Frequent flyers spend a lot of time at the airport, which can mean more time spent in security lines and waiting to board planes. The right credit card can make this standard airport hustle a breeze and possibly more luxurious.
This selection of credit cards features everything from complimentary airport valet services to free airport lounge access and top travel insurance coverage. That means taking off for your next work trip or vacation can be stress-free.
Not only that, but our winner also offers no foreign transaction fees on purchases. Standard credit cards charge 1.5% to 3% on purchases made in foreign currency, including shopping online. These extra fees can eat into the travel budget. Luckily, cardholders of our top pick don’t have to worry about those costs, keeping more money in their pocket.
We compared prominent credit cards for frequent flyers using our Best of Finance methodology and ranked the cards that provided the highest first-year value.
These are the best credit cards for frequent flyers for 2020.
Frequent flyers will enjoy the Scotiabank PassportTM Visa Infinite* Card. Pay no foreign transaction fees on purchases and access a full suite of travel insurance. Plus, get six free lounge visits per year and the Best Price Guarantee on airfare when you book through the Scotia Rewards Travel Service.
For a limited time, get 20,000 bonus Scotia Rewards points when you spend at least $1,000 in the first three months. Get an additional 10,000 Scotia Rewards points when you spend at least $40,000 annually.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian will see $415 in Scotia Rewards points in the first year.
Credit score requirement for approval:
Excellent: You’ve had a credit card or loan for at least 10 years. You’ve had good credit for the last seven years (no bankruptcies or no defaults on credit as a result of failing to pay debts back to creditors). You haven’t opened a new credit card account, loan, or line of credit in the last nine months. You’ve made the minimum payments on your existing credit cards for the past six months.
Annual fee:
$139
Get your first supplementary card for free. Each additional card has a $50 annual fee.
Limited time offer/bonus:
Offer expiry date: February 28, 2021
Rewards:
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 = 55,400 Scotia Rewards points
Monetary value= $554
Annual fee = $139
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $415
You can redeem your points for:
Insurance:
Other perks:
*This card is no longer available. Check out the new Aeroplan credit cards from American Express or visit the RATESDOTCA credit card marketplace for more options.
The American Express® AeroplanPlus®* Platinum Card has the highest annual fee in this category, at $499. However, it also has a lot to offer. Cardholders can bring a friend along with their annual Partner TicketTM, relax at over 1,200 lounges, including the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, and bypass the regular line with Air Canada Priority Check-in. Plus, this card features travel insurance and lots of extra perks at Pearson Airport.
Cardholders can earn 40,000 bonus Aeroplan® Miles when they make at least $3,000 in purchases within the first three months. Note, this card is a charge card, and balances must be paid in full at the end of each month. A 30% interest rate applies to unpaid balances.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian will see $1,251 in Aeroplan® Miles within the first year.
Credit score requirement for approval:
Excellent: You’ve had a credit card or loan for at least 10 years. You’ve had good credit for the last seven years (no bankruptcies or no defaults on credit as a result of failing to pay debts back to creditors). You haven’t opened a new credit card account, loan, or line of credit in the last nine months. You’ve made the minimum payments on your existing credit cards for the past six months.
Annual fee:
$499
Limited time offer/bonus:
Offer expiry date: N/A subject to change without notice
Rewards:
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 = 70,000 Aeroplan Miles
Monetary value= $1,750
Annual fee = $499
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $1,251
You can redeem your points for:
Insurance:
Other perks:
Rates, product information, and rewards estimates are subject to change at any time and do not constitute financial advice. Information in this article is accurate as of the date of this posting, November 5, 2020. This article was first published on August 19, 2020.
This post has been updated.
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