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2021-02-03T12:00:00

2023-08-25T05:38:00

Plan your unforgettable Canadian adventure with ease! Discover how to apply for a tourist visa to Canada and explore its stunning

Everything You Need to Know About Canada's Tourist Visa

Kelia Losa Reinoso is a qualified content writer with a Master of Arts degree in Journalism and Media Studies

Dreaming of experiencing Canada's breathtaking landscapes, vibrant cities, and diverse culture? Embarking on a journey to this captivating country starts with understanding the ins and outs of obtaining a tourist visa.

Whether you're planning a short visit to reconnect with family, explore stunning natural wonders, or discover urban delights, this comprehensive guide will provide you with all the essential information you need to navigate the process seamlessly.

From eligibility criteria and application procedures to travel restrictions and tips for a successful application, we've got you covered. Let us unravel everything you need to know about tourist visas for Canada with your top questions answered below.

Canada's Tourist Visa: Your Questions Answered

You may be wondering how you can visit Canada and what procedure you need to follow. Get ready to uncover all the answers as we dive into the details of tourist visas, from eligibility and application procedures to travel tips and restrictions.

What is Canada’s Tourist Visa?

In essence, it allows you to travel to and around Canada for a limited period, typically up to 6 months. It's important to note that while on a tourist visa, engaging in work or study activities is prohibited, aligning with the visa's intended scope and restrictions. Its primary purpose is to enable tourists to experience Canada's wonders and connect with its way of life.

What is the Difference Between a Tourist Visa and an eTA?

When planning a trip to Canada, it's crucial to understand the distinction between a Tourist Visa and an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). These two entry permits serve different purposes and apply to different travelers.

Tourist Visa

A Tourist Visa, also known as a Visitor Visa, is a traditional visa that allows foreign nationals to enter Canada for a temporary stay, typically up to six months. It's a document placed in your passport and is obtained through a Canadian consulate or embassy. Tourist Visas are typically required for citizens of countries that are not visa-exempt or eligible for an eTA.

eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization)

An eTA, on the other hand, is an electronic entry requirement designed for visa-exempt foreign nationals who are traveling to Canada by air. It's a simpler and faster way to gain entry clearance than a full-fledged visa. The eTA is electronically linked to your passport and is valid for up to five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. It's crucial to note that the eTA is only applicable if you're flying to Canada; if you're arriving by land or sea, you won't need an eTA.

How do I Apply for a Canada Tourist Visa?

Step 1: Complete Online Application

Visit the official Canadian immigration website and fill out the tourist visa application form accurately.

Step 2: Gather Required Documents

Collect necessary documents such as a valid passport, travel itinerary, proof of funds, travel history, and a letter of invitation (if applicable).

Step 3: Pay the Application Fee

Pay the required visa application fee through the online portal using a valid payment method.

Step 4: Biometrics Appointment

Schedule and attend a biometrics appointment at a local Application Support Center (ASC) if instructed.

Step 5: Submit Application

Submit your completed application form and supporting documents online through the official portal.

Step 6: Wait for Processing

Wait for your application to be processed. This may take several weeks, so be patient.

Step 7: Attend Visa Interview (if required)

If asked, attend an interview at the nearest Canadian consulate or embassy.

Step 8: Receive Visa Decision

You will be notified of the visa decision. If approved, follow the instructions to receive your passport with the visa.

What Documents Do I Need For a Tourist Visa?

How much does the canadian tourist visa cost.

A Canadian tourist visa otherwise known as a visitor visa or even a temporary resident visa costs CAD100 and allows you to stay in Canada for up to 6 months but is valid for ten years or until your passport expires. If it’s your first time applying for a Canadian visa, you must include your biometrics (fingerprints and photos) at an additional cost of CAD85.

Who is Eligible for a Canada eTA?

If you are a citizen of a country that is visa-exempt in Canada, then you are eligible for an eTA and you will need one to in order to get into the country. Those who are not visa-exempt will need to apply for tourist visas. The list of eTA eligible countries are listed in the table below:

How Do I Apply for an eTA?

Step 1: visit the official website.

Go to the official Canadian government website dedicated to eTA applications.

Step 2: Check Eligibility

Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria for an eTA. Most travelers from visa-exempt countries require an eTA to enter Canada by air.

Step 3: Gather Documents

Have your valid passport, a credit card, and your travel details ready.

Step 4: Start Application

Begin the online application by providing personal information, passport details, and travel plans.

Step 5: Answer Questions

Respond to a few questions about your health, criminal history, and travel purposes.

Step 6: Submit Payment

Pay the eTA processing fee using a credit card. The fee is typically lower than a traditional visa.

Step 7: Review and Submit

Carefully review the information you've provided before submitting the application.

Step 8: Wait for Approval

In most cases, you'll receive a decision within minutes. However, it's recommended to apply at least a few days before your departure.

Step 9: Check Your Email

If approved, you'll get an email with your eTA confirmation. It's electronically linked to your passport.

Step 10: Travel to Canada

Board your flight to Canada. When you arrive, the airline staff will verify your eTA before you can board.

Does Canada have any COVID-19 Travel Restrictions?

As of October 1, 2022, the border measures related to COVID-19 have ceased for all individuals arriving or coming back to Canada via air, land, or sea.

Top Tourist Destinations in Canada

Now that you know how to visit Canada, let’s get you excited about traveling around the Great White North. Whether you’re exploring Canada with a group tour or planning your own itinerary, here are some of the must-see sights in Canada.

The Cabot Trail is one of the Seven Wonders of Canada and is located in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. With 26 hiking trails that range from easy strolls to challenging climbs - all leading to panoramic views of canyons, highlands, waterfalls, and coastlines, you have plenty of hiking adventures to plan in Cape Breton.

Ski at Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb is the largest ski resort in North America located in Whistler, British Columbia. Plan your ski trip from January to March right in time for fresh snowfall and the best skiing and/or snowboarding experience. The resort further offers sophisticated lounge-style restaurants and bars where you can feast with incredible views of Blackcomb Mountain.

Sightsee in Old Montreal

If hiking and action-packed snow activities do not tickle your fancy, you might enjoy exploring the quaint cobblestone streets and architecture from the 16th century in Montreal - Quebec’s largest-French speaking city. A visit to the city is not complete without a stop at the Notre-Dame Basilica and Habitat 67. And don’t forget to indulge your sweet tooth with a frozen maple syrup lollipop from Sugar Shack.

Take a Cruise to Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls are world-famous waterfalls situated in Ontario, Niagara Falls. It’s one of the top tourist destinations in Canada, and for good reason. The thundering of 3,160 tons of water every second gives any spectator goosebumps. You can choose how you want to experience this natural world wonder with many unique and exciting activities that can be pre-booked on Tripadvisor, like a cruise that takes you as close as possible to the falls.

Inside Banff National Park you’d discover plenty of gems, including Lake Louise. The famous crystal clear turquoise water makes it one of the most Instragrammable lakes in the world. Canoeing is an iconic activity for travelers visiting Canada, and for CAD105, you and three friends can hire a canoe for one hour to paddle across Lake Louise, take in incredible nature, and spot small creatures in the park.

Chill at a Hip Gastown Bar in Van-City

Gastown is Vancouver's oldest neighborhood that seamlessly combines old style with contemporary elements. It’s home to the hottest restaurants and bars, making it a great pick for an incredible night out. You’ll also enjoy shopping at the city's independent fashion boutiques and modern gift stores while exploring the many art galleries that line the cobblestone streets.

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Access to Information and Privacy Travel History Report

In this section.

A Travel History Report is a record of a traveller's entries, exits or both into Canada. This information is collected by the Canada Border Services Agency ( CBSA ).

Retention period for a Travel History Report is 15 years.

The CBSA began collecting traveller exit information on foreign nationals (excluding American citizens) entering the United States from Canada on June 30, 2013 . As of July 11, 2019 , the CBSA collects exit information on all travellers (including Canadian and American citizens) in the land mode and in the commercial air mode as of June 25, 2020 . Exit data may also be requested through the Travel History Report.

Highway Passage Reports may also be requested; however, they indicate only that a specific licence plate has been recorded, and do not show the people travelling in the vehicle.

Information collected for Travel History Reports

The records for both Entries and Exits include:

• date of birth
• citizenship
• date of entry
• location of the port of entry, and
• any document numbers associated with that travel, such as a passport number

When not to ask for a Travel History Report

When you request your Travel History Report directly from the CBSA it can take up to 30 days to complete. There are many reasons you may require your report, but sometimes requesting it directly is not the best option. When your travel history is needed as part of an application, such as the application for Canadian citizenship, check the form for the option to release your report. Using this option means that you will not have to request it yourself. When this option is available, requesting the report directly from the CBSA will cause a significant delay to your application process. Listed below are the three applications that do not require you to request your report directly from the CBSA .

Applying for Canadian Citizenship: Adults and Minors

If you are applying for Canadian Citizenship, you do not need to request your Traveller History Report from the CBSA. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) can collect the report on your behalf when needed since consent to share information about the entry/exit information is no longer required.

Applying for Canadian Citizenship: Unaccompanied Minor

If you are applying for Canadian Citizenship you do not need to request your Traveller History Report from the CBSA . Checking "Yes" on page 6, Question 9 (b) of your application form permits Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada ( IRCC ) to collect the report on your behalf.

Applying for a Permanent Resident card

If you are renewing or applying for a Permanent Resident Card you do not need to request your Traveller History Report from the CBSA . Checking "Yes" on page 3, (Section 7) Consent to Disclose Information allows IRCC to collect the report on your behalf.

Getting your Travel History report

If you have checked the When not to request your Travel History Report section and still need to request a copy, you can apply online by following the instructions on the Access to Information and Privacy online request page. Note that it may take up to 30 days to process your request.

If you are applying for yourself, you can do so under the Privacy Act, which is a free service provided by the Government of Canada.

If you are applying for someone else, you must provide form BSF745 - Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Representative completed by the party you are representing.

To get a highway passage report, provide the licence plate number and a copy of the vehicle's ownership. If you are not the owner, you will need to provide the CBSA with a BSF745 form completed by the owner of the vehicle.

When requesting your Travel History Report, you must indicate whether you are seeking your exit information, your entry information, or both. Exit information is limited and will only be included when specifically requested.

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7 Foolproof Ways to Build Your Travel History

A strong travel history is an important factor when applying for visas. While it is not a mandatory requirement, it can significantly improve your chances of a successful application. If you hold a travel document (passport) that is considered weak (like the Nigerian passport), then a strong travel history can help strengthen it when you apply for visas or travel to your dream destinations .

In this article, I will highlight steps you can take as a new traveller to build your travel history and make your (tourist) visa application process a little less painful. I also have another article detailing some useful tips to help improve your chances for a successful application.

Trip Planning Resources

Book your accommodation : Find accommodation options for any budget on Booking.com

Purchase Travel Insurance : I use SafetyWing for both my travel and visa application needs

Activities : Find fun activities and tours in your destination via Get Your Guide , Viator or Klook Travel

Please note that it is ultimately up to the visa officer to determine whether or not your application is successful. These are only tips to help increase your chances of that happening. They cannot guarantee whether or not you get a visa. That being said, let’s jump right in!

What's Covered in this Post

What is Travel History?

Travel history (for visa application purposes) refers to the countries you have visited in the past outside your home country . Several countries request applicants to name places they have been to in the last 5 – 10 years, including the date of entry and exit.

I am not a visa officer, but I believe this information provides an indicator of your track record with previous visas and stays in the countries listed, what countries you are visiting, and to confirm whether or not you are a genuine traveller.

Let me explain better:

Confirming your track record via your travel history

Scenario 1 : Your previous tourist visa to the United States was successful. However, in your application, you had stated that you would be there for a 2-week holiday, but your travel history shows that stayed there for 6 months.

What this could say about you: Technically, you haven’t breached the terms of your visa. After all, the Point of Entry (POE) officer does stamp your passport for a stay of up to 6 months. However, if you do not have a substantial reason for this extension, it could indicate that your reason for the trip was not genuine in the first place.

It might also indicate that you breached your visa conditions by working in the US or that you do not have steady employment if you have claimed that you do. It is rare to find a company that gives that much paid time off to employees. This in turn then speaks about your financial situation and could lead to more scrutiny of your application at best.

Confirming the countries you are travelling to

Did you truthfully state all the places you have been to and how long you have stayed there? Have you recently been to a country with an epidemic or conflict? Do you often visit such countries? What was the purpose of your visit to these places? These are some of the questions that a travel history could help provide answers to.

Confirming the genuineness of your application

Scenario 2 : In the last 3 months, you went from having a new passport with no travel history to visiting 3 visa-free and visa on arrival countries in West and East Africa for tourism. In month 4, you apply for a visa to the UK .

What this could say about you: This could indicate that you visited these countries to build a travel history for the sole purpose of applying for a UK visa.

This one is a bit tricky because one of my tips for building a strong travel history is to visit countries like these. However, I advise that you take the approach of genuinely visiting these places for the experiences and spreading out your travels.

Now that we have talked in detail about what travel history is and what they represent, let’s talk more about how to build a strong one. Here are 7 tips to help you do so:

1. Visit visa-free countries or those that offer evisas or a visa on arrival

A good first step to building a strong travel history is to invest in travel to visa-free countries or those that give you a visa on arrival or an evisa. It is even better when the country places a visa sticker in your passport booklet, but stamps could help too.

Now, you have to be intentional about the places you choose to go. For example, if you live in Nigeria and visit Benin , Togo , or Ghana for a holiday, then immediately apply for a fairly difficult visa thereafter, your visa application may get denied, especially if other parts of your application are not very strong.

What you can do instead is to visit nearby countries, visa-free, countries with evisas and visas on arrival and then apply to a country with a fairly easy application process.

PS : I am not saying that you cannot get a visa to a “big name” country if the only places you have travelled to are neighbouring countries. All I am saying is that application processes tend to get easier if you build your travel history well.

2. Apply to countries with fairly easy visa application processes

“All visa applications are equal, but some applications are more equal than others” – Not George Orwell

Provided you meet all the application requirements and can prove strong home ties, the visa application processes for some countries are fairly easy. Some of these places include South Africa , India , Morocco, a few countries in Europe, etc.

Remember, the more visa approvals you get, the stronger your travel history.

3. Join a group tour

Another way to build a good travel history is to join group tours by reputable companies that have packages that are inclusive of visa processing. I have seen packaged trips from tour companies in Nigeria to South Africa , Morocco , Egypt , Turkey , and Jordan, to name a few.

Take advantage of this but be careful to only go with reputable companies to avoid getting scammed.

4. Save the big names for later

Some countries are dream destinations for many Nigerians, but these countries have the toughest visa application processes. To avoid multiple visa denials from these places, it is important to strengthen your application as much as you can.

This involves having good finances and a steady income, strong home ties, crime-free records and of course, a strong travel history.

It may make more sense to defer your visit to these places until such a time when you check all the boxes for a successful application. Refer to the first 3 tips if in doubt.

5. Make use of your visas

Once you do get a visa from a “big name” country, be sure to use it properly if you have the means to. For example, did you know that a valid US visa can help you get into over 20 more countries as a Nigerian passport holder? Or that a valid Schengen, UK, Irish, Canadian, or Japanese visa can take you to more places as well?

If you’re looking to expand your travel history, this is a great way to do so.

6. Solidify your application and home ties

As I have stated earlier, more visa approvals equal stronger travel history. When you apply for a tourist visa, the visa application officer wants to know four main things:

• Is the purpose of your trip genuine?
• Would you return to your home country once your trip is over?
• Do you have enough funds to cover your trip? Are your finances in order?
• Would you pose a security threat if you are allowed to enter the said country?

It is your job as the applicant to supply all necessary documentation to help the visa officer come to a positive conclusion.

Here are ways to do that:

Prove that your trip is genuine

• Submit your travel itinerary, inclusive of your hotel and return flight reservations
• Submit complete stated requirements for your visa type
• If you are invited for an interview, be sure to communicate precisely and concisely what your travel plans are.
• Present photocopies of other visas that you have received.

Prove that you would return to your home country (home ties)

• Employed? Submit a copy of your employment and promotion letters (on official company paper, with stamp, signature and date)
• Submit an introduction letter from your company detailing your position, salary and the length of your employment, confirming that you have been given time off work and your position will be kept until your return, and state whether this time off is paid or unpaid.
• Also, present a self-introduction letter or a cover letter
• Submit your admission letter or letter from your school department if you are a student
• For retirees: present a copy of the retirement certificate
• Marriage certificates and photos of family are also good to present
• Details of community involvement and activities
• For self-employed applicants: Present your business documents e.g., Permit, Memorandum & Certificate of Incorporation, Certificate of Registration, certified bank statements
• Details of your properties and businesses in your home country
• Tax certificates, etc.

Prove that you are in good financial standing

• Submit a bank statement showing a healthy inflow, outflow and balance to cover your trip.
• Avoid unexplained lump sum payments into your account when you print your statement. This is a huge red flag and is often the basis for denial. If this is unavoidable, you should provide a letter explaining the source of the funds.
• Submit your pay stubs if you are employed
• If you are self-employed, it is good practice to separate your business account from your personal one and pay yourself a consistent figure monthly.
• If you are retired and you receive a pension, submit a letter to show that
• Lastly, if you have other savings or investment accounts, you should also submit statements showing that.

Prove that you would not pose a security threat

• A few embassies do ask for a police report. So, if you are asked for that, you should submit one showing a crime-free record

7. Keep an eye on your finances

Finally, in building a good travel history, you would need to travel more. For Nigerians, most countries that place a sticker on your passport cost fairly more than say neighbouring countries or those that don’t. This means you might have to make some financial adjustments to be able to afford your trips.

It is always a good idea to live within or even below your means, cut costs where you can and have a separate travel fund. Of course, none of these applies if you’re Richie Rich! 🙂

Anyway, I hope these tips help and wish you success in your quest to strengthen your passports, build a strong travel history and visit your dream destinations!

