2025's Best Visa Credit Cards for Canadians
Take advantage of great Visa credit card offers today.
Visa credit card network
Visa is a payment processing network, with its HQ located in California. Visa facilitates billions of electronic funds transfers throughout the world, most commonly through their Visa-branded credit cards, debit cards and prepaid cards.
Visa payments are accepted in more than 200 countries, by vendors of all sizes. If a company accepts credit cards, then they accept Visa! This vast network makes Visa a great option for just about anyone seeking the security and convenience of a credit card.
Visa credit cards
Visa credit cards are issued by financial institutions based on the applicant’s creditworthiness. The better your credit rating, the higher your spending limit will be. You can find a wide array of Visa credit cards in Canada, as they are offered by almost every Canadian bank.
Here are the five categories of Visa credit cards:
- Visa Classic: Visa Classic credit cards offer you convenience, reliability, and worldwide acceptance.
- Visa Gold: Visa Gold credit cards offer you a variety of great rewards and perks.
- Visa Platinum: Visa Platinum credit cards come with higher spending limits. Visa Platinum cards have exclusive rewards and perks.
- Visa Infinite: Visa Infinite credit cards allow you to access exclusive experiences and premium benefits such as concierge services, travel rewards and perks such as trip cancellation insurance and airport lounge access.
- Visa Infinite Privilege: Visa Infinite Privilege credit cards come with top tier rewards such as exclusive entertainment access, travel benefits including access to the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection, not to mention the ultimate purchasing power.
Best Credit Cards for 2025: Best Overall Visa Card
When it comes to picking a credit card, Visa is a popular choice amongst Canadians. Visa partners with top Canadian financial institutions to offer a large selection of credit cards, from travel cards to rewards cards. The best Visa credit cards provide flexible rewards options, generous welcome bonuses and perks.
Due to the sheer amount of Visa credit cards on the market, picking the best card may be confusing. We have selected the top Visa credit cards for Canadians using our Best of Finance methodology and ranked the cards that provided the highest first year value.
| Top features | Annual fee | First-year value* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great travel perks and benefits such as, travel insurance and mobile device insurance. Access to the Visa Infinite program. | $139 (first year rebate) | $1,536 | |
|
Runner up |
Redeem reward points for flights, gift cards, merchandise or cash back. No travel blackout dates. | $120 | $1,572 |
|
Runner up |
Designed for the lifestyle of the urban digital millennial. | $120 (first year waived) | $996 |
*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.
Winner: CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite*
The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card helps you save money while travelling as it gives you a NEXUS application fee rebate. This unique feature is rare and only applies to very few travel cards. On top of a strong, flexible rewards structure, you also get a complimentary Priority Pass Membership and four free airport lounge visits annually. As a cardholder, you become a part of the Visa Infinite program, accessing luxury travel upgrades and complimentary breakfast at over 900 hotel properties worldwide. Best of all, members can redeem Aventura Points for the total cost of airfare, including taxes and fees.
According to our Best of Finance Methodology, you can earn up to $1,536 during the first year of using this card.
Annual fee
$139 (first year rebated)
Interest rate
Purchase – 20.99%
Cash Advance – 22.99% (21.99% for QC residents)
Balance Transfer – 22.99%
Welcome bonus
- 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; $150 value): up to $289 value.
- Elevate your airport experience with 4 complimentary visits at 1,200+ lounges globally through Visa Airport Companion Program: up to $261 in value.
- Plus, get a NEXUS◊ Application Fee rebate: a $50 value
Offer expiry date: Ongoing offer
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.
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 = $1,536
Annual fee = $139 (First year rebated)
Interest rate = Purchase – 20.99%, Cash Advance – 22.99% (21.99% for QC residents), Balance Transfer – 22.99%
Total earned over a 12-month period (rewards minus annual fee) = $1,525
Benefits
- Access to the Aventura Travel Assistant
- Access to the Visa Infinite Travel program and the Visa Infinite Concierge services
- NEXUS application fee rebate once every 4 years
Insurance
- Travel insurance with out-of-province emergency travel medical coverage
- Trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance
- Car rental collision/loss damage insurance
- Flight delay and baggage insurance
- Hotel burglary insurance charge
- Mobile device insurance
Runners-up: Best Overall Visa Card
RBC Avion® Visa Infinite
With an annual fee of $120, the RBC Avion® Visa Infinite card offers up to a 55,000 Avion points welcome bonus (a value of up to $1,100 for travel† - Enough to fly anywhere in North America and the Caribbean). You could also redeem your points for merchandise and gift cards from your favourite brands, pay down RBC balances, invest in your future and much more. The Avion points don’t expire, so whenever you are ready to travel your points will be waiting for use. According to our Best of Finance methodology, you can earn up to $1,572 in rewards in the first year.
Annual fee
$120/ $50 for additional card
Limited time offer/bonus: 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! Get 35,000 Welcome Points on approval and 20,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 in your first 6 months*
Offer Expiry Date: June 3, 2025
Rewards
- Earn one Avion point for every $1 spent on the card.
- Earn an extra 25% on eligible travel-related purchases.
- Earn an extra 20% at Petro-Canada.
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card
Apply for the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card and earn up to 60,000 bonus BMO Rewards points in the first year, which are worth $400 in travel rewards. Plus, BMO will waive the $120 annual fee for the primary account holder for the first year.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian will earn roughly $996 in the first year.
Annual fee
$120 (first year waived)
Welcome bonus
- Get up to 60,000 points worth $400 in travel rewards, a $50 anniversary lifestyle credit and the $120 annual fee waived in your first year – that's a $570 value achieved by your first anniversary.
Offer expiry date: Ongoing offer
Rewards
With this card, you can earn:
- 5x the BMO Rewards on groceries, dining, gas and transit.
- 1 BMO Reward for every $1 spent everything else.
Rates, product information and reward estimates are subject to change at any time and do not constitute financial advice. This post was not sponsored. RATESDOTCA may receive a referral fee from our partners or affiliate links featured on the site; however, our editorial choices are objective and free from bias. The opinions expressed in this article are purely those of RATESDOTCA; thus, the credit card issuers and partners are not responsible for any editorials or reviews that may appear. Please visit the associated brand’s website for complete and current terms and conditions on any product or service mentioned. The information in this article is accurate as of the date of this posting, January 31, 2025. Read our full disclaimer.
Visa credit card security
When you pay with your Visa card, your transactions are recorded and traceable, unlike cash purchases. If you're a victim of fraudulent credit card activity, Visa will ensure that you are protected with their zero liability policy.
Visa credit card has an account number and the cardholder's name embossed on the front of a Visa card. The cards also feature a special three-digit validation code on the back, providing you with additional security.
Visa also uses an AIS program which helps ensure that merchants who process your Visa transactions are protecting your credit card and personal data properly. Compare the best Visa credit cards available in Canada to find the perfect Visa card for you.
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