Canada’s 10 Best Travel Credit Cards

With countless travel credit cards available to choose from, each offering different rewards, bonuses, and perks, finding the perfect fit can feel overwhelming. 

However, finding the right credit card(s) can transform your spending habits into dream vacations and luxury travel experiences.

In this article, we’ll cover our picks for the top 10 travel credit cards available in Canada, with recommendations for various types of travellers.

1. Canada’s Best Overall Travel Rewards Credit Card 

For years, the American Express Cobalt Card has topped our list as the ultimate card for supercharging your earning on everyday purchases.

What makes it stand out? You’ll earn an impressive 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants, bars, cafés, food delivery services, and grocery stores.

If you were to max out the $2,500 monthly spending cap in the 5x category, you’d finish the year with a cool 150,000 Membership Rewards points, which could bring you across the country or around the world in style.

American Express Membership Rewards points reign supreme as Canada’s best points currency, as the real value of these Membership Rewards points lies in their flexibility.

You can transfer them to six major airline loyalty programs and two hotel loyalty programs, including Aeroplan, The British Airways Club, Air France KLM Flying Blue, and Marriott Bonvoy, unlocking tremendous value for travel enthusiasts.

Plus, you can unlock more outsized value through the American Express Fixed Points Travel program, or simply redeem your points against any purchase at a value of 1 cent per point.

When combined, the flexible points and the supercharged 5x earning rate on key daily expenses is simply unmatched in Canada.

While the Cobalt Card may not offer the most extensive travel benefits package, its unmatched earning potential on everyday spending makes it a must-have in any Canadian points enthusiast’s wallet.

2. Canada’s Best Credit Card for Air Canada Frequent Flyers

If you’re a frequent flyer with Air Canada, you should seriously consider adding the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card to your wallet. 

Not only does it offer the highest earning rate for Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations purchases in Canada (3 Aeroplan points per dollar spent, whereas other cards offer at most 2 Aeroplan points per dollar spent in this category), but it also earns a respectable 2 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on dining and food delivery, and 1.25 points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Aside from a solid earning rate, this card really shines with the Air Canada perks it offers:

• Free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions on the same reservation
• Unlimited access to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges across Canada and the United States
• Annual Worldwide Companion Pass (after spending $25,000 annually)
• The ability to earn Status Qualifying Miles and Segments through card spending
• An extra year of eUpgrade validity, giving you access to coveted eUpgrade space ahead of everyone else

For frequent Air Canada travelers, these perks easily justify the card’s $599 annual fee, and since there’s no minimum income requirement (other premium Aeroplan co-branded credit cards require $150,000 personal or $200,000 household income), it’s accessible to nearly everybody.

If you’re looking for a card loaded with meaningful Air Canada and Aeroplan benefits, look no further than the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card.

3. Canada’s Best Credit Card for Porter Airlines Frequent Flyers

Earlier this year, Porter Airlines debuted its first-ever co-branded credit cards, allowing you to now earn VIPorter points through everyday expenses.

If you fly with Porter Airlines with any frequency – which is becoming much easier for Canadians as the airline continues to expand its network and fleet – you should consider the BMO VIPorter World Elite®* Mastercard®* as an excellent option.

This card comes with automatic VIPorter Venture Avid Traveller status, which affords you with the following perks:

• Earn 6 VIPorter points per dollar spent on all Porter Airlines purchases (except for government-imposed taxes and fees)
• Complimentary PorterClassic seat selection (rows 8 and above) for up to two passengers
• Dedicated check-in, priority security, and early boarding
• Priority reaccommodation in the event of flight delays
• One complimentary carry-on bag and one complimentary checked bag for yourself and up to eight passengers travelling on the same booking

Furthermore, this card is a great option for making purchases at Costco, which only accepts Mastercards. If you’d like to turn your carts full of goods into travel redemptions, be sure to give the BMO VIPorter World Elite®* Mastercard®* a good look.

If you’re not familiar with the VIPorter loyalty program, it offers some of the best rates for economy-class redemptions in North America, and with no middle seats, free Wi-Fi, complimentary beer and wine, and more, it’s a great way to access elevated economy travel within North America.

In my opinion, Porter Airlines is an airline to keep a close eye on in the coming years, as it’s set on a very interesting trajectory.

4. Canada’s Best Credit Card for WestJet Frequent Flyers

Editor’s note: WestJet Rewards is undergoing a transformation as of April 30, 2025. This section is written with the changes taken into consideration. If you’d like to learn more about them, head to our overview of the changes.

If you’re a WestJet loyalist, you’ll want to make sure you’re maximizing your experience with WestJet Rewards.