Have I missed anything? Please share your best tips for building a strong travel history with me and other readers. Also, I would love to hear about your visa application journey.

• What is the easiest visa you have applied for to date?
• What is the cheapest visa you have applied for to date?
• What is the toughest visa you have applied for to date?
• Your funniest/weirdest/most annoying visa application denial (if any)
• The visa application process you’re dreading
• Finally, the one you are most looking forward to.

I’ll go first in the comment section and will love to hear from you too!

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I love to hear from you, leave a comment here cancel reply, 29 comments.

I got a Uk visitor visa refusal due to financial inconsistency. You made mention of having a separate personal account from salary account. I want to ask for POF account, will it be only inflow of money and must i use both accounts? How long should i wait after building a travel history before i reapply for my next UK visa?

Hi Ezinne, sorry about the refusal. Regarding the separation of your salary account and personal account, I think you might have misunderstood me. I was referring to entrepreneurs and individuals who run their own businesses. In this case, your business account should be separate and you should pay yourself a consistent monthly salary. This is a good practice even outside visa applications.

If you are employed, it is likely that your salary account will also be your personal account and this is what you should submit. This account must show a consistent inflow of income from your employer, as well as, a fairly consistent spending pattern. You may also include any other accounts (such as an investment account) to support this. As for the wait time, there’s no specific time period. 6 months is usually the window given but you can apply at anytime when there’s a considerable change in your circumstances.

Myself is Akash Younus from Pakistan studying in Baku, Azerbaijan holding a resident permit. I am 20 years old and enrolled in business administration in Bechalors it’s been 5 months in Azerbaijan and was willing to apply for Poland in management of digital marketing not in q small city. I got rejected! Why?

1:- There are reasonable doubts that you will not leave terrorism after the visa expiry

2:- There are reasonable doubts regarding the reliability of the statement you made about the purpose of your stay in the territory of Poland due to the evidence that is available to the authority or due to the objective circumstances that the purpose of the stay could be different than declared.

Documents attached:-

 Visa application form  Azerbaijan resident card  Picture  Passport (Valid till 2027)  Cover letter  Motivation letter  Invitation the letter from the university  Adletters from the university  Curriculum vitae  Educational documents  Bank statement (Own)  Employment Letter (Sponsor)  Bank statement t of the sponsor  Salary slips of sponsor  Accommodation proof in Poland  TraveInsurancece  Tickets Reservation (Confirmed both sides)

My sponsor is my elder brother he lives in Poland as an accounts manager he pays taxes.

So what should I do? Should I make travel history from Azerbaijan and then apply again next semester in a different Schengen country like Slovakia because I was admittinto Slovakia

Looking forward to seeking your guidance

Hello Akash, I’ve responded to your message on IG but just to reiterate that I am not in the best position to provide guidance regarding visas other than tourist visas. It will be best to seek the opinions of others who have more experience applying for other visa types.

I dont have travel history yet, but my husband has been in UAE for 5 years, we just got married. i applied to US on a P3 visa but got denied. I’m pregnant and wish to give birth in a country that offers citizenship by birth. I’m considering mexico, there is no stamp of refusal on my passport….what can u advise i do pls

Hi Faustina, I don’t know much about the P3 visa but generally, your visa application will be based on your own merit and no one else’s. I also don’t have much knowledge about giving birth in other countries. You can try asking this question on Nairaland – there’s more first-hand information available there.

Hey, quick question. in 2018 I applied for a b2 USA visa and I got rejected quickly. Back than I was a student who has never travel before. in 2019 I got a Schengen visa and I visited Germany for a week and then France for another one. This year I got a Canada visitor visa and i visited for a month in the summer ( i bought the ticket in February when I got the visa ). I’m planning on applying again to the b2 us visa to visit new York and Miami. Do you think I have a good travel history? will it help? will the previous rejection be a problem?

Hello, yes, I think those countries you have visited are great candidates for a strong travel history. It also seems that your circumstances have changed – which is what the visa officer is hoping to see after a previous rejection. Only the visa officer can determine whether your application is successful or not but I think you have a good chance for a successful application this time around – provided you also have strong ties to your home country (e.g. a good job, marriage, kids, etc). Goodluck!

You givee some information about Schengen visa

Look out for upcoming posts.

Hi Ama, I must commend your effort in detailing on general procedures. Even travel agents you pay will still keep you in the dark. Thumbs up! Kindly give me an example of a community involvement supporting document and an advisable minimum balance as good financial standing. Thanks

Hi Bellwether, thanks for your comment. Regarding financial standing, there is no single number I can recommend. Some countries give a number, others don’t. They need to know if you can afford the trip – aka, do you earn enough to do so? Do you have enough money left in your account after your trip? Does your budget vs your income make logical sense? etc…

Community involvement is an optional document and may include certificates or letters of participation/recommendation for activities you volunteer for or participate in within your community.

Hi! So I was in Russia for the world cup(2018), I stayed up till December 1, which I wasn’t supposed to initially as stated in the E.visa for the WC. The reason for that was actually the Russian president after the final match declared that anyone with that type of visa could stay till December 31. Long story short the embassy confirmed it in Moscow that I could stay or decide to go and come back until the said time. Now I’m applying for a study visa in Germany and I don’t know if it’s going to help or make it worse lol and I’m being sponsored in btwn.. thanks

Hello Abidi, there are a few things to consider here. If your stay was legal, then you should not have much to worry about. Although, as I mentioned in the post, staying an extra 6 months, though legal, can still raise some doubts about your travel intentions in the visa officer’s mind.

Having said that, this post focuses mainly on people applying for tourist visas. The process and scrutiny may be a little different for study visas.

Hello,this is fawwad here from India and i am working in Dubai,i am working in dubai on employment visa ,i already travel dubai and qatar. now i planning to move schengen. can you assist??????

Hi Fawwad, sorry, I am not familiar with relocation processes to the EU.

Nice article. Would definitely come in handy soon. Thank you for sharing.

You’re welcome! Thanks for reading and looking forward to reading about your future adventures!

Lovely write up Amarachi…still dont have the travel history..will save this write up for later..its very informing as always

Thanks, Bella! Wish you success in your future applications.

Easiest sticker visa: Morocco. Toughest visa: Overall, I’d say the US. Cheapest visa: Kenya evisa at $51. Weirdest denial: Angola. Visa applications I’m dreading: Indonesia and Thailand. The ones I’m most looking forward to are South Korea and Japan.

Why did Angola deny our star girlll?! Hehe. This is a very solid post.

Haha, don’t mind them! The day I went, everyone who was at the embassy was denied unjustly. They later overturned the decision for my colleagues who had to be in the country urgently but by then, I didn’t need to go anymore.

It could be that they used the denial to generate money for their Embassy/High Commission. You know embassies generate revenue for their ministry of interior.

Probably, but I don’t see the point, specifically for the Angolan embassy in Nigeria. Anyway, I hope they’re doing better now and not denying visas unjustly!

Please do u think lack of previous travel may affect a visa outcome for Australia cuz I just applied

Only the visa officer can determine this. A good travel history simply gives you a bit more advantage, it is not the only factor that immigration officers consider but it is an important one. I wish you good luck.

Please can you tell me how you started the Australia visit visa process. It’s so hard than I thought 🤔

All the process is online, u visit the official homeaffairs website and register immacount where u fill all online form and scan your documents pay the fee n u will be sent a biometrics request letter to go for biometrics at vfs global in lag or Abuja, book appointment with vfs go for it n ur done

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Travel history for Canadian visitor visa

Farhad’s sister recently moved to Canada. He misses her and wants to visit her. However, as an Iranian citizen, Farhad needs a visitor visa to travel to Canada. He has heard travel history is essential for a Canadian visitor visa. Nonetheless, Farhad has never left his country in the past. Will that be a problem?

Table of contents

Officers consider travel history as a factor for a visitor visa., is there a legal basis for associating visitor visas with travel history, why do they do it, let us help.

It is not uncommon to see a refusal letter that includes the following sentence:

I am not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay, as stipulated in subsection ??? of the IRPR , based on your travel history. For study permit replace ??? with 216(1)(b). For work permit replace it with 200(1)(b), and for visitor visa 179(b).

A recent report by CIMM shows officers continue refusing visitor visa applications for spouses based on their travel history. Of course, they have also mentioned other factors in their March 2022 report . Here is an excerpt:

In 2019, top refusal grounds for a temporary resident visa for spousal sponsorship applicants were due to the inability to establish that the person would leave at the end of their authorized stay (R179(b)) and related to either purpose of travel, family ties , assets, travel history , or current employment. Source: canada.ca

In a landmark decision by Federal Court in 2009, Justice Harrington concluded that travel history is neutral at best. Consequently, the officers may favour those who have travelled outside their home country. However, they may not refuse an application based on a lack of travel history. Paragraph 12 of the decision reads as follows:

[12] Lack of previous travel can only at most be a neutral factor . If one had travelled and always returned, the visa officer’s concerns might be lessened. If one came to Canada, claimed refugee status and was not permitted to stay here on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, an application for a temporary work permit would obviously heighten suspicions. Dhanoa v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2009 FC 729 (CanLII), https://canlii.ca/t/24ttn , retrieved on 2022-07-01

Some recent decisions by Federal Court corroborate this decision. Here are some examples:

• Kouyate v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2021 FC 622 (CanLII), https://canlii.ca/t/jhjtw , see paragraphs 5 and 10
• Chantale v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2021 FC 544 (CanLII), https://canlii.ca/t/jgnhp , see paragraph 9
• Perez Pena v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2021 FC 491 (CanLII), https://canlii.ca/t/jgnhl , see paragraph 29
• Patel v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2020 FC 517 (CanLII), https://canlii.ca/t/j95zp , see paragraph 18

Of course, the recency of these decisions shows that Dhanoa v. Canada is still valid. Therefore, practitioners may refer to that decision in their submission letters or requests for reconsideration .

The Federal Court offers judicial oversight for the immigration authorities. Consequently, one expects the officers to respect multiple decisions by the Court and stop refusing applications based on travel history. Well, our records show otherwise. It is confusing why this practice continues. Of course, until we see a change, you have no choice but to consider travel history as a factor in processing your study permit, work permit, or visitor visa application.

If you face a visitor visa refusal or other immigration issues, fill out the following form. Alternatively, please book a consultation session with me or fill out our assessment form . Moreover, I offer mentorship sessions for licensed practitioners.

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Disclaimer: This article provides information of a general nature only. Considering the fluid nature of the immigration world, it may no longer be current. Of course, the item does not give legal advice. Therefore, do not rely on it as legal advice or immigration advice. Consequently, no one could hold us accountable for the content of these articles. Of course, if you have specific legal questions, you must consult a lawyer. Alternatively, if you are looking for immigration advice, book an appointment.

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Important Notes: For our official addresses, trust this website only. We currently do not have offices outside Canada. Therefore, anyone who claims to be our agent is committing fraud. Also, note that we do not issue any work permits or study permits or similar documents. The government of Canada has the sole authority to issue such material.

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Privacy Overview

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Application for a Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa - TRV)

You need to give your biometrics.

In most cases, you now need to give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics) after you apply.

Find out who needs to give biometrics and how the new application process works.

Biometrics and the application process

We refer to your fingerprints and photo as biometrics. We collect biometrics for most applications. Find out what happens from when you submit your application to when you get to Canada and where biometrics fits in the process.

1. Apply for your visitor visa, study permit or work permit

If you want to visit, study or work in Canada, make sure you’re eligible to apply. Use our application guides to help fill out your application properly, then submit your application.

Avoid processing delays by sending us a complete application .

2. Get your fingerprints and photo taken

If you’re between 14 and 79 years old, you probably need to give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics).You only need to give your biometrics once every 10 years to make repeat trips to Canada easier.

• You must pay the  biometrics fee   when you submit your application.  Otherwise you may experience delays.
• Get this done  as soon as you get the letter  from us that tells you to give biometrics.
• You have  30 days  to do this from the date on the letter.

Find out who needs to give , how to give , and  where to give your biometrics .

COVID-19: Biometrics deadline

Some biometrics collection sites are closed. If the site closest to you is closed, we’ll extend your deadline to give your biometrics. Find out how COVID-19 is affecting biometrics .

3. We process your application

After we get your biometrics, we start processing your application. See how long it takes to process your application.

If we need more information from you, we’ll contact you.

4. We make a decision on your application

When we finish reviewing your application, we let you know if you’re approved to come to Canada. If you are, we issue your documents.

If your application is refused, we send you a letter that tells you why.

5. You travel to Canada (if you’re approved)

Make sure you travel with the documents we gave you. This includes travel documents like a visitor visa, study or work permits or an eTA (electronically linked to your passport).

Airline staff and border service officers at ports of entry will ask to see your travel documents. If you don’t have them, you may not be able to board your flight to Canada.

Make sure children under 18 travel with the right documents .

6. We check your identity when you arrive in Canada

When you arrive, we check your identity to make sure that you are the same person who was approved to travel to Canada. We may use your biometrics to do this.

If we can’t verify your identity, you may be detained by a border services officer. These officers help protect the health and safety of Canadians.

If the officer determines that you’re not admissible to Canada, you won’t be allowed to enter Canada. If you came by air, you’ll have to take a return flight to where you came from.

7. You’re allowed to enter Canada

If you pass the identity check and meet the entry requirements , the border services officer stamps your passport and lets you know how long you can stay in Canada. You’re normally allowed to stay in Canada for up to six months.

Children under 18 must meet the same entry requirements as adults. The border services officer may ask minor children to show other documents depending on whether the child is travelling alone or with someone.

Basic entry requirements

You must meet some basic requirements to enter Canada. You must:

• have a valid travel document, like a passport
• be in good health
• have no criminal or immigration-related convictions
• convince an immigration officer that you have ties—such as a job, home, financial assets or family—that will take you back to your home country
• convince an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit
• The amount of money you will need depends on how long you will stay and if you will stay in a hotel, or with friends or relatives.

Some people are not admissible to Canada, which means they are not allowed to enter the country. You can be inadmissible for several reasons, including being involved in:

• criminal activity
• human rights violations
• organized crime

You can also be inadmissible for security, health or financial reasons.

Find out more about inadmissibility .

Biometrics fee

• Individual  applicant: CAD $85
• Families applying at the same time : maximum total fee of CAD $170
• Groups of 3 or more performing artists and their staff  who apply for work permits at the same time: maximum total fee of $CAD 255

You can apply online or on paper (in specific situations) for:

• visitor visas (also known as temporary resident visas)
• super visas (for parents and grandparents)
• transit visas

Apply online

Before you apply, make sure you need a visa to enter Canada. Find out what document you need to enter Canada .

You must have both of these to apply online:

• access to a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents to upload
• a valid credit card to pay with

How you apply depends on what you apply for. Select the document you want to apply for to get instructions:

Visitor visa : Option 1 of 3

Apply for a visitor visa

Super visa (for parents and grandparents) : Option 2 of 3

Apply for a super visa

Transit visa : Option 3 of 3

Apply for a transit visa

Apply on paper (in specific situations)

Before you apply , make sure you need a visa to enter Canada. Find out what document you need to enter Canada .

Read the instruction guide to get all the details to apply on paper.

• Instruction Guide 5256

Once you have read the guide, you can prepare your application package. You must select the country or territory from which you will apply to get your local visa office instructions.

Permanent residents of Canada

We do not issue temporary resident visas (TRV) to permanent residents (PR). If you are outside Canada without a valid PR card, you must apply for a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) instead. If you meet the requirements for a PRTD, you can return to Canada as a PR.

If you no longer want to be a PR, or if you know you do not meet the requirements to keep your PR status, you can voluntarily give up (renounce) your PR status to apply for a TRV.

Application for Temporary Resident Visa

You can’t fill out and save the application form using your Internet browser. To use the form, you need to:

• Use your computer (Mac or PC). The form won’t open on mobile devices (iPads, tablets, mobile phones, etc.)
• Install Adobe Reader 10 (or higher)
• Download the PDF file to your computer . Save the file in a place you can remember.
• Make sure you use Adobe Reader to open the form. Sometimes if you try to open the form directly, it will use your Internet browser to try to open it.

Note: If you are applying online , you don’t need to print and sign the form. Leave the signature section empty.

Get the form

• Application for Temporary Resident Visa [IMM 5257] (PDF, 556.66 KB) June 2019

Having issues with the form?

• I can’t open my visa application form in PDF format. What can I do?
• After clicking the “validate” button on my visa application form, nothing happens and I don’t see the barcodes. Why is this happening?

How-to video

Find out if you are eligible

Living in Canada tool

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Steps to apply for a visitor visa

• 1. About the document
• 2. Steps to apply
• 3. Who can apply
• 4. Supporting documents
• 6. After you apply

Step 1: Get the documents that show you meet the criteria for a visitor visa

Check the list of documents based on your situation

Step 2: Apply online

1. create an account.

2. Upload your documents

3. Pay your fees

How to apply for a visitor visa

Step 3: Give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics)

Normally, you need to give biometrics. If your local visa application centre is not open due to COVID-19, there are temporary measures in place for biometrics.

Find out what to do for your biometrics

How we process your application

We’ll check your application to make sure you have all the documents you need.

If it’s incomplete, we’ll return your application without processing it.

If we approve your application, we’ll ask you to send us your passport.

Send us your passport (if we approve your application)

To get your visa, follow the instructions we’ll send to you.

Prepare for your travel to and arrival in Canada

You may need to bring with you documents you submitted with your visa application, or present additional documents to the border services officer on arrival in Canada.

Check the list of documents you may need

Thank you for your help!

You will not receive a reply. For enquiries,  contact us .

How to Get a Canada Travel History Report for Your Future Visa Applications

A Travel History Report, as per the CBSA , is a record of a traveler’s entries, exits, or both into Canada. Should you need to use it in your visa applications, you can request online or through a representative. You can read our guide on How to Get a Canada Travel History Report .

