2025's Best Travel Credit Cards for Canadians
Love to travel? Make travelling more affordable by earning travel rewards with a travel credit card.
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The Best of Finance Winners for 2025: Best Travel Credit Cards
| First-year value* | Credit score required | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,547 | Fair | RBC Avion® Visa Infinite Card | |
| $1,257 | Fair | American Express Cobalt® Credit Card | |
| $1,024 | Good | Scotiabank®* Gold American Express® Card | |
| $595 | Good | American Express® Green Card |
*The RATESDOTCA Best of Finance methodology assumes the cardholder spends an average of $2,000 a month on their card to determine the first-year value. The calculation includes all welcome bonuses and promotional offers at the time of publishing.
Best Overall Travel Credit Card
With travel resuming all around the globe, having the best travel rewards credit card can help you earn rewards for everyday purchases and redeem them for flights, hotel stays and vacation packages.
Many travel credit cards also feature great additional perks, like shopping coverage, mobile device insurance and exclusive offers.
We compared the top travel credit cards using our Best of Finance methodology and ranked the cards that provided the highest first-year value.
| First-year value | Credit score required | Top features | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
WINNER |
$1,547 | Good | Welcome bonus of Avion points on approval (travel value of up to $1,100). Extensive travel insurance coverage. |
|
Runner up |
$1,536 | Excellent | Sign up bonus of up to $900 in travel value. NEXUS Application Fee Rebate, complimentary lounge visits, and travel insurance. |
|
Runner up |
$1,257 | Fair | Earn up to $150 in points as a new cardmember. Access to hotel bookings, room upgrades extended check-in/out times, and up to USD $100 in hotel credits. Transfer points 1:1 to several frequent flyer and other loyalty programs. |
Winner: RBC Avion® Visa Infinite Card
Of all the credit cards participating the Avion program, the RBC Avion® Visa Infinite Card is the most popular with Canadian consumers.
First, let’s go over its exceptional promotional offer: 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.
If one Avion point converts to about two cents, you’d need to spend $2,000 on the card for 14 months to get that many points. With this bonus offer, you only need to only need to spend $5,000 within the first six months to be awarded the points. That’s great value.
Now for the regular earn rate:
- 1.25 Avion points for every $1 spent on travel.
- Can be spent on airlines, accommodations, tour operators, cruise lines, travel agencies and car rental companies
- 1 Avion point for every $1 spent on anything else.
You can choose to redeem your Avion points for merchandise, charitable donations, or put it towards paying your card balance. You can even use your points towards a mortgage payment, if you have one with RBC.
However, Avion points have the highest redemption rates when put towards travel expenses. Avion points can be worth up to 2.33 cents per point, according to RBC's Air Travel Redemption Schedule. Conversion rates for other purchases varies from 0.75 cents to 1 cent.
Another reason to prioritize travel spending on the card: there are no blackout dates when booking flights and you can choose from more than 130 participating airlines.
The Visa Infinite program gives cardholders access to various experiences (dining, travel, entertainment) and services (concierge services), and hotel upgrades. Included with the card is travel, rental car, retail, and mobile device insurance.
Avion points can also be converted into Hudson’s Bay Rewards points, American Airlines AAdvantage miles, British Airways Avios and WestJet dollars.
Few cards provide the ability to transfer points to other providers and you can take advantage of the flexibility when alternative providers offer transfer bonuses.
