- The Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card offers an Annual Free Night Award.
- The Triangle™ Mastercard® offers cardholders no fee, no interest financing on purchases of $150 or more in-store and online from Canadian Tire.
- With the President’s Choice Financial® Mastercard®, cardholders can earn and redeem rewards quickly. Cash in 10,000 points for $10 and bring home free groceries.
If you drive a few extra kilometres to your favourite gas station, go out of your way to shop at your go-to grocery store, or habitually hit up the same entertainment, then you are a routine shopper.
Your favourite brands may even reward you for your reliable nature.
Not only do many retailers have loyalty rewards programs, but some also offer rewards credit cards. That means you may be able to double-dip on points or rewards and earn free merchandise faster.
It may be time to consider where you shop, how often, and if using a loyalty rewards credit card can work in your favour.
Here are the eight best credit cards that reward you for your brand loyalty:
| Our top picks | ||
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| Credit card | Special features | Annual fee |
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$150 |
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$120 (First year waived) |
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$79 (First year waived) |
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$0 |
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$0 |
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$0 |
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$0 |
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$0 |
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Pro tip: If you use a secondary card to keep track of your work expenses, strong loyalty cards like The Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express Card can be a fantastic way to rack up points in a specific spend category.
1. Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card
Cardholders of the Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card can get complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Guests with this status receive priority late checkout, a dedicated reservation line, free Wi-Fi, exclusive member rates, no blackout dates, the ability to use their phone as a room key, and more.
Earn five times the points when making purchases at Marriott hotels and associated brands, and two points everywhere else you shop. Not only that, but this card also offers one free hotel stay per year.
If you use the added perks, the annual fee almost pays for itself. Plus, cardholders can get a $120 statement credit for a limited time when they spend at least $10,000 on the card in the first year — enough to cover the cost of the annual fee.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian could see over $900 in Marriott Bonvoy points within their first year.
Credit score requirement for approval:
Good: You’ve had a credit card, or loan for at least six 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 my existing credit cards for the past three months.
Annual fee:
$120
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
- New cardholders can earn 50,000 Welcome Bonus points when they spend at least $1,500 in the first three months of opening the account.
Offer expiry date: N/A (subject to change without notice)
Rewards:
- Earn five points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties.
- Earn two points 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 = 124,330 Marriott Bonvoy points
Monetary value = $1,206
Annual fee = $150
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $1,056
You can redeem your points for:
- Free nights at Marriot hotels and associated brands, with no blackout dates
- Transfer points to frequent flyer miles
Insurance:
- Travel emergency assistance
- $500,000 travel accident insurance
- Car rental theft and damage insurance
- Flight delay insurance
- Baggage delay insurance
- Lost or stolen baggage insurance
- Hotel burglary insurance
- Purchase protection
- Buyer’s assurance (extended warranty)
Other perks:
- After your account anniversary each year, collect an Annual Free Night Award, redeemable within one year from the date issued.
- Eligible for Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status when you reach $30,000 in net purchases within the year (status will remain for a minimum of one year).
- Access exclusive Marriott Bonvoy Moments™, including opportunities to meet A-list artists, get backstage passes, experience pro golf clinics, and more.
- Access American Express® Experiences, including reserved ticket sales, exclusive offers, and benefits.
- Additional features include emergency card replacement, fraud protection, and 24/7 customer service.
Compare the best credit cards on RATESDOTCA
Find the best credit card for your lifestyle today!
2. BMO® AIR MILES®† World Elite®* Mastercard®*
The BMO® AIR MILES®† World Elite®* Mastercard®* offers one AIR MILE for every $10 you spend. If you regularly shop at AIR MILES partners like Sobeys or Foodland, you will be rewarded for your loyalty, and you aren’t restricted to just one retailer like other popular programs.
Find even more partners when shopping through airmilesshops.ca, where you can earn Miles at hundreds of online stores like Amazon, Ticketmaster, Disney+, and Etsy. There are AIR MILES partners for all your needs, including groceries, rental cars, hotels, dining, home renovation, and even car servicing.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian could see a return of $859 within their 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:
$120
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $50
Limited time offer/bonus:
- Earn 2,000 AIR MILES Bonus Miles when you spend at least $3,000 within the first three months of opening the account. Plus, BMO will waive the annual fee for the primary cardholder for the first year.