Information is available for entries made on or after August 1, 2000, by all travelers entering Canada. It may take 30 days to get a Canada Travel History Report. If you have a plan for a visa application, you need to do it beforehand.

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Table of Contents

When Not to apply for a Canada Travel History Report

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) collect your travel history on your behalf. Choose the “yes” option on your application form.

• Applying for Canadian Citizenship (Adult and Minor)
• Applying for a Permanent Resident card

How to make a request a Canada Travel History Report under the Privacy Act

Who can request.

You must be applying for yourself and be one of the following:

• Canadian Citizen
• Permanent Resident

Steps in getting a Travel History Online Under the Privacy Act

STEP 1 : Go to this link and click “continue”.

STEP 2 : Go to Request for Personal Information.

STEP 3 : Select which answer is correct for you, for example, yourself.

STEP 4 : Search for the “Canada Border Services Agency” and click it.

STEP 5 : Exit to Pilot Site and click “Next.”

STEP 6 : Read the Privacy Notice.

STEP 7 : Answer the questions asked.

STEP 8 : State the Record you are asking – Travel History.

STEP 9 : Attach documents – to support your application.

STEP 10 : Review the things you have typed and submit it.

STEP 11 : Wait for the travel history to be sent to you.

Steps in getting a Travel History Under the Privacy Act through a Written Request

STEP 1 : Fill in this Personal Information Request Form . Request from the Canada Border Service Agency. Please also put details like date of birth and name or passport number if you are requesting for travel history. Sign the form.

STEP 2 : Send the request by mail to:

Canada Border Services Agency Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator 333 North River Road 14th Floor, Tower A Vanier, Ontario K1A 0L8

Or Fax to 343-291-7012.

STEP 3 : Wait for the travel history to be sent to you.

How to Request a Canada Travel History Report under the Access to Information Act

Requests with regards to:.

• Information about CBSA
• Information created CBSA
• Not in Canada
• Not a Canadian Citizen
• Not a Permanent Resident

Steps in getting a Travel History Online Under the Access to Information Act

STEP 1 : Go to this link and “continue.”

STEP 2 : Go to Request General Records.

STEP 3 : Skip this since we already know which institution to choose.

STEP 9 : Attach documents – to support your application. If you are a representative, you will need to upload Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Representative .

STEP 11: Pay a fee of $5.

STEP 12 : Wait for the travel history to be sent to you.

Steps in getting a Travel History Under the Access to Information Act through a Written Request

STEP 1 : Gather the following Documents:

• Access to Information Request Form . Request from the Canada Border Service Agency. Type details like date of birth and name or passport number of the person you are asking the travel history for. Sign the form.
• Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Representative . Should you be the representative of a person.
• Cash Payment or Check or Money Order of $5 to Receiver General for Canada

It will take mostly 30 days to process your request for a Canada Travel History Report. You can apply for yourself with the Privacy Act. If you can’t do so, get a representative in Canada. I hope this will be helpful, especially in your Visa Applications.

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3 thoughts on “ How to Get a Canada Travel History Report for Your Future Visa Applications ”

Thank you very much! This info is very helpful. It should be posted on official Canadian government website.

It’s on their website

Thank you ,tried to apply a tourist visa i been in vancouver 2yrs ago but with my employer i want to go back there alone for tourist visa .Any advised i am working in SG right ..Thank you appreciate ❤❤❤❤❤?Godbless

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Written by Kach Umandap

Founder of Two Monkeys Travel Group. Since 2013, Kach has visited all the 7 continents (including Antarctica) and 151 countries using her Philippines Passport. In 2016, she bought a sailboat and went on sailing adventures with her two cats - Captain Ahab & Little Zissou in the Caribbean for 2 years. She now lives in Herceg Novi, Montenegro where she's enjoying her expat life and living on a gorgeous Stonehouse. She writes about her experiences traveling as a Filipina traveler with a PHL Passport. Also tips on backpacking trips, luxury hotel experiences, product reviews, sailing & adventure travel.

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Questions regarding travel history: HELP please!

• Thread starter jiki007
• Start date Apr 27, 2023

Full Member

Hero member.

You don't have to mention travel within Canada. Us travel dates are fine You reached us on 28/04/2017 and left US. On 01/05/2017 , where is the gap?  

sbali said: You don't have to mention travel within Canada. Us travel dates are fine You reached us on 28/04/2017 and left US. On 01/05/2017 , where is the gap? Click to expand...

jiki007 said: Thanks for the reply. The gap is a one day gap between my “To” date in Canada (April 27, 2017) and “From” date in the US (April 28, 2017) as I took the overnight flight from Canada to the US. Also, another one day gap between “To” date in the US (May 1, 2017) and “From” date in Canada (May 2, 2017) as I also took the overnight flight from the US to Canada. Click to expand...

Star Member

qdee said: Yes, I am also overthinking and pulling my hairs out According to the instructions, you should include all trips outside of your country of origin or residence, so technically if you're not Canadian and not currently living in Canada with a Canadian address, you should include trips to Canada. I guess it probably doesn't matter, because the intent of this form is to figure out which police certificates are required, and you don't need to provide a Canadian police certificate. With that said, I would personally try to follow the instructions to the word, so RIP my sleep and hair. I personally think the April 27/28 thing is fine, like on the 27th you were in Canada and on the 28th you were in the US, seems pretty normal. You're fortunate you didn't take a cruise ship trip on the pacific ocean for a week. Click to expand...

sbali said: Ha ha ha Cruise ship Lolz Its for pcc purpose correct, What is your status in Canada? Click to expand...

qdee said: Not in Canada yet, applying from overseas through FSW. Click to expand...

jiki007 said: I’m a resident of Canada and I have an open work permit. Basically I provided all the details of my travel history like this - before coming to Canada: all trips out of my origin country - after coming to Canada: all trips out of Canada I hope this is correct! Click to expand...

• Credit Cards
• Best Travel Credit Cards In Canada

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Best Travel Credit Cards In Canada For April 2024

Updated: Apr 18, 2024, 1:18pm

Fact Checked

Beyond cash back , travel is the most valuable redemption category on any rewards credit card. If you’re a savvy cardholder who collects reward points strategically and pays off their card every month—not hampered by a growing balance, fees and interest charges—it’s possible to travel entirely for free just by redeeming reward points alone.

We’re talking free flights, hotel stays, cruises and vacation packages that can all be redeemed with points. Plus, while you’re getting all or part of your trip paid for, many credit cards have built-in perks designed to make the trip itself as stress-free as possible. These include benefits like  travel insurance, free checked bags, airport lounge access and priority designation through airport or border security. Yes, play your (credit) cards right and what once was a stressful experience can now be a breeze.

That said, with so many different travel programs to choose from, it can be difficult to know which program is the best choice to maximize your spending with.

With that in mind, Forbes Advisor Canada has researched the best cards and programs on the market and can guide you to its picks for the best credit cards for travel in Canada.

Featured Partner

Best travel credit cards in canada for april 2024, american express cobalt® card.

• CIBC Aventura Gold Visa Card
• CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
• CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege

• WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard

RBC Avion Visa Infinite

• CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card
• TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
• TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum
• Alterna Savings Visa Infinite Card

WestJet RBC Mastercard

Here’s a summary of the best travel credit cards, methodology, best travel credit cards in canada, how travel credit cards work in canada, why get a travel credit card, travel credit card pros and cons, how to choose the right travel credit card, general travel cards vs. co-branded travel cards, travel points vs. cash back, types of travel credit cards in canada, additional rewards to look for in a travel card, using travel rewards, what are the different types of travel insurance, how to redeem travel credit card rewards, how to apply for a travel rewards credit card in canada, tips for maximizing your travel rewards credit cards, frequently asked questions (faqs), advertiser's disclosure.

• Best Credit Cards
• Best Airport Lounge Access Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
• Best Aeroplan Credit Cards
• Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards
• Best Balance Transfer Credit cards

American Express’s Secure Website

Welcome Bonus

Up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points

$155.88 ($12.99 per month)

Regular APR

On RBC’s Website

Get up to 55,000 Avion points* (a value of up to $1,100†), that’s enough to fly anywhere in North America or the Caribbean

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

On TD’s Website

Up to $1200 in value†

Regular APR (Purchases) / Regular APR (Cash Advances)

20.99% / 22.99%

Best Overall Travel Credit Card

The  American Express Cobalt   also tops our Best Grocery Credit Cards   list, but it wins when it comes to travel too. This is thanks to its impressive yearly earnings (nearly $600 worth of points) and its extensive suite of travel perks, which includes seven types of travel insurance. Plus, this card earns even more points when you spend on travel too—2 points per dollar on travel purchases—and offers flexibility, since you can transfer Membership Rewards to several frequent flier and other loyalty programs.

• Competitive welcome offer worth up to $300.
• 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on groceries (up to $30,000 annually).
• 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on travel and transit.
• Flexible redemption options for Membership Rewards points such as statement credits, and the ability to transfer points to leading frequent flier programs.
• An extensive suite of travel insurance coverages.
• A $100 USD hotel credit that can be used on dining, spa or other leisure activities at select hotels.
• High annual fee.
• Amex is still not accepted as widely as Visa or Mastercard.
• No interest-free grace period on cash advances.
• In your first year as a new Cobalt Cardmember, you can earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in net purchases on your Card. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year. That’s up to $150 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets
• Earn 5x the points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery. Spend cap applies.
• Earn 3X the points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada
• Earn 2X the points on eligible ride shares, transit & gas in Canada
• Earn 1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings via American Express Travel Online
• Earn 1X point for every $1 in Card purchases everywhere else
• Enjoy access to hotel bookings, a room upgrade (when available), 12pm check-in and late check-out (when available), and up to $100 USD hotel credit to use on amenities when charged to the room for a stay of 2 or more consecutive nights through The Hotel Collection from American Express Travel
• Transfer points 1:1 to several frequent flyer and other loyalty programs
• Cobalt Cardmembers receive regular Perks such as bonus reward offers and access to great events
• Access Front Of The Line® Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts and theatre performances and special offers and events curated for Cardmembers with American Express® Experiences
• American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment

Best Credit Card For Travel Points

35,000 Aventura Points

$139 (waived in the first year)

The Aventura Gold Visa card gives you an annual earnings value of over $400. Plus, it includes five types of travel insurance and flexible redemption options for your points. When redeeming points for travel, you’ll find yourself using fewer points when booking both long and short-haul flights compared to other loyalty programs.

• Flexible redemption options for Aventura Points
• $139 annual fee is waived in the first year
• Flight booking options that see you use fewer points on flights than with other frequent flier programs
• Five types of travel insurance
• Access to 1,200 airport lounges worldwide with four free visits annually
• $139 annual fee
• It costs $50 for an extra card
• Welcome bonus of up to 35,000 Aventura Points (earn 15,000 points when you make your first purchase and 20,000 points when you spend $3,000 or more in the first 4 monthly statement periods)
• 2 Aventura Points per dollar when you make travel purchases through the CIBC Travel Rewards Centre
• 1.5 Aventura Points per dollar spent at eligible gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, grocery and drug stores
• 1 Aventura Points per dollar spent on all other purchases
• Forbes Advisor estimates you can earn $444 worth of rewards value based on average Canadian spending, factoring in the annual fee
• Four complimentary airport lounge visits per year on the Dragonpass network of over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide through the Visa Airport Companion Program
• Get a rebate on your NEXUS application every four years
• Link your CIBC Aventura Gold Visa to a Journie Rewards card for $0.10 per litre off at participating Ultramar, Pioneer, Fas Gas and Chevron gas stations
• Out-of-province emergency travel medical insurance
• Flight delay and baggage insurance
• Auto rental collision and loss damage insurance
• $500,000 common carrier accident insurance
• Hotel burglary insurance
• Mobile device insurance
• Purchase security and extended protection insurance
• Access to CIBC Pace It to pay off individual purchases in installments
• Make personalized travel booking arrangements at no additional fee with the Aventura Travel Assistant
• Optional credit card balance protection insurance

Best Credit Card For Premium Travel Perks

Cibc aventura® visa infinite* card.

Up to 60,000 Aventura Points

The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card earns over $600 annually in value per year, with the annual fee factored in. It has an almost identical offering to the CIBC Aventura Gold Visa with 12 types of insurance and the Visa network benefits that come with the Infinite designation.

• 12 types of travel and consumer protection insurance, including $500,000 in common carrier accident insurance and rare mobile device insurance.
• Luxury upgrades, tickets and tours through Visa Infinite benefits.
• 4 complimentary airport lounge visits per year through the Visa Airport Companion Program.
• A NEXUS application fee rebate every 4 years.
• A $139 annual fee.
• A $60,000 personal and $100,000 household annual income requirement.
• Welcome offer of up to 60,000 Aventura Points (up to $1,200 in travel value): 15,000 Aventura Points after making your first purchase, 20,000 Aventura Points after spending $3,000 or more in net purchases in the first 4 monthly statement periods and 25,000 Aventura Points after having at least $6,000 in net purchases posted to your account in the first 4 monthly statement periods
• $139 annual fee, rebated on your first year of card membership
• 4 complimentary airport lounge passes, valued at nearly $200
• 1 NEXUS application fee rebate, a $50 value
• $60,000 minimum income requirement, $100,000 household
• Earn 2 points for every dollar spent through the CIBC rewards centre
• Earn 1.5 points for every dollar spent on gas, groceries, drug stores and EV charging stations
• Earn 1 point for every dollar spent on all other purchases.
• Points can be used for flights on any airline with points that don’t expire and cover airfare taxes and fees
• Built-in travel insurance, including emergency medical, travel accident, trip cancellation/interruption, flight delay and baggage insurance.
• Includes rental car collision/loss damage insurance, mobile device insurance and hotel/motel burglary insurance.
• Access personalized travel booking and trip planning with no booking fees through Aventura’s travel assistant
• Visa Infinite concierge service, hotel collection, and dining and wine country program
• Offer is not available to residents of Quebec
• Terms and conditions apply

Best Airline Travel Credit Card

• CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

Up to 50,000 Aeroplan points

$139 (rebate in the first year)

It gives you the usual Visa Infinite benefits, but with Air Canada specific perks as well. Also, you get over $500 worth of Aeroplan points per year and the insurance coverage is still valid, even on flights paid for with Aeroplan Points.

• Healthy welcome bonus
• Annual fee rebate in the first year for the primary cardholder and up to three authorized users.
• First free checked bag whenever you fly Air Canada for you, authorized users and up to 8 traveling companions
• Reach Aeroplan Elite Status sooner.
• Get a free checked bag whenever you fly Air Canada.
• $139 annual fee.
• A $60,000 individual and $100,000 household annual income requirement to qualify for the card.
• $50 for each additional credit card.
• Welcome bonus of up to 50,000 Aeroplan points (10,000 points with first purchase, 15,000 after four months of spending $4,000 or more and 25,000 as anniversary bonus)
• 1.5 points for every dollar spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries and with Air Canada directly (with spending caps)
• 1 point for every dollar spent on other purchases
• Car rental discounts of up to 25% at participating Avis and Budget locations worldwide
• This offer is not available for residents of Quebec

Best Travel Credit Card For Aventura Rewards

80,000 Aventura Points

The welcome bonus on this card is huge and you can get high value rewards of nearly $700 annually, with the annual fee factored in. Plus, you get a lot of supplementary benefits, including travel insurance.

• A high and generous welcome bonus
• 3 points per dollar when you book travel through the CIBC Rewards Centre
• Exclusive business class bookings
• Includes 6 complimentary airport lounge visits per year
• A $200 annual travel credit
• High $499 annual fee
• High $150,000 individual or $200,000 household income requirement
• $99 for each additional credit card for up to nine authorized users
• Get up to 80,000 Aventura Points in the first year (25,000 points when you spend $3,000 in the first 4 months, 25,000 points when you spend $6,000 or more in the first 4 months and 30,000 points as an anniversary bonus)
• 50,000 Aventura Points when you spend $3,000 or more over your first 4 statement periods
• 30,000 Aventura Points as an additional account anniversary bonus
• 3 Aventura points per dollar on all travel purchases made through the CIBC Rewards Centre
• 2 Aventura points per dollar on all eligible dining, entertainment, grocery, gas and transportation purchases
• 1.25 Aventura Points per dollar on all other purchases
• Based on average Canadian yearly spending, can potentially earn $671.72 per year in rewards value, with the annual fee factored in
• 6 complimentary visits to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide through the Visa Airport Companion Program
• $200 annual travel credit
• 2 NEXUS application rebates every four years (a $100 value)
• An annual fee rebate is available for the primary cardholder every year if they have CIBC Smart Plus account
• Dedicated taxi and limo services, exclusive dining and wine experiences. Plus, VIP experiences at luxury hotels and more Visa Infinite benefits
• 25% off vehicle rentals when you pay with your Aventura card at participating Avis and Budget locations
• All cardholders receive a metal card
• Get $0.10 off per litre of gas at Chevron, Ultramar, Fas Gas and Pioneer gas stations
• Includes 8 types of consumer protection and travel insurance combined, including out-of-province emergency medical, common carrier accident, mobile device insurance, trip cancellation/trip interruption, rental car collision/loss damage insurance, flight delay and baggage insurance, hotel/motel burglary insurance and purchase security and extended warranty insurance

Best Travel Credit Card For WestJet Flyers

Up to $450 in WestJet Dollarsǂ

Even if you’re not a frequent WestJet flier, this card provides enough excellent trip benefits to make it more than worth it when you do. You’ll also have access to their three partner airlines: Delta, Qantas and Air France, be able to redeem for much more than just flights and get annual earnings valued at over $300 a year.

