The best travel credit cards in Canada for January 2024

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There are quite a few journey bank cards in Canada to select from, however you will get one of the best worth by choosing one which pairs a powerful earn charge for rewards together with perks like lounge entry, journey credit or rebates, superior insurance coverage protection and the pliability to switch factors between playing cards. Finally, select your card primarily based the way you prefer to journey, your spending and bank card habits and journey perks that suit your life-style. That will help you choose the right card, we’ve give you an inventory of Canada’s greatest journey bank cards.

Finest bank card by class	Why we find it irresistible
Finest total journey rewards bank card American Categorical Cobalt Annual charge: $156	A few of the highest earn charges (with as much as 5x the factors on eating and groceries), mixed with a versatile factors, equals your greatest return on spending
Finest airline journey bank card (Aeroplan) TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Annual charge: $139 (after your first yr)	Excessive earn charges on fuel, groceries and Air Canada purchases, simple redemptions and a $100 Nexus charge rebate each 2 years
Finest airline journey bank card (WestJet) WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard Annual charge: $119	1.5% earn charge paired with an annual round-trip companion voucher on WestJet
Finest no-fee journey bank card American Categorical Inexperienced Card Annual charge: $0	Constant earnings of 1 level per greenback on all of your purchases, mixed with the pliability and worth of Amex Membership Rewards
Finest lodge bank card Marriott Bonvoy American Categorical Annual charge: $120	Redemptions free of charge stays at over 30 lodge manufacturers (from Marriott to Ritz-Cartlon), plus level transfers to companion airline packages
Finest bank card for premium perks American Categorical The Platinum Card Annual charge: $799	$400 in journey and restaurant credit, limitless airport lounge entry, lodge upgrades, and extra
Finest journey bank card for college students CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for College students Annual charge: $0	Good return on spending, plus a number of journey advantages and student-friendly perks

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Finest total journey rewards bank card

At a look: With excellent earn charges in broadly-defined, well-liked spending classes, the American Categorical Cobalt card is a journey rewards beast. Factors are simple to redeem and versatile, and you’ll enhance their worth by transferring them to different journey loyalty packages. It comes with a complete insurance coverage bundle, so that you journey carefree.

Professionals

• At 5 factors per greenback spent on eats and drinks, 3 factors per greenback on streaming providers, and a couple of factors per greenback on journey and transit, this card has a few of the highest earn charges round. Plus, the excessive earn charge on meals and groceries is capped at $2,500 per thirty days, and no limits are utilized to different classes.
• The boosted spend classes are very broadly outlined so that you’ll earn extra factors for extra of your purchases. For instance, “eats and drinks”  consists of every little thing from grocery shops to espresso retailers to meals supply, and every little thing from fuel to rideshares to flights falls below “journey and transit”.
• Amex factors are versatile and profitable. Redeem factors the straightforward manner at a flat charge of 10,000 factors for $10 in direction of any journey expense—or, should you’re a savvy factors collector—enhance your level values by utilizing Amex’s Mounted Level chart or transferring factors to a different program like Aeroplan.

Cons

• Though American Categorical is accepted at tens of hundreds of companies throughout the nation, it’s not as extensively accepted as Visa or Mastercard.
• The annual charge is charged month-to-month which barely obscures the truth that the whole is $155.88 per yr, a bit greater than the $120 charged by some comparable playing cards.
• The journey insurance coverage bundle lacks Journey Cancellation safety which covers you in case of a sudden sickness.

Honourable point out

At a look: With a decrease annual charge and no international change charges, the Scotiabank Gold American Categorical provides the Amex Cobalt a run for its cash. You’ll get pleasure from sturdy earn charges, simple and versatile redemptions, and among the best journey insurance coverage packages in the marketplace. Frequent prospects of Sobeys-affiliated shops like Safeway, FreshCo and Thriftys will particularly respect the additional factors enhance on grocery purchases there.

