Program.

6 types of travel insurance are included, like travel medical insurance, common carrier travel accident insurance, and flight/trip delay insurance.

You also get savings at Avis and Budget car rental locations.

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Card

• Annual fee: $175
• Income requirement: $60,000 personal or $100,000 houeshold
• Top features: earn & redeem Avion points, Visa Airport Companion

The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Card is a great way to be rewarded for your business purchases with Avion points.

You earn 1.25 Avion points for every $1 spent with this card, up to a maximum of $75,000 annually.

Premium travel benefits include access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, plus airport dining and spa offers provided with the Visa Airport Companion.

This RBC travel credit card includes reporting and controls for business spending.

A host of travel insurance is included, as well as savings at Petro-Canada and Hertz.

American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card

• Interest rate: 16.99% on purchases, 21.99% on cash advances
• Top features: annual worldwide companion pass, airport lounge access, priority at the airport

The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card is a top choice for earning Aeroplan points on everyday transactions. You earn:

• 3x the points on Air Canada flights and vacation purchases
• 2x the points on hotel stays and car rentals
• 1.25x the points on everything else

Aeroplan points can be redeemed for travel benefits, including Air Canada flights and vacations, in-flight wifi, seat upgrades, hotel stays, and car rentals.

This card includes a free annual worldwide companion pass and a $100 NEXUS card statement credit.

Business benefits include expense management tools and resources, insurance benefits, and the flexibility to pay the balance in full or over time.

Additionally, the $599 annual fee may be tax deductible.

Along with a wide range of travel insurance, this card comes with many travel benefits, including a free first checked bag, priority check-in, boarding, baggage handling, airport standby, and upgrades.

You get access to select Maple Leaf airport lounges, a complimentary Priority Pass membership, and benefits at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Our Methodology: The Snappy Rates team assesses the best travel rewards credit cards based on their annual fees, interest rates, welcome bonuses, rewards, top features, categories, insurance coverage, and other perks. We carefully evaluate each credit card and place more weight on the long-term rewards value each card offers. Only credit cards we would personally use are recommended. While these credit cards are some of the best on the market, but may not be right for you. Always do your own research before choosing a credit card.

Pros of Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Travel rewards credit cards are great for those who travel often or are loyal to one airline.

Generally, you can earn points or cash back that can be redeemed for travel and other purchases.

Although these credit cards have an annual fee, it typically pays for itself in one way or another with travel benefits.

Many travel credit cards also come with a range of travel insurance, so you don’t need to worry about purchasing it separately.

Cons of Travel Rewards Credit Cards

When choosing a travel rewards credit card, you need to consider the points program.

Most travel credit cards only give you points for a specific airline, like WestJet or Air Canada.

If you are not loyal to that airline, it probably isn’t worth applying for.

Travel rewards credit cards often come with a high fee, and some can cost upwards of $500 per year.

You need to ensure that you can pay the annual fee plus the interest if you don’t pay your balance on time.

Some travel credit cards also charge foreign transaction fees, so when you spend money abroad, you’ll be paying 2.5% to 3% in transaction fees.

What is a travelling credit card?

A travel credit card is a special credit card that offers many travel benefits, insurance, and perks. Many travel credit cards reward your spending with points or cash back that can be redeemed for flights, vacation packages, and more.

Which bank is best for a travel credit card?

It depends on what travel perks you’re looking for in a credit card. American Express, TD, BMO, and RBC all have top-rated but different travel credit cards.

Which debit card is best for international travel?

The Wise multi-currency prepaid card is great for international travel. You can use it with any currency and it does not charge FX fees. All you do is load it with funds from your bank, and you’re good to go.

• Best Prepaid Credit Cards in Canada
• Best Credit Cards for Students in Canada
• Best Low-Interest Credit Cards in Canada

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Free prepaid card with up to 5% cashback. No credit check & $20 bonus when you deposit $50 and complete first purchase.

Earn average of 5% unlimited cashback. No annual fees and $25 bonus.

Get a $100 cashback bonus in the first 2 months. No annual fee credit card.

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Brianna Harrison

Brianna is a writer from Toronto, Canada, specializing in the personal finance and tech niche. She has been writing, editing, and proofreading for over 5 years as a freelancer. She loves to travel, meet new people, and discover new places. When she’s not writing or travelling, Brianna likes to bake, decorate cakes, and even ran her own custom cake business.

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How to see the world on points: Best travel rewards programs in Canada

Spencer Davis / Shutterstock

Evaluating the various rewards programs in Canada can be very subjective. Do you judge a program based on its flexibility, how easy it is to earn points, or how complicated it is to make a redemption? Or perhaps it’s important to identify a program’s niche features that will appeal to specific groups of consumers?

No matter what you value most in a rewards program, one thing’s for sure: It’s very rare for Canadians to stick to a single loyalty program throughout their lives. And if you’ve been using the same rewards provider for a while, it might be worth your time to review the options out there. To that purpose we’ve analyzed the best travel rewards in Canada and how their programs work.

*Flexibility refers to the number of different redemption paths available, minimum number of points required to redeem, ability to redeem points for existing purchases, etc.

Aeroplan Travel Rewards

Air Canada recently purchased Aeroplan and  there are still some lingering questions  about what that means for the value of Aeroplan miles. But as of now Aeroplan is still one of the best travel rewards programs out there, as its miles can be used to redeem flights on Canada’s largest carrier and its partners.

Aeroplan has two options when it comes to redeeming flights: Fixed Mileage and Market Fare. As the name implies, fixed fares will cost you a set amount of points to  fly to different zones  as long as there is a reward seat available. With market fare redemptions, you get access to any seat that hasn’t sold, but you’ll pay the market price in points which is often significantly higher than prices in the fixed fare program.

Market fare prices can be lower than the fixed mileage seats, but that’s usually for routes or times that are less desirable. Some airlines charge high fees, taxes, and surcharges, so you need to keep that under consideration when booking a redemption flight.

A great thing about Aeroplan is that there are  multiple Aeroplan credit cards where you can earn points , but an Aeroplan card that we particularly love is the TD ®  Aeroplan ®  Visa Infinite* Card:

Featured Aeroplan credit card

Td® aeroplan® visa infinite* card.

• Rates & Fees

1.5 points for every $1 spent on eligible gas, grocery and direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®)†

1 point Earn 1 point for every $1 you spend on all other purchases†

2x Earn points twice with Aeroplan partner brands and on the Aeroplan eStore.†

50% Earn 50% more Aeroplan points at Starbucks when you link your card to your account.†

1 NEXUS application fee rebate every 48 months†

1st checked bag free for you and up to 8 travel companions†

$139 Annual Fee Additional cardholder is $75.†

20.99% Purchase APR APR for purchases 20.99%†

22.99% Cash Advance APR APR for cash advances 22.99%†

22.99% Balance Transfer Rate APR for balance transfers 22.99%†

2.50% Foreign Transaction Fee Foreign transaction fee: 2.50%†

Excellent Recommended Credit Score

$60,000 Required Annual Personal Income

$100,000 Required Annual Household Income

Welcome Offer Ends Jun 3, 2024

Earn up to $1,200 in value† including up to 50,000 Aeroplan points†. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.

Overview of the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

• Enroll for NEXUS and once every 48 months get an application fee rebate†

• Plus, share free first checked bags with up to 8 travel companions†

The earn rate is 1.5 Aeroplan points† per $1 spent on eligible grocery, gas, and direct through Air Canada® purchases—for all other purchases you get 1 point† per $1 spent. With this credit card, you can double dip your Aeroplan earnings at participating merchants. All you need to do is show your Aeroplan loyalty card first when paying and then charge your purchase to your TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card.†

Learn more by reading our complete TD ® Aeroplan ® Visa Infinite* Card review .

This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. For Quebec residents, please click here .

† Terms and conditions apply.

You can learn more about the Aeroplan program by reading our complete Aeroplan Points Guide .

AIR MILES Travel Rewards

Some Canadians have historically disliked AIR MILES because it can be difficult to earn points quickly without an  AIR MILES credit card , and making redemptions can be tricky. That said, there is a sweet spot to be found: If you book interprovincial flights through the AIR MILES Dream Miles option, you get an incredible value for your points since those flights typically cost a fair amount in cash. The amount of AIR MILES it takes depends on where you’re going and what season you’re flying, which complicates things a bit. But Air Miles does provide a  helpful chart  to show you what it’ll cost.

The nice thing about AIR MILES is that they have a co-branded credit card with no annual fee in the BMO AIR MILES ® † MasterCard ® *.

Featured AIR MILES credit card

Bmo air miles®† mastercard®*.

3 miles Get 3 Miles for every $25 spent with AIR MILES Partners.

2 miles Get 2x the Miles for every $25 at grocery stores and supermarkets.

4 miles Double up your Shell Go+ Miles on eligible fuel and in-store purchases.

$0 Annual Fee

20.99% Purchase APR

22.99% Cash Advance APR 21.99% for Quebec residents

22.99% Balance Transfer Rate 0.99% introductory interest rate for 9 months (fee applies)*

2.00% Balance Transfer Fee

Good Recommended Credit Score

$15,000 Required Annual Personal Income

Get 800 AIR MILES Bonus Miles!* That’s enough for $80 towards purchases with AIR MILES Cash*

Overview of the BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®*

You can double dip on points at AIR MILES sponsored locations* and you’ll get 3x the Miles for every $25 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners and 2x the Miles for every $25 spent at any eligible grocery store*.

All other purchases get you 1 AIR MILE per $25 spent* and there is a welcome bonus of 800 AIR MILES Bonus Miles when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months* of card membership*. It’s a good entry level card for those who want to start collecting AIR MILES.

Learn more by reading our complete BMO AIR MILES ®† MasterCard ® * review .

You can learn more about the AIR MILES program by reading our complete AIR MILES Guide .

*Terms and conditions apply

American Express Membership Rewards ®

If you’re primarily looking for flexibility, you should consider American Express Membership Rewards ® . Travel can be booked through the American Express travel portal, where you can redeem 1,000 Membership Rewards ® (MR) points for $10 in travel. Alternatively, you can charge any travel expense to your  American Express credit card  and then redeem your points toward that purchase at the same ratio.

American Express has multiple travel partners where you can transfer your points, but the two that give the most value are Aeroplan and Marriott Rewards. With Aeroplan, it’ll cost you 1,000 MR points to get 1,000 Aeroplan points (i.e. a 1:1 transfer). If you want Marriott Rewards points, you’ll get 1,200 points for every 1,000 MR points transferred.

American Express also has the Fixed Points Travel Program, which can be beneficial. Most of the redemptions require the same amount of points compared to Aeroplan, but with Amex, you get access to all seats available on any airline, so that means you get more options for your travels.

One of the best ways to earn American Express Membership Rewards ® is with The Platinum Card ® .

Featured American Express card

The platinum card®.

2x Earn 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible dining and food delivery in Canada

2x points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible travel

1x point for every $1 in all other Card purchases

$799 Annual Fee Includes $200 annual travel credit and $200 annual dining credit

20.99% Purchase APR The Preferred rate of 20.99% applies to your Flexible Payment Option balance.

2.50% Foreign Transaction Fee

Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points1*

Overview of The Platinum Card®

The Platinum Card ® comes with a hefty fee of $699 per year, but it also comes packed with commensurate benefits: an annual $200 CAD travel credit; an impressive array of perks; comprehensive travel insurance; The American Express Global Lounge Collection TM access; etc.

With its earn rates, every dollar charged to the card helps earn American Express Membership Rewards ® points: 3 points for every $1 in card purchases on eligible dining and food delivery in Canada, 2 points for every $1 in card purchases on eligible travel, and 1 point for every $1 in all other card purchases. New cardholders also can also receive a signup bonus: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® points – that’s $800 towards a weekend away. Conditions apply.

Learn more by reading our complete Platinum Card ® review .

You can learn more about Amex Membership Rewards ® points by reading our complete guide to American Express Membership Rewards ® Program .

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website.

BMO Rewards Travel

Admittedly, BMO Rewards is a bit more complicated than it needs to be, but it’s still among the best travel rewards in Canada since BMO will price match if you call into its customer service line.

You can redeem travel with any provider with BMO Rewards points. You have full control and freedom of choice to book with any travel provider you like so you can benefit from any last-minute deals or better pricing found on another platform including Air Canada/West Jet, Expedia, Airbnb/VRBO while still receiving BMO Rewards’ richest redemption rate (150 pts = $1). Once you make your booking, you can immediately redeem BMO Rewards points using the Pay with Points feature. After the redemption is completed, a credit will be applied to your account within 3 to 5 days.