• A generous welcome bonus worth up to $700.
• Flexible redemption options that include flights, vacation packages and with partner airlines.
• An annual companion voucher to anywhere WestJet flies starting at $119.
• Free first checked bag for you and up to 8 guests.
• Link this card with your Petro-Points card to save $0.03 per litre on gas and 20% more in bonus Petro-Points.
• Link this card with your Rexall Be Well membership and earn 50 Be Well Points per dollar at Rexall.
• High income requirement of $80,000 in personal annual income or $150,000 household income.
• Low base earn rate of 1.5% on all purchases.
• WestJet Dollars don’t cover airline taxes and fees.
• Increasing redemption minimums depending what you’re redeeming for (minimum $15 for one-way, $30 for round-trip and $50 for vacation packages).
• Get up to 450 WestJet dollars (a value of up to $450 off the base fare): – 250 WestJet dollars upon your first purchase – 200 WestJet dollars when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months
• Plus, get a Round-Trip Companion Voucher every year – for any WestJet destination starting from $119 CAD (plus taxes, fees, charges and other ATC).
• Get free first checked bags for the primary cardholder and up to 8 guests on the same reservation
• Earn WestJet dollars 1.5% on everyday purchases and 2% on flights or packages with WestJet or WestJet Vacations
• WestJet dollars never expire. Use your WestJet dollars to book flights anytime so you can travel when and where you want.
• No blackout periods.
• Travel coverage including emergency medical insurance as well as trip interruption insurance, hotel burglary and rental car insurance. Even eligible purchases you make on the card are protected.
• Link your RBC card with a Petro-Points membership to and instantly save 3₵ per litre on fuel and always earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada.
• Free Boingo Wifi for Mastercard holders at over 1 million hot spots
• Get $0 delivery fees for 12 months from DoorDash^ Add your eligible RBC credit card to your DoorDash account to: – Get a 12-month complimentary DashPass subscription± – a value of almost $120 – Enjoy unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more when you pay with your eligible RBC credit card
• Conditions apply

Best Travel Credit Card For Avion Rewards

Up to 55,000 Avion Points

An incredibly generous welcome bonus that can fly you anywhere in North America or the Caribbean on Avion Points. Plus, a very good selection of trip benefits and an annual earnings value of nearly $500 anchor this card for only a very average purchase interest rate and annual fee.

Learn more:  Read our RBC Avion Visa Infinite Review

• Avion Points can potentially be worth a lot on redemption (between $0.2 and $0.233 per point when you redeem through the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule).
• Flexible redemption options, including flights, merchandise, gift cards, charitable donations, RBC financial products, transfer to HBC Rewards and more.
• 4 different airlines to transfer points to, including Cathay Pacific, British Airways, WestJet and American Airlines.
• 12 different types of travel insurance and purchase protection, including the rare mobile device insurance policy.
• A huge welcome bonus that allows you to fly anywhere in anywhere in North America or the Caribbean
• High income requirements at $60,000 individual or $100,000 household annual income.
• Low redemption value for anything besides the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule and transferring to airline partners.
• A $120 annual fee.
• Get 35,000 Welcome Points on approval and 20,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 in your first 6 months*. Apply by April 30, 2024.
• Earn 1 Avion point for every dollar you spend* and an extra 25% on eligible travel purchases.
• Avioners can book flights with points on any airline, on any flight, at any time, early or last minute, with no blackout periods or restrictions.
• Access to The Avion Collection of exclusive experiences, including red carpet events, rare tee times at exclusive golf courses and happenings involving dining and entertainment.
• Purchase and travel insurance options that include $1,500 of mobile device insurance, $500,000 on emergency medical travel insurance, $1,500 in trip cancellation, $5,000 in trip interruption, 90 days of purchase protection and 1 year of an extended warranty.
• Visa Infinite benefits, including front of the line event access and exclusive hotel or dining perks.
• Optional extras including RBC Road Assist, RBC BalanceProtector Max Insurance. Extra travel insurance that can be added on and identity theft and credit protection.
• †Terms and conditions apply. Refer to the RBC website for up-to-date offer terms and conditions.

Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Card

10,000 Aeroplan Points

The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card offers an annual earnings value of over $400,this card has a modest selection of insurance options, flexible rewards and the ability to add authorized users for free.

• Flexible rewards that can be redeemed for merchandise, gift cards and entertainment in addition to flights.
• Rewards can cover taxes and fees on flights.
• A modest selection of travel and purchase insurance.
• No annual fee.
• Add authorized users free of charge.
• A $15,000 annual household income requirement.
• A low welcome bonus only worth $200.
• Earn 10,000 Aeroplan Points when you make your first purchase (a $200 value) enough for a short-haul, economy class flight within North America.
• 1 Aeroplan Point per dollar on gas, groceries and on Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada vacations.
• 1 Point per $1.50 you spend on all other purchases.
• Based on average Canadian yearly spending, can potentially earn $444 per year in rewards value, with the annual fee factored in.
• Get $0.10 off per litre of gas with Fas Gas, Chevron, Ultramar and Pioneer when you link your Journie Rewards card.
• Earn points twice when you shop at over 150 Air Canada retail partners and over 170 online retailers through the Air Canada eStore.
• Earn Aeroplan Elite Status faster.
• Cover airfare taxes and fees with Aeroplan Points.
• Rental car collision theft. loss and damage insurance.
• $100,000 in travel accident insurance.
• Extended warranty insurance for one additional year past the manufacturer’s warranty.
• Purchase protection insurance for up to 90 days after buying an item.

Best Travel Credit Card For Aeroplan Rewards & NEXUS Rebates

Td® aeroplan® visa infinite privilege* card.

Up to 85,000 Aeroplan Points†

True to its name, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card is exclusive and expensive, but brings to bear a broad array of perks and benefits, along with a surprisingly accessible credit score threshold.

• Extensive travel perks, insurance and consumer protections
• Low credit score threshold for such a powerful card
• The most expensive annual fee on the list
• Requires minimum personal income of $150,000 a year or $200,000 in annual household income
• Earn up to $2,900 in value† including up to 85,000 Aeroplan points (enough for a round trip to Honolulu†) and additional travel benefits. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.
• Earn a welcome bonus of 20,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card†.
• Earn an additional 40,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $10,000 within 180 days of Account opening†.
• Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $15,000 within 12 months of Account opening†.
• Enroll for NEXUS and once every 48 months get an application fee rebate†.
• Share first free checked bags with up to 8 travel companions† and get unlimited access to Maple Leaf Lounges†, including complementary access for one guest.
• Plus, primary card holders get 6 complimentary worldwide select airport lounge visits annually through the Visa Airport Companion Program†.
• This offer is not available to residents of Quebec.
• †Terms and conditions apply.

Best Low Annual Fee Aeroplan Rewards Credit Card

Td® aeroplan® visa platinum* card.

Up to $500 in value†

$89 (first year of annual fee rebated)

The TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Card shares many lots of the same features seen in premium cards that cost five times the annual fee. However, it does lack a bit in the insurance department.

• Decent travel and consumer protection benefits
• Allows cardholders to earn Aeroplan Points twice
• Low annual fee that’s rebated the first year
• Lower insurance coverage than other Aeroplan cards
• Earn up to $500 in value† including up to 20,000 Aeroplan points† and no annual fee for the first year. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by September 3, 2024.
• Earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card†.
• Earn an additional 10,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $1,000 within 90 days of Account opening†.
• Get an annual fee rebate for the first year†.
• To receive the first-year annual fee rebate, you must activate your Card and make your first Purchase on the Account within the first 3 months after Account opening and you must add your Additional Cardholders by September 4, 2024.
• † Terms and conditions apply.

Best Credit Union Travel Credit Card

15,000 points

20.99% (fixed)

The Alterna Savings Visa Infinite card offers a small amount of rewards and a few perks.

• A welcome bonus worth $150 that you can redeem for gift cards, travel experiences and cash rewards in the form of statement credit
• 5 combined types of travel and purchase insurance
• A fixed interest rate
• Includes some Visa Infinite Benefits
• $120 annual fee
• A low welcome bonus
• $50 for an additional credit card
• 3 points per dollar on grocery purchases.
• 2 points per dollar on dining and entertainment purchases.
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
• Based on average Canadian yearly spending, can potentially earn $266.11 per year in rewards value with the annual fee factored in.
• Includes auto rental collision/loss damage insurance for up to 48 consecutive days.
• Comes with purchase protection for 90 days.
• Double the manufacturer’s warranty (up to one year) on eligible purchases.
• Includes mobile device insurance.
• Includes emergency travel healthcare coverage up to 60 days.
• Trip cancellation insurance up to $2,000.
• Includes unlimited trip interruption insurance.
• Includes lost or delayed baggage coverage.
• Visa Infinite benefits.

Best Low Annual Fee Travel Credit Card For WestJet Flyers

$150 WestJet Dollars

The WestJet RBC Mastercard is a low-annual-fee card that earns a decent amount of WestJet dollars and other perks, including an annual companion voucher.

• Low annual fee ($39).
• An annual round-trip companion voucher for $199.
• $0 delivery fees for 3 months at DoorDash.
• A low welcome bonus.
• A low earn rate.
• Additional fees for some benefits.
• $100 WestJet Dollars when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months.
• Get 50 Be Well points per dollar spent on eligible products at Rexall.
• Save $0.03 per litre on fuel and earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada.
• Unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more on DoorDash when you pay with your RBC credit card.
• A complimentary three-month DoorPass membership.
• Earn 1% in WestJet dollars for all other eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5% in WestJet dollars when you buy WestJet flights or WestJet Vacations packages.
• No blackout periods and no expiration on WestJet dollars.
• Extended warranty for an additional year.
• 90 days of purchase protection.
• $500,000 in travel accident insurance.
• $500 in baggage delay and lost or stolen baggage insurance.
• $2,500 in hotel/motel burglary insurance.
• Rental car collision loss/damage insurance.

When determining a rating for individual credit cards, the Forbes Advisor Canada editorial team factors in an exhaustive list of data points. With travel, the scoring model used takes into account factors such as, but not limited to, travel points value, earn rate in various purchase categories, fees, welcome bonus, and other rewards and features. Keep in mind, what may be best for some people might not be right for you. Conduct informed research before deciding which cards will best help you achieve your financial goals.

The American Express Cobalt® Card is one of the most decorated and award-winning credit cards in the Canadian market, giving massive rewards value for travel and  groceries .

Rewards: Earn 5 Membership Rewards per dollar spent on groceries (up to $30,000 annually), 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada, 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on rideshares, transit and gas in Canada 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases and 1 additional Membership Rewards point for every dollar spent on eligible hotel or car rental bookings made with American Express Travel.

Welcome Offer: In your first year as a new Cobalt Cardmember, you can earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in net purchases on your Card. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year. That’s up to $150 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets

Annual Fee: $155.88 ($12.99 per month)

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Despite the annual fee and the fact that Amex is still not accepted in as many places in Canada as Visa or Mastercard , (though the Amex acceptance map is expanding) the American Express Cobalt remains arguably the most lucrative credit card in Canada. It dominates two categories (travel and groceries) with the value of its annual rewards. Plus, the ability to transfer Membership Rewards points at a one-to-one ratio to many loyalty programs makes it extremely versatile for frequent flyers.

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CIBC Aventura Gold Visa

The CIBC Aventura Visa Gold card is a good alternative to the Amex Cobalt with a slightly lower annual fee and slightly less annual rewards value, earning an estimated $444 per year with the annual fee factored in. It also has similar redemption flexibility to the Cobalt card and includes travel insurance options.

Rewards: 2 Aventura Points per dollar spent on travel purchases made through the CIBC Rewards Centre. Plus 1.5 points per dollar spent on gas, grocery and drug purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Welcome Offer: 35,000 Aventura Points (earn 15,000 points when you make your first purchase and 20,000 points when you spend $3,000 or more in the first four monthly statement periods).

Annual Fee: $139 (First year rebated)

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Though the $139 annual fee and the $15,000 personal annual income requirement could be considered drawbacks, a big benefit is the fact that one Aventura point is worth an average of $0.02 per point when redeeming for travel and they could be worth between 2.3 to 2.8 cents per point depending on the route you’re redeeming for. This means that the Aventura Gold (and any Aventura credit card) stretches your dollar even further than the typical points-based credit card loyalty program that keeps its points worth an average of $0.01 per point.

Basically the same offering as the Aventura Gold Visa Card with higher annual earnings and extra Visa Infinite benefits.

Rewards: 2 Aventura Points per dollar spent on travel purchases made through the CIBC Rewards Centre. In addition, you’ll get 1.5 points per dollar spent on gas, grocery and drug purchases and 1 Aventura point per dollar for all other purchases.

Welcome Offer: Earn up to 60,000 Aventura Points (up to $1,200 in travel value): 15,000 Aventura Points after making your first purchase, 20,000 Aventura Points after spending $3,000 or more in net purchases in the first 4 monthly statement periods and 25,000 Aventura Points after having at least $6,000 in net purchases posted to your account in the first 4 monthly statement periods. Terms and conditions apply. This offer is not available to residents of Quebec.

Annual Fee: $139 (rebated in the first year)

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: You’ll get the network exclusives and benefits of the Visa Infinite banner, like special events and experiences, but you need to be making $60,000 as an individual and $100,000 as a household for the privilege.

A great card for Air Canada frequent fliers who also want Visa Infinite benefits. It also gives you annual reward earnings totaling $527.32 based on an average spend in a number of common purchase categories from Canadians.

Rewards: 1.5 Aeroplan Points for every dollar spent on gas, groceries and on Air Canada flights, including through Air Canada vacations. 1 point per dollar on all other purchases and you can earn points twice when you shop at 150 Aeroplan partners and 170 eStore online retailers.

Welcome Offer: A welcome bonus of up to 50,000 Aeroplan points (10,000 points with first purchase, 15,000 after four months of spending $4,000 or more and 25,000 as anniversary bonus). Terms apply. This offer is not available to residents of Quebec.

Annual Fee: $139 (Get an annual fee rebate)

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Though you’ll need at least $60,000 in annual individual personal income or $100,000 in household income to qualify for this card, it will give you supplemental benefits like a free checked bag and a full suite of travel insurance options. Plus, redeem for flights, merchandise, gift cards and more.

For a hefty annual fee, cardholders get every premium credit card benefit a traveller could want.

Rewards: 3 Aventura points per dollar on all travel purchases made through the CIBC Rewards Centre. Plus, 2 points per dollar on all eligible dining, entertainment, grocery, gas and transportation purchases. Finally, you’ll get 1.25 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Welcome Offer: 80,000 Aventura Points in the first year. This means 50,000 Aventura Points when you spend $3,000 or more over your first four statement periods and 30,000 Aventura Points as an additional account anniversary bonus.

Annual Fee: $499

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: This card has a huge $499 annual fee and income requirements that will exclude most Canadians from applying for it at $150,000 individual or $200,000 household annual income. Still, if you can afford it, a world of luxury benefits is open to you like airport lounge access, dedicated taxi and limousine service, exclusive dining and wine experiences, a car rental discount, high dollar maximums on travel insurance and even a metal credit card for every successful applicant.

This card offers flexible rewards and generous trip and World Elite credit card network benefits, including insurance, for frequent WestJet fliers. However, it offers a modest annual rewards value at $311.69 according to average Canadian spending.

Rewards: 2% back in WestJet Dollars when you book WestJet flights and vacation packages. Plus, 1.5% back in WestJet Dollars on everyday purchases.

Welcome Offer: Earn up to 450 WestJet dollars (a value of up to $450 off the base fare). Get 250 WestJet dollars after the first purchase and 200 WestJet dollars after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. Conditions applyǂ.

Annual Fee: $119

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Though the base earn rate of 1.5% can be beaten easily by other travel credit cards, the annual companion voucher, the free-checked bag, the World Elite benefits like membership in the airport lounge club, Mastercard Airport Experiences and 10 types of insurance, make a compelling case to any potential cardholder who likes flying WestJet.

Your dollar can go further per point with the RBC Avion Visa Infinite as long as you redeem for the right rewards.

Rewards: 1 Avion Point per every dollar spent and an extra 25% savings on eligible travel purchases.

Welcome Offer: Get 35,000 Welcome Points on approval and 20,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 in your first 6 months*. Apply by April 30, 2024. †Terms and conditions apply. Refer to the RBC website for up-to-date offer terms and conditions.

Annual Fee: $120

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Though the RBC Airline Redemption Schedule gives you incredible value per point, other modes of redemption, though flexible, only give you 1% in value. The extra travel benefits like the Rexall Be Well points and Petro-Points are nice, but you have to decide if the extra perks and insurance are worth the high income requirements.

CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Card

A great card if you want flexible rewards that cover taxes and fees on flights with a little bit of travel and purchase insurance for no annual fee.

Rewards: 1 Aeroplan Point per dollar on gas, groceries and Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada vacation packages. Also, get 1 point per $1.50 on all other purchases.

Welcome Offer: 10,000 Aeroplan Points when you make your first purchase ($200 in travel value).

Annual Fee: $0

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Though the base earn rate and welcome bonus are low, it’s still nice to get flexible rewards that can be redeemed for fights, gift cards and merchandise with a modest selection of travel and purchase insurance for no annual fee.

If you’re looking for every possible travel perk, reward and consumer protection a TD card has to offer, look no further than this one.

Rewards:  Earn 2 Aeroplan Points for every dollar spent on Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada Vacations. Cardholders also earn 1.5 points for every dollar spent on gas, groceries, travel and dining purchases, as well as 1.25 points on every dollar for other purchases made with your card.

Welcome Offer: Earn a welcome bonus of 20,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card. Earn an additional 40,000 Aeroplan points† when you spend $10,000 within 180 days of Account opening. Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $15,000 within 12 months of Account opening.† Terms and conditions Apply. Not available for residents of Quebec. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.

Annual Fee:  $599

Other Benefits and Drawbacks:  Cardholders need a minimum annual income of $150,000 individually, or $200,000 all together, so this card is beyond the means of most Canadians.

All of the features found in TD’s more expensive cards for under $100 a year.

Rewards:  Earn 1 point for every dollar spent on eligible gas, grocery and direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®) made with your card. Earn 1 point† for every $1.50 spent on all other eligible purchases made with your Card. Earn points twice when you pay with your Card and provide your Aeroplan number at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and at 170+ online retailers via the Aeroplan eStore (www.aeroplan.com/estore).

