- The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card offers five points for every $1 spent on transit. Plus, get a $50 annual lifestyle credit to use however you want.
- Get two points for every $1 spent on eligible travel and transit with the American Express CobaltTM Credit Card, including rideshare services.
- Earn up to 4% cash back on transportation purchases with the recently revamped BMO CashBack World Elite* Mastercard*.
Sure, gas is typically an accelerated rewards category on credit cards, along with groceries and drugstore purchases. But that doesn’t mean you can’t earn great rewards if you don’t own a car. Credit cards are starting to offer points or cash back for daily transit, including buses, subways, taxis, and rideshare services. So, no matter how you commute, you can get rewarded for your everyday purchases.
Whether it’s the opportunity to park your bum in a cozy lounge chair at the train station or earn cash back on daily transit, these nine credit cards offer great perks and rewards for people who don’t own a car.
| Our top picks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Credit card |
Top features if you don’t have a car |
Annual fee |
First-year value* |
| 1. American Express CobaltTM Credit Card |
|
$155.88 ($12.99 per month) | $1,361 |
|
$120 |
$1,024 |
|
|
$120 (First year waived) |
$867 |
|
|
$120 (First year waived) |
$862 |
|
|
$120 (First year waived) |
$745 |
|
|
$120 |
$660 |
|
|
$139 (First year rebated) |
$675 |
|
|
$139 |
$389 |
|
|
$0 |
$409 |
|
*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.
1. American Express CobaltTM Credit Card
The American Express CobaltTM Credit Card offers cardholders two times the points on eligible travel, transit, and gas. Grabbing the bus, a cab, or rideshare has never been so rewarding. Not only that, but this card also has you covered with car rental theft and damage insurance.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian would earn $1,361 in points within the first year.
Credit score requirement for approval:
Fair: You have had a credit card or loan for at least one year. For the last two years or more, you have 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:
$12.99 per month ($155.88 annually)
Annual fee for additional cards: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
- New cardholders can earn up to 15,000 Membership Rewards® points in the first year.
Offer expiry date: N/A (Subject to change without notice)
Rewards:
- Earn five points for every $1 spent on eligible eats and drinks, including restaurant and food delivery purchases.
- Earn two points for every $1 spent on eligible transit, including buses, taxis, and rideshare services.
- Earn one point for every $1 spent everywhere else you shop.
Note: Some Cobalt members have reported receiving the “eats and drinks” rate of five points for every $1 spent on Uber rides. This lucky bonus may be due to the merchant code used by both Uber Eats and Uber.
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 = 80,971 Membership Rewards® points
Monetary value = $1,417
Annual fee = $155.88*
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $1,361
*The fee for this card is charged monthly ($12.99 x 12 months = $155.88).
You can redeem your points for:
- Travel
- Gift cards
- Merchandise
- Amazon.ca purchases
- Statement credits
Insurance:
- Out of province/country emergency medical insurance
- Flight delay insurance
- Baggage delay insurance
- Hotel burglary insurance
- Lost or stolen baggage insurance
- Car rental theft and damage insurance
- $250,000 travel accident insurance
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty
Other perks:
- Access exclusive offers through American Express® Experiences and the Cobalt Perks program.
Compare the best credit cards on RATESDOTCA
Find the best credit card for your lifestyle today!
2. Scotiabank®* Gold American Express® Card
The Scotiabank®* Gold American Express® Card offers three times the rewards points on eligible gas and daily transit purchases, including buses, taxis, and rideshare services. This card also features various travel coverage like rental car collision insurance.
Based on our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian would earn $1,024 in Scotia Rewards points 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:
$120
Annual fee for additional cards: $29
Limited time offer/bonus:
- Earn up to 40,000 Scotia Rewards points in the first year. Earn 30,000 Scotia Rewards points when you spend at least $3,000 in the first three months of opening the account. Earn an additional 10,000 Scotia Rewards points when you spend at least $7,500 on the card in the first 12 months.
Offer expiry date: August 31, 2021
Rewards:
- Earn five Scotia Rewards points for every $1 spent on eligible grocery, restaurant, fast food, food subscription, and entertainment purchases.