Featured BMO Rewards credit card

Bmo ascend™ world elite®* mastercard®*.

5x 5x the points for every $1 spent on eligible travel purchases*

3x 3x the points for every $1 spent on eligible dining and entertainment purchases and recurring bill payments*

1x 1 point for every $1 spent everywhere else*

$150 Annual Fee

23.99% Cash Advance APR

23.99% Balance Transfer Rate 21.99% for Quebec residents

$80,000 Required Annual Personal Income

$150,000 Required Annual Household Income

Welcome Offer Ends May 31, 2024

Get up to 90,000 points and the annual fee waived in the first year for both the primary cardholder and authorized users.*

Overview of the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*

The marquee card of the BMO Rewards program, the BMO Ascend™ World Elite ® * Mastercard ® *, does come with some impressive features that counterbalance the relatively low value of a BMO Rewards point. It includes some of the best travel insurance offered by Canadian credit cards* and Complimentary membership in Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass,* with four annual complimentary passes.

Plus, the first-year annual fee is waived for both the primary ($150) and first authorized ($50) cardholders*.

Learn more by reading our complete BMO Ascend™ World Elite ® * Mastercard ® * review .

You can learn more about BMO Rewards by reading our complete BMO Rewards Guide .

BMO is not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click on the Apply now link for the most up to date information. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. Conditions apply.

CIBC Travel Rewards

CIBC Travel Rewards has its own travel portal, which gives access to flights, hotels, car rental, and all-inclusive properties, but if you call the CIBC travel agency, you’ll also get access to anything sold on Expedia or Orbitz. This little-known trick allows you to make travel purchases such as cruises, tours, and attraction tickets. The redemption ratio is 100 Aventura points for $1 in travel.

There’s also the Aventura Airline Rewards Chart, which allows you to book travel at fixed prices. This is an attractive option since you can get a higher value for your points compared to when you book via the travel portal or CIBC travel agent.

For example, you could book a flight within a province, territory or U.S. state to an adjoining province, territory or U.S. state with a maximum base fare of $400 for 10,000 – 20,000 Aventura points. In many cases, that’s a better value compared to Aeroplan and RBC’s fixed schedule. Taxes and fees are extra, but you can use your points to pay for them.

Featured CIBC Aventura credit card

Cibc aventura® gold visa* card.

1 point for every $1 spent at eligible gas stations, EV charging, grocery stores and drug stores†

1 point for every $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre†

1 point for every $2 spent on all other purchases†

20.99% Purchase APR non-Quebec residents†

22.99% Cash Advance APR for non-Quebec residents†

22.99% Balance Transfer Rate for non-Quebec residents†

$15,000 Required Annual Household Income

Get up to 10,000 Aventura Points (up to $100 in travel value†); Earn up to 2,500 Aventura Points† for completing bonus activities within 60 days from your account approval† 7,500 Aventura Points after you make your first purchase within first 4 months.†

Overview of the CIBC Aventura ® Gold Visa* Card

The CIBC Aventura ® Gold Visa* Card is a great earning card overall, combining a big welcome offer, decent earn rates, airport lounge access, and relatively low-barrier eligibility requirements. New cardholders can get up to $1,250 in value including a first year annual fee rebate † !

• Get a one-time annual fee rebate ($139) for you (the primary cardholder) and up to three authorized users ($50 each): over $189 value†

• Elevate your airport experience with 4 complimentary visits at 1,200+ lounges globally through Visa Airport Companion Program: over $190 in value.†

Plus, get a NEXUS Application Fee rebate†: A $50 value†

The card earns 2 points per $1 spent on travel booked through the CIBC Rewards Centre † and 1.5 points per $1 spent at gas stations, EV charging, grocery stores and drug stores†; all other purchases earn 1 point for every $1 spent † . The Purchase Annual Interest Rate is 20.99% † ; the Balance Transfer Annual Interest Rate and Cash Advance Annual Interest Rate are 22.99% † (for non-Quebec residents only) and 22.99% † (for non-Quebec residents only) respectively.

Those who are interested in the card and make more than $60K annually † should instead apply for the CIBC Aventura ® Visa Infinite* Card , which has a slightly better insurance package and identical features otherwise.

Learn more by reading our complete CIBC Aventura ® Gold Visa* Card review .

This is a digital-exclusive offer. † To be eligible for this offer:

1) this offer must have been directly communicated to you from CIBC or from a partner/affiliate; and

2) you must apply for the eligible card through the link provided in the CIBC or partner/affiliate communication to you. †

This offer is reserved for you. Please do not forward it to anyone else. If you have opened, transferred or cancelled another eligible card within the last 12 months, we may approve your application, but you may not receive this offer. †

† Conditions apply

Quebec Residents: Learn More about this CIBC product here

Résidents du Québec : Pour en savoir plus sur ce produit CIBC, suivez ce lien

Marriott Bonvoy ®

With more than 7,000 properties in 130+ countries, not only does Marriott have the most hotels in the world, it also has the best hotel loyalty program in Marriott Bonvoy ® . What makes this program appealing is that it’s free to join and you earn points with every stay in a participating Marriott Bonvoy ® * property. Eventually you can use your accumulated points to redeem for free hotel nights or experiences. Alternatively, you can transfer them to various airline programs.

If you frequently stay at hotels, then being loyal to Marriott really pays off as your status level increases when you accumulate more nights. Every time you hit a new status tier you get additional benefits such as free breakfast and a higher earn rate on eligible expenses.

Featured Marriott Bonvoy ® card

Marriott bonvoy® american express®* card.

5 points for every dollar in eligible Card purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®

2 points for every $1 in all other Card purchases

$120 Annual Fee

21.99% Cash Advance APR

Earn up to 80,000 Points: Offer ends May 6, 2024

Overview of the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

Unlike the United States, Canada doesn’t have a lot of hotel branded credit cards ; but The Marriott Bonvoy ® American Express ® * Card is certainly a standout. There are lots of perks for the consummate traveller, including the much-loved Annual Free Night Award every year after your first anniversary, which has a redemption value of as much as 35,000 points (worth a free night in a Category 5 hotel).

You also get complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status and you receive an automatic upgrade to Gold Elite status once you stay 25 nights (the card comes with 15 Elite Night Credits already) within a calendar year or charge $30,000 to your card. Gold Elite status has lots of perks like 25% extra points at Marriott properties, late checkout, room upgrades and more.

To top things off, the card features a good line-up of insurance like travel accident insurance, car rental theft and damage insurance, flight delay insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost and stolen baggage insurance, and hotel/motel burglary insurance. Sadly, it doesn’t include travel medical insurance.

Learn more by reading our complete The Marriott Bonvoy ® American Express ® * Card review .

MBNA Rewards

MBNA Rewards points have competitive value: Points are worth $0.01 each when redeemed for travel (flight, hotel, car rental, etc.) and between $0.005–$0.0083 each when redeemed for a statement credit, depending on the credit card that was used to earn them. Points can also be redeemed for merchandise and gift cards, for which redemption values vary.

The most glaring weakness of the program is probably the fact that you can’t use points to pay for an independently booked travel purchase; you need to use MBNA’s own portal to book travel with points, though it’s worth noting that you can at least take advantage of MBNA’s Price Match Guarantee if you find better travel deals elsewhere.

Featured MBNA Rewards card

Mbna rewards platinum plus® mastercard®.

10,000 Get up to 10,000 MBNA Rewards points†† as an introductory bonus (see details below)

19.99% Purchase APR

24.99% Cash Advance APR

22.99% Balance Transfer Rate

Earn 4 points per $1 spent on eligible restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership, and household utility purchases until $10,000 is spent annually. You could also receive up to 10,000 bonus points.

Overview of the MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus® Mastercard®

The MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus ® Mastercard ® can earn a colossal amount of points for a card that doesn’t charge an annual fee. New cardholders get 10,000 MBNA Rewards points †† when they simply sign up for paperless e-statements (5K points †† ) and make $500 or more in purchases within the first 90 days (another 5K points †† ).

That’s on top of a special earn rate of 4 points †† per dollar spent on groceries, restaurants, digital media, memberships, and household utilities during the first 90 days—after that period ends the rate is reduced to 2 points ‡ per $1 in those categories, which is still strong. All other purchases earn 1 point ‡ per $1 spent. These earn rates are what regularly land the MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus ® Mastercard ® on our lists of the best credit cards for people with average credit scores and the best rewards credit cards in Canada.

Learn more by reading our complete MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus ® Mastercard ® review .

‡, ††, ✪, *** , Terms and Conditions apply

This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. For residents of Quebec, please click here .

Sponsored advertising. MBNA is a division of The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) and TD is not responsible for the contents of this site including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete information on this MBNA credit card, please click on the “Apply Now” button.

The Toronto-Dominion Bank is the issuer of this credit card. MBNA is a division of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. ® MBNA and other trademarks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.

RBC Avion Rewards

The most impressive aspect of Avion Rewards points is perhaps their transferability. Points can be converted to a number of other travel rewards programs, like WestJet, British Airways Avios, and Cathay Pacific; and the conversion rates are generally very favorable, e.g. 100 RBC Avion Rewards points for 1 WestJet Dollar, 1:1 conversion ratios for Avios and Cathay Pacific, etc. And quite often RBC runs promotions that generate extra miles when transferring to partners like Avios, which can get you extra bang for your buck.

Featured RBC Avion credit card

Rbc avion visa infinite.

1 Earn 1 Avion point for every dollar you spend*.

25% extra Avion points on eligible travel purchases

$1,500 mobile device insurance

3¢/L savings on fuel at Petro-Canada and always earn 20% more Avion points

50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall

20% off at Hertz and earn 3x the Avion points

$0 delivery fees for 12 months from DoorDash

$120 Annual Fee $50 for each additional card

22.99% Cash Advance APR

Very Good Recommended Credit Score

Overview of the RBC Avion Visa Infinite

The RBC Avion Visa Infinite starts new cardholders off with a respectable welcome bonus (see above). The card’s regular earn rate, however, is perhaps a little underwhelming relative to competing travel rewards cards, as you get 1.25 RBC Rewards points per $1 spent on travel 3 but only 1 RBC point per $1 on all other spending*; a bit low for a card with an annual fee above $100.

That said, there are other card features that will make the RBC Avion Visa Infinite a worthwhile investment for some: If road trips are your thing, linking your Petro-Points card with your RBC card will help you save an extra 3¢/L on gas4 and earn 20% more Petro-Points and RBC rewards points when you fuel up at Petro-Canada 5 . The card also comes with insurance a traveller will appreciate, including medical8, trip interruption and cancellation insurance 9 , and rental car collision and damage protection 7 .

Learn more by reading our complete RBC Avion Visa Infinite review .

You can learn more about RBC Rewards points by reading our complete RBC Avion Rewards Guide . Refer to RBC Page for up to date offer terms and conditions.

Scene+ Travel

There is no fixed travel program with Scene+, but you can redeem your points at a ratio of 100 points for $1 through the Scene+ travel portal or on travel expenses you’ve already charged to your  Scotiabank credit card . There is a minimum redemption of 5,000 points for independently booked travel (no minimum for bookings with the Scene+ travel portal), but you can also apply that redemption to any fees, taxes, and surcharges.

Featured Scene+ credit card

Scotiabank gold american express® card.

6x Scene+ points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Freshco, Foodland and more

5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on dining, food delivery and other eligible grocery stores. Includes popular food delivery and food subscriptions.

5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend in Canada eligible entertainment purposes. Includes movies, theatre and ticket agency stores.

3x Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible gas and daily transit options. Includes ride shares, buses, subway, taxis and more.

3x Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible select streaming services.

1x Scene+ point for every $1 spent on all other eligible everyday purchases.

$120 Annual Fee $29 for each supplementary card

0.00% Foreign Transaction Fee

Welcome Offer Ends Jul 1, 2024

Earn up to $650* in value in the first 12 months, including up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points.

Overview of the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

Although Scotiabank doesn’t have any travel related transfer partners, they do have some great cards that generate rewards very quickly. The Scotiabank Gold American Express ® card earns 6X Scene+™ points on every $1 CAD you spend in Canada at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland, and more eligible grocers.¹

It also generates 5X the Scene+™ points for every $1 CAD spent on other eligible grocery stores, restaurants, fast food, and drinking establishments (including food delivery and food subscription services), as well as on eligible entertainment purchases (movies, theatre, and ticket agencies). Plus, you’ll get 3X the Scene+™ points for every $1 CAD spent on eligible gas, daily transit, and eligible select streaming purchases, and 1X point per $1 spent on every other purchase.