Welcome Offer:  Earn a welcome bonus of up to $500 in value† including up to 20,000 Aeroplan points†. Earn 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card and an additional 10,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $1,000 within 90 days of account opening. †Terms and conditions Apply. Account must be approved by September 3, 2024. This offer is not available to residents of Quebec.

Annual Fee:  $89 (Get a first-year annual fee rebate; account must be approved by September 3, 2024)

Other Benefits and Drawbacks:  This card’s insurance coverage is lower than other TD Aeroplan offerings, but it does allow cardholders to earn Aeroplan Points twice at certain participating retailers.

A cheap annual fee ($89) gets you quite the selection of travel perks, benefits and insurance.

Rewards: 3 points per dollar on grocery purchases, 2 points per dollar on dining and entertainment purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Welcome Offer: A welcome bonus of 15,000 Welcome Points worth $150 that you can redeem for gift cards, travel experiences and cash rewards in the form of statement credit.

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: There’s a low welcome offer and modest annual rewards but you do get a lot of travel benefits for only an average annual fee.

Welcome Offer: $100 WestJet Dollars when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months and make your first purchase.

Rewards: Earn 1% in WestJet dollars for every qualifying purchase you make on your card and 1.5% in WestJet dollars when you buy WestJet flights or WestJet Vacations packages.

Annual Fee: $39

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: It may come with a low annual fee and a good selection of insurances, but the welcome bonus and earn rate are modest. Still, with the lower barrier for entry thanks to an average qualifying credit score, it might be the window to collecting WestJet Dollars faster for the rest of us.

Credit card data research and analysis by Debra Toews and Tia Duncombe.

Generally, travel credit cards in Canada come in two distinct varieties: those that are specific to a particular airline, like WestJet or Alaska Airlines and those that belong to a loyalty program that offers travel rewards as one of their main features, like Aeroplan, Air Miles, Aventura, Avion or Amex Membership Rewards.

They also either follow a cash back or points model when it comes to earning points, dollars or miles towards travel rewards. What that means is, you’re either collecting a point from an airline or travel loyalty program or you’re collecting a percentage of a point with every purchase.

As for redemption, largely if you’re redeeming for flights—typically, the marquee reward on any travel credit card—when you’re flying, where you’re flying, what class you’re flying in and how far you’re flying all have an impact on how many points, dollars or miles flights can cost. As a result, the value of your travel rewards are not usually static or straightforward. Instead, it’s constantly fluctuating.

What Credit Score Do I Need to Get a Travel Credit Card?

Credit scores needed to get a travel credit card can vary, but the best ones usually require credit scores described as Very Good/Excellent (740-900). A more limited selection of travel credit cards with lower earn rates and fewer travel benefits or perks are available for credit scores classified as Fair/Good (580-739) or Good/Very Good (661-780). Meanwhile, travel credit cards aren’t available for those with Poor/Fair (0-580) credit scores.

The primary reason to get a travel credit card is the chance to travel the world for free (except maybe taxes, fees and surcharges). Not only that, but with the right credit card, flying goes from stressful to swanky and it starts from the moment you get to the airport.

From airport lounges to free checked bags and more, there are several reasons to get a travel credit card. Not just where you can go for free, but the perks you’ll get at the airport and on the plane.

Plus, while you’re abroad, several insurance protections that come with your travel credit card can cover you if you run into medical issues while on your trip or if your rental car gets in an accident. Some insurance options you might find on a travel credit card include emergency travel medical, common carrier accident, delayed or lost baggage, trip cancellation or interruption and rent car collision loss/damage insurance.

Along with several benefits, there are a few drawbacks to travel credit cards that you should be aware of. They are the following:

• You can collect points or miles on everyday spending so you don’t necessarily have to travel all the time to take advantage of potentially flying for free and all the extra travel perks that may come with it.
• You’ll often receive perks at the airport that will make flying a lot easier, including priority security screening, free checked bags, priority boarding, priority check-in and a dedicated parking spot when you arrive.
• You may be able to transfer your original points or miles to other travel loyalty programs either at an equal 1:1 ratio or, if you’re lucky, more than that. This way, your points will go further faster and you’ll be able to spend less of them than you do with your original travel loyalty program to get a free flight to a further destination.
• Travel credit cards often have large sign-up bonuses, so you’ll have enough points for a free trip somewhere right away.
• Usually travel credit cardholders pay high annual fees for the privilege of having all those travel benefits, perks and rewards.
• Redeeming travel points can be anything other than straightforward with the value of a point sometimes being worth fractions of a cent and fluctuating in terms of worth depending on where you’re flying, when you’re flying, what class of travel you want and how far you’re going.
• Redeeming points or miles for any other rewards besides travel, like gift cards or merchandise typically makes them worth less than they would be if you just redeemed them for travel expenses like flights or hotels.

If you’re picking a travel credit card, it’s important to evaluate them based on the following criteria.

You’re going to want a welcome bonus that is not only large and gives you enough points or miles for a free trip right off the bat, but a welcome bonus where the criteria for those points or miles is something you both can and want to achieve. Depending on your financial situation, spending $5,000 in three months and signing up for electronic statements may not be something you can easily do, so only sign up for cards where the welcome bonus is actually achievable and makes sense for your current situation.

Related: Best Credit Card Welcome Offers

With any travel credit card, you should look for a credit card with the highest possible earn rate so you can rack up as many points and miles with your spending to get to travel rewards faster. If the earn rate is too low, you may feel like a hamster on a wheel: always turning—or in this case, earning—but never getting anywhere.

High annual fees are customary when dealing with travel credit cards, especially when it comes to the most premium among them with long lists of perks and benefits. Since you’re likely going to be paying an annual fee in every case, a good general rule of thumb is, the more benefits the card has, the higher the annual fee and the lower the number of benefits, the lower the annual fee.

Further to that, a great way to decide if an annual fee is worth it when measured against the rewards and benefits is to see if the value of those rewards and benefits are greater than the annual fee itself. If you’re getting more value from your rewards and perks than the annual fee is costing you, then the card can generally be considered worth the annual fee.

Reward Flexibility

Reward flexibility is also a great quality to use when evaluating travel credit cards. Ask yourself, “Does this card give you reward points or miles only for travel or can you redeem them for something else as well?”

Often, travel rewards cards also allow you to redeem points or miles for merchandise, gift cards, statement credits and more. However, the value of your points or miles is usually less than if you just redeemed them for travel.

Still, if multiple redemption options are important to you, then look for a travel credit card with more reward flexibility.

Perks and Benefits

Beyond reward points, every travel card comes with perks and benefits like concierge service, lounge access, travel insurance, extended warranty, free first checked bags at the airport and purchase protection, among other things, so you’ll need to ask yourself, what supplemental benefits and perks are actually important to you and choose a credit card based on that.

General Travel Cards

General travel credit cards offer the ultimate flexibility. They are agnostic in the sense that they are not tied to a specific airline or frequent flyer program like Aeroplan , Air Miles and Avion Rewards. Generally, this is good news because it means you can transfer the points associated with your credit card into a variety of frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs, which gives you access to enough airline or hotel variety that you can truly find the best value for your points and potentially fly further and stay longer for a cheaper price. The few things you need to note about general travel cards is that the points program on your card may not have the same value when transferred into an airline, frequent flyer or hotel loyalty program of your choice, so choose a transfer partner where you can get the most value for your points. Also, you may need to redeem through your credit card issuer’s own travel portal or travel agency. Sometimes when you book travel through such an online travel portal. your points automatically become more valuable just because of how you are booking.

The Best General Travel Cards

• American Express Cobalt
• CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card

Co-Branded Travel Cards

Co-branded travel cards are those affiliated with frequent flyer programs or specific airlines like Air Canada, WestJet, Cathay Pacific, Air Miles, Aeroplan, Avion or Marriott Bonvoy . If you have a favourite airline, hotel or frequent flyer program you collect points from on a regular basis through their various retail partnerships, a card featuring that brand is probably best to maximize the amount of points you can collect from that brand. Your loyalty will also be rewarded because as you collect more and more points you will usually get higher status with brand, which gives you perks like free checked bags on flights with a specific airline, late check-ins with specific hotels or the privilege of needing fewer points to redeem for travel arrangements with certain loyalty programs. The one thing that co-branded travel cards take away from you is flexibility. Once you choose one, your committed to only flying that airline or only staying in that hotel or only using that frequent flyer program. If you don’t, your points will go to waste and likely eventually expire due to inactivity.

The Best Co-Branded Travel Cards

• RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
• TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card

If you travel a lot and find yourself spending a lot of money on flights and hotels, then a travel card is probably for you. Most travel cards allow you to collect points towards all your essential travel expenses, such as free flights, free hotel stays and even privileges and upgrades to make your flight or hotel stay more enjoyable. It’s recommended that if your spending would lean you towards a travel card, you should select one that’s brand agnostic, with no specific allegiance to any particular hotel, airline or loyalty program. This way, you can transfer your points to any of the leading travel loyalty programs according to which one gives you the most for your spending and collected number of points and you don’t have to fly with a specific airline, stay at a certain hotel or pick from offers available from a particular travel loyalty program.

However, if your spending takes you in a more general direction, not associated exclusively with travel, or if you carry a balance pretty often, it’s best to go with a cash-back card . Cash-back cards most often give you a certain percentage of cash back on specific purchase categories. Some cards offer flat-rate cash back that gives you the same percentage of cash back for all of your purchases, regardless of category, but all cash back can be redeemed for statement credit that you can put towards your balance to bring it down. Some cash-back cards allow you to redeem your cash back for gift cards, merchandise or cash, in the form of deposits into a savings account from the bank that issues the credit card.

There are different types of travel credit cards in Canada. They generally split into the following overarching varieties based on what kind of travel rewards you can redeem.

General Travel Rewards

General travel rewards are rewards that you can redeem for any kind of travel. In addition to flights, you’ll be able to redeem for cruises, vacation packages, hotel stays and other things besides travel, like merchandise and gift cards. Most people prefer these travel credit cards because they give you the most flexibility and don’t force you to use one provider when redeeming rewards.

Airline Rewards

Airline rewards are pretty straightforward. You’re most often redeeming for flights on that particular airline. Sometimes the airline also provides vacation packages you can book with rewards or the airline has its own portal for merchandise and other rewards outside of travel, like events and experiences.

Another aspect of an airline travel rewards card is the airline may belong to a wider partnership with other airlines, such as Star Alliance. In those cases, you’ll be able to transfer your points from your airline card and exchange them for points from another airline, giving you the opportunity to cast a wider net to look for flights and redeem them with your points at a potentially greater value with the other airline’s rewards program.

Hotel Rewards

Hotel rewards cards allow you to redeem points for free nights at whatever hotel your hotel credit card is linked to. You’ll often also be entitled to a free night on your birthday or the anniversary of the day you opened the credit card account. You might also be entitled to other benefits at the particular hotel in question, such as free Wi-Fi, a discount at the hotel restaurant and more.

Usually with a hotel credit card linked to that hotel’s rewards program, you can often achieve a higher status in that hotel’s loyalty program much faster simply by having the hotel credit card. As you rise in the ranks to gold, silver and platinum for example, this will entitle you to even more perks and special treatment at that hotel.

• Travel insurance. The best travel credit cards also include travel insurance , so if anything happens with your flight, bags or on your trip, you might be covered. Particularly if you suffer a medical emergency while on your trip, something happens to your rental car, your bags are lost or delayed or your flight is delayed or canceled for a covered reason.
• Free checked bags. This benefit offers a free first checked bag for a specified number of travel companions.
• Airport lounge access. A popular perk on travel credit cards is airport lounge access , which gives you membership and either pay or free access to a semi-private lounge where you can relax, freshen up, eat, work, have a meeting or charge your devices before your flight.
• No foreign transaction fees. Useful when you’re spending money on your credit card abroad, some travel credit cards come without the customary 2.5% foreign transaction fee , so all you’re paying is the currency conversion fee.
• Free or discounted companion fare on flights. With this benefit, one of your traveling companions travels with you for free or at a discounted rate.
• NEXUS application rebate. Get an application fee rebate, in the form of statement credit, for the NEXUS program, which helps you skip the line at the Canadian border and breeze through airport security.
• Extended warranty. An extended warranty extends the manufacturer’s warranty on any purchase made with the card for typically one year.
• Purchase protection. Gives you purchase protection against damage or theft on any item purchased with your card for a certain number of days.

To use travel rewards effectively and get the most benefit from your points, it’s important to understand how to use travel rewards credit cards effectively and it starts with their earn rate.

Understanding Travel Credit Card Earn Rates

The earn rate on a travel credit card is how many points or miles you earn for every dollar you spend. The more points you earn per dollar, the faster you’ll be able to rack up the points and the quicker you’ll be able to redeem them for a trip.

You obviously want a travel credit card with a large earn rate, but you should also be aware that certain purchase categories may have a larger earn rate until you hit a maximum dollar amount and then the earn rate will revert to what the base rate is for all purchases and this is usually a lot lower. This is why, along with the earn rate, you will want to know those spending caps as well.

How to Calculate the Value of Travel Credit Card Points

The best way to calculate the value of travel credit card points is to divide the dollar value of the points by the number of points required to achieve that dollar value. For example, if 50,000 points on a welcome bonus have a $300 value, that means that each point is with $0.006 (a fraction of a cent).

Be aware however, that the value of travel points or miles change based on where you are going, what class of ticket you want, what season you are booking in and whether it is a short-haul or long-haul flight.

Points also don’t often cover taxes, fees or airport surcharges. They also usually decrease in value if you are redeeming for anything other than travel, so a gift card usually will cost more to get per point, relative to the number of points you have, than a flight would.

Do Travel Rewards Points Ever Expire?

Typically, travel points do not expire as long as your credit card account remains open and in good standing. However, some loyalty program points do expire if you do nothing with them and they sit idle for up to a year. It really depends on the program, but the vast majority of points in most travel rewards programs do not expire.

There are several different types of travel insurance policies that you may find included as part of the benefit package on a travel rewards card. Typically, the more types of insurance included, the better the card’s overall benefit package.

Out-of-province Travel Emergency Medical Insurance

This is insurance that pays out if you suffer a medical emergency while outside of your home province. Policy amounts are usually in the multiple thousands to millions of dollars. You will want to look at your credit card benefits guide to see what sort of medical circumstances are not covered by the policy and therefore not considered an “emergency travel accident.”

Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

This is insurance that covers you in the event that the common carrier (train, plane, bus, car, etc.) you are traveling on gets in an accident and you are injured as a result. Amounts here are typically slightly less than emergency out-of-province medical insurance and are in the neighbourhood of several hundred-thousand dollars. Like all insurance policies, check the exclusions before making a claim.

Travel Interruption/Cancellation Insurance

Travel interruption insurance reimburses the lost portion of your trip and related travel expenses, like hotel stays, if your trip is interrupted for a covered reason. Trip cancellation provides a lump sum payment meant to reimburse you for travel expenses if you had to cancel your trip in advance for an unforeseen covered reason, such as the unexpected illness or injury of you and your traveling companion that deems you unfit to travel according to a licensed medical doctor.

Flight Delay Insurance

Flight delay insurance covers your expenses related to the fact your flight was delayed past a covered amount of time, such as four hours. Covered expenses can include meals, accommodations and other reasonable or necessary expenses that occur up to a certain length of the delay, like 48 hours.

Lost/Delayed Baggage Insurance

Lost or delayed baggage insurance covers expenses, up to the maximum amount of the policy, related to lost or delayed baggage. This can include replacement clothing, replacement toiletries and any other essentials covered by the policy.

Rental Car Collision/Loss Damage Insurance

Rental car collision/loss damage insurance covers a rental car in the event that it’s damaged in a collision or stolen after you rent it. In order to qualify for this kind of coverage on your credit card, you must decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) offered by the rental car company. This type of insurance usually comes in two varieties, primary and secondary.

Primary means it will overtake your own personal car insurance policy as the primary source of insurance in case coverage is needed and secondary means the policy will cover anything your personal car insurance policy doesn’t cover.

Also, rental car collision/loss damage insurance only covers damage or theft of the car, it doesn’t cover damage on the other car involved in a collision or any other property damage. In addition, it won’t cover any expenses related to bodily injury or death.

Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance

Hotel/Motel burglary insurance covers any covered personal items stolen from out of your hotel or motel room during your stay and reimburses you for the subsequent replacements up to a certain amount determined by the insurer.

There are various ways you can redeem the points or miles that come from travel credit cards and the style you encounter largely depends on the loyalty program you’re redeeming points or miles from.

Different Travel Redemption Models

Primarily there are three different travel redemption models you will see with a travel rewards credit card. They are the following:

Consistent Points

Consistent Points are points that are always the same value no matter what you’re redeeming for and where you are traveling. This is the most straightforward redemption model as you always know what points are worth and their value never changes.

Fluctuating Points

Fluctuating points are what you will find with most travel credit card loyalty programs, including the largest ones, Aeroplan and Air Miles. This is a model where the value of your points change according to where you’re traveling, when you are traveling, how far you are going and your class of ticket.

Typically, short-haul flights within North America are the cheapest, while long-haul flights to distant lands, such as Asia and Australia are the most expensive. Business class flights always cost more than flights in economy class and bookings during busy times always cost more than time periods that aren’t as busy.

Point Transfers

A third way to redeem rewards is through point transfers to other travel loyalty programs through other airlines. Some programs, like Amex Membership Rewards, allow you to redeem points at a ratio of 1:1 to a number of airline and travel reward loyalty programs. While sometimes point transfers decrease the original value of your points, sometimes transferring points to another travel loyalty program or airline will actually increase their value.

You can apply for a travel rewards credit card online or in-person at the issuing financial institution, the same way you can apply for any type of credit card.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a travel rewards card you likely need to be the age of majority in the province or territory where you are a resident. You must have the target credit score the issuing bank is looking for on a particular travel card. Plus, on certain cards, you will need to make a certain annual personal or household income.

