Best Travel Credit Cards in Canada
Travel cards trade some simplicity for outsized value — airline miles, flexible points, lounge access, and trip insurance. They’re worth it if you travel enough to use the perks. Ranked on earning power, redemption flexibility, and disclosed perks against the annual fee.
Short answer: Our top-rated travel card is the American Express Cobalt Card (4.8/5): 5 Membership Rewards points per $1 on groceries, restaurants and food delivery, with points you can transfer to airline and hotel programs, for $191.88 a year. It has no lounge access, and Amex isn’t accepted everywhere. The Scotiabank Gold American Express (#2) earns up to 6 Scene+ points per $1 and charges no foreign transaction fee. If you fly Air Canada, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite (#3) adds a free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions, with the $139 fee waived in year one. Card details last checked September 25, 2026 against issuer pages.
Our Picks, Ranked
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American Express Cobalt Card
Why it’s #1: Top-rated travel card. Membership Rewards points: 5X on eligible eats & drinks in Canada — confirmed to include groceries, restaurants, and food delivery — with combined…
Good for
- ✓Front Of The Line presale/reserved tickets for concerts, theatre, and events
- ✓The Hotel Collection perks for 2+ night stays booked via Amex Travel
Worth knowing
- !The ‘no annual fee’ framing is misleading — it’s billed monthly and totals $191.88/year…
- !No airport lounge access.
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Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card
Why it’s here: No foreign transaction fee. 6x Scene+ points at Sobeys-family grocers, 5x on other groceries, dining, food delivery and entertainment, 3x on gas, transit and select streaming, for $120 a year and a $12,000 income minimum.
Good for
- ✓Discounted Priority Pass lounge membership
- ✓Travel medical insurance $1,000,000
Worth knowing
- !$120/yr fee with no universal first-year waiver (rebate only via an existing Scotiabank package)
- !Bonus categories cap at $50,000 combined spend/yr
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CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card
Why it’s here: Best Aeroplan card. 1.5 Aeroplan points per $1 on gas, EV charging, groceries and Air Canada purchases, a free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions on Air Canada, and up to 50,000 points (about $1,000) with the $139 fee waived in year one.
Good for
- ✓Free first checked bag for you and up to 8 companions on Air Canada flights
- ✓Up to 50,000 Aeroplan points with the $139 fee waived in the first year
Worth knowing
- !$139 annual fee from year two; $60,000 personal or $100,000 household income required
- !No lounge access at this tier — that is reserved for the Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
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TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card
Why it’s here: Free checked bags for your group. The same 1.5 Aeroplan points per $1 on gas, EV charging, groceries and Air Canada, a free first checked bag for up to nine travellers, and up to 50,000 points with the $139 fee rebated in year one — pick it over the CIBC card if you bank with TD.
Good for
- ✓Free first checked bag (up to 23kg/50lb) for the cardholder plus up to 8 companions on…
- ✓Welcome offer of up to 50,000 Aeroplan points plus a first-year annual fee rebate
Worth knowing
- !$139 annual fee, plus $75 for each additional cardholder
- !Relatively high income requirement: $60,000 personal or $100,000 household
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Why it’s here: Maple Leaf Lounge access. Unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access for you and a guest, 2 Aeroplan points per $1 on Air Canada and 1.5 on gas, groceries, dining and transit, and up to 100,000 bonus points. The $599 fee and $150,000 personal income requirement make it a card for frequent Air Canada flyers.
Good for
- ✓Unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access for you and a guest
- ✓Travel insurance suite with high medical coverage limits
Worth knowing
- !$599 annual fee
- !$150,000 personal / $200,000 household income requirement
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RBC British Airways Visa Infinite
Why it’s here: Best for British Airways. 3 Avios per $1 on British Airways purchases and 2 per $1 on dining and food delivery, a 10% discount on BA flights, an annual companion voucher after $30,000 of spending, and 50,000 bonus Avios after $6,000 in 90 days. Best if you fly British Airways or its oneworld partners.
Good for
- ✓Annual companion voucher after $30,000 in annual spend
- ✓Travel insurance (medical, flight delay, baggage, rental car)
Worth knowing
- !No airport lounge access or trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- !British Airways long-haul redemptions carry large carrier-imposed surcharges
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TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card
Why it’s here: Best Expedia travel rate. 8x TD Rewards points on travel booked via Expedia For TD; 6x groceries/dining/transit; 4x recurring bills plus streaming/gaming/digital…
Good for
- ✓Travel medical insurance up to $2,000,000 (21 days; 4 days if 65+)
- ✓Flight/trip delay $500 (4+ hour delay)
Worth knowing
- !$139/yr ongoing fee
- !Best earn rate (8x) is locked to TD’s own Expedia For TD portal, not general travel bookings
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American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
Why it’s here: Maple Leaf Lounge access for you and a guest, a free first checked bag for you and up to 8 companions, 3 points per $1 on Air Canada and 2 on dining and food delivery in Canada, and an annual Worldwide Companion Pass. $599 a year, so it only pays off if you fly Air Canada.
