Best Travel Credit Cards in Canada

Best for: Frequent travellers who will actually use lounges, the travel credit, and hotel status several times a year.

Skip if: You travel less than 3-4 times a year — the math simply doesn't clear the fee.

Best for: Travellers who want strong MR earning and real travel insurance without the Platinum's $799 commitment.

Skip if: Most of your spend is groceries and dining — the Cobalt is the better Amex.

Best for: Air Canada regulars who want premium Aeroplan perks without Amex acceptance issues.

Skip if: Your spend can't reach the bonus tiers — the mid-tier TD Aeroplan VI keeps most of the useful perks.

Best for: Canadians who spend abroad regularly and want lounge visits plus simple redemptions on one Visa.

Skip if: You maximize point value through transfers — Scene+ can't play that game.

Best for: Anyone who stays at a Marriott property at least one night a year — the anniversary free night carries the card.

Skip if: You never stay at chain hotels; transferable points beat Bonvoy for flexibility.

Best for: RBC clients who take short-haul North American flights and will use the redemption chart.

Skip if: You want maximum earn per dollar — Amex MR cards accumulate faster.

Best for: Frequent Air Canada flyers who want lounge access and the biggest Aeroplan welcome bonuses.

Skip if: You fly AC a few times a year or less — the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite covers the basics for a quarter of the fee.

Best for: Air Canada flyers who check bags and redeem through Aeroplan — the checked-bag perk alone can clear the fee.

Skip if: You rarely fly Air Canada; a flexible-points card earns Aeroplan indirectly with more options.

Best for: High-income Air Canada loyalists who want unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access on a widely accepted Visa and will clear the spend thresholds.

Skip if: You don't clear the $150K/$200K income bar or won't spend $25,000 a year — the standard CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite covers the checked-bag basics for a fraction of the fee.

Best for: RBC premium clients who want lounge access and a bigger Avion bonus inside their existing bank.

Skip if: The standard Avion Infinite captures most of the program's value at 30% of the fee.

Best for: High-income or high-asset Wealthsimple clients who want lounge access and stronger insurance stacked on a flat 2% cash-back, no-FX card.

Skip if: You don't clear the $150K personal / $200K household income (or $400K asset) eligibility bar — the standard Infinite+ delivers the same cash-back and no-FX math without the gate.

Best for: CIBC clients who want travel perks — lounge visits and NEXUS rebates — bundled into a mainstream card.

Skip if: You're optimizing point value; Aventura sits a tier below the majors.

Best for: Frequent travellers who want Scotiabank's simplest no-FX premium card, with a travel credit and lounge access that offset the higher fee.

Skip if: The standard Passport Visa Infinite's $150 fee already covers your travel frequency — the Privilege tier's extra perks need heavier usage to break even.

Best for: Simplicity-first travellers who want no-FX, lounges, and one flat earn rate on a single card.

Skip if: You optimize point value — MR or Aeroplan cards at this fee level run circles around Scene+.

Best for: Travellers who value the insurance package and lounge visits over point-value optimization.

Skip if: You compare points per dollar in real cents — BMO Rewards' low point value undercuts the big multipliers.

Best for: Cathay Pacific flyers who want to earn Asia Miles directly and value strong travel insurance.

Skip if: You don't fly Cathay or its partners, or you live in Quebec (the card isn't offered there).

Best for: Desjardins members who spend heavily on dining, groceries, and travel and want the richest Odyssey tier's lounge access and concierge perks.

Skip if: You're not a Desjardins member — the $395 non-member fee is hard to justify against Amex Platinum or Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Privilege.

Best for: National Bank clients who want broad 5x categories — and, if they fly internationally out of Montréal, genuinely useful lounge access.

Skip if: You want transferable points — Amex MR or Aeroplan cards offer more redemption upside for a similar fee.

Best for: CIBC clients who travel often enough to use six lounge visits a year and want to stay inside the Aventura program.

Skip if: The standard Aventura Visa Infinite's four lounge visits already cover your travel frequency — save the $360 fee difference.

Best for: TD clients who book travel anyway and want a large, simple first-year haul without learning points programs.

Skip if: You value flexibility — TD Rewards can't transfer anywhere.

Best for: Travellers who want strong grocery/dining/transit earn and a first-year-free mid-tier card, and who'll book travel through Expedia For TD.

Skip if: You need travel medical coverage built in, or you want transferable points with higher redemption value.

Best for: Desjardins members who fly through Montreal-Trudeau and want World Elite travel insurance at a modest fee.

Skip if: You're not a Desjardins member, or you don't transit YUL — the lounge access has no value elsewhere.

Best for: Occasional travellers who want free, flexible travel points without an annual fee.

Skip if: You spend enough to clear the Aventura Visa Infinite's fee — its bonus categories and insurance pay for themselves.

Best for: Desjardins members whose spend concentrates in the 2% categories and stays under the annual caps.

Skip if: Much of your spend falls outside those categories — 0.65% on everything else is weak, and the World Elite Mastercard adds lounge passes and higher rates for $20 more.