Learn more by reading our complete Scotiabank Gold American Express ® card review .

¹ Conditions Apply. Visit here for the Scotiabank Gold American Express ® Card to learn more.

You can learn more about the Scene+ program by reading our complete Scene+ Guide .

TD Travel Rewards

TD Travel Rewards is a relatively flexible rewards program since it allows for a variety of different redemption options. If you’re booking travel through Expedia for TD (not to be confused with Expedia.ca), it’ll cost you 200  TD Points  to redeem $1 in travel. This is the best value for consumers since you can book anything that is offered on Expedia for TD, which includes flights, hotels, all-inclusive packages, cruises, car rentals and attraction tickets.

You also have the option to redeem your points for any travel expenses that you have charged to your TD credit card, but it’ll cost you 250 points per dollar redeemed for the first $1200 of a travel charge and 200 points per dollar redeemed after that. This is obviously a lower redemption value than Expedia for TD, but TD’s definition of eligible travel expenses is quite generous as it not only includes flights but also air travel taxes, baggage fees, lodging, car rentals while travelling, and more.

The top-earning card for TD Travel Rewards is the TD First Class Travel ® Visa Infinite* Card:

Featured TD Travel Rewards credit card

Td first class travel® visa infinite* card.

8 Points Earn 8 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend through ExpediaForTD†

6 Points Earn 6 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend on groceries and restaurants.†

4 Points Earn 4 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend on recurring bill payments.†

2 Points Earn 2 TD Rewards points for every $1 you spend using your card.†

10% Bonus Points Each year, received a birthday bonus equal to 10% of the total number of points earned over the 12 preceding months.†

$100 Get an annual TD Travel Credit when you book at Expedia For TD†

USD The annual fee is in USD

$139 Annual Fee Annual fee is in USD. First additional cardholder is $50, subsequent cardholders are $0.

Earn up to $800 in value†, including up to 100,000 TD Rewards Points† and no Annual Fee for the first year†. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.

Overview of the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card

• Earn a Birthday Bonus of up to 10,000 TD Rewards Points†.

• Get an annual TD Travel Credit† of $100 when you book at Expedia® For TD.

• Get an Annual Fee Rebate for the first year†.

The TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card offers particularly high earn rates when you book with Expedia for TD: Earn 8 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend when you book travel through Expedia® For TD†. Earn 6 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend on Groceries and Restaurants†. Earn 4 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend on regularly recurring bill payments set up on your Account†. Earn 2 TD Rewards Points For every $1 you spend on other Purchases made using your Card†.

Learn more by reading our complete TD First Class Travel ® Visa Infinite* Card review .

WestJet Rewards

The biggest draw of WestJet is its use of tiers: As soon as you enroll in the WestJet program, you’re instantly awarded Teal tier status, which provides 0.5% back in WestJet dollars on flights. As you spend more on WestJet travel and services, your tier increases, garnering additional travel benefits such as advanced seat selection, free checked bags, airport lounge access, and higher earn rates. Those who reach Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers earn 3%, 5%, and 8% back on WestJet flights respectively. Best of all, your tier stacks with the earn rates provided by WestJet credit cards, so you can potentially earn up to  10%  in WestJet dollars on qualifying purchases.

One of the few major criticisms to note about WestJet Rewards is that your WestJet dollars can only be redeemed for base fares; they can’t be used to pay for a flight’s taxes, fees, or surcharges.

Featured WestJet RBC credit card

Westjet rbc world elite mastercard.

2% Earn 2% back in WestJet dollars on WestJet flights or WestJet vacation packages.

1.5% Earn 1.5% back in WestJet dollars for everyday purchases.

Wi-Fi access to over 1 million Wi-Fi hotsports around the world with Boingo Wi-Fi for Mastercard

1 annual companion voucher (starting at $119)

3¢/L savings at Petro-Canada and 20% more Petro-Points

$119 Annual Fee $59 for additional cards

Overview of the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard

If you’re looking for the holy grail of air travel—the coveted round-trip companion voucher —look no further. The WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard, after activation and use, lets you fly a companion 3 return to anywhere in continental North America for $119, annually, with no restrictions. Or spend $399 and fly with your companion anywhere else in the world that WestJet flies.

If you typically find yourself flying solo you can instead opt to exchange your annual round-trip companion voucher for 4 airport lounge vouchers. The card also offers a free first checked bag for the primary cardholder and up to eight additional guests on the same reservation 4 . Cardholders receive travel coverage including emergency medical insurance20 as well as trip interruption insurance 21 , hotel burglary 18 and rental car insurance 19 . Even eligible purchases you make on the card are protected.

• Save $240 with free first checked bags for a family for 4 (traveling on the same reservation)1

• $119 for the second guest using your annual World Elite round-trip companion voucher3

Learn more by reading our complete WestJet World Elite Mastercard review .

Refer to RBC Page for up to date offer terms and conditions.

How to calculate the value of your travel rewards points

It’s essential to have a good idea of the real value of a program’s travel rewards points before you select the rewards program or credit card for you. To figure out your cost per point (CPP), you would divide 1 by the number of points to earn $1 in travel. That means if it takes 100 points for $1 in travel, then your CPP is $.01. Alternatively, if it takes 140 points to claim $1 in travel, your CPP is $.007. Of course, you also need to factor in any fees, taxes, and surcharges you might pay when making a redemption.

You’ll also want to know how many points you can earn with a specific credit card, since the ability to rapidly earn points is just as important as their value when redeemed. If the value of each point is high, but you rarely earn rewards, or earn a low amount, the card is probably not the right choice for you.

About our author

Barry Choi is an award-winning personal finance and travel expert. He appears regularly on a variety of shows in Canada and the U.S., where he talks about all things money and travel. In addition to Money.ca, his work has appeared in major publications, including The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, The Financial Post, and MoneySense magazine. Barry is an expert in personal finance, but he's passionate about credit cards, budget travel, debt management, and loyalty programs. His personal website moneywehave.com is one of Canada's most trusted resources as he provides non-bias opinions on various financial products and services. When he's not writing or talking about financial literacy, you can find him travelling the world. Barry's favourite destinations are Japan, Jordan, and the Netherlands.

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Best Travel Credit Cards in Canada 2023

Rachel Cribby

• Zack Fenech

Why you can trust us

The team at WealthRocket only recommends products and services that we would use ourselves and that we believe will provide value to our readers. However, we advocate for you to continue to do your own research and make educated decisions.

In recent years, the concept of the travel credit card has become increasingly popular. In fact, with so much competition out there, it appears as if travel credit cards keep making their offerings more and more enticing. It’s no surprise that many Canadians choose to have at least one travel-related credit card in their wallet.

However, with so many different kinds of  credit cards out there, are they all created equally? In this article, we weigh both sides of the proverbial equation, while considering your personal interests to determine the best travel credit cards in Canada.

In This Article

The best credit cards for travel in canada, what is a travel credit card, our final thoughts.

There’s no shortage of credit cards available in Canada, with many travel credit card options available.

Below, we’ll look at the most popular travel credit cards in Canada, many of which are available through Canada’s “Big Five” banks.

1. Best t ravel credit card : Tangerine World Mastercard

• Cash back:  0.5%* to 2%*
• Minimum Limit:  None
• Personal Income Requirement:  $60,000
• APR:  19.95%*
• Annual Fee:  None
• Bonus Features: 10% cash back promo for first two months

The Tangerine World Mastercard takes first place in our list of the best travel credit cards for Canadians.

As one of Canada’s most popular no-frill online banks, Tangerine offers a wide variety of free banking products. The Tangerine World Mastercard is one of the products that go above and beyond its competitors in Canada’s financial landscape.

The Tangerine World Mastercard offers a cash back rate of up to 2%*  on two customizable categories or  2%  back on three customizable savings if the applicant also opens a Tangerine Savings account.

Cash back categories of choice include groceries, furniture, restaurants, hotels and motels, gas, recurring bill payments, pharmacy, home improvement, entertainment, public transportation, and parking. Any purchases outside of the chosen categories earn 0.50%*  interest.

The Tangerine World Mastercard also offers a wide variety of additional perks, including free access to over 1 million Boingo Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide, mobile device insurance, access to LoungeKey, Mastercard’s airport lounge in over 400 airports, and much, much more.

Finally, the Tangerine World Mastercard currently offers a promotional interest rate of  10%* cash back on a total of $1,000 for the first two months.

If you plan on going on vacation any time soon, it would be wise to use this credit card before travel and during to maximize your earning potential.

If you don’t meet the minimum income requirement for this credit card, you may find value in the Tangerine Money Back Credit Card .

*Rates current as of June 2023

Tangerine World Mastercard

Rated 3.7/5 stars.

On Tangerine's Website

• 2 % Earn 2% cash back in up to three spending categories, when you deposit your rewards to a Tangerine savings account.
• 0.5 % Earn 0.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• Welcome Offer 10% cash back on up to $1000 Terms and conditions apply
• Annual Fee $0 Learn how we calculate this.
• Annual Rewards $282
• Minimum Income Required $60,000 personal; $100,000 household
• No annual fee
• Unlimited cash back
• Travel perks
• High qualifying income requirements
• Short period for a lower-interest balance transfer

The Tangerine World Mastercard is a no-annual-fee cash back credit card designed for the everyday spender who also likes to travel. This card boasts impressive travel perks, such as airport lounge access and Mastercard Travel Rewards, making it an enhanced version of its counterpart, the Tangerine Money-Back credit card. That said, it does have higher qualifying requirements.

2. Best t ravel credit card for points: Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card

• Minimum Limit:  $5,000
• APR: 20.99%*
• Annual Fee: $150
• Bonus Features:  25,000 bonus Scotia Rewards from $1,000 in everyday eligible purchases in the first three months

The  Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is a fan favourite on the travel credit card scene.

For one thing, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is unique among rewards credit cards  for offering its holder zero foreign transaction fees.

This feature is a huge benefit to those who partake in a lot of international travel and find themselves making a lot of purchases in foreign currencies, as these transaction fees can quickly add up.

As far as rewards go, cardholders benefit from  2 Scene+ Points * for every dollar spent on dining and eligible grocery stores. If you shop at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, and participating Co-ops, you earn  3 Scene+ Points for every dollar.

Any entertainment purchases will result in 2 Scene+ Points * per dollar spent, as will transit purchases, like rideshare, bus, and taxi trips.

Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite

Rated 4.4/5 stars.

• Welcome Offer Up to 35,000 SCENE points
• Annual Fee $150
• Interest Rates Purchases: 20.99%, Cash Advances: 22.99%
• Recommended Credit 660-724
• $150 annual fee
• 3 Scene points for every $1 spent at participating Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, & Participating Co-ops
• 2 Scene points for every $1 spent on eligible grocery stores, dining, entertainment, and daily transit
• Earn 1 Scene point for other eligible purchase
• No foreign transaction fees
• 6 airport lounge access visits per year

3. Best no-fee t ravel credit card : MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard

• Minimum Limit:  N/A
• Personal Income Requirement:  N/A
• APR:  19.99%
• Annual Fee:  $0
• Bonus Features:  5,000 bonus points for $500 or more in eligible purchases within the first 90 days, double points for every $1 spent on gas, grocery, and restaurant purchases during the first 90 days

The MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard is a well-rounded travel credit card with a straightforward points rewards system that is generous in its category limitations.

For starters, this card offers one point for every dollar spent on eligible purchases. Eligible purchases do not include cash transactions, such as balance transfers or cash advances.

For the first 90 days, customers receive double the rewards for common spending categories, such as groceries and restaurants, which means spenders receive 4  points * for every dollar spent, and 2 points for every dollar thereafter.

However, points doubling maxes out after you have spent $10,000 annually, at which point you will go back to earning the standard one point.

While these reward points are technically redeemable anywhere, they go a further distance (pun intended) when redeemed for travel.

With travel-related rewards, such as hotel reservations or rental cars, 100 points are worth  $1 *. For other rewards, 200 points are worth  $1 *.

Overall, the MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard is ideal for those looking to avoid paying an annual fee and who don’t want to feel limited by their reward redemption options.

MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard

• 2 pts Earn 2 points for every $1 spent at restaurants, and on groceries, digital media items, memberships, and household utilities.
• 1 pt Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Welcome Offer Up to 10,000 reward points ($50 in cash back value) Terms and conditions apply
• Annual Rewards $300 Learn how we calculate this.
• Annual Fee $0
• Minimum Income Required None
• No minimum income requirement
• Flexible rewards program
• High interest rate on cash advances
• Annual spending cap of $10,000 on rewards categories
• Diminished point value if you redeem for cash back

The MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard is a rewards credit card that offers low fees, rewards on every purchase, and an extensive list of redemption options. It features an enticing welcome bonus ( 5,000 points if you spend $500 in the first 90 days, plus an additional 5,000 points for going digital and paperless with your banking).

4. Best t ravel credit card sign-up offer: BMO World Elite Mastercard

• Personal Income Requirement:  $80,000
• Annual Fee:  $150
• Bonus Features:  Temporary welcome bonus of 40,000 points (or $284)

The revered BMO World Elite Mastercard is somewhat of a “magnum opus” of all travel credit cards, and it’s easy to see why.

With 3 points earned per every dollar in eligible purchases and 2 points per dollar for all other purchases, this card comes packed with an enticing rewards structure. However, the card shines when it comes to its travel perks.

For example, the card comes with a comprehensive travel insurance offering that is hard to beat.

Cardholders who use the BMO World Elite Mastercard to purchase travel include up to 21 days of emergency medical insurance, as well as up to $2,000 of trip cancellation fees and $750 of personal effect coverage.

While this last benefit may not seem like a lot, it’s quite rare in the credit card world. Avid travelers will also appreciate the fact that this card will allow them access to Mastercard’s Priceless Cities and World Mastercard Experiences, as well as four passes to Mastercard Airport Experiences airport lounges. The card also comes with a 24/7 concierge.

While these benefits certainly are helpful, the card’s $150 annual fee and high income required may not make it a realistic option for many people.

BMO World Elite Mastercard

• Welcome Offer 40,000 points
• Annual Fee $150 (first year waived)
• Recommended Credit 740+
• Minimum income of $80,000 required
• Airport lounge access in several airports every year
• Rewards can be redeemed for travel expenses, certain merchants, and investing options
• Automatic emergency travel medical insurance for the cardholder, their partner, and their children

5. Best t ravel credit card  for Air Miles: American Express Air Miles Platinum Credit Card

• APR:  20.99%
• Annual Fee:  $120
• Bonus Features:  Sign-up bonus of 3,000 points when $1,500 worth of purchases are made in the first three months

Air Miles is a popular name in the travel world. This American Express card is the fastest way for Canadians to turn their expenses into the world’s most recognizable travel points system.

If you are in the habit of redeeming Air Miles, this is by far the best way to go about doing so, as this card will grant you access to some of the best-earning rates in the industry.

On top of this great Air Mile rate, cardholders will also benefit from a  25% * redemption bonus whenever they redeem their Air Miles towards travel. Also included is theft and damage coverage for car rentals as well as travel accident coverage.

The card will also automatically extend a manufacturer’s warranty for an additional year and offers your standard purchase protection plan.

This card is undoubtedly the best way to earn Air Miles with a credit card in Canada.

However, customers seeking more comprehensive insurance offerings, such as trip cancellation insurance or emergency medical insurance, may be better off using a different card.

American Express Air Miles Platinum

• Welcome Offer 2,000 Air Miles points
• Annual Fee $120
• Interest Rates Purchase: 20.99%, Cash Advances: 21.99%
• Recommended Credit 760 - 900
• 1 mile for every $5 spent on eligible food, drink, and gas purchases (up to $30,000)
• 1 mile for every $10 sent everywhere else
• 750 bonus miles every year you book your first flight using dream miles
• Travel Benefits ($100,000 travel accident insurance, car rental theft and damage insurance)
• AMEX Benefits
• Buyer’s Assurance & Purchase Protection Plan
• No fee for additional cards

6. Best t ravel credit card for booking flights: TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

• Minimum Limit: N/A
• Personal Income Requirement: $60,000
• APR: 19.99%
• Annual Fee: $139
• Bonus Features: 10,000 Aeroplan points with the cardholder’s first purchase, an additional 10,000 Aeroplan points, and a Buddy Pass if you spend $1,000 within a month of opening your account, new signups receive the first year free

The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is the travel card offered by TD Canada Trust and linked to the Aeroplan program, a points redemption system used by the country’s national airline, Air Canada.

The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card offers its cardholders 1.5 points per every $1 spent on eligible purchases (gas, grocery, and aircanada.com travel purchases). Every other purchase category will earn you 1 Aeroplan point per $1 spent.

This credit card also offers some of the best insurance coverages on the market, with up to $1 million in travel medical emergency coverage for up to 21 days (4 days for those over 65), up to $500,000 in travel accident coverage, and $1,500 in trip cancellation, to name a few.

Other insurance benefits include car rental insurance, flight and trip delay insurance, delayed or lost baggage insurance, and even stolen item insurance.

The card’s benefits don’t end here. Air Canada fliers will also be delighted to get their first bag checked for free, as well as 24/7 emergency travel assistance. It is easy to see how these perks add up to justify the $139 yearly fee.

Even if you do not fancy yourself a jetsetter, it makes sense to add a travel credit card to your wallet just for the reward perks alone. Things like travel insurance and concierge services simply come as a bonus, and if you find yourself in a position where you need one, you will be sure to thank your former self for your foresight.

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite

Rated 3.3/5 stars.

• Welcome Offer N/A
• Annual Fee $129 (first year waived)
• Interest Rates Purchases: 19.99%, Cash Advances: 22.99%
• Minimum income of $60,000 required
• Earn 1 Aeroplan mile for every $1 that you spend on purchases
• Earn 1.5 Aeroplan miles on groceries, pharmacy items, Air Canada flights, and gas
• Generous travel insurance coverage and extensive mobile device insurance

The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card is a great travel rewards credit card for the frequent Air Canada flyer or Aeroplan member. With its minimum income requirement and ties to the Aeroplan Rewards program, it’s really designed for moderate to high earners who are in airports often and want to reap the rewards. This card also offers unique travel perks, such as the Nexus fee reimbursement.

By definition, a travel credit card offers travel-related rewards or incentives to its holder, usually in the form of points or miles rewards that are redeemable for services such as hotel stays and flights.

Most travel credit cards function by offering a type of travel point redemption system, allowing users to earn points on common spending categories and then redeem them for travel expenses.

However, these points can often be redeemable for other rewards such as groceries, gas, or even gift cards.

Many travel credit cards also come with some degree of travel insurance, such as medical health insurance and/or trip cancellation insurance, which can help travelers with peace of mind without requiring that they take out additional insurance policies.

In some cases, a travel card may also offer waived foreign transaction fees, which saves international travelers a considerable amount of money (and yes, that includes Canadian cross-border shoppers).

If you’re looking to find a credit card with travel incentives, you’ll face no shortage of fruitful options available to Canadians. Many travel credit card options can add that extra push to your spending before and after your next adventure.However, using a credit card properly, whether it’s for travel or otherwise, is the smartest decision anyone can make for themselves.

Spending within your means and paying your bill in full will eclipse any rewards that a credit card of any type can offer.

Rachel Cribby is a professional writer, editor, and transcriptionist from Canada. Her personal finance work has been published in Greedy Rates and Forbes Advisor.

Frequently asked questions

Even if you do not travel often, it still may make sense for you to have a travel credit card. This is bound to depend on a number of factors.

For one thing, it is possible to get travel credit cards that don’t have an annual fee, which means that you will not be paying for a perk or perks that you do not use.

In many cases, the rewards that come from a travel credit card are not limited to travel-related purchases, which might make them just as enticing if not more enticing than a regular rewards card.

Even if it comes with an annual fee, you may also be surprised to learn how little it takes for a travel credit card to pay for itself.

For example, even if you only take one international trip a year, choosing a card with no foreign transaction fees could save you hundreds of dollars if you travel with an entire family or make a lot of purchases.

While it may seem too indulgent for the average student, there are several reasons why a student may benefit from a travel credit card.

For one thing, many students who are studying away from their hometown may find that they are taking several trips back and forth to home and school.

Earning points can add up quickly, which means that you may be able to redeem one or two free trips per year. This factor makes a big difference in the tight budget of a student!

Additionally, some travel cards do not carry income requirements, making them a realistic choice for a student.

It’s never a good feeling if you lose your wallet or important documents while traveling.

However, if you contact your credit card company as soon as possible, you will be able to cancel your card and will be issued a new credit card number on the spot.

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• Credit Cards

Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards in Canada for 2024

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own.

Have you ever looked at your credit card bills after returning home from a trip abroad and been shocked at how much each purchase actually cost you? Or ordered something online from an American retailer that turned out to be more expensive than you expected? It’s not that the exchange rate is worse than you thought — your credit card issuer likely added a foreign transaction fee, or FX fee, to the purchase.

‘No foreign transaction fee’ credit cards, sometimes referred to as international credit cards , don’t charge you extra when you shop abroad. If you travel often or make frequent foreign transactions online, one of these credit cards could help you save some cash.

Here are the best ‘no foreign transaction fee’ credit cards, according to NerdWallet’s analysis. 

Best ‘no foreign transaction fee’ credit cards in Canada

• Methodology

Summary of the best ‘no FX fee’ credit cards

What to know about credits card with no foreign transaction fee.

Best for: Rewards points

Scotiabank gold american express® card.

• Earn up to $650* in value in the first 12 months, including up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points. Offer ends July 1, 2024.
• You will not pay 2.5% foreign transaction fees on any foreign currency purchases, including online shopping and when travelling abroad. Only the exchange rate applies.
• Earn 5X Scene+ points for every $1 CAD spent on eligible grocery stores, restaurants, fast food, and drinking establishments. Includes popular food delivery and food subscriptions.
• Earn 5X Scene+ points for every $1 CAD spent on eligible entertainment purchases. Includes movies, theatre, and ticket agencies.
• Earn 3X Scene+ points for every $1 CAD spent on eligible gas and daily transit. Includes rideshare, buses, taxis, subway, and more.
• Earn 1X Scene+ point for every $1 spent on every other purchase.
• You’ll earn 6X Scene+ points for each $1 CAD charged to your account on all eligible purchases¹ at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
• Discounted Priority Pass™ membership, which grants you access to over 1200 VIP lounges around the world.
• Score deals on shopping, dining, travel and more with Amex Offers®, and experience special events and discounts with American Express Invites®.
• Access to Amex Front Of The Line® presale and reserved tickets.
• To be eligible, $12,000 (individual) annual income is required. Also, you must have a Canadian credit file and be a Canadian resident of the age of majority in the province or territory where you live.
• Terms and Conditions Apply. Click ‘Apply Now’ for complete details.

Best for: Premium perks and low interest rate

Scotiabank platinum american express® card.

• Earn up to $2,100* in value in your first 14 months, including up to 60,000* bonus Scene+ points. Offer ends October 31, 2024.
• Earn 2X Scene+™ points for every $1 CAD you spend on all your eligible purchases.
• Scene+ points can be redeemed for travel purchase, merchandise and other non-travel rewards such as gift cards and prepaid cards.
• You must redeem a minimum of 5,000 points per travel-related rewards redemption, equivalent to $50 in travel savings. Points must be redeemed within 12 months of the purchase date.
• $399 annual fee.
• Redeem points for any flight, any time through Scene+ Travel, a full-service travel agency. Plus, take advantage of a best price guarantee on airfare.
• Get a Hertz #1 Club Gold membership for special privileges and rental car benefits at over 8,500 locations in 147 countries.
• Enjoy culinary events and experiences, entertainment, luxury fashion, tours, and more through American Express benefits, including American Express Invites, Platinum VIP offers and access to 24/7 premium concierge services for restaurant reservations, show tickets, and gift purchases.
• Lounge access at over 600 VIP airport lounges around the world with a complimentary Priority Pass membership, which includes 10 free visits per year.
• 12 types of insurance provided, including 31-day travel medical benefits — up to $2 million in coverage — for you, your spouse and any dependent children under the age of 65. 10-day coverage available for those over the age of 65.
• Preferred rates: 9.99% for purchases, 9.99% for cash advances.
• To be eligible, you must have a Canadian credit file and be a Canadian resident of the age of majority in the province or territory where you live.