- Earn 5X the AIR MILES Reward Miles at participating grocery stores, including Sobeys and Foodland locations, until May 31, 2021.
Offer expiry date: October 31, 2021
Rewards:
- Earn one Mile for every $10 in credit card 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 = 5,000 AIR MILES
Monetary value = $859
Annual fee = $0
Total earned over a 12-month period (rewards minus annual fee) = $859
*The $120 annual fee is waived for the first year. We put the value of an AIR MILE at 0.172 cents; however, redemption value varies depending on how you choose to spend your Miles.
You can redeem your points for:
- Travel
- Experiences
- Merchandise
- eVouchers
Insurance:
- BMO AIR MILES World Elite Travel and Medical Protection
- Purchase assurance
- Extended warranty
Other perks:
- Access an exclusive 15% flight discount on all AIR MILES flights in North America (no blackout dates).
- Receive a complimentary membership in Mastercard Airport Experiences provided by LoungeKey. This includes exclusive VIP access and two annual complimentary passes.
- Get 2X the Miles at AIR MILES Partners when you show your AIR MILES Collector Card. Soon, cardholders will earn even more. Starting May 2021, cardholders will get 3X the Miles at participating AIR MILES Partners.
A similar option:
For those looking for a similar no-fee option, check out the BMO® AIR MILES®† Mastercard®*. This card has all the great benefits AIR MILES has to offer.
3. Scotiabank® GM®* VISA* Infinite Card
The Scotiabank® GM®* VISA* Infinite Card rewards you for your everyday purchases at an extraordinary rate. Get 5% back in GM Earnings on the first $10,000 in charges to the card annually. After, get 2% back.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian could see a return of $780 in GM Earnings within the first year, which can be used toward the purchase price or lease down payment of a new GM, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, or GMC vehicle.
Credit score requirement for approval:
Good: You’ve had a credit card or loan for at least six 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 my existing credit cards for the past three months.
Annual fee:
$79
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $39
Limited time offer/bonus:
- Scotiabank will waive the annual fee for the first year.
Offer expiry date: July 1, 2021
Rewards:
- Earn 5% in GM Earnings on the first $10,000 spent on the card annually.
- Earn 2% in GM Earnings on all purchases after the initial $10,000 spent annually.
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 = $780 in GM Earnings
Annual fee = $0*
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $780
*The $79 annual fee is waived for the first year.
You can redeem your points:
- Toward the purchase price of your new vehicle (Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, or Cadillac)
- Toward the lease down payment of your vehicle (Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, or Cadillac)
Insurance:
- Travel emergency medical insurance
- Trip interruption insurance
- Flight delay insurance
- Delayed and lost baggage
- Rental car collision/loss damage insurance
- Up to $500,000 common carrier travel accident insurance
- Scotia credit card protection (optional)
- Purchase security
- Extended warranty
Other perks:
- Save on rental cars at participating Avis and Budget locations across the U.S. and Canada.
4. Triangle™ Mastercard®
The Triangle™ Mastercard® is perfect for regular customers of Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, Sports Rousseau, Hockey Experts, L’Entrepôt du Hockey and participating Mark’s/L’Équipeur and Sports Experts stores.
Canadian Tire customers can access no fee, no interest financing on purchases of $150 or more and can instantly get approved when applying online.
Related read: Top 7 Credit Cards With Specialty Rewards
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian can earn around $368 in Canadian Tire Money over the first year.
Credit score requirement for approval:
Fair: You’ve had a credit card or loan for one or more years. For the last two years, you’ve paid back debts to creditors (with no defaults). You haven’t missed more than two payments on your credit in the last three months.
Annual fee:
$0
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
- New cardmembers can earn 15% back in CT Money® on their first qualifying purchase at select stores within 30 days of card activation, up to $50 in CT Money®.
These annual interest rates are not applicable for residents of Quebec. For residents of Quebec, please click here.
Offer expiry date: N/A subject to change without notice
Rewards:
- Earn 4% back in Canadian Tire Money at Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, Sports Rousseau, Hockey Experts, L’Entrepôt du Hockey and participating Mark’s/L’Équipeur and Sports Experts stores.