Fill Out an Application

To fill out a travel credit card application, follow these steps:

• Review the terms, conditions, fees and rewards program details before applying.
•  Enter your personal and income information like date of birth, place of residence, annual income, employment status, phone number, email and more.
•  Provide your social insurance number (SIN).
•  Enter your debts and monthly expenses.
•  Verify your identity by providing photos of you and your government-issue identification.
•  Review your application, make sure the information is correct and submit your application knowing a hard credit inquiry could temporarily impact your credit score by taking it down a few points.
• Don’t carry a balance. The value of your travel rewards will go down the moment you have to pay interest and pay down a balance.
• Actually get your full welcome bonus. Make sure you don’t leave points on the table and reach your spending threshold to actually receive the amount of points and rewards that come with your welcome offer .
• Maximize the best earning rates. Always make purchases that earn you extra points and buy goods from the purchase categories that earn the most points per dollar on your credit card.
• Redeem for the rewards with the greatest value. Don’t redeem for rewards that cost the most points but provide limited value, like gift cards and merchandise, and instead save up your points and redeem for higher value items like hotel stays, flights and cruises or vacation packages.
• Pay attention to points expiration rules. Some points never expire, but some travel rewards programs will start eroding points due to account inactivity or if you don’t redeem your points fast enough, like by a certain date. If this is your situation, use them before you lose them.

What are three benefits of a travel rewards credit card?

You can earn rewards on everyday purchases, so even if you don’t travel very often you still have opportunities to earn points or miles towards hotel stays and transportation, especially flights. Travel rewards cards also give you an opportunity to fly for free or stay in hotels for free as well. Finally, a travel rewards card can protect you if something goes wrong at the airport with your flight or at your destination thanks to the insurance benefits they usually come with.

What should you look for in a travel credit card?

If you want a good travel credit card, you’re looking for a high earn rate, with a lot of perks and benefits and no spending cap for a low to modest annual fee. Of course, you’re likely not going to get everything, but if the insurance coverage is extensive, at least you’ll be protected should any unforeseen calamities or emergencies befall you while abroad.

What is the best travel credit card?

According to Forbes Advisor’s assessment, the American Express Cobalt gives you the most value of any other travel credit card on this list with nearly $600 worth of points on an annual basis, plus a bevy of perks and benefits along with the ability to find better value for your travel miles by transferring them 1:1 to other travel loyalty and airline programs.

Is it a good idea to get a credit card for travelling?

Yes, the rewards like free flights, hotel stays, vacation packages, merchandise, gift cards and more, are too good to pass up. Plus, the benefits you get like a NEXUS rebate, airport lounge access and a free first checked bag make actual traveling a lot less stressful. Plus, any travel insurance you get can help reimburse any expenses you may have if things go wrong on your trip. This is especially important because your provincial health insurance doesn’t cover you when you travel outside of your province of residence.

What’s the best credit card for international travel?

Because you can transfer your American Express Membership Rewards to several different frequent flier programs around the world at a 1:! Ratio, the Amex Cobalt is probably best for international travel.

Is Visa or Mastercard better for travel?

Let’s be clear that Visa or Mastercard are only the payment networks that most credit cards work on (there’s also American Express , which issues its own cards). Visa and Mastercard do not issue their own cards, so most of the benefits a travel Mastercard or Visa may have should be attributed to the issuer of the card. That being said, more Visa cards appear high on this list, while the best branded travel cards on this list come from Mastercard. The split in terms of quality is pretty even, but Mastercard and Visa cards do have some network benefits that come with its Infinite and Infinite Privilege cards, in the case of Visa, and World and World Elite, in the case of Mastercard, so whether Visa or Mastercard is better may come down to which network benefits you might prefer.

Is it worth getting a travel card for overseas travel?

If you travel a lot you should invest in a travel card. If you get enough points, you can get a free flight overseas to the destination of your choice and with the right hotel card you might get a free hotel stay while you are there. Be aware though, that your points may have different value depending on when you book, where you are going and what class of travel you’d like to fly in.

Which Canadian credit card is best for travel in Europe?

If your already in Europe, you should pick a card with no foreign transaction fees , so that you aren’t charged them when you make purchases in Europe. The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is a great option because you can put your Scene+ points towards even more travel and it offers a comprehensive list of travel insurance coverages along with rental car collision/loss damage insurance.

What is the best credit card to use while travelling?

Probably the best credit card to use while traveling is a bit of a toss-up between the CIBC Aventura Gold Visa or the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card because of their comprehensive travel insurance benefits, lounge access and exclusive perks. The major difference being that the Visa Infinite has exclusive Visa Infinite network benefits as well as income requirements to be eligible and the Aventura Gold doesn’t have those income requirements and doesn’t have as much travel insurance coverage. Other than that, it’s difficult to tell the two credit cards apart.

Our partners are not responsible for anything reported by Forbes Advisor. To the best of our knowledge, everything is accurate at the time of publishing as of the date posted. For full information and details, please visit the advertiser’s website.

Aaron Broverman is the lead editor of Forbes Advisor Canada. He has over a decade of experience writing in the personal finance space for outlets such as Creditcards.com, creditcardGenius.ca, Yahoo Finance Canada, Nerd Wallet Canada and Greedyrates.ca. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario with his wife and son.

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19 Best Travel Credit Cards in Canada for April 2024

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own.

Our picks for Canada’s best travel credit cards include top cards across numerous categories to help you earn discounts, perks and rewards before your next trip.

• The best travel credit cards in Canada
• Why you should trust us
• Summary of our selections

How travel credit cards work in Canada

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

Intro offer details: Earn up to $1,200 in value†, including up to 50,000 Aeroplan points† (enough for a round trip to New York City†), and additional travel benefits. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024. †Terms and conditions apply.

Best Travel Credit Cards in Canada from Our Partners

Best travel credit cards in canada, best overall.

Best overall travel card

Scotiabank platinum american express® card.

• Earn up to $2,100* in value in your first 14 months, including up to 60,000* bonus Scene+ points. Offer ends October 31, 2024.
• You will not pay 2.5% foreign transaction fees on any foreign currency purchases, including online shopping and when travelling abroad. Only the exchange rate applies.
• Earn 2X Scene+™ points for every $1 CAD you spend on all your eligible purchases.
• Scene+ points can be redeemed for travel purchase, merchandise and other non-travel rewards such as gift cards and prepaid cards.
• You must redeem a minimum of 5,000 points per travel-related rewards redemption, equivalent to $50 in travel savings. Points must be redeemed within 12 months of the purchase date.
• $399 annual fee.
• Redeem points for any flight, any time through Scene+ Travel, a full-service travel agency. Plus, take advantage of a best price guarantee on airfare.
• Get a Hertz #1 Club Gold membership for special privileges and rental car benefits at over 8,500 locations in 147 countries.
• Enjoy culinary events and experiences, entertainment, luxury fashion, tours, and more through American Express benefits, including American Express Invites, Platinum VIP offers and access to 24/7 premium concierge services for restaurant reservations, show tickets, and gift purchases.
• Lounge access at over 600 VIP airport lounges around the world with a complimentary Priority Pass membership, which includes 10 free visits per year.
• 12 types of insurance provided, including 31-day travel medical benefits — up to $2 million in coverage — for you, your spouse and any dependent children under the age of 65. 10-day coverage available for those over the age of 65.
• Preferred rates: 9.99% for purchases, 9.99% for cash advances.
• To be eligible, you must have a Canadian credit file and be a Canadian resident of the age of majority in the province or territory where you live.
• Terms and Conditions Apply. Click ‘Apply Now’ for complete details.

If this card doesn’t seem like a good fit for your wallet, take a look at NerdWallet’s selection of the  best credit cards  to help find the right option for you.

Best for: Expedia bookings

Td first class travel® visa infinite* card.

• Earn up to $800 in value†, including up to 100,000 TD Rewards Points† and no Annual Fee for the first year†. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.
• Earn a welcome Bonus of 20,000 TD Rewards Points when you make your first Purchase with your Card†.
• Earn 80,000 TD Rewards Points when you spend $5,000 within 180 days of Account opening†.
• Earn a Birthday Bonus of up to 10,000 TD Rewards Points†.
• To receive the first-year annual fee rebate, you must activate your Card and make your first Purchase on the Account within the first 3 months after Account opening.
• To receive the first Additional Cardholder first-year annual fee rebate, you must add your first Additional Cardholder by June 4, 2024.
• Earn 8 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend when you book travel through Expedia® For TD†.
• Earn 6 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend on Groceries and Restaurants†.
• Earn 4 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend on regularly recurring bill payments set up on your Account†.
• Earn 2 TD Rewards Points For every $1 you spend on other Purchases made using your Card† plus earn an annual Birthday Bonus† of up to 10,000 TD Rewards Points.
• No travel blackouts†, no seat restrictions† and no expiry† for your TD Rewards Points as long as your account is open and in good standing.
• Each year, you will receive one $100.00 TD Travel Credit on your first Eligible Travel Credit Purchase of $500.00 or more made with Expedia For TD and posted to the Account in a calendar year.
• Interest Rates: 20.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances.
• Go Places on Points: Your Points are worth more when you redeem through Expedia® For TD: Search over a million flights, hotels, packages and more! When you’re ready to book, you can redeem† your TD Rewards Points towards your travel purchase right away.
• Redeem your TD Rewards Points towards making purchases at Amazon.ca with Amazon Shop with Points. Conditions apply.
• Shop online through TDRewards.com Redeem your TD Rewards Points for great deals on a wide selection of merchandise and gift cards.
• Option to purchase TD Auto Club Membership†: and be covered 24 hours a day for emergency roadside assistance services in case something goes wrong when you are out on the road.
• Travel Medical Insurance†: Up to $2 million of coverage for the first 21 days. If you or your spouse is aged 65 or older, you are covered for the first 4 days of your trip. Additional top-up coverage is available.
• Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance†: For Trip Cancellation, up to $1,500 of coverage per insured person, with a maximum of $5,000 for all insured persons, and for Trip Interruption, up to $5,000 of coverage per insured person, with a maximum of $25,000 for all insured persons on the same covered trip.
• To be eligible, $60,000 (individual) or $100,000 (household) annual income is required. Also, you must have a Canadian credit file and be a Canadian resident of the age of majority in the province or territory where you live.
• †Terms and conditions apply.
• This offer is not available for residents of Quebec.
• The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) is not responsible for the contents of this site including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information on any TD product, please click the Apply Now button.

Best for: Airport lounge access

The platinum card® from american express.

• Unlock special experiences with the Platinum Card®.
• Earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® points – that’s up to $1,000 towards a weekend away.
• New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn 70,000 Welcome Bonus points after you charge $10,000 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
• Plus, earn 30,000 points when you make a purchase between 14 and 17 months of Cardmembership.
• Earn 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible dining and food delivery in Canada, 2points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible travel, and 1 point for every $1 in all other Card purchases.
• Access a $200 Annual Travel Credit through American Express Travel Online or Platinum® Card Travel Service.
• Enjoy a $200 Annual Dining Credit at some of Canada’s best restaurants.
• Unlock $200 or more in additional value with Member extras. You can earn statement credits for qualifying purchases with participating brands.
• Take full advantage of The American Express Global Lounge Collection™ which unlocks access to over 1300 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience.
• Enjoy flexible ways to use your points such as statement credits for any eligible purchase charged to your Card, new travel purchases booked on American Express Travel Online through the Flexible Points Travel Program, and eligible flights through the Fixed Points Travel Program.
• Transfer points 1:1 to several frequent flyer and other loyalty programs.
• Enjoy complimentary benefits that offer an average value of $600 USD at over 1,500 extraordinary properties worldwide when you book Fine Hotels + Resorts
• Platinum Cardmembers can enjoy access to special events and unique opportunities.
• Enjoy premium benefits at the Toronto Pearson Airport.
• You will also have access to many leading hotel and car rental companies’ loyalty programs. Our partners include Marriott International, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Hertz and Avis.
• Interest applies in accordance with your Cardmember Agreement, Information Box, and Disclosure statement if the total New Balance is not paid by the Payment Due Date each month. All payments must be received by the Payment Due Date shown on the monthly statement.
• American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, NerdWallet may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Best for: Aeroplan points

American express® aeroplan® reserve card.

• New American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Cardmembers can earn up to 85,000 Aeroplan points.
• Earn 60,000 Aeroplan points after spending $7,500 in purchases on your Card within the first 3 months.
• Plus, earn an additional 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $2,500 in purchases in month 13.
• That’s up to $2,600 or more in value when you combine your welcome bonus points and card benefits.
• New Offer: Cardmembers can now get an extra night free for every 3 consecutive hotel nights redeemed with Aeroplan points. Offer ends December 31, 2024.
• Highest Air Canada earn rate on an Aeroplan payment card in Canada: Earn 3X the points on eligible purchases made directly with Air Canada®* and Air Canada Vacations®*.
• Standard Earn Rate: Earn 2X the points on eligible Dining and Food Delivery purchases in Canada and earn 1.25X the points on everything else.
• Get through the airport quicker with Air Canada Priority Check-In, Air Canada Priority Boarding and Air Canada Priority Baggage Handling.
• Enjoy access to select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges™* and Air Canada Café™ in North America for you and a guest, with a same day ticket on a departing Air Canada or Star Alliance flight.
• Enjoy your eligible first checked bag free for up to 9 people travelling on the same reservation on Air Canada flights.
• Roll over any unallocated Aeroplan Elite™* Status Qualifying Miles and unused eUpgrade Credits to the following year to enjoy during your travels.
• Get access to more than 1,200 Priority Pass™ airport lounges and enjoy an oasis of comfort before your flight, regardless of your airline or cabin class.
• Insurance Coverage: whether you’re shopping nearby or travelling abroad, you can feel confident knowing you can be taken care of.
• American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, NerdWallet may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Best for: Hotel rewards

Marriott bonvoy® american express®* card.

• Travel to new heights with the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card.
• Earn up to 80,000 Points:
• New Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Cardmembers, earn 65,000 Welcome Bonus points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
• Plus, earn an additional 3 points for a total of 5 points on every $1 spent on eligible travel and gas purchases in your first 6 months (up to 15,000 points).
• Offer ends May 6, 2024.
• Earn 5 points for every dollar in eligible Card purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®.
• Earn 2 points for every $1 in all other Card purchases.
• Receive an Annual Free Night Award for up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide every year after your first anniversary.
• No annual fee on Additional Cards.
• Redeem points for free nights with no blackout dates at over 7,000 of the world’s most desired hotels.
• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status membership.
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card. These can be used towards attaining the next level of Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program.
• Enjoy an automatic upgrade to Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card each year or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your card.
• American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. Conditions Apply. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, NerdWallet may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Best for: British Airways flyers

Rbc® british airways visa infinite‡.

• Intro offer: Get Up to 60,000 Aviosˆ: Receive 15,000 Avios as welcome bonus upon approval. 35,000 bonus Avios when you spend $6,000 CAD in the first 3 months. Another 10,000 bonus Avios after your first yearˆ.
• Earn 3X Avios when you shop with British Airways and BA Holidays*
• Earn 2X Avios for every $1 spent on qualifying dining spend*
• Earn 1X Avios for every $1 CAD spent on qualifying net purchases*
• Earn a companion voucher when you spend $30,000 CAD annually. You can either take a companion with you or fly solo instead for a 50% Avios discount on the cost of one reward seat ticket. Plus, you’ll have the flexibility to pay a lower, flat fee to cover taxes, fees and carrier charges and a fixed Avios amount when you make a Reward Flight booking.
• Eligible members who spend a minimum of $30,000 CAD on qualifying purchases on their card in a calendar year (“calendar year” refers to the time period starting from January 1 and ending December 31) will receive a maximum of one Companion Voucher for that calendar year. See ba.com/rbc-visa for full terms and conditions.
• 10% off British Airways flights when you book and pay with your card∞
• Redeem for flights and more – you can spend your Avios on all of the travel things you love, including cabin upgrades with British Airways or reward flights with British Airways and any of the oneworld partner airlines to almost 1,000 destinations worldwide**
• Comprehensive Insurances including 31–day out of country/province emergency medical insurance¹, flight delay insurance², hotel burglary³ and rental car⁴ insurance. Even eligible purchases you make with the card are protected³.
• Luxury Visa Infinite benefits⁵ such as first in line service for exclusive events and hotel and dining exclusives via www.visainfinite.ca
• Complimentary 24/7 Concierge Service⁵.
• Link your RBC card with a Petro-Points membership to instantly save 3₵ per litre on fuel at Petro-Canada stations and earn 20% more Petro-Points and 20% more Avion points
• Get $0 delivery fees for 12 months from DoorDash
• Link your RBC British Airways Visa Infinite card with a Rexall Be Well account and get 50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall. Redeem Be Well points faster for savings in store on eligible purchases where 25,000 Be Well points = $10
• Eligibility: This card requires a minimum personal income of $60,000 or a minimum household income of $100,000. Must also be a Canadian resident of the age of majority in the province or territory of residence.
• Corresponding legal references and product terms are available on the RBC website, which will be available and agreed upon in the customer onboarding process.

Best for: AIR MILES rewards

Bmo air miles®† world elite®* mastercard®*.

• Welcome offer: Get 2,000 AIR MILES Bonus Miles and we’ll waive the $120 annual fee for the first year.*
• Get 3x the Miles for every $12 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners and 2x the Miles for every $12 spent at any eligible grocery store*.
• Earn 1 reward mile for every $12 in credit card purchases, everywhere you spend.*
• Get valuable benefits and offers for digital everyday services from a variety of on-demand apps and subscription services.
• Use your card at Costco.*
• Extended Warranty.
• Access over 1 million Wi-Fi hotspots around the world – all at no added cost, and no added fees or roaming charges.*
• Complimentary membership in Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass.*
• Use less Miles with our exclusive 25% discount on one worldwide AIR MILES flight redemption during the calendar year.*
• BMO AIR MILES World Elite Travel and Medical Protection.*
• BMO Concierge Service.*
• Unlock Mastercard Travel Rewards cashback offers when you travel and shop outside of Canada.
• *Terms and conditions apply.
• BMO is not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click on the Apply now link for the most up to date information.