Good for
- ✓Maple Leaf Lounge access for you and a guest
- ✓Free first checked bag for you plus up to 8 companions
Worth knowing
- !$599 annual fee
- !1.25 points per $1 base rate on other spending
Also Worth a Look
These three didn’t make our top eight on the MoneyMint Score, but each is a stronger choice for one kind of traveller.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ CardAnnual fee: $150 a year (waived with an eligible Scotiabank account)
No foreign transaction fee, 6 airport lounge passes a year, and Scene+ points on groceries, dining and transit. It’s one of the few cards that saves you the usual 2.5% fee on purchases abroad.
American Express Platinum CardAnnual fee: $799 a year
Access to Amex’s Global Lounge Collection of 1,550+ lounges, plus a $200 yearly travel credit and a $200 yearly dining credit. The fee is only worth it if you travel often; from January 1, 2027, Priority Pass and Plaza Premium visits are limited unless you spend $20,000 a year.
Rogers Red World Elite MastercardAnnual fee: $0
A cash-back card, not a points card, but it includes travel medical and trip cancellation insurance and pays 3% back on U.S.-dollar purchases. Needs $80,000 personal or $150,000 household income.
All 8 at a Glance
Compare any cards side by side →| # | Card | Annual fee | Welcome bonus (est.) | Rewards | FX fee | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Express Cobalt Card | $191.88 | $255 | ~8.5% groceries | 2.5% | 4.8 ★ | Apply |
| 2 | Scotiabank Gold American Express Card | $120 | $500 | ~5–6% groceries | None | 4.7 ★ | Apply |
| 3 | CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card | $139 (yr 1 waived) | $1,000 | ~3% groceries | 2.5% | 4.6 ★ | Apply |
| 4 | TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card | $139 (yr 1 waived) | $1,000 | ~2% everything | 2.5% | 4.4 ★ | Apply |
| 5 | TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card | $599 | $2,000 | ~3% groceries | 2.5% | 4.4 ★ | Apply |
| 6 | RBC British Airways Visa Infinite | $165 | $850 | ~5.1% British Airways | 2.5% | 4.2 ★ | Apply |
| 7 | TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card | $139 (yr 1 waived) | $800 | ~4% Expedia For TD travel | 2.5% | 4.2 ★ | Apply |
| 8 | American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card | $599 | $1,700 | ~4% dining | 2.5% | 4.2 ★ | Apply |
Welcome bonus values use MoneyMint’s points valuations, not the issuer’s advertised “up to” figure. Rewards rates are estimated cash-equivalent values. Cards are ordered by MoneyMint Score. Star ratings on this page compare the cards shown here: the highest-scoring card gets 4.8 and the others are scaled to it, so a card’s review page, which compares it with its own group, can show a different rating. Methodology
What’s the Best Travel Credit Card in Canada?
It depends on how you travel. The Amex Cobalt tops our ranking because its points transfer to airline and hotel programs and it earns 5X on food, but Amex isn’t accepted everywhere. If you fly Air Canada, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite and TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite add a free checked bag for your group. If you travel abroad often, the Scotiabank Gold American Express charges no foreign transaction fee.
Is It Worth Paying a High Annual Fee for a Travel Card?
Only if you’ll actually use the perks. A $599-a-year card like the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege can pay off for someone who uses Maple Leaf Lounges several times a year, but it’s a poor fit for an occasional traveller. Run the math on your own travel habits first.
Do Travel Credit Cards Charge Foreign Transaction Fees?
Most do, typically around 2.5%, which can offset some of the rewards you earn abroad. The Scotiabank Gold American Express is the exception among our ranked picks, and the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ under “Also worth a look” charges none either.
Should I Get an Airline Card or a Flexible Points Card?
It depends whether you’re loyal to one airline. The Aeroplan cards from CIBC and TD, the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite and the BMO VIPorter World Elite earn points worth the most with one airline and add perks like free checked bags on that airline. The Amex Cobalt, Scotiabank Gold and TD First Class earn points you can use more widely, which is usually the better choice if you shop on price rather than carrier.
Which Travel Cards Include Airport Lounge Access?
On this page, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege includes unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access for you and a guest. For more lounge options, including cards with complimentary Priority Pass or Plaza Premium visits, see our airport lounge rankings.
Rates, fees and offers are as last verified by MoneyMint and may have changed — always confirm current terms on the issuer’s official page before applying. Some links on this page may be affiliate links, meaning MoneyMint could earn a commission if you apply through them, at no extra cost to you. This never affects which cards we feature or how we rank them. This is general information, not personalized financial advice. Where a card earns points, “estimated value” figures convert points to dollars using MoneyMint’s own point valuations — see our points value calculator.