Annual Fee: $120 (additional cards: $50)
Interest rate:
- Purchase: 20.99%
- Cash Advance: 22.99% (21.99% in Quebec)
- Balance Transfer: Not explicitly mentioned
Welcome bonus:
- 35,000 Avion points upon approval
- Additional 20,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first 6 months
- Total: Up to 55,000 points (valued at up to $1,100)
Offer expiry date: June 3, 2025
Rewards:
- Earn 1 Avion point per $1 spent
- Earn 1.25 points per $1 on eligible travel purchases
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions for travel redemptions
- Points can be redeemed for flights, merchandise, gift cards, and more
- Convert points to other loyalty programs (e.g., WestJet dollars, Hudson’s Bay Rewards)
Benefits:
- Complimentary 12-month DashPass subscription (DoorDash)
- Save 3¢/L on fuel at Petro-Canada and earn 20% more Petro-Points
- 2-for-1 ski passes at participating resorts in Canada
- 20% off Hertz rentals and 3x Avion points on rentals
- Access to Visa Infinite benefits (e.g., exclusive events, hotel/dining perks)
Insurance:
- Mobile device insurance (up to $1,500)
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
- Emergency medical insurance (15 days for under 65, 3 days for 65+)
- Purchase protection for eligible purchases
Runners-up: Best Overall Travel Credit Card
CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card
Cardholders of the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card can access loads of travel perks, from four free annual airport lounge passes to a NEXUS application fee rebate every four years.
This card also features extensive travel insurance, such as rental car, theft, and trip cancellation and interruption insurance.
The welcome bonus of 30,000 Aventura Points is roughly equivalent to a year’s worth of points. It’s also worth about $750, enough for a one-way ticket anywhere in Canada and the continental U.S.
Annual fee
$139 (First year rebated)
Welcome bonus
- Get a total of up to 45,000 Aventura points (up to $900 in travel value†) during your first year
- 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): 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.
Offer expiry date: N/A - Offer subject to change
Rewards
- Earn two points for every $1 spent on travel through the CIBC Rewards Centre.
- Earn 1.5 points for every $1 spent at eligible gas stations, grocery stores and drugstores.
- Earn one point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
American Express Cobalt® Credit Card
With the American Express Cobalt® Credit Card, you can accumulate points quickly and cash them for a range of different travel expenses. Beyond flights and hotels, your points can pay for taxes, fees and airline surcharges.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian could earn around $1,361 in rewards in the first year.
Annual fee
$156
Limited time offer/bonus
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.
Rewards
5x AMEX Membership Rewards (spend caps apply):
- Groceries
- Restaurants
- Bars
- Food Delivery
3x AMEX Membership Rewards:
- Select streaming services
2x AMEX Membership Rewards:
- Transit and Ride Shares
- Gas
1 additional AMEX Membership Reward:
- Eligible Hotel and Car Rental bookings via American Express Travel Online
1x AMEX Membership Rewards:
- All other purchases
Best Credit Card for Earning Travel Points
Travel programs typically offer the best redemption value of all rewards credit cards. Whether they offer rewards, points or miles, these cards will always provide more value than cashback cards (even if the flexibility the latter provides is nice to have).
Most programs allow members to redeem rewards for flights, vacation packages, upgrades and other travel savings. Some programs also allow point conversions to other popular travel programs. Additionally, many of our top picks feature insurance coverage and exclusive offers like lounge access or benefits at hotels and resorts.
We compared Canada’s leading travel credit cards and ranked them according to first-year value.
| First-year value | Credit score required | Top features | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
WINNER |
$1,257 | Fair | Flexible rewards points + travel insurance. |
|
Runner up |
$1,024 | Good | High rewards rates and great travel perks such as no foreign exchange fees and travel insurance. |
|
Runner up |
$1,536 | Excellent | Generous welcome offer and NEXUS fee rebate. |
Winner: American Express Cobalt® Credit Card
The American Express Cobalt® Credit Card is one of the best cards for amassing rewards, offering cardholders five points for every $1 spent on restaurants and food deliveries, three points for every $1 spent on eligible streaming subscriptions, two points for every $1 spent on eligible travel and transit and one point for every $1 spent anywhere else.
Not only that, but the Membership Rewards® program is incredibly flexible, allowing members to redeem points for almost anything — travel, merchandise and more. Eligible cards, including the American Express Cobalt® Credit Card, can access the Fixed Points Travel Program and American Express Travel Online for travel offers and special rates. Cardholders can even use Membership Rewards® to pay for taxes, fees and carrier surcharges.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian could earn around $1,361 in rewards in the first year.