Best for: Newcomers to Canada

Scotiabank passport™ visa infinite* card.

• Earn up to $1,100+ in value in the first 12 months, including up to 35,000 bonus Scene+ points and first year annual fee waived on your first supplementary card. Offer Ends January 3, 2024.
• The only major bank credit card offering you no foreign transaction fees, including for shopping online or abroad.
• Your Award Winning Card For Travel.
• Earn 2 Scene+ points on every $1 you spend on eligible grocery stores, dining, entertainment purchases, and daily transit purchases (including buses, subways, taxis and more).
• Earn 1 Scene+ point on every $1 you spend on all other eligible purchases.
• You’ll earn 3X Scene+ points for each dollar charged to your account on all eligible purchases¹ at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés TradItIon, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
• Airport lounge access through complimentary Visa Airport Companion Program membership, plus six complimentary lounge visits per year from the date of enrollment, providing you with access to 1,200+ airport lounges globally, including participating Plaza Premium Lounges.
• Visa Infinite* benefits including Visa Infinite Concierge, Visa Infinite* Luxury Hotel Collection, Visa Infinite* Dining Series, and Entertainment & Lifestyle Offers.
• Access to Scotia SelectPay™.
• To be eligible, $60,000 (individual) or $100,000 (household) annual income is required, or a minimum assets under management of $250,000. Also, you must have a Canadian credit file and be a Canadian resident of the age of majority in the province or territory where you live.

If this card doesn’t seem like a good fit for your wallet, take a look at NerdWallet’s selection of the best newcomer credit cards to help find the right option for you.

Best for: Cash back

Bmo cashback® world elite®* mastercard®*.

• Welcome offer: Get up to 10% cash back in your first 3 months and the $120 annual fee waived in the first year.*
• Earn more cash back on the categories that mean the most: 5% on groceries.* 4% on transit including ride sharing, taxis and public transportation.* 3% on gas and electric vehicle charging.* 2% on recurring bill payments like your monthly phone bill or favourite streaming service.* 1% unlimited cashback on all other purchases.*
• Get the highest cash back earn rate on groceries in Canada.†
• Extended Warranty Plus.*
• Purchase Protection Plus.*
• Complimentary membership in Mastercard Airport Experiences provided by LoungeKey.*
• Complimentary Roadside Assistance Program.*
• BMO CashBack World Elite Travel and Medical Protection.*
• †Statement based on a comparison of the non-promotional grocery rewards earn rate on Canadian cash back credit cards as of January 4, 2023.

Best for: WestJet flyers

Westjet rbc world elite mastercard.

• Get up to $450 in WestJet dollars¹ with the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard. Plus, get a Round-Trip Companion Voucher Every Year – for any WestJet destination starting from $119 CAD³ (plus taxes, fees, charges and other ATC).
• Get free first checked bags for the primary cardholder and up to 8 guests on the same reservation⁴
• Earn WestJet dollars 1.5% on everyday purchases and 2% on flights or packages with WestJet or WestJet Vacations⁸
• WestJet dollars never expire¹⁰ Use your WestJet dollars to book flights anytime so you can travel when and where you want.
• No blackout periods.
• Travel coverage including emergency medical insurance²⁰ as well as trip interruption insurance²¹, hotel burglary¹⁸ and rental car insurance¹⁸. Even eligible purchases you make on the card are protected.
• Link your RBC card with a Petro-Points membership to and instantly save 3₵ per litre on fuel¹² and always earn 20% more Petro-Points¹³ at Petro-Canada.
• Free Boingo Wifi for Mastercard holders¹¹ at over 1 million hot spots.
• Get $0 delivery fees for 12 months from DoorDash^. Add your eligible RBC credit card to your DoorDash account to: Get a 12-month complimentary DashPass subscription± – a value of almost $120. Enjoy unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more when you pay with your eligible RBC credit card.
• Eligibility: This card requires a minimum personal income of $80,000 or a minimum household income of $150,000. Must also be a Canadian resident of the age of majority in the province or territory of residence.

Best for: Aventura points

Cibc aventura® gold visa* card.

• Earn up to 35,000 Aventura Points (up to $800 in value) during your first year. Receive 15,000 Aventura Points when you spend $3,000 or more in the first 4 monthly statement periods.
• Get a one-time annual fee rebate ($139) for you (the primary cardholder) and up to three authorized users ($50 each): over $189 value.
• Enjoy 4 complimentary visits with the Visa Airport Companion Program.
• Plus, get a NEXUS Application Fee rebate: a $50 value.
• Offer applies to newly approved card accounts only.
• 2x for every $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre.
• 1.5x on for every $1 spent at eligible gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, grocery stores and drug stores, up to $80,000 annual spend.
• 1x for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• 1x for every $4.00 spent on a CIBC Global Money Transfer, through June 30, 2022.
• Redeem points for airline tickets, merchandise, gift cards and more.
• Apply points to your CIBC Aventura card balance or select CIBC financial products.
• $139 annual fee.
• Access to more than 1,300 airport lounges across the globe. Priority Pass membership with 4 complimentary lounge visits a year. Zip in and out of the country with a rebate on one NEXUS™ application fee every 4 years.
• Fly any airline with points that don’t expire.
• Use Aventura Points to cover full airfare including taxes and fees.
• Link your Journie Rewards card to save on every fill-up at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron gas stationsabout the features of this card.
• Visa’s Zero Liability Policy and Fraud Alerts.
• Valuable insurance included: Out-of-Province Emergency Travel Medical Insurance, Flight Delay and Baggage Insurance, Auto Rental Collision and Loss Damage Insurance, $500,000 Common Carrier Accident Insurance, Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance, Hotel Burglary Insurance and Mobile Device Insurance.
• Access to installment plans through CIBC Pace It.
• Preferred rates: 20.99% for purchases, and 22.99% for cash advances (21.99% for Quebec residents).
• To be eligible, a $15,000 individual annual income is required and you must be a Canadian resident that has reached the age of majority in your province.

Best for: Students

Cibc aeroplan® visa card for students.

• 1x Aeroplan points per dollar on gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries and Air Canada travel purchases, up to $40,000 annual spend.
• 1x Aeroplan points per $1.50 spent on all other purchases, including gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries and Air Canada travel purchases that exceed the $40,000 threshold.
• Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partners and 170+ online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore.
• Aeroplan Points never expire and can be redeemed for a variety of travel, merchandise, gift card, and other rewards offered by Aeroplan’s participating partners and suppliers.
• $0 annual fee.
• Get three free months of Uber Pass for discounts on rides, meals and more. Offer ends September 8, 2022.
• Earn 1 Aeroplan point for every $6 spent on CIBC Global Money Transfer, with no transaction fees or interest as long as you pay your balance on time. Offer ends June 30, 2022.
• Maximize your points by adding up to three additional cards and giving them to your spouse or other family members. Points can be shared with other Aeroplan members in your household.
• Earn points by using your CIBC Aeroplan Visa to automatically make recurring bill payments.
• Receive preferred pricing when paying for flights with your Aeroplan points.
• Save up to 25% on car rentals at participating Budget and Avis locations worldwide when paying with your card.
• Save up to 10 cents per litre at participating Chevron, Ultramar and Pioneer gas stations if you link your card with Journie Rewards.
• Use the CIBC Pace It feature to make installment payments on large purchases.
• Four types of insurance are provided: auto rental collision and loss damage insurance, purchase security, extended protection insurance, and $100,000 in common carrier accident insurance.
• Preferred rates: 20.99% for purchases, 22.99% for cash advances.
• To be eligible, you must have full-time status in a college or university.

Best for: Businesses

Td® aeroplan® visa* business card.

• Earn up to 60,000 Aeroplan points¹, with no Annual Fee in the first year¹. Conditions Apply. Account must be opened by June 3, 2024.
• Earn 2 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Air Canada, including Air Canada Vacations.
• Earn 1.5 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on eligible travel, dining and select business categories, such as shipping, internet, cable and phone services.
• Earn 1 Aeroplan point for every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• Earn points twice when paying with a TD Aeroplan Visa Business Card and providing an Aeroplan number at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and more than 170 online retailers via the Aeroplan eStore.
• Points can be redeemed for flights, hotels, merchandise, gift cards and more. They can also be used to pay down the card’s balance.
• Linked cards earn 50% more Aeroplan points and Stars at participating Starbucks stores.
• $149 annual fee — rebated in the first year.
• Free first checked bag for up to 9 people travelling on the same reservation on Air Canada flights.
• One free one-time guest pass to Maple Leaf Lounges for every $10,000 in net purchases. Maximum of 4 passes a year.
• Reach Aeroplan Elite Status more quickly by earning 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and one Status Qualifying Segment for every $5,000 in net purchases.
• Access online reporting, review business expenses, managing existing credit limits and apply spend controls through the TD Card Management Tool.
• Visa SavingsEdge program: save up to 25% on eligible business purchases.
• Travel benefits: travel medical insurance (up to $2 million in coverage for the first 15 days for those under 65; coverage lasts for 4 days for those 65 and older); common carrier travel accident insurance (up to $500,000 for covered losses), trip cancellation insurance (up to $1,500 per insured person; maximum of $5,000), trip interruption insurance (up to $5,000 per insured person; maximum of $25,000), flight/trip delay insurance (up to $500 if a flight or trip is delayed for longer than 4 hours), delayed and lost baggage insurance (up to $1,000 of overall coverage per insured person), auto rental collision/loss damage insurance (covers the full cost of a car rental for up to 48 days), hotel/motel burglary insurance (up to $2,500), mobile device insurance (up to $1,000 in coverage).
• Toll-free emergency travel assistance services.
• Receive a rebate of up to $100 on NEXUS enrolment application/renewal fee costs once every 48 months.
• Save a minimum of 10% on the lowest available base rates in Canada and the U.S., and a minimum of 5% on the lowest base rates internationally on qualifying car rentals at participating Avis and Budget locations.
• Visa Zero Liability protection, Verified by Visa and instant alerts to prevent fraudulent card use.
• Purchase security and extended warranty protection.
• Minimum credit limit of $1,000.
• Interest rates: 14.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances.

Best for: USD purchases

Rogers™ mastercard®.

• No annual fee.
• 10% cashback on eligible purchases for the first three months, up to $1,000 spend.
• 2% unlimited cash back on all eligible purchases if you have 1 qualifying service with Rogers, Fido or Shaw.
• For cardholders who don’t have a qualifying service, earn 2% unlimited cash back on U.S. dollar purchases and 1% unlimited cash back on all other eligible purchases.
• 1.5x More cash back every time you redeem for Rogers, Fido or Shaw purchases – that’s a 3% cash back value.
• Get five free Roam Like Home days in 185 destinations for talk, text and data.
• Pay your bill using your mobile phone device.
• Transaction monitoring and fraud alerts.
• Balance protection insurance helps pay your minimum payment in the event of illness, disability or job loss.
• To apply, you must be the age of majority, be a resident of Canada, and have not filed for bankruptcy in the last seven years or have worked with a trustee under a formal Consumer Proposal.

Best for: Rewards on travel spending

Td® aeroplan® visa infinite privilege* credit card.

• Earn up to $2,900 in value† including up to 85,000 Aeroplan points (enough for a round trip to Honolulu†) and additional travel benefits. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.
• Earn a welcome bonus of 20,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card†.
• Earn an additional 40,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $10,000 within 180 days of Account opening†.
• Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $15,000 within 12 months of Account opening†.
• Earn 2 points† for every $1 spent on eligible purchases made direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®).
• Earn 1.5 points† for every $1 spent on eligible gas, grocery, travel and dining purchases.
• Earn 1.25 points† for every $1 spent on all other purchases made with your Card.
• Earn points twice when you pay with your Card and provide your Aeroplan number at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and at 170+ online retailers via the Aeroplan eStore.
• Global Airport Lounge Access†: Receive a complimentary membership to the Visa Airport Companion† Program hosted by Dragonpass International Ltd. and take advantage of six lounge visits included for each Cardholder per membership year at over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide. Enroll through the Visa Airport Companion App or through visaairportcompanion.ca
• Complimentary Visa Infinite Concierge† : On-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Visa Infinite Concierge can help with any Cardholder request — big or small, to help you get the most out of life whenever you travel, shop and use your Card.
• Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection†: Receive seven exclusive benefits when you book your stay through the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection featuring over 900 of the world’s most intriguing properties. Enjoy an additional 8th benefit at over 200 properties, exclusively for Visa Infinite Privilege cardholders.
• Travel Medical Insurance†: Up to $5 million of coverage for the first 31 days. If you or your spouse is aged 65 or older, you are covered for the first 4 days of your trip. Additional top-up coverage is available.
• Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance†: For Trip Cancellation coverage of up to $2,500 per insured person, with a maximum of $5,000 for all insured persons, and for Trip Interruption coverage of up to $5,000 per insured person, with a maximum of $25,000 for all insured persons on the same covered trip.
• Flight/Trip Delay Insurance†: Up to $1,000 in coverage per insured person if your flight/trip is delayed for over 4 hours.
• Delayed and Lost Baggage Insurance†: For delayed baggage over 4 hours, up to $1,000 of coverage per insured person for the purchase of essentials, such as clothing and toiletries. For lost baggage, up to $2,500 of coverage per insured person.
• Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance†: Up to $500,000 of coverage for covered losses while travelling on a common carrier (for example, a bus, ferry, plane, train or auto rental).
• Save time at the border with NEXUS: Enroll for a NEXUS and once every 48 months get an application fee rebate (up to $100 CAD)†. Additional Cardholders can also take advantage of this NEXUS rebate.
• To be eligible, $150,000 annual personal income or $200,000 household annual income is required. Also, you must have a Canadian credit file and be a Canadian resident of the age of majority in the province or territory where you live.

Best for: NEXUS rebates

Cibc aventura visa infinite card.

• Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre.
• Earn 1.5 points for every $1 spent at eligible gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, grocery stores and drug stores, up to $80,000 annual spend.
• Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on other purchases or on category spending in excess of the $80,000 annual limit.
• Earn 1 Aventura Point for every $4.00 spent on a CIBC Global Money Transfer. There are no transaction fees, and you won’t be charged interest as long as you pay your balance by the payment due date.
• Use Aventura Points to cover full airfare, including taxes and fees.
• To redeem your points for hotel stays, vacation packages, cruises, merchandise, gift cards and one-of-a-kind activities, visit the CIBC Rewards Centre.
• Use your Aventura Points to help pay down your credit card balance or contribute them to select financial products.
• Enjoy an annual fee rebate every year for the primary cardholder of up to $139 if you have a CIBC Smart Plus Account.
• Out-of-province emergency travel medical insurance.
• Flight delay and baggage insurance.
• Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance.
• Auto rental collision and loss damage insurance.
• $500,000 common carrier accident insurance.
• Purchase security and extended protection insurance.
• Hotel burglary insurance.
• Mobile device insurance.
• Kick back in a comfortable lounge before boarding and enjoy your four complimentary visits with the Visa Airport Companion Program. Zip in and out of the country with a rebate on one NEXUS application fee every four years.
• Score luxury upgrades, tickets and tours through Visa Infinite Exclusive Offers.
• Fly any airline with points that don’t expire. Access personalized travel booking and trip planning with no booking fees through the Aventura Travel Assistant.
• Link your Journie Rewards card to save on every fill-up at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron gas stations.
• To be eligible, a $60,000 individual or $100,000 household minimum annual income is required.

Best prepaid card

Ac™ conversion visa* prepaid card.

• General fees and features: There’s no fee to order the card, no fee to load it, and no annual fee.
• Purchases: No fees for CAD purchases and no conversion fees when you make a purchase in one of 10 supported foreign currencies. There’s a 2.5% foreign conversion fee for transactions made in a currency other than the 10 supported currencies. The daily (24-hour) maximum point-of-sale purchase limit is $2,999.99 CAD equivalent.
• Reload methods: To load funds onto your card, use your mobile app or sign onto your account at acconversion.cibc.com. The website also works on your phone or tablet on the go. The maximum load amount for a single transaction is $2,999.99 CAD equivalent.
• Lock in a great exchange rate each time you load. That means you don’t have to worry about exchange rate fluctuations. Plus, there’s no extra conversion fee.
• Shop with foreign currency on global e-commerce sites.
• Manage your funds from the palm of your hand with the AC conversion App. Reload as you go so you never run out of currency on your trip. Check your balance, keep track of your spending, transfer money from one currency to another, and retrieve your PIN.
• Protected by advanced chip and PIN technology to minimize fraud and theft. It also comes with Emergency Card Replacement Service, Emergency Cash Service and Protection from unauthorized use of cards or account information.
• Sign up for your card online or at a CIBC Banking Centre in Pearson Airport. You don’t need to be a CIBC client to order a card. No credit check is required.

Best for: Premium travel perks

Cibc aeroplan® visa infinite privilege card.