- Earn three Scotia Rewards points for every $1 spent on eligible streaming services, gas, and daily transit, including buses, taxis, and rideshare services.
- Earn one Scotia Rewards point for every $1 spent 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 = 114,400 Scotia Rewards points
Monetary value = $1,144
Annual fee = $120
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $1,024
You can redeem your points for:
- Travel
- Experiences
- Merchandise
- Gift cards
- Statement credits
- Convert to SCENE points
Insurance:
- Travel emergency medical insurance
- Trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance
- Flight delay insurance
- Delayed baggage and lost baggage insurance
- Travel accident insurance
- Rental car collision loss/damage insurance
- Hotel/motel burglary insurance
- Purchase security
- Extended warranty
- Scotia Credit Card Protection (optional)
Other perks:
- Pay no foreign transaction fees abroad or online on purchases made in foreign currency. Only the exchange rate applies.
- Get the Best Price Guarantee on airfare through the Scotia Rewards Travel Service, as well as complimentary concierge services and a preferred discount on Priority Pass Membership.
3. Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card
The Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card offers 2% cash back on daily transit, including buses, taxis, trains, and rideshare services. Also, save on rental cars at Avis locations across the U.S. and Canada and feel reassured with rental car collision loss/damage insurance.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian would earn $867 in the first year using this card.
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 cards: $50
Limited time offer/bonus:
- New cardholders can earn 10% cash back for the first three months, up to $2,000 in total purchases. Plus, Scotiabank will waive the annual fee for the primary and additional cardholders for the first year.
- For a limited time, also get a $150 e-Gift Card from RATESDOTCA upon approval when you apply before July 31, 2021.
Offer expiry date:
- Scotiabank offer: August 31, 2021
- RATESDOTCA offer: July 31, 2021
Rewards:
- Earn 4% cash back on groceries, subscription purchases, and recurring bill payments.
- Earn 2% cash back on gas and daily transit, including buses, taxis, and rideshare services.
- Earn 1% back on everything 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 = $717
RATESDOTCA bonus = $150 e-Gift Card
Annual fee = $0*
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $867
*The $120 annual fee is waived for the first year.
You can redeem your points for:
- Deposit cash back into an eligible Scotiabank account.
- Get a statement credit annually.
Insurance:
- Mobile device insurance
- Trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance
- Travel emergency medical insurance
- Flight delay insurance
- Delayed and lost baggage insurance
- Travel accident insurance
- Rental car collision loss/damage insurance
- Purchase security
- Extended warranty
- Scotia Credit Card Protection (optional)
Other perks:
- Save on rental cars at participating AVIS locations across the U.S. and Canada.
- Get complimentary Visa Infinite concierge services and access Visa Infinite benefits.
4. BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card
The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card offers five points for every $1 spent on gas and transit. Earn 10% more rewards with an authorized user or 5.5 points for every $1 spent on rideshare and public transit purchases.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian would earn $862 in the first year.
Credit score requirement for approval:
Good: You’ve had a credit card or loan for six or more 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 for existing credit cards for the past three months.
Annual fee:
$120
Annual fee for additional cards: $50
Limited time offer/bonus:
- New cardholders can earn up to 40,000 BMO Rewards points. Get 25,000 points after you spend at least $3,000 in the first three months. Get 15,000 points on your first anniversary. Plus, BMO will waive the annual fee for the first year.
Offer expiry date: October 31, 2021
Rewards:
- Earn five points for every $1 spent on groceries, gas, dining, and transit purchases.
- 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 = 114,400 BMO Rewards points
Monetary value = $812
Lifestyle credit = $50
Annual fee = $0*
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $862
*The $120 annual fee is waived for the first year.
You can redeem your points for:
- Travel
- Merchandise
- Gift cards
- Statement credits
- Eligible financial products
Insurance:
- Out of province/country emergency medical insurance
- Common carrier insurance
- Car rental collision loss/loss damage insurance
- Mobile device insurance
- Purchase security
- Extended warranty
Other perks:
- Get a $50 annual lifestyle credit to spend however you want.