It’s important to understand that unlike most other airline loyalty programs, WestJet Rewards is essentially a fixed-value points program, which means that there aren’t really any meaningful opportunities to get outsized value from your points as there are with, say, Aeroplan or VIPorter. 

If you value simplicity, then knowing that you can get 1 cent per point (or maybe slightly more) out of your WestJet points is about as straightforward as it gets.

The WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard comes with some meaningful WestJet perks, including:

• An annual round-trip companion voucher, which can save you money if used strategically
• One free checked bag for the cardholder and up to eight guests on the same reservation
• Spending counts towards elite status via Status Lift

This card can be a great one to hold onto for the long-term for the above perks, but it’s not necessarily the best one for boosting your WestJet Rewards balance via daily spending (see below). 

If earning WestJet points is your primary goal, consider the RBC® ION+ Visa instead. 

While the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard offers a 1.5% return on most purchases or a 2% return on WestJet spending, the RBC ION+ Visa offers up to a 3% return on many common expenses:

• 3 Avion Premium points per dollar spent on qualifying grocery, dining, food delivery, gas, rideshare, daily public transit, electric vehicle charging, streaming, digital gaming and digital subscriptions†

RBC Avion Premium points – which are earned on the RBC ION+ Visa – are transferable to WestJet Rewards. Until April 30, 2025, you’ll get 1 WestJet dollar for every 100 RBC Avion Premium points, and after that, you’ll get 1 WestJet point per every 1 RBC Avion Premium point.

In this sense, you can consider your spending on the RBC ION+ Visa as a 3% return (if you transfer your points to WestJet Rewards), which is great.

However, you may want to consider saving your RBC Avion Premium points for a more valuable redemption opportunity – check out number 9 on this list.

5. Canada’s Best No-Fee Travel Credit Card

If your primary goal is to earn travel points without paying any annual fees, then consider the American Express Green Card. 

This card offers a modest 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on all purchases with no category bonuses, which provides a no-cost and simply entry into the valuable Membership Rewards ecosystem.

This straightforward card is perfect for those new to travel rewards or looking to build credit history without annual fees. It’s also an excellent “keeper card” that can help establish a long-term relationship with American Express, and once you’ve built up your credit, you can look to some of the more premium cards.

Plus, this card often comes with a nice welcome bonus that’s relatively easy to earn, which helps to kick start your journey in the world of Membership Rewards.

6. Canada’s Best Hotel Rewards Credit Card

Once you have your flights covered, it’s a good idea to venture into the hotel ecosystem to round out your travel experience. Marriott Bonvoy is the most accessible hotel loyalty program in Canada, and one of the best worldwide.

Hotel enthusiasts should certainly consider the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. It earns 5 Bonvoy points per dollar spent at Marriott properties and 2 Bonvoy points per dollar spent on everything else.

Beyond its earning rates, the card offers the following ongoing benefits:

• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status (which, to be honest, doesn’t offer much in terms of meaningful benefits, but it’s better than no status)
• 15 Elite Qualifying Nights annually (making it easier to reach higher status tiers, and to qualify for Lifetime Elite Status with Marriott over the long-term)
• A Free Night Award worth 35,000 points after your first card anniversary (which can be topped up with up to 15,000 additional points)

With a reasonable $120 annual fee, the Free Night Award alone can provide tremendous value, often covering stays at hotels costing well over the annual fee.

Plus, Marriott has a solid footprint of hotels across Canada (and around the world, for that matter). It shouldn’t be too hard to redeem your Free Night Award for outsized value, and we’ve got plenty of reviews of hotels in Canada and abroad to help you choose.

Use this card to pay for stays at Marriott hotels in Canada, and keep it around for the long term with its annual Free Night Award and access to Amex Offers. 

7. Canada’s Best Credit Card for Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is an often overlooked part of the travel experience, but it’s an important aspect to consider to make sure you have all of your bases covered.

If you book travel with the right card, you’ll be covered for everything from delayed baggage to emergency medical insurance and beyond. 

In Canada, the National Bank® World Elite® Mastercard® excels in this category. Its comprehensive coverage extends to travelers up to 74 years old and, crucially, it also applies to award bookings – meaning you’re covered even when redeeming points for flights.

As long as you charge the taxes and fees from an award booking to your card, you’ll benefit from the card’s following extensive coverage:

• Emergency medical insurance of up to $5 million: 
  • 60 days for cardholders aged 54 and younger
  • 30 days for cardholders aged 54–64
  • 15 days for cardholders aged 65–75
• Trip cancellation/interruption 
• Flight delays
• Delayed and lost baggage
• Travel accidents
• Car rental insurance
• Purchase protection for theft and damage
• Extended warranty
• Medical, general, and legal assistance
• Mobile device insurance

This combination of extensive travel and device protection makes it an excellent choice for those seeking comprehensive insurance coverage without purchasing separate policies.