• Get up to 110,000 Points: You’ll receive 20,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase, another 30,000 points if you spend $6,000 or more during your first four monthly statement periods, and 60,000 more points as an additional anniversary bonus if you have at least $25,000 in net eligible purchases posted on your account during the first 12 monthly statement periods. This offer only applies to newly approved card accounts.
• 2x Aeroplan points on Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada Travel Vacations.
• 1.5x Aeroplan points on gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries, travel and dining, up to annual $100,000 spend.
• 1.25x Aeroplan points on other purchases.
• Earn points twice by providing your Aeroplan number at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore.
• Points can be redeemed for flights, car rentals and hotel stays, as well as complete vacation packages like cruises and all-inclusive resort visits. Points can also be redeemed for gift cards and merchandise sold through the Aeroplan eStore.
• $599 annual fee, which can be reduced by up to $139 each year if you have a CIBC Smart Plus account.
• An annual Worldwide Companion Pass, worth up to $599, to any destination in the world that Air Canada flies when you spend $25,000 on your card.
• Exclusive access to Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Program, Visa Infinite Dining Series and the Visa Infinite Wine Country Program.
• Reach Aeroplan Elite status sooner by earning 1,000 Status Qualifying miles and one Status Qualifying segment for every $5,000 you spend on eligible purchases.
• Save up to 25% on car rentals at participating Avis and Budget locations.
• Authorized users can access travel benefits when travelling without you by linking their Aeroplan number.
• Access to CIBC Pace It, an installment plan designed to help you pay off large or unexpected purchases over time at a lower interest rate.
• 13 types of insurance provided, including 31-day travel medical benefits (10 days if you’re 65 or older on your departure date) — worth up to $5 million in coverage per insured person.
• To be eligible, $150,000 (individual) or $200,000 (household) annual income is required. You must be a Canadian resident who has reached the age of majority in your province or territory and who hasn’t made a bankruptcy claim in the last seven years.

Honourable mention: Flat-rate rewards

Cwb world elite® mastercard®.

• Reward yourself faster by earning 2 points for every $1 spent on your purchases, up to a $25,000 annual spending limit. After that, earn 1 point per $1 spent.
• Earn more with CWB Rewards partners by earning up to 30 rewards points on every $1 spent.
• Redeem CWB Rewards powered by Brim as cash back or to pay for purchases.
• Free Global Wi-Fi access to over 1 million Boingo Wi-Fi hotspots.
• Lounge access, exclusive restaurant offers, airport transfers and security fast track with Mastercard Travel Pass.
• Feel fully protected with 15 types of insurance coverage, including mobile device insurance.
• To be eligible, an $80,000 annual income or $150,000 household income is required.

Methodology: How we evaluate cards

NerdWallet Canada selects the best travel rewards credit cards based on overall consumer value as well as their suitability for specific kinds of travellers. Factors in our  evaluation methodology  include each card’s annual fee, foreign transaction fees, rewards earning rates, ease of use, redemption options, domestic and international acceptance, promotional APR period, bonus offers, insurance offers, and cardholder perks such as automatic statement credits and airport lounge access.

Summary of the best travel credit cards

Travel rewards credit cards earn points or miles as a reward for making eligible purchases. The type and rate of rewards you earn depends on the travel credit card you have. Additionally, how you can use those rewards may depend on the loyalty program associated with your card.

Why get a travel credit card?

Travel rewards credit cards account for 22% of credit cards in Canada, according to a 2021 report by Payments Canada. Outside reduced travel costs, travel cards can offer travel insurance, airport lounge access , baggage fee discounts, no foreign transaction fees and more. The right travel credit card can help you plan trips and access upgraded services that may have once been out of reach.

Types of travel credit cards in Canada

Generally speaking, there are three different categories of travel rewards credit cards. Knowing how they differ will help you determine what card is best for you.

General travel rewards credit cards

If you’re not loyal to one specific airline or hotel chain, then a general travel rewards program is something that will interest you. The points you earn can typically be used for any type of travel redemption, such as airfare, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and even vacation packages. Since your points don’t belong to one specific program, you have more options.

Some general travel rewards credit cards only allow you to use your points when booking travel through their online portal, while others let you use your points for any travel purchases you charge to your card.

Airline rewards credit cards

Airline credit cards allow you to earn points or miles for a specific airline. What’s interesting about airline credit cards is that the points you earn can usually be used on any airline that’s part of their network.

For example, Aeroplan is the loyalty program for Air Canada. Even if you don’t have one of the best Aeroplan credit cards, you can redeem your points for a flight on any carrier that’s part of the Star Alliance network. There are also some general travel rewards programs, such as Air Miles , that also earn miles and can offer some additional value.

Depending on the tier of your airline rewards credit card, you may get additional perks such as free checked bags, priority boarding and increased status. Having an airline credit card is highly lucrative if you frequently fly with one airline or network.

Hotel rewards credit cards

While some people love the idea of free flights, getting a luxury stay at a nice hotel appeals to other people. Some would argue that hotel rewards are better than airline rewards since some hotel chains have a greater reach. For example, Marriott has over 7,000 properties in 130+ countries, so no matter where you’re travelling, it won’t be hard to find a room where you can use your points.

Hotel rewards credit cards will also typically include benefits that will make your stay more comfortable. For instance, you could get early check-in and late check-out. You could also get free high speed WiFi or enhanced status.

Additional rewards to look for in a travel card

Besides the main rewards categories that come with travel credit cards, consider the additional perks that are included. These extra perks can often be the thing that helps you choose one card over another.

Consider the following benefits that often come with travel rewards credit cards:

• Free checked bags. Airlines charge anywhere from $30-$60 per checked bag, each way, so getting free checked bags can save you a fair amount of money.
• Airport lounge access. Some credit cards include airport lounge access , plus free annual lounge passes. These benefits could easily have a value of over $300, so it can offset any annual fee you might pay.
• Travel insurance. An extensive travel insurance package is included on some credit cards. This could cover things such as medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, and more.
• No foreign transaction fees. Many credit cards charge a 2.5% fee when you make a purchase in any currency that’s not Canadian dollars. You simply pay the straight exchange rate if your card has no foreign transaction fees .
• Extended warranty. Many credit cards will lengthen your warranty up to one additional year as long as you charge the full cost of the purchase to your card.
• Price protection. If you find a lower price after making a purchase, some credit cards will give you back the difference if it falls within a specific period.
• Concierge service. A credit card concierge can help you with basic tasks such as booking travel, ordering fits and securing event tickets.

As you can see, the list of additional benefits you can get with your travel rewards credit cards can be pretty extensive. Some of the best travel credit cards in Canada will have many of the above benefits, but not all of them. Always prioritize the perks that are important to you when applying for a credit card .

Travel credit card pros and cons

• Earn points or miles to reduce travel costs, like discounted flights and hotel stays.
• Get additional perks, like travel insurance, discounted baggage fees, airport lounge access and more.
• Earn introductory bonus points when you sign up for certain travel credit cards.
• Some cards let you transfer points to airline and hotel loyalty programs.
• Many travel credit cards carry annual fees.
• Blackout periods may restrict when you can redeem your points.
• Introductory bonus offers may require you to spend a large sum of money in a short period of time.
• Some travel rewards points expire if you don’t use them quickly enough.

Using travel rewards

Understanding travel credit card earn rates.

The earn rate on a travel credit card is the number of rewards points or miles you earn on each dollar spent.

Some cards offer a flat rate, meaning you earn the same rewards on every purchase. For example, you may earn 2 points for every $1 you spend with your card.

Most rewards credit cards have a tiered rewards structure when making purchases. The type of structure can vary quite a bit between cards. For example, you may have an accelerated earn rate on purchases made in certain categories, such as travel, groceries, gas and drugstores. All other purchases will use the lower base earn rate.

Ideally, you want to choose a credit card with an accelerated earn rate that is aligned with your spending habits.

“You have to make sure the loyalty program is going to let you do what you want,” says Laura Scheck, vice president of credit cards at Scotiabank. “Or else you’ll end up with points that you can’t necessarily use. And no one wants to be in that situation. Points are fun!”

Additionally, travel credit cards may deliver additional points or miles when you make purchases with their main partner, if they have one. For example, an Aeroplan credit card gives you an accelerated earn rate on Air Canada purchases. Some loyalty programs even have a network of partners where you can earn additional points or miles.

How to calculate the value of travel credit card points

Knowing how to calculate the value of your points or miles is essential since not every redemption value is the same. By establishing a baseline value for your points, you can decide if specific redemptions are worth it — even if you’re not getting the maximum value.

The formula used to determine the value of one point is as follows:

Cash value of the redemption x 100 / number of points required = Cost per point

Let’s say you want to fly from Vancouver to Toronto, and it’s going to cost $585 in cash, or 25,000 Aeroplan points, plus $75 in taxes. You would use the following formula. Note that since you have to pay $75 in taxes, you’d have to subtract that amount from the cash value for an accurate assessment.

$510 x 100 / 25,000 = 2.04 cents per point

This formula can be applied to any redemption regardless of the loyalty program. For example, let’s say you want to redeem 13,400 points for a $100 gift card. Your formula would be the following:

$100 x 100 / 13,400 = .75 cents per point

The flight is a better bang for your points if these redemption options are available with the same program.

Do travel rewards points ever expire?

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a loyalty program member or how many points you’ve accumulated; you can lose everything if you’re not paying attention.

Generally speaking, most loyalty programs that belong to an airline or hotel have a defined expiry date of 12 – 18 months. However, that only applies if there’s been no account activity in your account during that time. If you earn or redeem just one point during that time, your clock would reset. Even if you’re not travelling anytime soon, you could make a small redemption or donate some points to ensure you don’t lose the rest of your points.

When it comes to bank credit card rewards programs, it’s unlikely your points will expire as long as your credit card account is in good standing. Your account would only fall out of good standing if it becomes delinquent or your credit card is used for fraudulent activity.

How to redeem travel credit card rewards

Some credit card rewards programs only let you redeem points or miles through their rewards portals. Others allow point redemption for any eligible purchase you make with your credit card.

Rewards programs offered through banks typically have their own website where you can make redemptions. They often have separate tabs where you can choose from travel, gift cards, merchandise, and financial rewards. While this can be handy, you’re typically limited to their offerings — what you see is what you get.

Airline and hotel loyalty programs will almost always allow you to redeem your points or miles directly on their website or mobile app. When searching for flights or hotels, you’ll likely see a box that says “use points.” The prices displayed will be in points, so you’ll know exactly how much you’ll need to make a redemption.

Knowing where to go to redeem your points is important, but you may also want to familiarize yourself with the different point redemption systems.

Travel reward point redemption options

Not all rewards programs are created equal, especially when it comes time to cash in your travel points. These three redemption models tend to be the most popular among travel credit cards:

Consistent points

Consistent points hold a constant value, regardless of season or travel destination. This point redemption model is the most transparent and user-friendly of the three.

Fluctuating points

The value of fluctuating points can be impacted by several factors, including travel destination and time of year. A point may carry less value when travelling during peak season instead of in the off-season. This model can make it challenging to determine the value of your points when trip planning. Look for any provider-issued charts or tables that outline what factors impact the value of your points.

Point transfers

Point transfers let you transfer points to affiliated rewards programs. This model may be useful for those trying to take advantage of multiple rewards programs. The catch? The value of your points may be different once they’ve been transferred, which means you’ll need to figure out the transfer ratio before you make a decision.

What to know about credit card travel insurance

For many, travel insurance is essential — especially when venturing outside Canada. While it’s likely the last thing you want to worry about when on vacation, medical emergencies happen. And your federal, provincial and territorial health plans may not cover the medical expenses you incur while travelling. That’s where travel insurance comes in.

Not only does travel insurance help cover medical expenses, it can also offer trip cancellation coverage, vehicle damage insurance, flight delay insurance and more.

You can get travel insurance from a third party, like a travel agent or insurance provider, but many travel credit cards offer it , too — and at no added cost to the cardholder.

Out-of-province travel emergency medical insurance

Travel medical insurance isn’t only for those travelling outside Canada; it can also provide coverage for those exploring another province or territory. Your provincial plan may not extend to emergency medical expenses incurred out of province. Out-of-province medical insurance can provide coverage for a range of medical needs and services, from prescription medication to emergency evacuations and hospital stays.

If your travel card offers out-of-province medical insurance, ask your provider about coverage limitations. Your medical expenses may not be covered if they’re the result of a pre-existing medical condition or high-risk activity, like bungee jumping or motorized racing.

Travel accident insurance

This type of insurance can be useful in the event of accidental injury or death while travelling on public or ticketed transportation, sometimes referred to as a common carrier. Some policies only cover accidents that happen on airplanes while others encompass a wider range of common transports, like trains, ships and buses.

Travel interruption/cancellation insurance

Trip cancellation coverage reimburses non-refundable travel expenses if your trip gets cancelled. Eligible cancellation circumstances may include dangerous weather conditions, pregnancy complications or the death of an immediate family member.

Trip interruption coverage activates once you’ve departed and reimburses non-refundable travel expenses if your trip is cut short. Again, not every circumstance will qualify for trip interruption coverage. Covered reasons for heading home ahead of schedule are often similar to those that qualify for cancellation coverage.

Flight delay insurance

Flight delays are frustrating, but they happen. If your flight is postponed and you need to book a place to stay or grab a bite to eat while you wait, flight delay insurance may reimburse those costs.

Lost/delayed baggage insurance

If your bags are delayed, this type of insurance will cover the cost of essential items you may need to purchase — like clothes or toiletries — while you wait for your bags to arrive. And if your bags are lost outright, you may be covered up to a predetermined amount for your lost property.

Rental car collision/loss damage insurance

If you plan to rent a car on your next trip, collision and damage insurance may come in handy. This insurance covers costs associated with theft or damage to your rental car. But it doesn’t replace liability insurance — the insurance that provides coverage if you injure someone or damage another vehicle on the road.

Your personal auto insurance policy may come with liability insurance that extends to rental vehicles, but contact your insurance provider to confirm you’re covered before you hit the road.

To take advantage of your credit card’s collision and damage insurance, you’ll need to decline coverage offered by your car rental company.

Hotel/motel burglary insurance

If your hotel or motel room is broken into while on the road, this coverage will reimburse you for the loss of stolen goods up to a set amount. Not all stolen items may be eligible for reimbursement.

How to choose the right travel credit card

Every credit card is good for at least one thing, so deciding on which card is best for you can be difficult. Here are some important criteria you can use to compare different travel credit card options.

Welcome bonus

If you’re trying to decide between several travel cards with similar rewards, the tiebreaker can often be the sign up bonus. Some credit cards offer a generous welcome offer that covers the annual fee or jumpstarts your rewards collection with thousands of free points or miles.

Every credit card has a base earn rate, but many of the best travel credit cards in Canada have an increased earn rate for specific bonus categories — like the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card, which offers up to 8x the points per dollar spent on travel through its online Expedia portal.

If you have a general travel credit card, you could earn extra points on categories such as groceries, gas, pharmacies and more, like the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card , which offers 2x the points on food, drink and groceries . The earn rate is essential since choosing a card that lines up with your spending habits can quickly increase the number of points or miles you earn.

If you’re firmly against paying an annual fee for your credit card, you’ll instantly narrow down your choices. That said, there are some instances where an annual fee is worth the cost . Travel credit cards with a yearly fee typically have more benefits than their fee-free counterparts.

Reward flexibility

Having a lot of points is meaningless if it’s hard to redeem them. Look for a loyalty or rewards program where you know you’ll be able to use your points without much trouble. This means programs with no blackout dates and multiple redemption options.

You’ll also want to consider whether the program has any transfer partners, as that’s another way to use your points. Additionally, knowing if and when your points expire is key to ensuring you don’t lose your hard-earned rewards.

Perks and benefits

Besides the type of rewards, welcome bonus and earn rate, additional perks may sweeten the deal and sway your decision.

“Lounge access is always very important,” says Scheck. “It’s nice to have as you’re catching your flight. It’s a little bit quieter — a bit of an oasis from the rest of the airport.”

Another make-or-break consideration? Foreign transaction fees. Scheck says they can really add up, especially if you’re making a lot of transactions while travelling. A card with no transaction fees, like the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card , can help you save in the long run.

Scout for travel card perks when comparing your options: 

• Seat upgrades.
• Room upgrades.
• Premium lounge passes.
• Entertainment ticket presale access.
• Car rental discounts.
• Priority check-in and boarding.
• Various types of credit card insurance.

How to apply for a travel rewards credit card in Canada

Make sure you’re eligible.

Different travel credit cards have different eligibility criteria, so check whether you meet a card’s requirements before you begin the sign-up process. Here are some general eligibility criteria you may encounter when applying for a travel credit card:

• Canadian resident with a Canadian credit file.
• Age of majority in the province or territory where you live.
• Minimum annual income thresholds.

Fill out the application

When you apply for a credit card , you’re typically able to follow an online application process that can be completed from the card issuer’s website. Here’s a general rundown of the application process:

• Review the card’s details, terms and conditions.
• Enter your personal information, including your full name, date of birth, residential address and mobile phone number.
• Enter your Social Insurance Number.
• Enter your financial information, including your annual income and monthly expenses.
• Verify your identity by submitting photos of your original government-issued ID, like your passport or Driver’s Licence.
• Review the information you’ve supplied and submit your application.

Keep in mind that applying for a credit card may impact your credit score .

Tips to maximize your travel credit card rewards

If you’ve decided that a travel credit card is for you, follow these few tips to ensure you get the most out of your credit card rewards .

• Pay your bills in full and on time, so you don’t pay any interest.
• Make sure you meet the minimum spending requirement to get your welcome bonus.
• Pay attention to your earn rate and use your rewards card on purchases that earn extra points.
• Research your rewards program so you know what you can do with your points or miles.
• Calculate the value of your points before making a redemption.
• See if your loyalty program has a partner network where you can earn additional points.

Although choosing a travel credit card may require you to do some research, the value you get is often worth it. Getting free stuff on points feels great, especially if it’s something you’ve been saving a long time for.

FAQs for Canada’s Travel Reward Credit Cards

Yes, travel credit card rewards can expire. Most loyalty programs that belong to an airline or hotel have a defined expiry date of 12 – 18 months. However, that only applies if there’s been no account activity in your account during that time. If you earn or redeem just one point during that time, your clock would reset.

When it comes to bank rewards programs, your points may never expire as long as your credit card account is in good standing. Of course, your account would only fall out of good standing if it becomes delinquent or you use your credit card for fraudulent activity.

In most cases, a good credit score — generally 660 to 724 — is required to get the best travel credit cards. However, some secured credit cards and prepaid options offer rewards, and are more suitable for people with lower credit scores.

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About the Author

Shannon Terrell is a lead writer and spokesperson for NerdWallet, where she writes about credit cards and personal finance. Previously, she was a writer, editor and video host for financial…