Professionals

• With 5 factors per greenback on leisure, eating places, meals supply and groceries (plus an additional level at Sobeys shops).
• Redemptions are easy and tremendous versatile–particularly for journey the place 10,000 factors is the same as $10 in worth on any airline. Actually, you’ll be able to apply factors for journey purchases retroactively for as much as one yr by making use of them in your app or on-line. 
• There aren’t any international change charges once you use this card to pay in a international foreign money (most playing cards cost 2.5% on all international foreign money purchases).
• The cardboard’s journey insurance coverage bundle is superb and consists of as much as 25 days of journey emergency medical for these below the age of 65.

Cons

• Like all American Categorical playing cards, this one received’t be accepted at some retailers akin to Loblaws banner shops. 
• Supplementary playing cards are $29 every, not like with our successful card, the Amex Cobalt, the place they’re free.
• As a fixed-rate program, Scene+ factors are at all times valued at 1 cent per level versus some dynamic packages the place you will get higher worth throughout sure time durations. 
• You’ll solely earn the bottom charge of 1 level per greenback on international foreign money transactions no matter whether or not they’re in a bonus class or not.

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Finest airline journey bank cards

For Aeroplan

At a look: Though you can use our primary journey card, the Amex Cobalt, to switch Amex factors to Aeroplan, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite tops our listing of greatest Aeroplan bank cards in Canada for its simple redemptions and extras just like the $100 Nexus charge rebate. Plus, should you steadily spend on Ubers or are a daily at Starbucks, you can stretch your rewards even additional with this card.

Professionals 

• You may earn Aeroplan Standing Qualifying Miles in your on a regular basis purchases so that you advance in Aeroplan standing sooner. The upper you go, the higher the perks, like precedence boarding, reductions on flights and precedence seat choice.   
• Card holders and as much as eight journey companions travelling on the identical reservation get their first checked bag free when your journey begins on an Air Canada flight. 
• Along with having the ability to redeem for Air Canada flights, you’ll be able to redeem your factors on a dozen Star Alliance companions like Lufthansa and United. 
• This card has precious extras like a $100 Nexus charge rebate each two years. 
• The included insurance coverage bundle is aggressive, and consists of emergency medical journey protection for longer than some opponents (21 days, or 4 days for these 65 and older).

Cons

• For those who’re on the lookout for the very best method to get as many Aeroplan factors as you’ll be able to, utilizing the Amex Cobalt and transferring your factors at a 1:1 ratio is a greater choice, however that is our alternative for a easy, Aeroplan-specific card.
• Aeroplan is a dynamic chart-based program which suggests level values can fluctuate primarily based on the place and once you’re flying, so it might not be the fitting program for cardholders on the lookout for simplicity. 
• This card has a barely greater annual charge ($139) than another playing cards in its class.

Finest Aeroplan various

For those who’re at present a CIBC buyer, you would possibly discover the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite card to be fairly comparable. It shares virtually an identical earn charges and plenty of comparable perks (excluding the Nexus rebate). The insurance coverage choices are fairly comparable, although the CIBC card supplies $5 million in emergency medical protection, in comparison with the $2 million supplied by the TD card. Nonetheless, it’s vital to notice that CIBC’s protection is restricted to fifteen days (or 3 days for these 65 and older). CIBC presents a supplementary card for $50, which is $25 lower than the TD card.

For WestJet 

At a look: With a 1.5% base charge and a couple of% again on WestJet flights or trip packages, this card provides travellers a strong software to take the sting out of the price of airfare. Add to that aggressive perks like an annual round-trip companion voucher and a free first checked bag for you and as much as eight journey companions, and also you’ve received a card WestJet flyers will wish to take into account.

