"What is the best travel credit card in Canada in 2026?"

"The best travel credit card in Canada depends on your travel style. For Aeroplan collectors and Air Canada flyers, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite offers strong earn rates and comprehensive travel insurance at $139/year. For flexible travel with no blackout dates, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite earns Scene+ points with no foreign transaction fee and includes 6 lounge passes. For maximum points earning on everyday spend, the American Express Cobalt Card earns 5x on food and drink with Membership Rewards transferable to Aeroplan."

"Which travel credit card has no foreign transaction fee in Canada?"

"Several Canadian travel cards waive the foreign transaction fee. The top no-FX travel cards are: Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite ($150/yr), Scotiabank Gold American Express ($120/yr), Brim World Elite Mastercard ($99/yr), Home Trust Preferred Visa ($0/yr), and Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard ($0/yr, though it charges FX and offsets with 3% earn). The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is the most popular choice combining no FX fee with lounge access and travel insurance."

"What income do I need for a travel credit card in Canada?"

"Most Visa Infinite travel cards require a minimum personal income of $60,000 or household income of $100,000. Visa Infinite Privilege cards typically require $150,000+. The American Express Cobalt and Amex Gold Rewards have no stated minimum income requirement. Mastercard World Elite cards typically require $80,000 personal or $150,000 household income. No-fee travel options like the Home Trust Preferred Visa have no income requirements."

"Is the Amex Cobalt Card the best travel rewards card in Canada?"

"The Amex Cobalt Card is widely considered the best everyday earn travel card in Canada due to its 5x earn rate on eligible food and drink purchases and the flexibility of Amex Membership Rewards — transferable to Aeroplan (1:1), British Airways Avios, and other programmes. Its limitation is Amex non-acceptance at Costco and some merchants. For pure travel redemption with broad acceptance, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite or Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite are stronger choices."

"Which is better for travel — Aeroplan or Scene+ points?"

"Aeroplan points are generally worth more for travel redemptions: 1.5–3+ cents per point for Air Canada and Star Alliance flights, with premium cabin sweet spots offering 2–5 cents per point. Scene+ points are fixed at approximately 1 cent per point for travel redemptions. Aeroplan wins on ceiling value; Scene+ wins on simplicity, no expiry with activity, and flexibility (no blackout dates on any travel booking through Scene+). Frequent Air Canada flyers should lean Aeroplan; casual travellers typically prefer Scene+."

Best Travel Credit Cards in Canada 2026

Travel credit cards in Canada fall into two broad camps: Aeroplan-focused cards that earn Air Canada miles and flexible travel cards that earn bank points redeemable on any trip. Both can deliver strong value — the right choice depends on how often you fly Air Canada and whether you want to optimise points for premium cabins or prefer simple, no-blackout-date redemptions.

Top Picks at a Glance

Card	Annual Fee	Programme	Best For
American Express Cobalt Card	$156	Amex MR → Aeroplan	Best overall earn; food & drink 5x
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite	$139	Aeroplan	Best Aeroplan card for most Canadians
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite	$150	Scene+	Best no-FX fee + lounge access
Scotiabank Gold American Express	$120	Scene+	Best everyday earn + no FX fee
CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite	$139	Aeroplan	Best Aeroplan card with CIBC banking
American Express Gold Rewards Card	$250	Amex MR	Best Amex MR with travel credits
RBC Avion Visa Infinite	$120	Avion / Avios	Best for British Airways Avios transfers
American Express Platinum Card	$799	Amex MR	Best ultra-premium travel card
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege	$599	Aeroplan	Best premium Aeroplan card
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business	$199	Scene+	Best no-FX business travel card

Best Overall Travel Card: American Express Cobalt Card

Annual fee: $156 ($12.99/month) | Network: Amex | Programme: Membership Rewards

The Amex Cobalt earns 5x Membership Rewards points per $1 at eligible restaurants, cafes, bars, and food delivery — more points per dollar on everyday spend than any comparable Canadian card. MR points transfer to Aeroplan at 1:1, British Airways Avios, and several other airline programmes. For Canadians who eat out regularly or order delivery, no card builds a travel balance faster.

Earn rates:

5x on eligible eats & drinks (restaurants, bars, food delivery, eligible grocery stores)
3x on eligible streaming subscriptions
2x on travel and transit
1x everywhere else

Key consideration: Amex is not accepted at Costco or some smaller merchants. Pair with a no-fee Visa or Mastercard for full coverage.