Best for: Businesses

Scotiabank passport™ visa infinite business* card.

• $199 annual fee.
• Earn 1.5X the Scene+™* points for every $1 spent on purchases for your business.
• Enjoy no Foreign Transaction Fees whether you make purchases online or outside of Canada.
• Get access to airport lounges with your complimentary Visa Airport Companion Program membership when you fly for your business.
• Use your points for travel, merchandise, gift cards for your business and more.
• $10,000 credit limit minimum, up to $150,000 unsecured.
• Most items purchased with your Card are insured against theft, loss or damage for 90 days from the purchase date and the manufacturer’s warranty is doubled for up to one year.
• Turn business purchases into business savings with Visa SavingsEdge.
• Visa Infinite Benefits with your Card which include Visa Infinite Concierge and the Luxury Hotel Collection.
• Travel Emergency Medical Insurance – Breathe easy with comprehensive coverage Coverage is provided for eligible persons under age 65 for up to 25 consecutive days and for eligible persons age 65 and older for up to 10 consecutive days.

Best for: Airport lounge access

Scotiabank passport™ visa infinite* card.

• Earn up to $1,100+ in value in the first 12 months, including up to 35,000 bonus Scene+ points and first year annual fee waived on your first supplementary card. Offer Ends January 3, 2024.
• The only major bank credit card offering you no foreign transaction fees, including for shopping online or abroad.
• Your Award Winning Card For Travel.
• Earn 2 Scene+ points on every $1 you spend on eligible grocery stores, dining, entertainment purchases, and daily transit purchases (including buses, subways, taxis and more).
• Earn 1 Scene+ point on every $1 you spend on all other eligible purchases.
• You’ll earn 3X Scene+ points for each dollar charged to your account on all eligible purchases¹ at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés TradItIon, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
• Airport lounge access through complimentary Visa Airport Companion Program membership, plus six complimentary lounge visits per year from the date of enrollment, providing you with access to 1,200+ airport lounges globally, including participating Plaza Premium Lounges.
• Visa Infinite* benefits including Visa Infinite Concierge, Visa Infinite* Luxury Hotel Collection, Visa Infinite* Dining Series, and Entertainment & Lifestyle Offers.
• Access to Scotia SelectPay™.
• To be eligible, $60,000 (individual) or $100,000 (household) annual income is required, or a minimum assets under management of $250,000. Also, you must have a Canadian credit file and be a Canadian resident of the age of majority in the province or territory where you live.

Best for: Prepaid cards

Wealthsimple card.

• General fees and features: Wealthsimple does not charge any fees to use the Wealthsimple Card.
• Currency conversion fee: Mastercard will determine the applicable exchange rate from the range of rates available in wholesale currency markets for the applicable processing date, which may vary from the rate Mastercard itself receives.
• ATM withdrawals: Wealthsimple does not charge any fees for withdrawing cash, but you may see a standard ATM withdrawal fee (usually about $3.00) when you make a withdrawal at an ATM. ATM Withdrawal limits are $500 per transaction and $1,000 per day.
• Reload methods: Add funds to your card by making a deposit via a linked bank account, a wire transfer, your Visa or Mastercard debit card, or an institutional transfer to move an account from another institution.
• Rewards: Earn 1% cash back on eligible purchases. Cash back rewards can go directly into your Spend account, be added to the cash balance of a stock trading or crypto trading account, or be used to auto-purchase the cryptocurrency of your choice in your crypto trading account. Use the card anywhere Mastercard is accepted — in-store, in apps, or online. Pay bills, use direct deposit, and e-Transfer.
• The Wealthsimple Card is available as part of the everyday spending account, which comes with both a digital and physical card that you can manage right from the Wealthsimple app.
• Use the app to manage your rewards and spending preferences, or lock your card if something happens to it. Your balances are all updated in real-time, too — even if you’re using the physical card
• Add your Wealthsimple Card to Apple, Samsung or Google Pay digital wallet.
• Use the Wealthsimple Cash app to send and receive payments to anyone else who uses the Cash app without paying fees. You can also send money to people who don’t have the Cash app yet. They will receive a prompt to download the app and claim the money you sent them.
• Your money is protected for up to $100,000 through CDIC.
• To be eligible, you must be a Canadian resident with a Social Insurance Number of the age of majority in the province or territory where you live.

Methodology: How we evaluate cards

NerdWallet Canada selects the best credit cards based on overall consumer value and their suitability for specific kinds of consumers. Factors in our evaluation methodology include annual and other fees, rewards rates, the earning structure (for example, flat-rate rewards versus bonus categories), redemption options, bonus offers for new cardholders, introductory and ongoing APRs, and other noteworthy features such as airline or hotel perks or the ability to transfer points. Charge cards are not included on this list.

Credit card fees can be confusing to untangle, and foreign transaction fees are no different. Learn how and when they’re applied so the bill from your next international adventure doesn’t include any surprises.  

What is a foreign transaction fee?

When you buy something that’s not in Canadian dollars using your credit card, the issuer typically charges a fee — such as 2.5% of the purchase price. This fee is called a foreign transaction fee.  You may not have noticed it before, since it’s rolled into the total charge that shows up on your statement .

It doesn’t matter if you’re making an online purchase in U.S. dollars from your Canadian living room or paying for dinner out in Istanbul. If the product or service is being sold in a foreign currency, it’s typically subject to fees. Fortunately, there are credit cards that don’t charge foreign transaction fees. However, the card’s network may markup the exchange rate by a small amount.

Visa and Mastercard exchange rate markups

In addition to the transaction fee charged by the issuer, credit card networks typically markup the cost of converting money. For example, the Bank of Canada may list the exchange rate from USD to CAD as 1.35 (for every $1 USD you spend abroad, you’re spending $1.35 CAD). But when you use your credit card, the network (e.g., Visa) may be using a slightly marked up rate of 1.36, meaning for every $1 USD you spend, you’re actually spending $1.36 CAD. So, the conversion is costing you slightly more.     

You can use the below calculators from Visa and Mastercard to estimate your total transaction costs. American Express does not post conversion markups for Canada publicly.

Dynamic currency conversion

It’s worth noting that some merchants allow you to choose between the local currency or your home currency, which is known as dynamic currency conversion, or DCC. If you choose to pay in CAD, you’ll pay the exchange rate set by the merchant at that moment, which can be considerably higher than the standard rate. Therefore, it’s often advisable to pay in the local currency. 

How to calculate foreign transaction fees

While most credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee of around 2.5%, some can be higher. You’ll have to check your credit card terms and conditions for the specific fee you’ll be charged. 

To calculate how much you’re paying in FX fees, follow the below steps: 

• Convert the amount you’re spending to Canadian dollars using the most up-to-date exchange rate. (If you want a more accurate calculation, you can use the currency exchange rate issued by your credit card network).  
• Divide that figure by 100. 
• Then multiply it by the transaction fee.

Let’s do the math

Let’s say you’re visiting the United States and you want to pay for a meal that costs $50 USD, and your card’s foreign transaction fee is 2.5%. Assuming your credit card’s network’s current exchange rate for USD to CAD is 1.35, here is how the calculation works out:

• $50.00 USD x 1.35 = $67.50 CAD
• $67.50 / 100 = $0.675
• $0.675 x 2.5 = $1.69

The foreign transaction fee for this purchase would be $1.69. And your total would be $69.19 CAD.

Should I use a U.S. dollar credit card?

If the majority of your purchases are in American dollars, credit cards like the BMO U.S. Dollar Mastercard or Roger’s World Elite Mastercard can be handy, as U.S. purchases earn a higher reward rate. However, a foreign transaction fee will still apply. 

You also need to consider how you’ll pay your monthly credit card bills . A U.S. dollar credit card may require you to pay your bill in USD. If you don’t have a steady stream of U.S. income, you’ll need to convert your Canadian dollars to USD before you can pay your bills — which also comes with fees.

Although paying a 2.5% conversion fee may not seem like a lot, it can add up over time. If you travel frequently and plan to make more than a few sporadic purchases in foreign currencies, consider getting a ‘no foreign transaction fee’ credit card to help you keep costs down.

About the Author

Georgia Rose is a lead writer on the international team at NerdWallet. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Independent and The Associated…

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 Featured Credit Cards:

Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card

Apply for the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card by April 30, 2024. If you’re approved, you’ll earn an extra 10% back on up to $1,000 in everyday purchases made within your first 2 months*.

Annual Fee: $0 | Additional Cards: $0 |

Terms & Conditions apply

Card details

• Earn 2% cashback on your choice of up to 2 categories, 0.5% money back on all other purchases
• Have your Money-Back Rewards deposited into a Tangerine Savings Account, and get a 3rd 2% Money-Back Category.
• Money-Back Rewards are earned automatically and paid monthly, and can either be applied towards your Credit Card balance or redeemed into your Savings Account.
• Click here to apply for Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card

CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card

Welcome Offer: Join and get up $1,500 in value including a first year annual fee rebate!†

Annual Fee $139 | Additional Cards (Up to 3): $50 | Annual interest rate 20.99%† on purchases and 22.99%† on cash advances and 22.99% † on balance transfers | $60,000 personal or $100,000 household annual income †

• Here's how You can get up to $1,500 in value:
• Get a total of up to 45,000 Aventura Points (up to $900 in travel value†)
• 15,000 Aventura Points when you make your first purchase†
• 30,000 Aventura Points when you spend $3,000 or more in the first 4 monthly statement periods†
• Get a one-time annual fee rebate ($139) for you (the primary cardholder) and up to three authorized users ($50 each, $150 in value): up to $289 value.† Elevate your airport experience with 4 complimentary visits at 1,200+ lounges globally through Visa Airport Companion Program: up to $261 in value.†
• Plus, get a NEXUS◊ Application Fee rebate†: A $50 value†
• 2 Points for every $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre†
• 1.5 Points for every $1 spent at eligible gas stations, EV charging, grocery stores and drug stores†
• 1 Point for every $1 spent on all other purchases†
• Save on gas with CIBC and Journie Rewards Link and use your CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card with Journie Rewards to save up to 10 cents per litre† at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron gas stations.† Plus, enjoy extra valuable travel benefits
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The Platinum Card®

2024 Top Ultra Premium Credit Card Earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® points - that’s up to $1,000 towards a weekend away

Annual Fee: $799 | Additional Card Fee: $250 for Platinum, $0 for Gold (First 2 Cards) then $50 each

• New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn 70,000 Welcome Bonus points after you charge $10,000 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
• Plus, earn 30,000 points when you make a purchase between 14 and 17 months of Cardmembership
• Earn 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible dining and food delivery in Canada, 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible travel, and 1 point for every $1 in all other Card purchases
• Access a $200 Annual Travel Credit through American Express Travel Online or Platinum® Card Travel Service
• Enjoy a $200 Annual Dining Credit at some of Canada’s best restaurants
• Unlock $200 or more in additional value with Member extras. You can earn statement credits for qualifying purchases with participating brands
• Take full advantage of The American Express Global Lounge CollectionTM  which unlocks access to over 1300 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience
• Enjoy flexible ways to use your points such as statement credits for any eligible purchase charged to your Card, new travel purchases booked on American Express Travel Online through the Flexible Points Travel Program, and eligible flights through the Fixed Points Travel Program
• Transfer points 1:1 to several frequent flyer and other loyalty programs
• Enjoy complimentary benefits that offer an average value of $750 CAD at over 1,300 extraordinary properties worldwide when you book Fine Hotels + Resorts
• Platinum Cardmembers can enjoy access to special events and unique opportunities
• Enjoy premium benefits at the Toronto Pearson Airport
• You will also have access to many leading hotel and car rental companies’ loyalty programs. Our partners include Marriott International, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Hertz and Avis
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Monito's Managing Editor, Byron has spent several years writing extensively about financial- and migration-related topics.

Links on this page, including products and brands featured on ‘Sponsored’ content, may earn us an affiliate commission. This does not affect the opinions and recommendations of our editors.

If you frequently travel abroad from Canada or often make payments in foreign currencies, you'll probably know that there are many credit cards out there which cater to your needs. But with so many options at your fingertips, it's not always easy to find out which is the best for you.

Fortunately for you, our team has compared the top credit cards in Canada for annual fees, travel rewards, FX rates, insurance and protections, and much more to select what we believe are undeniably the four best cards on the market. So, no matter whether you're taking your family on vacation to Europe or just making a simple online transaction in US dollars, our carefully-selected options will cater to your every need!