- Get Visa Infinite benefits, including concierge services and access to exclusive hotel and dining collections.
5. BMO CashBack World Elite* Mastercard*
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The recently revamped BMO CashBack World Elite* Mastercard* offers cardholders 4% cash back on the first $300 in transit purchases each month.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian would earn $745 in the first year with this card.
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 for your existing credit cards for the past six months.
Annual fee:
$120
Annual fee for additional cards: $50
Limited time offer/bonus:
- Get up to 10% cash back in your first three months. Plus, BMO will waive the $120 annual fee for the first year.
Offer expiry date: October 31, 2021
Rewards:
- Earn 5% cash back on your first $500 in groceries per billing cycle.
- Earn 4% cash back on your first $300 in ground transportation per billing cycle, including taxis and rideshare services.
- Earn 3% cash back on your first $300 in gas purchases per billing cycle, including electric charging.
- Earn 2% cash back on your first $500 in recurring bill payments per billing cycle.
- Earn 1% cash back 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 = $745
Annual fee = $0*
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $745
*The $120 annual fee is waived for the first year.
You can redeem your points for:
- Redeem cash back whenever you want for as little as $1.
- Set up automatic deposits into an eligible BMO account starting at $25.
Insurance:
- Out of province/country emergency medical benefits
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty
Other perks:
- Access roadside assistance, including battery boosts and towing.
- Save on rental cars at participating National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a Car locations.
6. SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express
The SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express offers 2% cash back on all purchases, no matter the spending category. That means you can earn a great flat rate on rideshare services, taxis, buses, and other transportation options.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian would earn $701 in cash back in the first year with this card.
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:
$99
Annual fee for additional cards: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
- In your first 10 months as a new SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express Cardmember, you can earn a $40 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in purchases on your Card. This could add up to $400 in statement credits in the first 10 months.
Offer expiry date: N/A (subject to change without notice)
Rewards:
- Earn 4% cash back on eligible gas station an grocery store purchases in Canada (up to $1,200 cash back annually)
- Earn 2% cash back on everything else you buy.
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 = $1,060
Annual fee = $120
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $940
You can redeem your points for:
- Cash back is applied as a statement credit annually.
Insurance:
- Out of province/country emergency medical insurance
- Flight delay insurance
- Baggage delay insurance
- Hotel burglary insurance
- Lost or stolen baggage insurance
- $100,000 travel accident insurance
- Car rental theft and damage insurance
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty
Other perks:
- Access exclusive offers and events through American Express® Experiences.
7. TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card
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The TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card offers a complimentary Deluxe TD Auto Club Membership; however, it won’t be of much use if you don’t have a car. What this card can provide, in this case, is extra savings. Get discounts on rental cars through Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car across the U.S. and Canada and access auto rental collision and damage insurance. Plus, TD Visa Infinite* cardholders can access exclusive Visa Infinite* Credit Card Lounges, conveniently located at major transit hubs like Toronto’s Union Station.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian would earn $675 in the first year with this card.
Credit score requirement for approval:
Good: You’ve had a credit card or loan for six or more 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 for existing credit cards for the past three months.
Annual fee:
$139
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $50
Limited time offer/bonus:
- Earn 10% Cash Back on all Purchases for the first 3 months† up to a total spend of $2,000.
This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. For Quebec residents, please click here.
Offer expiry date: May 28, 2023
Rewards:
- Earn 3% in Cash Back Dollars on eligible grocery and gas purchases and recurring bill payments.
- Earn 1% in Cash Back Dollars 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 = $675
Annual fee = $0*
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $675
*The $139 annual fee is rebated for the first year.
You can redeem your points for:
- Apply Cash Back Dollars as a statement credit whenever you want.
Insurance:
- Travel medical insurance
- Delayed and lost baggage insurance
- Auto rental collision and loss damage insurance
- Purchase security
- Extended warranty
Other perks:
- Access exclusive Visa Infinite benefits, including complimentary concierge services, the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection and Visa Infinite Food and Wine Experiences.