Professionals

• Get one round-trip companion voucher to anyplace WestJet flies yearly, which helps you to e-book a companion fare at a decreased charge once you additionally e-book a full fare. Or, you’ll be able to change the companion voucher for 4 airport lounge passes.
• Obtain as much as three $500 Standing Lifts yearly, which get you to the subsequent rewards tier sooner. The upper your tier, the extra advantages you’ll get, like lounge entry and precedence boarding.
• The WestJet rewards program is easy, with out complicated charts or blackout durations. One level equals 1 cent in financial savings on Westjet flights. 
• You get rewarded on your loyalty—earn 2% on WestJet flights or holidays, which is the next earn charge for journey bookings than different playing cards on this listing.

Cons

• While you use a round-trip companion voucher, the low cost solely applies to the bottom charge of the fare. Taxes, airport charges, and air transportation prices stay the identical—and these could be fairly hefty. 
• WestJet {dollars} aren’t transferable to every other airways or airline packages.

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Finest no-fee journey bank card

At a look: Certainly one of our greatest no-fee playing cards in Canada, the American Categorical Inexperienced Card earns you factors in your on a regular basis spending you can redeem for assertion credit, items, playing cards, merchandise or journey, and just like the Cobalt, they’re transferable at a 1:1 ratio to different frequent flyer or rewards packages. That is notable as a result of by transferring to a program like Aeroplan, you’ll be able to enhance the worth of your factors considerably. 

Professionals

• You’ll earn a flat charge of 1 level per greenback on your entire on a regular basis spending with no spending limits, and this shall be doubled for lodge or automobile rental bookings made by means of Amex Journey On-line. 
• While you switch your factors to a different program, like Aeroplan, you’ll be able to double their worth to 2 cents apiece. A 1.5% to 2% return in your spending is uncommon for a no-fee card.
• Amex Membership rewards like Experiences permits you to make the most of curated eating, purchasing, and leisure occasions, whereas Entrance of the Line will get you advance entry to tickets.

Cons

• There isn’t any included journey insurance coverage nor travel-related perks like lounge or Wi-Fi entry with this card, however that’s commonplace for a no-fee card.
• American Categorical playing cards are accepted at tens of hundreds of places throughout Canada and overseas, however there are limitations–principally within the grocery sector. In Canada, you can not use an Amex at Costco or Loblaws banner shops.

Honourable point out

At a look: This no-fee journey card presents accelerated earn charges on restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership and family utility purchases, supplying you with a number of methods to earn factors by means of your on a regular basis spending. Plus, the birthday bonus perk returns 10% of your annual earnings in factors. Factors are price $0.01 every once you redeem for journey, and so they by no means expire.

Professionals

• This card comes with a formidable 5 bonus classes, supplying you with many alternatives to rack up factors. 
• Distinctive birthday bonus perk returns 10% of your yearly earnings in factors so that you’ll get an annual enhance.
• Contains $1,000 in new cellular system safety.

Cons

• The purpose redemption course of isn’t tremendous intuitive or versatile. You must redeem factors on MBNA’s journey portal and may’t switch factors.
• The annual cap on the bonus classes, akin to groceries, is $10,000 per class. Any purchases past that quantity will earn on the base charge of 1 level per $1 spent.
• Not like a number of different journey bank cards, this card doesn’t embrace journey insurance coverage however that’s to be anticipated in a no-annual-fee card.

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Finest lodge bank card

At a look: You’ll earn Marriott Bonvoy factors on each buy you make on the world’s largest lodge conglomerate, redeemable at greater than 30 lodge chains (from Marriott and St. Regis to The Ritz-Carlton) in 130 international locations. Get service upgrades like free Wi-Fi, spa therapies, eating experiences, or free lodge stays. Factors are additionally transferable to round 40 different airline packages like Aeroplan, Delta SkyMiles and Virgin Atlantic.