- Earn five cents per litre in Canadian Tire Money at Gas+ and participating Husky gas stations.
- Collect 0.8% back in Canadian Tire Money everywhere else you shop.
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 = $368 in CT Money®
Annual fee = $0
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $368
*Assumes the cardholder’s gas and retail budget is spent at eligible retailers.
You can redeem your points for:
- Merchandise at Canadian Tire stores and participating partners
- Triangle Experiences
Insurance:
- There is no insurance coverage on this card.
Other perks:
- Access member-only events and receive personalized offers from some of your favourite brands.
- Enjoy no-receipt returns at participating Canadian Tire locations and partner stores.
- Access no fee, no interest financing options available on purchases of $150 or more at participating retailers, in-store and online.
5. SCENE®* VISA* Card
The SCENE®* VISA* Card offers movie lovers the opportunity to earn free tickets when making everyday purchases.
Earn five times the points when shopping at Cineplex or Cineplex.com. Earn one SCENE point for every dollar spent using the card and redeem 1,250 points for a free movie or 1,000 points for $10 off at participating restaurants.
Cardholders can even score additional points when scanning their regular SCENE card at the theatre and participating partners.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian could see $337 worth of SCENE points within their first year — that is a lot of movies!
Credit score requirement for approval:
Good: You’ve had a credit card, or loan for at least six 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 my existing credit cards for the past three months.
Annual fee:
$0
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
- Earn 2,500 bonus SCENE points when you make at least $500 in eligible purchases in the first three months of opening the account.
Offer expiry date: July 1, 2021
Rewards:
- Earn 5 SCENE points for every $1 spent at Cineplex theatres or Cineplex.com.
- Earn 1 SCENE point for every $1 spent everywhere else.
*Earn a maximum of 300 SCENE points per transaction and a daily maximum of 600 SCENE points.
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 = 33,700 SCENE points
Monetary value = $337
Annual fee = $0
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $337
*Assumes the cardholder spends $150 a month at Cineplex or Cineplex.com.
You can redeem your points for:
- Redeem 1,250 SCENE points for a free general movie or 3D movie in a regular auditorium at Cineplex theatres.
- Redeem 2,000 SCENE points for a free Enhanced movie ticket (UltraAVX®, IMAX® and DBOX, including those in 3D).
- Redeem 2,500 SCENE points for a VIP CinemasTM movie ticket.
- Receive $10 off at participating restaurants when you redeem 1,000 points.
Additional SCENE points can be earned when redeeming movie tickets, up to a maximum of one adult ticket and two child tickets per transaction, two transactions per day.
Insurance:
- Scotia Credit Card Protection (optional)
Other perks:
- Save up to 25% off base rates at participating rental car locations (Avis and Budget) across Canada and the U.S. when you pay with your SCENE Visa card.
- Supplementary cards are free for authorized users.
6. President’s Choice Financial® Mastercard®
The President’s Choice Financial® Mastercard® rewards loyal PC customers when they shop in-store at Loblaws, the Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart, and other partner locations or online at JoeFresh.ca, BeautyBoutique.ca, and PC Express.
Cardholders can earn rewards through their credit card purchases as well as the associated PC Optimum program. Redeem rewards for food, household items, makeup, and almost anything else PC retailers have to offer.
Related read: 3 Easy-to-Use Apps That Can Save You Money on Groceries in Canada
Based on our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian will earn just over $300 in rewards in the first year.
Credit score requirement for approval:
Good: You’ve had a credit card, or loan for at least six 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 my existing credit cards for the past three months.
Annual fee:
$0
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
- Get a promotional interest rate of 0.97% on balance transfers made within 90 days of account approval for six months.
- Get 20,000 PC Optimum points after your first purchase using the card.
Offer expiry date: N/A (subject to change without notice)
Rewards:
- Earn 10 points for every $1 spent at PC Financial stores.
- Earn 25 points for every $1 spent at Shoppers Drug Mart.
- Earn at least 30 PC Optimum points per litre at Esso and Mobil gas stations.
- Earn 20 points for every $1 spent on PC Travel.
- Earn 10 points for every $1 spent everywhere else.
