Business travel puts unique demands on a credit card: earn rates on flights and hotels, comprehensive travel insurance for employees, airport lounge access for long layovers, and ideally no foreign transaction fee on international purchases. The best Canadian business travel credit cards address all of these needs while also building loyalty currency for future travel.
Best Business Travel Cards at a Glance
| Card | Annual Fee | Key Travel Benefit | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Business Platinum | $799 | 1,200+ lounges globally, $200 travel credit | Premium travel + lounge access |
| Amex Business Gold | $199 | 2x MR on top spend categories | Mid-range business travel |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Business Infinite | $149 | 1.5x Aeroplan miles on all spend | Air Canada loyalty |
| CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Infinite | $180 | 1.5x Aeroplan miles on all spend | CIBC banking customers |
| Scotia Passport Visa Infinite Business | $199 | No FX fee + lounge access | International travel |
| RBC Avion Visa Business Infinite | $175 | Avion travel redemptions | RBC banking customers |
1. American Express Business Platinum Card — Best for Premium Business Travel
Annual fee: $799 | Network: American Express | Income: Business income required
The Amex Business Platinum is the most comprehensive business travel card available in Canada, with a suite of benefits that justify the premium fee for frequent business travellers.
Key Travel Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
- Complimentary access to 1,200+ lounges globally through the Priority Pass network
- Complimentary access to Centurion Lounges (the premium Amex lounges in Toronto Pearson, Vancouver International, and many US airports)
- Complimentary access to Plaza Premium Lounges across Canada
$200 Annual Travel Credit Applied automatically against eligible travel purchases (flights, hotels, car rentals charged to the card), effectively reducing the net annual fee to $599 for active business travellers.
Elite Status Benefits
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold status
- Hilton Honors Gold status
Travel Insurance
- Emergency medical: $5M coverage
- Trip cancellation and interruption
- Flight and baggage delay
- Car rental collision damage waiver
Earn Rates
- 1.25x Membership Rewards on all eligible purchases
- 2x MR on eligible Air Canada purchases
- 1x MR on all other spend
MR points transfer to Aeroplan at 1:1, making every 1.25x MR effectively 1.25 Aeroplan miles per dollar.
Best for: Business owners who travel frequently, need lounge access, and value the status benefits offsetting the $799 fee.
2. American Express Business Gold Card — Best Mid-Range Business Travel Card
Annual fee: $199 | Network: American Express
The Amex Business Gold earns elevated MR at 2x in the two categories where you spend most each month — automatically determined from: air, hotel, advertising, gas, shipping, and select business purchases.
Key benefits:
- 2x MR in top 2 automatic categories
- 1x MR on all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fee
- Travel insurance (emergency medical, flight delay, baggage, rental car)
- Access to Amex Invites (front of the line access for events)
No FX fee advantage: For businesses purchasing from US suppliers or with employees travelling internationally, the elimination of the 2.5% foreign transaction fee saves meaningfully. At $10,000/month in foreign-currency purchases, the fee savings alone ($250/month = $3,000/year) would more than justify the $199 annual fee.
Best for: Business owners who travel for work but don’t need Centurion lounge access, and who make significant USD or foreign-currency purchases.
3. TD Aeroplan Visa Business Infinite — Best for Air Canada Business Travellers
Annual fee: $149 | Network: Visa Infinite | Income: $60,000 personal or $100,000 household
The TD Aeroplan Visa Business Infinite earns Aeroplan miles directly and includes Air Canada perks that frequent business travellers value:
Earn rates:
- 1.5x Aeroplan miles on business purchases (including gas, office supplies, recurring charges)
- 3x Aeroplan miles on eligible Air Canada purchases
Air Canada benefits:
- First checked bag free (primary cardholder and up to 8 companions on same booking)
- Priority check-in and boarding
- Altitude Status Qualifying Miles on Air Canada purchases
Travel insurance:
- Emergency medical: $2M for up to 21 days
- Trip cancellation/interruption
- Flight delay
- Rental car collision damage waiver
Employee cards: Additional cards available with individual spend controls.
Best for: Businesses whose principals or employees fly Air Canada regularly and want to accumulate Aeroplan miles at a strong earn rate.
4. CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Infinite — Best for CIBC Business Banking Customers
Annual fee: $180 | Network: Visa Infinite | Income: $60,000 personal or $100,000 household
Nearly identical benefit set to the TD Aeroplan Business Infinite but through CIBC:
Earn rates:
- 1.5x Aeroplan miles on all eligible business purchases
- 3x Aeroplan miles on Air Canada purchases
Air Canada benefits: First checked bag, priority check-in, and boarding (same as TD Aeroplan Business)
Journie Rewards fuel discount: 10 cents/L off at participating Pioneer, Ultramar, Chevron, and Fas Gas stations — a significant fuel saving for businesses with vehicles.
Best for: Businesses already banking with CIBC who want to keep credit and banking under one institution, and who fly Air Canada frequently.
5. Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business — Best for International Business Travel
Annual fee: $199 | Network: Visa Infinite | Income: $60,000 personal or $100,000 household
The defining feature: No foreign transaction fee — unusually rare among Canadian business credit cards. For businesses with international operations, US suppliers, or employees travelling abroad, this saves 2.5% on every foreign-currency transaction.
Key benefits:
- No foreign transaction fee (saves 2.5% on all foreign-currency purchases)
- 6 complimentary airport lounge visits per year (Visa Airport Companion program)
- Emergency medical insurance: $2M for 25 days
- Trip cancellation and interruption
- Earn Scene+ points on all purchases
FX fee savings example:
- $5,000/month USD purchases (AWS, Stripe, US suppliers)
- At 2.5% FX fee that would be $125/month = $1,500/year in savings vs. standard business cards
Best for: Businesses with regular foreign-currency purchases, international travel, or US-based suppliers.
6. RBC Avion Visa Business Infinite — Best for RBC Banking Customers
Annual fee: $175 | Network: Visa Infinite | Income: $80,000 personal or $150,000 household
Earns Avion points redeemable for flights, hotels, and merchandise through RBC’s travel portal.
Earn rates:
- 1.25x Avion points on all eligible purchases
- 1.75x Avion points on travel purchases
Key benefits:
- 15 complimentary Avion points per dollar (travel rate)
- Travel insurance (emergency medical, trip cancellation, baggage)
- Rental car collision damage waiver
- Employee card management through RBC Online Banking
Avion value: Avion points transfer to British Airways Avios, WestJet Dollars, and a few other airline partners, and can be redeemed via RBC’s travel portal at approximately 1–1.5 cents per point.
Best for: RBC banking customers who want to consolidate business banking and credit with RBC.
What to Look for in a Business Travel Card
1. Earn Rate on Business Spend
Look for 1.25x to 2x on all business purchases (not just travel spend), since most business expenses — office supplies, software, professional services — don’t fall into “travel” categories.
2. Travel Insurance Coverage
At minimum: emergency medical (ideally $2M+), trip cancellation, flight delay, and rental car coverage. Confirm whether coverage extends to employees travelling on business or just the primary cardholder.
3. Airport Lounge Access
Centurion Lounges (Amex Platinum) > Priority Pass (broad network) > Visa Airport Companion (6 free passes). For frequent travellers, lounge access at Toronto Pearson, Vancouver International, and Calgary International meaningfully improves the travel experience.
4. Foreign Transaction Fee
If your business has any international spend, a no-FX card (Amex Business Gold/Platinum, Scotia Passport Business) saves meaningfully — often more than the annual fee difference.
5. Employee Cards
Check the cost per additional employee card and whether individual spending limits can be set.