Professionals

• You may deal with your self to hotel-related upgrades, providers and free nights at accommodations, together with St. Regis, The Ritz-Carlton and Westin, or for different travel-related bills like flights or automobile leases. Bonvoy factors are versatile—it’s also possible to use them for merchandise and experiences.
• The bottom charge of two factors per greenback is sort of good, however your factors will actually rack up once you earn 5 factors per greenback spent in your Marriott lodge stays. 
• This card comes with some precious perks like one free evening’s keep at a Marriott property yearly and 15 Elite Night time Credit that can assist you obtain the subsequent stage of standing.
• For those who attain $30,000 in complete annual spending on the cardboard, you’ll be upgraded to Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite standing and unlock perks like room upgrades, financial savings on factors redemptions for lodge stays and extra.
• As an Amex card, this bundle will get you Amex advantages like Entrance of the Line and eating, retail and wellness experiences.

Cons

• The worth of Marriott Bonvoy factors can fluctuate primarily based on a mixture of components—from the lodge you’re staying at to the time of the yr—that means maximizing factors and switch choices isn’t at all times easy to newer level collectors. 
• Factors are price much less for airline transfers at a 3:1 ratio, that means you’re lacking out on maximizing worth for something apart from lodge bookings.
• American Categorical is much less extensively accepted than Mastercard or Visa.

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Finest bank card for premium perks

At a look: The Amex Platinum provides new that means to the outdated saying, “You get what you pay for.” On this case, the $799 annual charge pays for itself by means of a smorgasbord of unimaginable perks. Your journey expertise shall be remodeled with limitless airport lounge entry, partnerships at Nice Resort + Resorts properties, and precedence therapy at Toronto Pearson Airport. The numerous perks—like a number of hundred {dollars} price of annual journey and eating credit and a Nexus charge rebate—go a good distance towards offsetting the value tag.

Professionals 

• You’ll get a $200 journey credit score annually that may be redeemed in direction of a journey buy made by means of American Categorical Journey On-line. Spend your further annual $200 eating credit score at choose eating places around the globe, together with 100 in Canada.  
• Get entry to The American Categorical International Lounge Assortment composed of greater than 1,300 lounges in over 140 international locations, together with American Categorical Centurion Lounges, Plaza Premium and Delta Sky lounges. Cardholders might have limitless free visits and companion passes at no further value, relying on the lounge.
• Robotically obtain the upper tier within the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy lodge packages.
• Receive customized help by means of Platinum Concierge service. The concierge could make restaurant reservations, receive tickets to particular occasions, e-book providers for you, and extra—at no further value to you. 
• As a result of the Platinum is a cost card, high-volume spenders aren’t restricted by a traditional credit score restrict.

Cons

• Extra playing cards value $250 every yearly. 
• Given the annual charge, the journey medical insurance coverage is lackluster. Whereas some playing cards supply 20 days or extra, this card solely covers you for as much as 15 consecutive days and doesn’t supply any insurance coverage to those that are 65 or older.
• Cost no matter you wish to the cardboard (there’s no credit score restrict), however as a result of it’s a cost card, you’re required to repay the stability in full each month.

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Finest journey bank card for college students

At a look: The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for College students bundles the flexibility to earn Aeroplan rewards with a number of journey advantages and student-friendly perks to ship a aggressive bundle for no annual charge.

Professionals

• You need to use your factors on any out there Air Canada seat and there aren’t any blackout dates. Plus, you should utilize your factors with any of Aeroplan’s many companions akin to United and Aer Lingus.
• Aeroplan factors are price lots in comparison with these of different packages, and they are often redeemed for flights with a number of airways, not simply Air Canada. 
• You may usually get most well-liked pricing so you’ll be able to usually e-book flights utilizing fewer factors and you’ll pay for flight rewards with a mix of factors and money.
• A free SPC membership is included, supplying you with entry to reductions and giveaways, and also you’ll save as much as 10 cents off per litre once you purchase fuel at collaborating stations with Journie Rewards.
• You’ll have widespread service accident protection, automobile rental collision and loss injury safety and buy safety.