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 = 320,000 PC Optimum points
Monetary value = $320
Annual fee = $0
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $320
*Assumes all groceries are purchased at PC Financial stores, all pharmacy products are purchased at Shoppers Drug Mart, private transportation is through PC Travel, and gas is purchased through Esso or Mobil.
You can redeem your points for:
- Merchandise at participating stores
- Online at Beautyboutique.ca, JoeFresh.ca, and PC Express
You can cash in your rewards as soon as you have 10,000 points, a $10 monetary value.
Insurance:
- Purchase assurance
- Extended warranty
Other perks:
- Enjoy up to four free supplementary cards for family members.
- Mastercard Global Service has cardholders covered in the event of an emergency, replacing lost or stolen cards within 48 hours from anywhere in the world.
A similar option:
For those looking for a similar, albeit more powerful option, the President’s Choice Financial® World Mastercard® and President’s Choice Financial® World Elite Mastercard® offer two to three times the earning potential. However, they have higher income requirements for approval.
7. Walmart Mastercard®
The Walmart Mastercard® rewards regular shoppers with 1.25% back in Walmart Reward Dollars when making purchases in-store and online. Cardholders can collect 1% back when shopping everywhere else.
Redeem Walmart Reward Dollars in $5 increments toward purchases at Walmart locations in Canada and Walmart.ca, including groceries, electronics, and other merchandise.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, you could earn $280 worth of Walmart Reward Dollars within the first year.
Credit score requirement for approval:
Good: You’ve had a credit card, or loan for at least six 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 my existing credit cards for the past three months.
Annual fee:
$0
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
- Earn up to $25 bonus Walmart Reward Dollars. Collect $15 in bonus Walmart Reward Dollars when you make one purchase at Walmart Canada (in-store or online), and one purchase anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Earn an additional $10 in Walmart Reward Dollars when you sign up for electronic statements.
*To qualify for the welcome bonus offer, you must first be approved for a Walmart Rewards Mastercard account in-store or online and make a single purchase of at least $50 the same day you open your account. The offer is only open to new card members.
Offer expiry date: May 30, 2021
Rewards:
- Earn 1.25% back in Walmart Reward Dollars at Canadian Walmart locations and Walmart.ca.
- Earn 1% back in Walmart Reward Dollars everywhere else you shop.
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 = $280 in Walmart Reward Dollars
Annual fee = $0
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $280
*Assumes all grocery and retail purchases are made at Walmart Canada.
You can redeem your points for:
- Walmart merchandise, in-store at Canadian locations and online at Walmart.ca
Insurance:
- There is no insurance on this card.
Other perks:
- There are no additional perks available on this card.
8. Shell CashBack MasterCard® from BMO
Apply for the Shell CashBack MasterCard® from BMO and start earning 1.5% cash back for every $1 spent at Shell locations in Canada. That means you can start earning money every time you fill up your tank.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian could see a return of $245 cash back 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:
$0
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $35
Limited time offer/bonus:
- Get $50 bonus cash back after making your first purchase using the card. Plus, get 1% cash back for the first six months.
Offer expiry date: October 31, 2021
Rewards:
- Earn 1.5% cash back for every $1 spent at Shell locations in Canada, up to $2,500 in any monthly billing period.
- Earn 0.5% cash back 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 = $245
Annual fee = $0
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $245
*Assumes the cardholder makes all gas purchases at participating Shell locations (average $250 per month).
You can redeem your points for:
- Cash back is credited to the primary cardholder’s account
Insurance:
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty
Other perks:
- There are no additional perks with this card.
Get rewarded for your brand loyalty
If you stick to the same shops, gas stations, entertainment, or retailers, you may want to start earning rewards for those purchases. Many of your favourite brands have rewards credit cards that offer discounts, free merchandise, or cash back for shopping the way you already do.
Even better, cardholders can often combine their existing retailer loyalty cards and rewards credit cards — earning more points with every purchase.
Compare credit cards at RATESDOTCA to find a credit card that earns rewards based on your routine shopping habits.
Rates, product information, and reward estimates are subject to change at any time and do not constitute financial advice. This post was not sponsored. The views and opinions expressed in this review are purely those of RATESDOTCA. Information in this article is accurate as of the date of this posting, April 16, 2021. Read our full disclaimer.