8. Canada’s Best Credit Card for Premium Travel Perks

The American Express Platinum Card might come with a substantial $799 annual fee, but its premium benefits can more than justify the cost for frequent travelers:

Like the Cobalt Card, the Platinum Card earns flexible Membership Rewards points that can be transferred to numerous airline and hotel partners, helping you book premium flights and luxury hotel stays at a fraction of the cash price.

Plus, you’ll earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points per referral you make to any card in the Membership Rewards family (up to 225,000 points per year), which can be a great way to unlock premium travel year after year

9. Canada’s Best Credit Card Combo for Earning RBC Avion Points

Aside from American Express Membership Rewards points, RBC Avion Rewards is the second most flexible and poweful points currency in Canada.

That’s because you can transfer them to The British Airways Club and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles at a 1:1 ratio, American Airlines AAdvantage at a 1:0.7 ratio, or WestJet Rewards.

The first three airlines offer meaningful access to the oneworld airlines ecosystem, which gives you the opportunity to redeem your points for outsized value with a variety of top-notch airlines.

To earn RBC Avion points, you’ll want to look to the RBC® Avion Visa Platinum†, the RBC® Avion Visa Infinite†, or the RBC® Avion Visa Infinite Privilege†.

All three of these cards typically come with a generous and easily achieved welcome bonus, as well as other meaningful perks.

One downside to these cards is that they don’t have the most competitive earning rates, and once you’ve earned the welcome bonus, your earning slows down.

However, recall that the RBC® ION+ Visa has an excellent earning rate of 3 RBC Avion Premium points per dollar spent on qualifying grocery, dining, food delivery, gas, rideshare, daily public transit, electric vehicle charging, streaming, digital gaming and digital subscriptions.†

If you happen to hold both an RBC ION+ Visa and any of the cards in the RBC Avion family, you can have your RBC Avion Premium points morph into RBC Avion Elite points at a 1:1 ratio.

Indeed, this is what we refer to as the optimized RBC credit card portfolio, since you leverage the strengths of both cards: powerful earning rates on the RBC ION+ Visa, and outsized redemption opportunities by way of an RBC Avion card.

10. Canada’s Best Credit Card for Earning Fixed-Value Points

Scene+ remains our go-to fixed-value points program in Canada, due to its flexibility.

While fixed-value points don’t offer the same abundance of redemption opportunities as other points programs, they’re very useful to have in your travel arsenal to offset the cost of travel that’s otherwise difficult to book with points.

We like Scene+ points since you can book travel directly with any vendor (thereby earning towards airline or hotel status, or accessing airlines or hotels without a loyalty program), and you can redeem your points at a fixed rate of 1 cent per point against any travel purchase.

The most powerful card for earning Scene+ points is the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card, which earns points at the following rates:

• 6 Scene+ points per dollar spent on Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, FreshCo, and more
• 5 Scene+ points per dollar spent on groceries, dining, and entertainment
• 4 Scene+ points per dollar spent on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do with Scene+ Travel
• 3 Scene+ points per dollar spent on gas, transit, and streaming services
• 1 Scene+ point per dollar spent on all other purchases

With up to a 6% return on spending, this card is a points-earning machine, and it shouldn’t take long for you to earn a meaningful amount of points (especially if you consider the card’s welcome bonus, too).

Plus, it features no foreign transaction fees – which saves you money on any purchases made in foreign currencies – and also allows you to manually register for lucrative Amex Offers.

Furthermore, with a minimum personal income requirement of just $12,000, it’s an accessible travel credit card for most households.

It’s worth noting that the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card is another great alternative in the Scotiabank lineup. In addition to earning Scene+ points (including category earning rates on purchases made outside of Canada), it offers no foreign transaction fees, six complimentary lounge visits, and a strong suite of travel insurance coverage.

Either of these cards is a great pick for earning fixed-value points – just be sure to compare the two to see which one suits you best.

Conclusion

The best credit card ultimately depends on your spending habits and travel goals. Consider what complements your lifestyle – whether that’s maximizing everyday spending, leveraging airline-specific benefits, enjoying premium travel perks, or just saving money on travel.

Each card on this list offers unique advantages for different types of travelers. By choosing wisely, you can start turning your regular spending into remarkable travel experiences.

If you’d like some more personalized recommendations, join us with a Prince of Travel Membership, which is where you can book a Points Consulting call with one of our experts.

Terms and conditions apply. Please refer to each card issuer’s website for the most current information. Reasonable efforts are made to ensure content accuracy.