Cons

• Not like different Aeroplan playing cards, you received’t earn Standing Qualifying Miles in your on a regular basis purchases. 
• The Aeroplan factors program isn’t probably the most intuitive to grasp, particularly for first-time card holders, as a result of level values fluctuate primarily based on a regional chart.

Honourable point out

At a look: The no-fee TD Rewards Visa combines the flexibility to earn versatile journey rewards factors with different student-friendly perks like bundled banking providers. Though TD Rewards factors are price lower than another loyalty packages, the earn charge is pretty beneficiant throughout on a regular basis spending classes supplying you with a number of alternatives to earn.

Professionals 

• You may quadruple your factors by merely reserving journey by means of Expedia for TD, however bookings made elsewhere nonetheless earn at a charge of 1 level per greenback and there’s no restrict to what number of factors you’ll be able to earn on journey.
• Along with journey rewards like flights or accommodations, you’ll be able to redeem your factors for Amazon purchases, or put them in direction of assertion credit to cowl your stability. 
• You’ll get pleasure from student-friendly perks and reductions at companions together with Amazon, Starbucks, and Uber.
• Level values are easy-to-understand: 200 factors at all times equals $1 in journey rewards booked on Expedia. 

Cons

• The boosted spending classes for grocery and eating places, and recurring invoice funds are capped at a $5,000 annual spend so after that, you’ll earn on the 1 level per greenback base charge.
• Journey insurance coverage isn’t included with this card, so that you’d must pay further to cowl your self.

Incessantly requested questions

Various kinds of journey bank cards 

Generic journey rewards bank cards

Some bank cards give you the flexibility to earn rewards on on a regular basis purchases and different buy classes, which could be redeemed in direction of all kinds of issues, together with journey. This implies you aren’t essentially restricted to reserving by means of sure airways when redeeming your factors on flights. You might also be capable to switch your bank card factors to an airline rewards program, akin to with the American Categorical Cobalt.

Airline rewards bank cards

Some journey bank cards supply rewards with particular airways the place your factors’ redemption values might fluctuate, such because the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card. While you accumulate sufficient factors, you’ll be able to e-book a flight or trip bundle with affiliated airways like WestJet or Air Canada. Consider although that the worth of your factors can rely upon the date of your flight and your vacation spot. 

Resort rewards bank cards

Resort rewards bank cards give you the flexibility to redeem your factors in direction of a lodge keep, and to earn factors once you e-book at affiliated accommodations like Marriott or Delta, or earn perks akin to room upgrades or free breakfasts once you e-book eligible lodge stays. For those who steadily e-book accommodations for work or journey, take into account a lodge rewards bank card just like the Marriott Bonvoy American Categorical.

Journey bank card options 

Some vital options to look out for in journey bank cards, in addition to factors worth and your reserving redemption choices (flights, accommodations, automobiles), embrace: 

• Journey insurance coverage protection for medical points or journey delays. Most bank card journey insurance coverage packages cowl you as much as 15 days and are usually extra restricted for these over the age of 65, however there are exceptions. (Examine know in case your bank card comes with sufficient journey insurance coverage protection.)
• Airport lounge entry free of charge or discounted lounge passes by means of Precedence Move, Visa Airport Companion Program, Dragon Move and others. 
• Resort reductions, like reductions at Marriott accommodations. 

Whether or not the cardboard prices you international transaction charges when you are overseas, on high of standard change charges. These charges could be as excessive as an added 2.5% on each buy.

What journey factors program is greatest?

Not all journey reward packages are created equal. So how do you select the fitting one for you? 

First, it’s vital to grasp that journey rewards packages could be damaged down into two fundamental varieties: Constant and chart-based.

It’s price noting that in uncommon instances, just like the American Categorical Membership Rewards Program, you would possibly get to decide on to redeem factors for journey primarily based on both a constant system or as a chart-based system.