Full Amex Cobalt Card Review →

Best Aeroplan Card: TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite

Annual fee: $139 | Network: Visa | Programme: Aeroplan

The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite is the most-held Aeroplan credit card in Canada and the standard recommendation for Air Canada flyers. It earns 1.5 Aeroplan miles per $1 on grocery, gas, and drug store purchases, and 1x on everything else. Cardholders get a complimentary checked bag on Air Canada flights, preferred boarding, and a comprehensive travel insurance package including emergency medical, trip cancellation, and delayed baggage.

Why it wins for Aeroplan: The combination of 1.5x earn on three popular categories, the checked bag benefit (worth $30/trip), preferred boarding, and the coverage of Air Canada’s extensive Star Alliance network makes this the most practical Aeroplan card for the average Canadian traveller.

Full TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Review →

Also consider: CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite — near-identical benefits; choose based on your primary bank.

Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Card: Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite

Annual fee: $150 | Network: Visa | Programme: Scene+

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is the top choice for Canadians who want to eliminate the 2.5% foreign currency surcharge that most credit cards charge. It includes:

No foreign transaction fee on all purchases in any currency
6 complimentary airport lounge passes via Visa Airport Companion (DragonPass network)
3x Scene+ points on eligible grocery, dining, entertainment, and transit spend
2x Scene+ on all other purchases
Comprehensive travel insurance including emergency medical and trip cancellation

At $150, it is slightly pricier than some alternatives, but the lounge pass value ($35–$50 per visit at most Canadian airport lounges) alone can justify the annual fee for frequent travellers.

Full Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Review →

Best Everyday Travel Earn + No FX: Scotiabank Gold American Express

Annual fee: $120 | Network: Amex | Programme: Scene+

The Scotiabank Gold American Express earns 6 Scene+ points per $1 at eligible grocery stores (Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, FreshCo), restaurants, and food delivery — among the highest category earn rates in Canada. It also waives the foreign transaction fee, making it the rare card that both earns aggressively on everyday spending and saves 2.5% abroad.

Best suited to: Canadians who shop at Sobeys-owned grocery chains, travel occasionally, and want one card for both everyday earn and international use.

Full Scotiabank Gold American Express Review →

Best Premium Travel Card: American Express Platinum Card

Annual fee: $799 | Network: Amex | Programme: Membership Rewards

Canada’s most feature-rich travel card. The Amex Platinum includes:

Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access
$200 annual travel credit
$200 dining credit
Hotel elite status benefits (Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Honors Gold)
$100 NEXUS/TSA PreCheck credit
Amex Front of the Line presale access
Comprehensive travel insurance

At $799/year, the credits and benefits need to be actively used to justify the fee — for frequent travellers who will use the lounge access, dining credits, and hotel perks, the value delivered comfortably exceeds the cost.

Full Amex Platinum Card Review →

Best Travel Card for RBC Customers: RBC Avion Visa Infinite

Annual fee: $120 | Network: Visa | Programme: Avion Rewards

The RBC Avion Visa Infinite earns 1.75x Avion points on eligible travel purchases and 1.25x on everything else. Its unique strength is the ability to transfer Avion points to British Airways Avios — enabling low-cost short-haul award bookings between Canadian cities and US destinations that Aeroplan doesn’t price as competitively.

Full RBC Avion Visa Infinite Review →

Travel Cards by Category

Best for Lounge Access

American Express Platinum Card — Unlimited Priority Pass
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege — Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite — 6 complimentary DragonPass visits

Best for No Foreign Transaction Fee

Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite — No FX + lounge + Scene+
Scotiabank Gold American Express — No FX + 6x grocery earn
Home Trust Preferred Visa — No FX, no annual fee

Best for Aeroplan Miles

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite — Best mid-tier Aeroplan card
American Express Cobalt Card — Best earn rate; transfers to Aeroplan
CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite — CIBC banking alternative

Best for WestJet Flyers

RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard — WestJet dollars, free checked bag, companion voucher

How We Chose

Our picks are based on earn rates (verified against issuer websites), redemption value, annual fee relative to benefits delivered, and the specific needs of Canadian travellers — including Air Canada network access, FX fee policies, and Canadian loyalty programme compatibility. We update rates and rankings whenever issuers change card terms.

Always verify current card terms, earn rates, and welcome bonus conditions directly with the issuer before applying. Card benefits are subject to change.