If traveling as cheaply as possible is your goal, then a full-on credit card might not be your best bet. We recommend checking out KOHO 's range of debit cards, whose starter plan charges no monthly fees and a low 1.5% FX fee and offers you much more in return. Tangerine also offers the Money-Back Credit Card , which lets you build credit and take advantage of cashback while paying no annual fees.

Best Credit Card in Canada for Travel

• 01. Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card scroll down
• 02. American Express Cobalt® Card scroll down
• 03. TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege Card scroll down
• 04. BMO AIR MILES® MasterCard® scroll down
• 05. KOHO: an alternative to credit cards scroll down

Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card

Tangerine's Money-Back Credit Card is a credit card without an annual fee focusing on credit building and cash back . At 2.5% per transaction, it's not the cheapest travel credit card, but it can still be a good bet since it doesn't charge an annual fee.

• Annual Fee:  $0
• Interest (Purchases): 19.95%
• Interest (Cash Advance): 19.95%
• Foreign Transaction Charge:  2.5%
• Rewards, Insurance, and Protections:  Purchase Assurance and Extended Warranty, 2% Money-Back Rewards on everyday purchases

American Express Cobalt® Card

The American Express Cobalt® Card is an excellent choice for travel, offering benefits such as generous rewards , insurance, and no foreign transaction fees, ensuring a rewarding and cost-effective travel experience.

• Annual Fee:  $155.88
• Interest (Purchases): 20.99%
• Interest (Cash Advance): 21.99%
• Foreign Transaction Charge: $0
• Rewards, Insurance, and Protections:  Amex Membership Reward points, Mobile Device Insurance, travel insurance, etc.

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege Card

The most premium credit card on this list, TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege Card has a high annual fee but comes packed with perks like comprehensive trip insurance, airport lounge access, travel benefits on Air Canada, and points.

• Annual Fee: $599
• Interest (Cash Advance): 20.99%
• Foreign Transaction Charge:  $0
• Rewards, Insurance, and Protections: Travel Medical Insurance, Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Flight Delay Insurance, Global Airport Lounge Access, Air Canada travel benefits, etc.

BMO AIR MILES® MasterCard®

Another credit card without annual fees, BMO AIR MILES® MasterCard® is a good choice if you're looking for fair travel benefits without paying high annual fees , which includes rewards, miles, and basic trip insurance.

• Annual Fee: $0
• Interest (Cash Advance): 22.99%
• Rewards, Insurance, and Protections: Car rental discounts, Miles accrual, extended warranty and purchase protection, BMO Roadside Assistance, etc.

KOHO Debit Card: A Credit Card Alternative

If you want to save as much money as possible while spending overseas, you can take advantage of low-cost foreign exchange spending with KOHO — the complete alternative to traditional credit cards in Canada !

With KOHO's innovative mobile finance platform, you can access your money anytime, anywhere, while paying just 1.5% on foreign transactions (which, although slightly higher than some credit cards, can still save you a lot in the long run due to the lack of monthly fees on the basic plan). Compared to credit cards, this means that KOHO's free debit card can save you money if you can afford to keep your number of transact or withdrawals to a minimum while travelling abroad.

What's more, KOHO offers instant notifications and real-time spending insights, empowering you to stay on top of your travel expenses. With KOHO as your trusted financial companion, you can embrace a seamless and secure travel experience abroad!

• Annual Fee:  $0 on the basic plan (paid plans range up to $19 /month)
• Foreign Transaction Charges:  1.5%
• Travel Insurance and Protections: N/A
• Travel Rewards: N/A
• Sign-up Bonuses: N/A
• More Info:  Read our review or visit the website .

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Why Trust Monito?

You’re probably all too familiar with the often outrageous cost of sending money abroad. After facing this frustration themselves back in 2013, co-founders François, Laurent, and Pascal launched a real-time comparison engine to compare the best money transfer services across the globe. Today, Monito’s award-winning comparisons, reviews, and guides are trusted by around 8 million people each year and our recommendations are backed by millions of pricing data points and dozens of expert tests — all allowing you to make the savviest decisions with confidence.

Monito is trusted by 15+ million users across the globe.

Monito's experts spend hours researching and testing services so that you don't have to.

Our recommendations are always unbiased and independent.

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Best travel credit cards of April 2024

Fortune Recommends™ has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Fortune Recommends™ and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.  

Travel credit cards make it possible for you to earn free and discounted travel with your everyday spending. What's more, some of the best travel credit cards also offer valuable perks that elevate your trip experience.

At the same time, each card has its own set of rewards rates, intro bonuses, annual fees and other terms, so take your time picking one that aligns well with your travel and spending habits.

The best travel credit cards of April 2024

• Best premium card: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Best flat-rate rewards card: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

• Best mid-range card: Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card
• Best for lounge access: The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Best for airline loyalists: United Explorer Card
• Best for hotel loyalists: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
• Best $0 annual fee travel card: Bilt Mastercard

Best 0% intro APR card: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

• Best for earnings: U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card

Best for fair credit: Credit One Wander

• Best for credit building: Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card

Best premium card: Capital One Venture X Card

The Venture X packs a lot of travel rewards into a card that costs hundreds of dollars less than its competitors.

Why we like it: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers rich rewards and travel perks, and unlike many other premium travel credit cards, the Venture X doesn't make you jump through many hoops to earn back the cost of its steep annual fee. In addition to a Capital One Travel credit and bonus miles each year, you'll also get complimentary access to a number of airport lounge networks with more than 1,300 locations around the world. 

The card also offers ultimate flexibility when it comes to redeeming your rewards for travel. You can book with miles through Capital One Travel, or if you want more options, you can use your card to pay for travel-related expenses and request a statement credit. If you're feeling ambitious, you can even transfer your rewards to various frequent flyer and hotel rewards programs and potentially get more value from your miles.

The Venture Card puts the power into your hands by earning miles that you can either use against your travel purchases or transfer to travel partners.

Travel rewards can get complicated, which is why the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card feels like a breath of fresh air. The card offers a high, flat rewards rate on your everyday spending, so you don't need to keep track of different bonus rewards categories. It also offers extra miles on select travel booked through the Capital One Travel platform.

You can redeem your miles by booking travel through Capital One Travel or by using your card to pay for travel on your own and requesting a statement credit. Alternatively, you can transfer your miles to airline and hotel rewards program partners for more dynamic redemptions. The card also comes with complimentary Hertz Five Star status, which lets you skip the rental counter and get access to a wider selection of vehicles. When you use it to pay the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, Capital One will reimburse you.

Best mid-level card: Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers both robust earnings on travel and a useful suite of travel protections. Plus, Chase's dozen-plus transfer partners offer flexibility in travel redemptions.

Why we like it: If you're looking for a way to maximize your travel rewards without paying a steep annual fee, look no further than the Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card . The card offers an impressive welcome bonus and several opportunities to earn bonus points on your everyday spending. Annual perks include a $50 credit toward hotel stays booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, a 10% points bonus on your spending throughout the year and benefits with partners like Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, and Peloton.

The card offers flexible redemption options, including cash back, but you'll get 25% more value if you use your points to book travel through Chase. Alternatively, you can transfer your rewards to one of the card issuer's airline or hotel rewards program partners and potentially squeeze more value out of your points. 

Best for lounge access: The Platinum Card® from American Express 

Why we like this card.

The Platinum Card® from American Express charges an annual fee that some will find hard to stomach. But if you're a frequent flyer, it may well become your favorite travel companion. The card offers access to more airport lounge networks than any other credit card. At larger airports, you may even have your pick among several lounge options. 

The card also comes packed with more than $1,500 in annual travel and lifestyle credits, elite status with select hotel and car rental rewards programs and many other perks that touch just about every aspect of your travel experience. That said, many of the credits are doled out in increments and are for specific vendors, making them harder to redeem.

Pro tip: Credits only have value if you use them in your daily life. If a credit or benefit is causing you to make purchases you don't usually make, you might want to reconsider whether it is worth it for you.

Best for airline loyalists: United SM Explorer Card

The United Explorer card makes sense if you are one of the over 140 million passengers that flew United last year.

Why we like it: If you like the idea of enjoying rewards and perks with an airline rather than general travel rewards and benefits, you can't go wrong with the United Explorer Card . The card offers a sizable welcome bonus and a few different bonus rewards categories, and with a strong domestic and international presence, you'll have plenty of options when it comes to redeeming your miles for award flights.

You'll get some standard airline card benefits, such as a free checked bag for you and a companion, priority boarding, and a discount on select inflight purchases. But you'll also get some perks that most mid-tier airline cards don't offer, including expanded access to Saver award tickets, premier upgrade eligibility on award tickets, two one-time passes to the United Club lounge each year, and an application fee credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Best for hotel loyalists: IHG One Rewards Premier Card

The IHG One Rewards Card offers a free night upon card renewal along with a slew of other benefits, making it well worth the modest annual fee

Why we like it: If you want to focus your efforts on earning free hotel stays, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers an impressive array of benefits. The card makes it easy to earn points quickly, though it also requires a lot of points to get free stays with IHG. 

Where it really shines, though, is in its perks, which offer value that far outweighs the card's modest annual fee. You'll get a free night reward each year worth up to 40,000 points, plus a $100 statement credit and 10,000 bonus points if you spend $20,000 in a calendar year. When you stay at IHG hotels, you'll enjoy Platinum Elite status, which includes perks like the fourth night free on award bookings, reward night discounts, complimentary upgrades, and a welcome amenity. You'll also get an application fee credit toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS.

Best $0 annual fee card: Bilt Mastercard

The Bilt Mastercard not only has no annual fee, it has a robust set of travel transfer partners. Even better, it lets you earn rewards for paying rent.

Why we like it: While it technically isn't billed as a travel credit card, the Bilt Mastercard®—the only credit card that offers rewards on rent payments—offers travel benefits that are hard to ignore. Most importantly, the card allows you to transfer your points to several airline and hotel loyalty programs, a rare feature for a travel card with no annual fee. You'll also pay no foreign transaction fees and get a few trip protections, including trip cancellation and interruption reimbursement, trip delay protection and auto rental collision damage waiver.

If your vacation plans stretch farther than your budget, the VentureOne has an extended 0% APR period on purchases so you can enjoy the sun without getting burned with interest.

Most travel credit cards don't offer introductory 0% APR promotions, but if that feature is a top priority and you don't want a cash-back card, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card may be worth a look. 

The card offers an introductory 0% APR promotion on both purchases and balance transfers, giving you plenty of time to pay off a large chunk or all of a significant purchase or high-interest debt from another card. 

The card's rewards rate isn't very exciting, but it does offer flexible travel redemption options, including access to transfer partners.

Best for earning on travel: U.S. Bank Altitude Connect

If cash back is your preference, the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect has a robust rewards rate on travel purchases plus a selection of perks unusual for a sub-$100 annual fee card.

Interestingly enough, many travel credit cards don't offer great rewards on travel spending unless you're booking through the card issuer's travel portal. If you want a card that offers best-in-class rewards on all of your travel spending, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is your best bet. 

The card also offers great rewards on other everyday spending categories, along with four free visits to Priority Pass lounges each year, an application fee credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and an annual bonus when you use your card to pay for an eligible streaming service.

The Credit One Wander card flies under the radar but is worth a look for its strong earnings on travel, dining and gas in addition to its more lenient credit score requirements.

Why we like it: You typically need good or excellent credit to qualify for one of the best travel credit cards, but if you're not quite there yet, the Credit One Bank Wander® Card should be on your radar. The card offers great rewards on select travel purchases and other everyday spending. 

Points can be redeemed in a variety of ways, but to get a consistent redemption rate, statement credits are your best option.

Best for credit building: Capital One Quicksilver Secured Card

You aren't out of options if you need to build your credit score before getting a standard travel card. The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Card is a rewarding option while you get on track.

Why we like it : If you're looking to build or rebuild, you'll be hard-pressed to get approved for a true travel credit card. However, the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card can be a solid alternative until you have the chance to establish a good credit score.

The card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, making it a good choice for international travel, and you'll earn a solid rewards rate on every purchase you make. While you need to make a security deposit equal to your desired credit limit when you get started, you don't have to wait to close your account to get your money back. With responsible use, you can start earning unsecured credit line increases after six months, and you can also qualify for an upgrade to an unsecured Quicksilver card down the road, at which point you'll get a deposit refund.

