Specialty rewards credit cards can help travel enthusiasts, motorheads, and hobbyists get the best return on spending and extra savings on unconventional purchases.
These cards tailor their loyalty programs to specific retail categories or brands and target a refined audience. This concept can be limiting to some but highly rewarding for those with specific rewards goals.
Cardholders earn retail-specific rewards instead of the usual cash back or travel points offered by mainstream credit cards. These cards appeal to those with particular interests or hobbies and often provide exclusive perks and benefits to loyal customers.
Members may earn an accelerated reward rate for purchases at participating locations or affiliated partners. For example, the Triangle™ Mastercard® offers 4% back in Canadian Tire Money® at Canadian Tire locations and participating banner brands like Sport Chek, Mark’s and Atmosphere.
In exchange for racking up rewards so quickly, there is one caveat: usually, there fewer redemption options available. While cash back can be spent anywhere, specialty rewards typically have a narrow focus — limiting cardholders to free merchandise or money off purchases from the brand behind the card.
Cardholders may be able to boost their reward balance using these simple tactics:
Here are the best specialty rewards credit cards in Canada:
The Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card rewards members for shopping at participating properties, making this card great for business travellers and vacationers.
Cardholders can earn free stays at luxury hotels, spa treatments and dining experiences.
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 cardholders: $0
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 = 124,330 Marriott BonvoyTM points
Monetary value= $1,206
Annual fee = $150
Total earned over the first year (rewards + statement credit - annual fee) = $1,056
You can redeem your points for:
Insurance:
Other perks:
This post was not sponsored. The views and opinions expressed in this review are purely those of RATESDOTCA.
Cardholders of the Best Western Mastercard® credit card can get free hotel stays and more as they shop at Best Western properties located in over 100 countries. The hotel chain serves all types of travellers with family-friendly resorts and luxury hotel collections.
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:
$0
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. For residents of Quebec, please click here.
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 = 53,600 Best Western Rewards® points
Monetary value= $443
Annual fee = $0
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $443
You can redeem your points for:
Insurance:
Other perks:
The Alaska Airlines World Elite® Mastercard® is designed for frequent flyers, allowing cardholders to access global airline partners and over 800 travel destinations worldwide.
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:
$99
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. For residents of Quebec, please click here.
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 = 58,800 Miles
Monetary value= $940
Annual fee = $99
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $841
You can redeem your points for:
Insurance:
Other perks:
Alternative or similar options:
Another great card is the Alaska Airlines Platinum Plus® Mastercard® with a slightly lower annual fee of $75.
The Scotiabank® GM®* VISA* Infinite Card may offer a very niche reward; however, it provides a substantial return on spending.
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:
$79
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $39
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 = $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 for:
Insurance:
Other perks:
Alternative or similar options:
The Triangle™ Mastercard® offers members CT Money® on all everyday purchases and an accelerated rate at Canadian Tire stores and affiliated retailers.
Cardholders can take advantage of no-interest financing on purchases of $150 or more at participating stores, giving customers a flexible payment option.
Members can also pay property taxes, hydro bills, tuition, and insurance premiums with the card — expenses that often don’t permit that payment option.
Cardholders earn money for these transactions like purchases, and there are no extra fees. However, users must type in the bill’s account number to make each payment as the process isn’t automated.
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:
$0
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
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:
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®
Monetary value= $368
Annual fee = $0
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $368*
*The first-year value does not include the welcome bonus as it depends on the price of the cardholder’s first qualifying purchase.
You can redeem your points for:
Insurance:
Other perks:
Access member-only events and offers.
The SCENE®* VISA* Card offers cardholders free movies and entertainment for making everyday purchases. SCENE members can redeem rewards for free movies in the theatre, rentals online, and digital copies to keep in their movie library.
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:
$0
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
Offer expiry date: July 1, 2021
Rewards:
*A maximum of 300 points can be earned per transaction, up to a daily maximum of 600 points. When redeeming SCENE points at the theatre, additional SCENE points are earned, up to a maximum of one adult ticket and two child tickets per transaction and two transactions per day.
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
You can redeem your points for:
Insurance:
Other perks:
The Harley-Davidson® Mastercard® offers members Harley-Davidson® Genuine Rewards Points and a chance to win a motorcycle with every eligible purchase.
This no-fee card also includes basic rental car insurance and other travel benefits.
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:
$0
Annual fee for additional cardholders: $0
Limited time offer/bonus:
Rewards:
This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. For residents of Quebec, please click here.
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 = 12,000 Harley-Davidson® Genuine Rewards Points
Monetary value= $120 Harley Chrome® Cash
Annual fee = $0
Total earned over the first year (rewards minus annual fee) = $120
You can redeem your points for:
Cardholders can redeem 2,500 Harley-Davidson® Genuine Rewards Points for a $25 voucher (Harley Chrome® Cash) to participating Harley-Davidson retail locations in Canada.
Insurance:
Other perks:
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 6, 2021. Read our full disclaimer.