The best travel credit cards in Canada.
Five picks, each for a different kind of traveller, with what each one gets wrong.
By Rez
Updated · Rankings aren’t for sale
Our pick for everyday travel pointsAmerican Express Cobalt
$15.99 a month
Our premium travel pickAmerican Express Platinum$799
Our pick for spending abroadScotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +
$150
Our pick for frequent Air Canada flyersCIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
$599
Our pick for WestJet flyersRBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard
$139
1 · Our pick for everyday travel points
American Express Cobalt
$15.99 a month
- 5x on food and dining; points move 1:1 to Aeroplan
- What it gets wrong: 5x drops to 1x after $2,500 of food spend a month
2 · Our premium travel pick
American Express Platinum
$799 a year
- Unlimited Centurion Lounge access; $200 travel and $200 dining credits a year
- What it gets wrong: The $799 fee only pays off if you use the credits and lounges
3 · Our pick for spending abroad
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +
$150 a year
- No foreign transaction fees; six lounge passes a year
- What it gets wrong: 1x outside its bonus categories
4 · Our pick for frequent Air Canada flyers
CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
$599 a year
- Unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access in North America; 1.5x on groceries, gas and dining
- What it gets wrong: Needs $150K personal or $200K household income
5 · Our pick for WestJet flyers
RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard
$139 a year
- A companion voucher with the welcome offer, then yearly with $5,000 of spend; 2x on WestJet flights, groceries, gas and transit
- What it gets wrong: Needs $80K personal or $150K household income
How we pick.
The same six tests as every review: fee against value, welcome bonus quality, everyday earn on Canadian spending, rewards flexibility, insurance that applies here, and eligibility fit. Commissions never decide the order. More about how we evaluate cards.
Questions
Which travel card is best for a beginner?
The American Express Cobalt. It has no stated income requirement, earns 5x on food and dining up to $2,500 a month, and its points move 1:1 to Aeroplan. If you’d rather have a Visa or Mastercard, the card quiz will narrow it down in six questions.
Are Aeroplan points better than cash back?
For flights, usually. Aeroplan points are worth around 2 cents each on Prince of Travel’s current valuation, and well-chosen premium cabin redemptions land higher. Cash back is simpler and never depends on award availability, so it suits people who don’t want to plan trips around points.
Do any of these have no annual fee?
No. All five list an annual fee, from $139 to $799. For a travel card with no annual fee, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card earns Aeroplan points without one.