Our methodology

The Fortune Recommends TM team analyzed more than 50 travel credit cards across various issuers to come up with the top picks.

Here are the key elements we ranked each card by:

• Annual fee: Some card issuers require cardholders to pay an annual fee for cards with rewards and extra features or benefits. For most of our rankings, we rated cards with lower or zero-dollar annual fees higher.  
• Rewards: Travel cards typically provide rewards in the form of points or miles. For some rankings, we rated cards with better rewards rates higher on our list. 
• Insurance and protections: When you use your card to make purchases, you may be eligible for different types of protections on those purchases. Some cards offer insurance on travel-related expenses, like trip cancellation insurance, baggage delay insurance, trip delay reimbursement, and more. Some cards also provide non-travel-related reimbursements like cell phone protection. For some rankings, we rated cards higher based on the number of protections they offered.
• Welcome bonus: When you sign up for a new credit card, you may be eligible for a one-time welcome bonus in the form of points or miles. You’ll need to spend a certain amount within a few months of card opening to earn the bonus. We ranked cards with higher bonuses and lower spending requirements higher on our list. 
• Perks: Travel credit cards may offer a variety of perks—like statement credits for TSA PreCheck, airport lounge access, a free checked bag, and more. We rated cards with more perks higher for some of our rankings. 
• Foreign transaction fees: Some cards charge a flat rate on purchases when you use your card abroad. We rated cards with no foreign transaction fees higher.  

How do travel credit cards work?

Unlike cash-back rewards, which tend to work the same regardless of the card issuer, travel rewards can get complicated quickly. Ultimately, your redemption options and the value of your points and miles will vary depending on the rewards program.

Flexible travel rewards

Flexible travel rewards credit cards offer points or miles through the card issuer's proprietary rewards program. Some examples include Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Capital One Miles. 

With flexible travel rewards, you'll typically get several redemption options, and your rewards are worth a set amount — usually between 0.5 cents and 1.5 cents apiece — depending on how you redeem them. Travel redemptions typically get more value, but that can vary by program.

Many of these programs also allow you to transfer your points to airline and hotel loyalty programs, giving you access to more dynamic redemptions. If you're savvy enough, you could get more value with a transfer partner than if you were to redeem through the card issuer's rewards program.

Airline rewards

Airline miles , or points in some cases, are designed primarily to help you earn award flights with your favorite airline, such as United, Delta , or Southwest. But unlike general points or miles, airline rewards typically don't have a set value. 

In some cases, the number of points or miles required for a flight may be linked to the cash value of the ticket, but they may be unrelated. As a result, the value of your rewards will vary based on your flight dates, itinerary, cabin choice, and other factors. 

In some cases, you may be able to redeem your airline rewards in other ways, but you typically won't get as much value that way.

Hotel rewards

Hotel points allow you to book free hotel stays with a single hotel chain, such as IHG, Hilton, or Marriott. Like airline rewards, hotel points have dynamic value, so your redemption rate will vary based on your destination, the property, your stay dates, and other variables.

Hotel loyalty programs may also allow you to redeem your rewards in other ways, but it's generally best to stick to free nights.

Should you pick a travel credit card?

If you frequently travel or you're looking for opportunities to travel more in the future, a travel credit card can make it easier to earn free or discounted flights, hotel stays, rental cars, and more. 

What's more, some of the top travel credit cards also offer perks that can save you more money or give you a better overall experience at the airport, in flight, or throughout your trip. 

That said, most travel credit cards don't offer as much redemption flexibility as cash-back credit cards. If you're not sure you want to go all in on travel rewards, a cash-back credit card may be a better choice. 

Also, most of the top travel credit cards charge an annual fee. While many of them make it easy to offset that cost with rewards and perks, the fee is still an out-of-pocket cost. If you're on a tight budget or you're generally fee-averse, think carefully about whether you can afford that yearly cost and make sure you can get enough value from a card to make its annual fee worthwhile.

How to choose the best travel credit card

With so many different options available, there's no single travel credit card that's best suited for all travelers. To determine which one is best for you, you'll want to think about your travel habits, spending profile, and general preferences.

Travel habits

Consumers who travel frequently may benefit more from a premium travel card that offers a broad range of perks, while more casual travelers may be better off with a mid-tier or no-annual-fee travel card. 

If you're loyal to a specific airline or hotel chain, it could make sense to get an airline or hotel credit card, but if you don't want to be tied down to a single brand, a general travel card might be the right move.

You'll also want to think about how you travel and which travel card benefits would give you the best experience. For example, if your home airport has one or more airport lounges, it can make sense to get a card that offers lounge access. 

Spending profile

Most travel credit cards offer tiered rewards, meaning you'll earn bonus rewards on certain spending categories. If you spend a lot in certain areas of your budget, try to find a card that will reward you more for those purchases. 

However, if you don't spend a lot in any single category or you don't want to earn a low rewards rate on most of your spending, consider a card that offers a high, flat rewards rate on everything.

General preferences

Consider other features you're looking for in a travel credit card. Options may include transfer partners, straightforward benefits, redemption options, 0% APR promotions, and more. 

As you research and compare travel credit cards, familiarize yourself with all of their benefits to determine which one feels like the best fit based on your needs and preferences.

Frequently asked questions

Which card is better for international travel.

Generally speaking, you'll want a credit card that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee. With cards that do charge this fee, you'll typically pay an extra 3% on all of your purchases made abroad.

Additionally, Visa and Mastercard credit cards tend to be better for international travel because they're more widely accepted than American Express and Discover credit cards. If you have an Amex or Discover card, consider bringing a Visa or Mastercard as a backup.

Is Visa or Mastercard better for travel?

Mastercard boasts acceptance in more than 210 countries, while Visa says it operates in more than 200 countries. So, if you're traveling to a country that's off the beaten path, so to speak, Mastercard may be a better choice. But for most major international destinations, you're likely fine with either Visa or Mastercard.

What is the best credit card to accumulate travel miles?

Miles have historically been associated with airline frequent flyer programs, but some card issuers, including Capital One and Discover, use the miles nomenclature for their rewards currency. 

With that said, the best miles credit card for you depends on your travel habits and preferences. If you want to earn miles with a particular airline, check out that airline's co-branded credit cards to see which one offers the best fit. If you want more general rewards, consider a card that offers miles or points with more flexible redemption options.

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

Home » News » WestJet introducing Extended Comfort travel experience with preferred seating, priority boarding & a free alcoholic drink

WestJet introducing Extended Comfort travel experience with preferred seating, priority boarding & a free alcoholic drink

On April 10th WestJet will be introducing a new product option called “ Extended Comfort ” which will be available for purchase for anyone flying on an economy class fare.

This new feature will be replacing the preferred seating seat selection option with a packaged offer for those same preferred seats that will also include priority boarding and a complimentary alcoholic beverage. Extended Comfort will be offered onboard WestJet’s 737 and 787 aircraft

The Extended Comfort Experience

The new Extended Comfort experience from WestJet will include the following:

• Seats with extra legroom (3-6 inches) at the front of the Economy cabin.
• Priority boarding (Zone 2) – Which should provide better access to coveted overhead bin space
• A complimentary alcoholic beverage during inflight service (based on flight duration, aircraft type and destination)

This new option can be selected by WestJet travellers at time of booking or anytime in advance of travel right up until check-in through WestJet’s Manage Trips or on the WestJet app.

Extended Comfort Pricing

Much like the pricing for tickets and other options with the airline, the pricing for Extended Comfort is dynamic as it is based on the distance, city pair, time of day etc.  WestJet has told Rewards Canada the prices will start at $30 but can go higher based on the aforementioned factors.

As this option is replacing the current Preferred seat product we can assume the top end pricing will likely be higher than the maximum $250 currently being charged for Preferred seats:

Extended Comfort is eligible for Elite Status Upgrades & Seat Selection Vouchers

In our discussions with WestJet we asked them if the Extended Comfort product will be eligible for space available free upgrades at the gate that they provide to their Elite Status members. They told us that yes, it will be eligible:

Elite status members will be eligible to be upgraded to Extended Comfort similarly to how cabin upgrades are done today.  If they can’t be accommodated in Premium or Business they can be moved to Extended Comfort instead based on availability.

The same goes for the free seat selection vouchers that elite members receive:

Elite status members with seat selection vouchers will be able to use those on Extended Comfort just as they can with Preferred seats today.

Wrapping it up

The new WestJet Extended Comfort product is a good option for those travellers who are not able to purchase Premium or Business Class fares for whatever reason, but do have it within their budget to make their travel experience a little more comfortable.

Personally, I think the biggest selling point of the new feature is the Zone 2 Priority Boarding. With so many travellers trying to bring as much luggage as possible into the cabin to avoid paying checked bag fees, the overhead bins have become prime real estate. Thus by getting early access to the bin space along with an extra legroom seat, this new option will be seen as a goldmine by some.

Click here to learn more about Extended Comfort

Westjet rbc world elite mastercard.

• Get up to 450 WestJet dollars 1 (a value of up to $450 off the base fare). Bonus awarded as follows: 250 WestJet dollars upon your first purchase 1 200 WestJet dollars when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months 1
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• Earn 1.5% back in WestJet dollars on every purchase you make with your card
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• Travel to Canada and the Continental US for $119 CAD
• Travel to the rest of the WestJet network for $399 CAD
• Click here to apply for WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard

Refer to RBC page for up to date offer terms and conditions

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RBC Finalizes Acquisition of HSBC Bank Canada

RBC has finalized its acquisition of HSBC Bank Canada , and the transition of HSBC Canada customers into RBC products and services is now also complete. You can now begin using your new RBC credit cards, and you’ll soon be able to redeem RBC Avion Rewards.

Importantly, we now have more insight into the conversion rates RBC has used to transition customers from HSBC Rewards to RBC Avion Rewards , which was not previously disclosed. 

RBC’s Conversion of HSBC Rewards to RBC Avion Rewards

As part of RBC’s acquisition of HSBC Bank Canada , balances of HSBC Rewards are being converted into RBC Avion Rewards . 

RBC did not disclose the rates at which it would convert HSBC Rewards into RBC Avion Rewards prior to the conversion taking place, and only indicated that the converted points would have “equal or higher value in the flexible travel redemption category in the same way they book their travel today.”

On April 1, 2024, previous HSBC Bank Canada clients began receiving emails about the conversion rate RBC used. While the conversion is slated to be complete by April 5, 2024, we now have insight into the actual conversion rates being applied.

It’s worth noting that RBC has made personalized conversion rates for every customer, and the observations below may not apply to every case. Therefore, be sure to reference the communication sent directly to you for information as it pertains to your unique situation.

Many previous cardholders of the HSBC World Elite Mastercard who were transitioned to the RBC® Avion Visa Infinite† are having their HSBC Rewards points converted into Avion (Elite) points at a 1:0.36 ratio. In other words, if you had 100,000 HSBC Rewards points, you’d get 36,000 RBC Avion (Elite) points.

While this conversion rate is lower than the 2:1 ratio we had originally predicted , RBC’s statement of converted points having equal or higher value in the flexible redemption category holds true, since you can redeem these RBC Avion (Elite) points at a rate of 100 RBC Avion (Elite) points = $1.50 (all figures in CAD).

Importantly, this redemption rate is higher than what’s available for cardholders of the RBC® Avion Visa Infinite† who weren’t transitioned from an HSBC World Elite Mastercard, who have a redemption rate of 100 RBC Avion (Elite) points = $1 for flexible travel bookings.

(We’ll do an analysis of who stands to gain and who stands to lose from this transfer ratio in the following section of this article).

In the Prince of Travel Elites Facebook Group and in our membership community , we’ve also seen reports of a 1:0.34 ratio, which appears to be for previous cardholders of the HSBC Metal World Elite Mastercard who have been transferred to the RBC® Avion Visa Infinite Privilege† . 

For those being transitioned to an RBC® ION Visa , which earns RBC Avion (Premium) points, we’ve seen reports of a 1:0.88 ratio. In other words, if you had 100,000 HSBC Rewards points, you’d get 88,000 RBC Avion (Premium) points. This opens up some unique possibilities, which we’ll discuss in detail below.

As a reminder, you can no longer use your HSBC Canada credit card products as of 11:59 pm Eastern Time on April 1, 2024. You’ll now need to activate and use your RBC credit card, which will earn RBC Avion points.

If you held an HSBC credit card with a travel credit, you’ll soon be able to view and redeem your credit.

