Travel cards
Best travel credit cards in Canada
Reviewed November 3, 2026 by Thomas Tremblay
The best travel credit card in Canada depends on how you actually fly. If you can meet the income requirement and aren't tied to one airline, start with the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard: the fee is waived in year one, and it earns 5 points per dollar on eligible travel. If you spend a lot abroad, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite skips the foreign transaction fee that most cards charge.
A travel card earns points you can turn into flights and hotels, and many add perks like airport lounge passes and a free checked bag. The fees, welcome bonuses and first-year values below come from the Canooq credit card comparison and update with it.
The picks at a glance
| Card | Best for | Annual fee | First-year value |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMO Ascend World Elite MC | Best overall | $150 | $970 |
| Scotia Passport Visa Infinite+ | Best for spending abroad | $150 | $200 |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite | Best for Air Canada flyers | $139 | $375 |
| RBC WestJet World Elite MC | Best for WestJet flyers | $139 | $461 |
The picks
1. Best overall
BMO · Mastercard
BMO Ascend World Elite MC
BMO waives the first-year fee, pays 5x points on eligible travel and adds up to a $200 NEXUS credit in year one. You also get Mastercard Travel Pass with four free lounge passes a year.
Watch out: The biggest part of the bonus needs real spending, and the card asks for $80,000 of personal income or $150,000 for a household.
- Annual fee
- $150
- Welcome bonus
- 60,000 - 115,000 pts
- Minimum spend
- $5,000 - $20,000
- First-year value
- $970
2. Best for spending abroad
Scotia · Visa
Scotia Passport Visa Infinite+
There's no foreign transaction fee, so every purchase abroad skips the roughly 2.5 percent most cards add. It comes with six lounge passes a year, and the $150 fee can be rebated if you hold Scotiabank's Ultimate Package chequing account.
Watch out: The higher points rates cover groceries, dining, transit and entertainment, not flights themselves.
- Annual fee
- $150
- Welcome bonus
- 25,000 - 35,000 pts
- Minimum spend
- $2,000 - $40,000
- First-year value
- $200
3. Best for Air Canada flyers
TD · Visa
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
You and up to eight companions on the same reservation get a free first checked bag on trips that start on an Air Canada flight, which can pay for the fee in one family trip. TD also rebates the annual fee in year one and covers a NEXUS application once every 48 months.
Watch out: Part of the welcome bonus comes later and needs $12,000 of spending in the first year, so check that it fits your budget.
- Annual fee
- $139
- Welcome bonus
- 25,000 first-year pts + 25,000 anniversary pts
- Minimum spend
- $3,000
- First-year value
- $375
4. Best for WestJet flyers
RBC · Mastercard
RBC WestJet World Elite MC
You earn WestJet points, and you and up to eight guests on the same reservation get a free first checked bag when you pay with the card. The annual companion voucher is the big draw: if you fly WestJet with someone every year, it alone can outweigh the fee.
Watch out: After the first year, you get the voucher only when you spend at least $5,000 on the card that year.
- Annual fee
- $139
- Welcome bonus
- Up to 70,000 WestJet points
- Minimum spend
- $5,000
- First-year value
- $461
Pick the card that matches how you travel
Start with where your flights come from. A card tied to one airline pays off through free bags and vouchers, but only if you keep flying that airline. A flexible points card like BMO Ascend works with any airline, as long as you book eligible travel.
- You fly Air Canada a few times a year: an Aeroplan card, because the free bags add up quickly.
- You fly WestJet, especially with a partner: the WestJet card, because of the companion voucher.
- You buy a lot in other currencies: a card with no foreign transaction fee.
- You mix airlines or want lounge access: a flexible points card with lounge passes.
Work out what a welcome bonus is really worth
A welcome bonus is the pile of points a card gives you for spending a set amount in the first few months. Before you chase one, check that the spending target fits your normal budget. A bonus that needs $5,000 in three months asks for about $1,667 a month, and spending extra just to reach it can cost more than the points are worth.
Pay the full balance every month too. Credit card interest often runs above 20 percent, which wipes out the rewards fast.
Check the insurance before you buy separate coverage
Many travel cards include trip and medical insurance, but the coverage varies by card and usually has age and trip-length limits. Read the card's insurance certificate before you decline other coverage, and charge the trip to the card if the certificate requires it.
Coverage changes too: Rogers is dropping trip cancellation, interruption and delay insurance from its World Elite card on November 18, 2026.
Questions, answered
What is the best travel credit card in Canada?
For most people who can meet the income requirement, the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard has the most first-year value among these picks: the fee is waived in year one, it earns 5x on eligible travel and it comes with four lounge passes. If you fly Air Canada most of the time, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite usually fits better.
Which Canadian travel cards have no foreign transaction fee?
Most Canadian cards add about 2.5 percent to anything you buy in another currency. The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite doesn't, so a $3,000 trip abroad costs you about $75 less in fees than it would on a typical card.
Are points or cash back better for travel?
Points usually win if you'll book the flights or hotels the program rewards most, and cash back wins if you'd rather not think about it. Check what a point is worth before you compare: the same bonus can be worth far less when you spend it on merchandise instead of travel.
Do I need a high income for a travel credit card?
Visa Infinite cards usually ask for $60,000 of personal income or $100,000 for a household, and World Elite Mastercards usually ask for $80,000 or $150,000. If you're below that, look for a card with no income minimum in the full comparison before you apply.
Related guides
- Best credit cards for newcomers to Canada
The cards Canadian banks approve without a Canadian credit history, ranked by what they pay in your first year.
Offers, fees, rewards, income requirements, and approval criteria change without notice. Canooq checked the perks described on this page on November 3, 2026 against issuer pages; fees, bonuses and first-year values come from the comparison table. Issuers make all approval decisions. Some links pay Canooq a commission, which never changes how a card is ranked. See the Why trust Canooq?.