Annual fee
$156*
Welcome bonus
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.
Rewards
5x AMEX Membership Rewards (spend caps apply):
- Groceries
- Restaurants
- Bars
- Food Delivery
3x AMEX Membership Rewards:
- Select streaming services
2x AMEX Membership Rewards:
- Transit and Ride Shares
- Gas
1 additional AMEX Membership Reward:
- Eligible Hotel and Car Rental bookings via American Express Travel Online
1x AMEX Membership Rewards:
- All other purchases
Earning potential
How does this card stack up to other rewards credit cards? We crunched the numbers using our Best of Finance methodology to see how much an average Canadian could earn over a 12-month period.
Rewards earned over a 12-month period + Welcome Bonus = $1,113 + $300 = $1,413
Annual fee = $156
Total earned over a 12-month period (rewards minus annual fee) = $1,257
Benefits
- 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
- Access Front Of The Line® Amex Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts and theatre performances and special offers and events curated for Cardmembers with Amex ExperiencesTM
- Cobalt Cardmembers receive regular Perks such as bonus reward offers and access to great events
- Transfer points 1:1 to several frequent flyer and other loyalty programs
Insurance coverage
- Purchase Protection - 90 days
- Extended Warranty - 1 year
- Travel Accident - $250,000
- Emergency Medical Term - 15 days
- Flight Delay - $500
- Baggage Delay - $500
- Lost or Stolen Baggage - $500
- Hotel Burglary - $500
- Rental Car Theft & Damage
- Mobile Device - $1,000
Runners-up: Best Credit Card for Earning Travel Points
Scotiabank®* Gold American Express® Card
The Scotiabank®* Gold American Express® Card is great for travellers looking to use rewards to book their next vacation or make purchases abroad. This card is one of the few that offers no foreign transaction fees, meaning you’ll only pay the exchange rate and Amex won’t charge you for having to make the conversion.
Earn five Scotia Scene+ points for every $1 spent on eligible groceries, dining in or out and entertainment purchases. Collect three Scotia Scene+ points for every $1 spent on gas, public transit or streaming services. Earn one Scotia Scene+ point per dollar spent on everything else.
Based on our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian can earn $1,024 in Scotia Scene+ points within the first year.
Annual fee
$120
Welcome bonus
Earn up to $780* in value in the first 12 months, including up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points.¹ Offer ends July 1, 2025.
Rewards
6x Scotia Scene+ points at select grocery stores
5x Scotia Scene+ points from groceries, restaurants and entertainment
3x Scotia Scene+ points from gas, daily transit and select streaming services
1x Scotia Scene+ points for all other purchases
Earning potential
How does this card stack up to other rewards credit cards? We crunched the numbers using our Best of Finance methodology to see how much an average Canadian could earn over a 12-month period.
Rewards earned over a 12-month period + Welcome Bonus = $744 + $400 = $1,114
Annual fee = $120
Total earned over a 12-month period (rewards minus annual fee) = $1,024
CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card
Cardholders of the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite Card can access loads of travel perks, from four free annual airport lounge passes to a NEXUS application fee rebate every four years. This card also features travel insurance and Visa Infinite benefits, such as complimentary breakfast at over 900 properties worldwide and exclusive tours of Wine Country.
Pay no booking fees through the Aventura Travel Assistant and use points to cover airfare costs, including taxes and fees.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian would earn around $1,536 in rewards in the first year.
Annual fee
$139 (first year rebated!)
Welcome bonus
Join and get over $1,500 in value including a first year annual fee rebate!†
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): over $189 value.
Rewards
Earn:
- 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 and EV charging, grocery stores and drug stores
- 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Earning potential
How does this card stack up to other rewards credit cards? We crunched the numbers using our Best of Finance methodology to see how much an average Canadian could earn over a 12-month period.
Rewards earned over a 12-month period + Welcome Bonus = $636 + $900 = $1,536
Annual fee = $156 (first year rebated!)
Total earned over a 12-month period (rewards minus annual fee) = $1,536