You’ll first need to activate the credit on or after April 4, 2024, by logging into your Avion Rewards account, locating your travel credit on the Offers page, and then clicking “Load Offer”. 

Once that’s done, you’ll need to make an eligible car rental or hotel booking through the Avion Rewards Travel platform between April 4, 2024 and April 5, 2025 to receive your one-time statement credit.

Analyzing RBC’s Conversion of HSBC Rewards Points

Depending on how you choose to redeem your points, you may wind up getting more or less overall value from your new RBC Avion points at the Elite or Premium tiers.

Previous HSBC World Elite Mastercard Cardholders

If you were a previous cardholder of the HSBC World Elite Mastercard and had your HSBC Rewards points converted into RBC Avion (Elite) points, you should get slightly better value from RBC Avion Rewards if you choose to redeem points for travel purchases.

For example, if you had 100,000 HSBC Rewards points prior to the acquisition, you could have redeemed them for $500  worth of travel. 

With a 1:0.36 ratio, you’d wind up with 36,000 RBC Avion (Elite) points, which you can now redeem for $540, since you have a higher-than-usual redemption rate of 100 RBC Avion (Elite) points = $1.50. 

However, you’ll only get this elevated rate if you book flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages, and cruises through the Avion Rewards Travel platform. In this sense, your points aren’t as flexible as they were with HSBC Rewards, since you could book travel directly with any vendor and simply redeem points for a statement credit.

Plus, your booking on Avion Rewards Travel may not be eligible for earning status with hotels or airlines, since it won’t be made directly with the vendor.

If you planned on converting your points into British Airways Executive Club , you’ll wind up with fewer Avios with points converted at a 1:0.36 transfer ratio than at the 25:10 ratio through HSBC Rewards.

For example, if you had 100,000 HSBC Rewards points, you could previously have converted them into 40,000 British Airways Avios at a 25:10 ratio.

Since RBC Avion points transfer to British Airways Executive Club at a 1:1 ratio, a converted balance of 36,000 RBC Avion points would equal 36,000 Avios, or 4,000 fewer (10% less) than what you’d have gotten through HSBC Rewards.

If you planned on transferring your points to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles , you’ll get slightly more Asia Miles with a 1:0.36 transfer ratio from HSBC Rewards to RBC Avion than  through HSBC Rewards. 

For example, if you had 100,000 HSBC Rewards, you could previously have converted them into 32,000 Asia Miles with the 25:8 transfer ratio. Since RBC Avion (Elite) points convert to Asia Miles at a 1:1 ratio, you’d now wind up with 36,000 Asia Miles, assuming you received a 1:0.36 conversion.

It’s worth noting that RBC Avion typically offers transfer bonuses to both programs throughout the year, which would theoretically boost your Executive Club or Asia Miles balance beyond what was possible through HSBC Rewards (assuming no transfer bonus was available.)

While you’re no longer able to transfer points to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer with the loss of HSBC Rewards, you can now transfer RBC Avion (Elite) points to American Airlines AAdvantage at a 1:0.7 ratio. RBC Avion (Elite) points also transfer to WestJet Rewards at a 100:1 ratio, though you’ll likely get better value from the other airline partners.

Plus, if you redeem points for flights using the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule , you can squeeze more value out of your points, since you can get up to 2.33 cents per point for a redemption.

If you redeem points this way, you’d wind up with a higher value than what you’d have received for travel bookings with HSBC Rewards.

Previous HSBC Metal World Elite Mastercard Cardholders

If you had HSBC Rewards points transferred to RBC Avion (Elite) points at a 1:0.34 ratio, you’d still wind up with greater value if redeemed at 1.5 cents per point for flexible travel bookings. However, the overall possible value is less than what members who had a 1:0.36 transfer ratio would receive.

For example, if you had 100,000 HSBC Rewards points, those would be converted into 34,000 Avion (Elite) points at a 1:0.34 ratio. With HSBC, you could redeem them for $500, whereas with RBC, you’ll be able to redeem them for $510 for travel booked through Avion Rewards Travel at 1.5 cents per point.

However, as an RBC® Avion Visa Infinite Privilege† cardholder, you can redeem RBC Avion (Elite) points at a rate of 2 cents per point for business class and First Class fares . If you redeem them this way, you’ll wind up with more value ($680) than what you could get through flexible redemptions with HSBC Rewards ($500).

You’ll wind up with even fewer British Airways Avios than you would through conversions from HSBC Rewards, unless you hold out for a transfer bonus event.

For example, if you converted 100,000 HSBC Rewards to British Airways Executive Club at a 25:10 ratio, you’d have wound up with 40,000 Avios. With a 1:0.34 conversion ratio, you’d now wind up with just 34,000 Avios, assuming there’s no transfer bonus at stake.

You’ll still wind up coming out ahead with Asia Miles (34,000 vs 32,000) with your points converted to RBC Avion (Elite) points at a 1:0.34 ratio.

Previous HSBC Rewards+ & HSBC Travel Rewards Mastercard Cardholders

If your HSBC Rewards points were converted to RBC Avion (Premium) points at a 1:0.88 ratio, an intriguing opportunity presents itself.

With HSBC Rewards, you could redeem 100,000 points for a $500 statement credit for travel purchases. With 88,000 RBC Avion (Premium) points, you can redeem them for $511   worth of travel (172 RBC Avion (Premium) points = $100).  

However, recall that RBC Avion (Premium) points can be converted into RBC Avion (Elite) points at at a 1:1 ratio if you have an eligible RBC Avion credit card. 

Therefore, if you’ve been transitioned to an RBC® ION Visa or an RBC ION+ Visa , consider adding an RBC Avion credit card to your portfolio in the near future, since you’d then be able to move your RBC Avion points at the Premium tier into points at the Elite tier.

Then, you could then transfer to British Airways Executive Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, or American Airlines AAdvantage , or redeem them using the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule, for much greater value.

It’s worth noting that you can transfer RBC Avion (Premium) points to WestJet Rewards , too.

RBC’s acquisition of HSBC Bank Canada is now complete, and you can no longer use HSBC Bank Canada products. 

If you had a balance of HSBC Rewards points, it is in the process of being converted into RBC Avion points at various membership tiers. Depending on how you choose to redeem your points, you could wind up with greater or lesser value than you did before.

Your new batch of RBC Avion points will be available to use as of April 5, 2024, so be sure to get your online accounts set up before then so you can begin to redeem points at your leisure.

• Earn 35,000 RBC Avion points † when you get approved for the card
• Plus, earn  20,000 RBC Avion points † upon spending $5,000 in the first six months
• Earn 1.25x RBC Avion points †  on qualifying travel purchases
• Transfer RBC Avion points to British Airways Executive Club and other frequent flyer programs for premium flights †
• Redeem Avion points for flights with the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule †
• Minimum income: $60,000 personal or $100,000 household
• Annual fee: $120 †

19 Comments

The problem with the conversion calculation that RBC did is that they compared arguably the worst use of HSBC points (flexible travel or statement credit at 0.5c) rather than looking at airline points, or the earn ratio.

Buying travel through Avion is — and tbh I’m guessing here — not going to be equivalent since — again guessing — they likely will not have the cheapest airline tickets, car rentals, etc. And I believe there is something about not using points for “fees/taxes”. So if the points only cover (say) 75% of the ticket, and the ticket price is 25% higher than open market, then the actual value is about 67% of nominal (.75 * 1/1.25).

Again, the fact that RBC did not disclose this ahead of time to let people choose is the big problem here, for me.

I have a written statement from an rbc rep that suggested hsbc customers would get the bonus points when being transitioned over to rbc. I’ll give it a few weeks and then are it (when I’m sure the bonus points aren’t added).

Would you be able to share that written statement? Thanks.

I’m not sure if this will work….

l’m currently with HSBC and received notification that l’Il be migrating to this credit card with RBC as part of the takeover. Will L receive this points bonus since ‘l be a new RBC client? l’ve never had an RBC avion card before. 3h Like Reply 1 RBC Hi Dave As mentioned, your package will be arriving shortly outlining your current products with HSBC, and the ones you will be migrated to here at RBC. So it would be similar to the Apple Watch promotion, if you don’t currently have a credit card with RBC, then you would be eligible.- Sara-Lynn

Thank you David for sharing this.

I am in the same boat, never have any product with RBC. I will follow up with RBC credit card regarding the welcome bonus

All along I have been getting conflicting information. I had also a chat with RBC csr saying that there’s no welcome bonus points. The only thing I was assured was that the first year fee will be waived off. Don’t know what’s true and what’s not

So we don’t get welcome bonus points 35000k for new card holder’s transition from HSBC and another 20000k when spending 5k during the first three months?

That is correct. No new sign up bonus

I vaguely remember a politician using a wording along the lines of ‘customers would get the same deal or better – no negative impact.’

Yet my conversion is worse – and I no longer get six points per dollar spent on travel (or the equivalent).

I’ve talked to a few people with long relationships with HSBC that feel the same way. I guess it’s par for the course in this country that anything goes, but it’s still disappointing.

Well, HSBC’s points have always be valued at 0.5¢ per point (vs RBC Avion at 1¢ minimum), and to convert it out to another airlines, i.e. British Airways (BA) avios, the conversion ratio is 25,000 to 10,000. While RBC Avions can be transferred out to BA Avios at the ratio of 1:1 and sometimes 1:1.3. So this is not apple to orange comparison; earning 6 points with HSBC is not the same as 6 points with RBC. The conversion ratio isn’t too bad

RBC should let former HSBC card holder making their own decision if they would like to spend their HSBC Rewards or convert to Avion, if RBC disclosed the conversion rate two months ago, then we could make our own decision. The way they treated to HSBC Card holder is unfair.

Absolutely correct, the suspense screwed me over. I thought the conversion would be at 0.5 at least. The travel points alone is 6x with HSBC it’s worth more than RBC. The only reason I had to opt in for RBC bcuz I have travel arrangements booked via HSBC WE MC to cover the insurance coverage and the zero forex fee otherwise I would have redemption for cash or converted to asia miles instead.

With respect- $5000 travel spend got me 30,000 HSBC points, which converted to 12,000 Avios points….. That $5000 travel spend with my new RBC card (correct me if I’m wrong) gets me 1 point per dollar spend or 5000 Avion. Even with a boost on converting to Avios, I’m still way behind. That was not the deal they promised the gov’t or their customers. They’ve taken a terrific HSBC travel card, and made it a slightly above average travel card.

And as somebody who only used the HSBC card to get Avion points – a .36 conversion makes me worse off. Not much – fine – but again, that wasn’t the deal.

I understand that HSBC World elite mastercard gave 6 points per $1 spend in travel, but not all forms of spending though. It was only 2 points per $1 spend in non categories spending. Good multiplier is a great feature of this HSBC card. As different cards have different advantageous multipliers, it may not be a fair apple-to-apple comparison. Travel Earning rate, 100% it is better with HSBC World Elite Mastercard. But when comes to purely on points comparison after conversion, it is not too terrible.

And their communication has been garbage – I believe there was an article on here (again I could be wrong), as well as another prominent travel points website that talked about a minimum of .5 on the conversion of HSBC point. I’m presuming somebody at RBC had passed along that info, and/or certainly could have corrected that info if it was bad. But they didn’t. So to wake up this morning with a .36, was a bit of a shock.

I concur with you somebody did mentioned that per RBC avion ponies will be in 0.5 ratio or better

It is unclear to me why HSBC metal customers got a lower conversion ratio.

Because they (apparently) do not want those customers. Personally I’m ticked off. It is a worse conversion rate than expected, and I certainly would have made different choices had I known what the rate would have been. I knew there was some risk, and took the chance (transferred out half my points before but kept half). Still it is not a good start. I plan to transfer significant deposits away from RBC because of this, and the credit card will no longer be my “main” card.

Really shocked at the conversion rate difference considering that HSBC WE and Metal were functionally equivalent from an earning perspective so the points should be equivalent when converting.

I’ll note for reference that I was holding the HSBC Metal Mastercard with the annual fee waived. I’ve been transitioned to the RBC Avion VIP with the full annual fee waived (no end date specified) even though typically they only waive up to $120 of the annual fee. Earn rate is 1.25 points on every dollar, no FX fees, they carried over my unused $200 travel credit and added another $200 but this is only for the first year. Oddly, the card includes a dedicated Travel Concierge (separate from the VIP Concierge) but travel booked through the TC is not eligible for the travel credit – only travel made through Avion Reward Travel online portal.

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