- Get a free Deluxe TD Auto Club Membership for 24/7 roadside assistance.
- Save with Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car across the U.S. and Canada.
8. Scotiabank PassportTM Visa Infinite* Card
The Scotiabank PassportTM Visa Infinite* Card offers two Scotia Rewards points for every $1 spent on daily transit purchases, including buses, subways, taxis, and passenger railways. Plus, cardholders can save on rental cars and access rental car collision loss and damage insurance.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian would earn $389 in the first year with this card.
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
Annual fee for additional cards: $0 (first supplementary card only), $50 after that
Limited time offer/bonus:
- New cardholders can earn 30,000 bonus Scotia Rewards points when they spend at least $1,000 within the first three months. That’s a $300 travel value!
- Earn an additional 10,000 Scotia Rewards points when you spend at least $40,000 in eligible purchases on the card annually.
Offer expiry date: July 1, 2021
Rewards:
- Earn two Scotia Rewards points for every $1 spent on eligible grocery, dining, entertainment, and daily transit purchases.
- Earn one Scotia Rewards point for every $1 spent 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 = 52,800 Scotia Rewards points
Monetary value = $528
Annual fee = $139
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $389
You can redeem your points for:
- Travel
- Experiences
- Merchandise
- Gift cards
- Statement credits
- Convert to SCENE points
Insurance:
- Travel emergency medical insurance
- Trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance
- Flight delay insurance
- Delayed and lost baggage insurance
- Rental car collision loss/damage insurance
- Hotel/motel burglary insurance
- Travel accident insurance
- Purchase security
- Extended warranty
- Price protection service
- Scotia Credit Card Protection (optional)
Other perks:
- Get a complimentary Avis Preferred Plus membership and save on rental cars.
- Book travel through the Scotia Rewards Travel Service for the Best Price Guarantee on airfare.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees on purchases made online or abroad in foreign currency. Only the exchange rate applies.
- Get a complimentary Priority PassTM Membership and six free airport lounge visits per year.
- Access Visa Infinite benefits like the Visa Infinite Hotel Collection, Visa Infinite Dining and Wine Country program, and Visa Infinite concierge services.
9. Tangerine World Mastercard®
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The Tangerine World Mastercard® offers up to 2% cash back for public transportation purchases. Plus, this card comes with rental car collision and loss damage insurance.
According to our Best of Finance methodology, the average Canadian would earn around $309 in cash back 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 cards: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
- Get 10% cash back on up to $1,000 in everyday purchases for the first two months. That is up to $100 cash back.
Offer expiry date: August 16, 2021
- Get a 1.95% promotional interest rate on balance transfers made within the first 30 days of opening the account for six months. A 1% balance transfer fee does apply.
Offer expiry date: N/A (Subject to change without notice)
Rewards:
Earn 2% cash back in up to three categories of your choice. Start with two categories and earn the third when depositing your rewards into a Tangerine Savings Account. Earn 0.5% cash back on all other purchases.
The 10 Tangerine Money-Back Rewards categories include:
- Restaurants
- Grocery
- Gas
- Entertainment
- Home Improvement
- Furniture
- Hotel-Motel
- Recurring Bills
- Drug Store
- Public Transportation and Parking
Switch up your selected Money-Back Rewards Categories as your spending habits change to maximize your 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 = $409
Annual fee = $0
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $409
*Assumes the cardholder earns the third category by depositing their rewards into a Tangerine Savings Account, and they have chosen the grocery, restaurant, and gas categories.
You can redeem your points for:
- Deposit cash back into your Tangerine Savings Account each month.
- Apply cash back as a statement credit monthly.
Insurance:
- Rental car collision/loss damage insurance
- Mobile device insurance
- Purchase assurance
- Extended warranty
Other perks:
- Get complimentary membership to Mastercard Airport Experiences Provided by LoungeKey for exclusive offers in over 400 airports worldwide.
- Stay connected with Boingo Wi-Fi for Mastercard®* and access over one million Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide.
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 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, June 28, 2021. Read our full disclaimer.