Most of the massive banks supply constant factors journey reward packages. They’re geared toward individuals who wish to function inside a easy program that has an easy-to-understand redemption course of; individuals who dislike difficult packages will respect these. Chart-based packages could be significantly extra difficult—but additionally doubtlessly extra precious. For the reason that variety of factors wanted to redeem for a flight isn’t constant, utilizing the rewards chart strategically will help you stretch the worth of your factors and internet the next return when flying on sure routes, and even when reserving premium seats or enterprise class. These packages are extra well-liked with private finance fanatics and left-brain thinkers.

Examine journey bank cards rewards factors values 

Rewards program	Level worth
MBNA Rewards	1 level MBNA Rewards level is price $0.01 in journey rewards
American Categorical Versatile Factors Program	1 American Categorical level is price $0.01 in journey rewards
Scene Rewards	1 Scene Rewards level is price $0.01 in journey rewards
TD Rewards	1 TD Rewards level is price 0.5 of a cent in journey rewards booked by way of Expedia For TD
BMO Rewards	1 BMO Rewards level is price 0.7 of a cent in journey rewards
WestJet {Dollars}	1% in WestJet {Dollars} is price $0.01 in journey rewards
Nationwide Financial institution	1 Nationwide Financial institution level is price $0.01 in journey rewards
RBC Avion Rewards	1 Avion Rewards level is price $0.01 in journey rewards
American Categorical Mounted Factors program	1 American Categorical level is price $0.01 in journey rewards
Aeroplan	1 Aeroplan level is price $0.02 on common.
Marriott Bonvoy	1 Marriott Bonvoy level is price $0.0117 on common when redeemed for eligible flights or lodge stays
RBC Avion – Air Journey Redemption Schedule	1 Avion level is price $0.01 when redeemed for flights or accommodations

What number of journey rewards factors do you want for a flight? 

What number of Avion factors you want for a flight

Premium Avion cardholders want at the very least 15,000 factors for a flight inside or close to your province or territory, at the very least 35,000 factors for a flight inside North America, 65,000 factors for a flight to Europe and 100,000 factors for different locations across the globe. 

What number of Amex factors you want for a flight 

Utilizing the American Categorical Mounted Factors Program, you’d want at the very least 15,000 factors for a brief flight inside North America, 20,000 factors for a flight from a Canadian province or territory to a close-by U.S. State, 40,000 factors for an extended North American route, 50,000 factors for a trip vacation spot and at the very least 60,000 factors for Europe or 100,000 factors for different continents. 

What number of Aeroplan factors you want for a flight

Aeroplan’s chart system makes use of Miles to measure the minimal level redemptions. For shorter flights inside North America, you’d want at the very least 6,000-22,500 factors for an Financial system flight, 35,000-70,000 factors for North America and Atlantic zones, and so forth. 

What number of Scene factors you want for a flight

1 level is price 1 cent. For a $300 airline ticket, you’d want 300,000 Scene factors. 

What number of BMO Rewards factors you want for a flight

You may redeem your factors for an announcement credit score in direction of flights. 1 BMO Rewards level is price 0.7 of a cent in journey rewards.

What number of TD factors you want for a flight

You want a minimal of 200 factors for a redemption by means of Expedia for TD. 1 TD Rewards level is price 0.5 cents in journey rewards. 

What number of MBNA rewards factors you want for a flight

You may redeem a minimal of 10,000 factors for a $100 assertion credit score on journey. 

Do journey bank card factors expire? 

Some journey rewards factors expire after a sure interval of inactivity, whereas others don’t. For instance, Aeroplan factors expire after 18 months of inactivity, and Marriott Bonvoy factors expire after 24 months, whereas WestJet {dollars} typically don’t expire, except they have been earned throughout sure promotions or different circumstances. To keep away from having your factors expire, you’ll be able to e-book accommodations together with your factors, purchase merchandise by means of the loyalty program’s retailer, switch factors from one other program or to a member of the family, in some instances, and extra.

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