Canada has more high-quality rewards credit cards per capita than most countries. The right card for you depends on which programme fits your lifestyle — whether that’s Aeroplan for long-haul flights, Scene+ for grocery savings, Amex Membership Rewards for maximum flexibility, or Avion for Avios transfers.
This guide ranks the best rewards credit cards in Canada for 2026 by programme, spend profile, and value delivered per dollar of annual fee.
Best Rewards Credit Cards at a Glance
| Card | Programme | Annual Fee | Best Earn Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Cobalt Card | Amex MR | $156 | 5x dining & grocery | Maximum points on food spend |
| Scotiabank Gold Amex | Scene+ | $120 | 6x dining, 5x grocery | Best overall value; no FX fee |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite | Aeroplan | $139 | 1.5x grocery, gas, Air Canada | Best Aeroplan everyday earner |
| CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite | Aeroplan | $139 | 1.5x grocery, gas & Air Canada | Air Canada shoppers |
| RBC Avion Visa Infinite | Avion | $120 | 1.25x all purchases | Avios transfers; RBC customers |
| Amex Gold Rewards Card | Amex MR | $250 | 4x grocery & gas | High grocery + gas households |
| Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite | Scene+ | $150 | 3x dining, 2x grocery | Travel + lounge access + no FX |
| RBC ION+ Visa | Avion | $48 | 3x transit, streaming, grocery | Low-cost everyday earner |
| Amex Green Card | Amex MR | $0 | 1x everywhere | No-fee MR earner |
| RBC ION Visa | Avion | $0 | 1.5x everywhere | No-fee flat-rate earner |
Earn rates and annual fees are subject to change. Verify with each issuer before applying.
Best for Maximising Points: American Express Cobalt Card
Programme: Amex Membership Rewards | Annual fee: $156 | Best earn: 5x dining & eligible grocery
The Amex Cobalt Card earns more points per dollar in Canada’s two biggest household spending categories — dining and groceries — than any other credit card. At 5x MR on both, a household spending $1,000/month on food generates 60,000 MR points per year from those categories alone. Transferred to Aeroplan at 1:1, that’s enough for a round-trip economy flight to Europe.
Earn rates:
- 5x MR on dining and eligible grocery
- 3x on streaming services
- 2x on transit and eligible travel
- 1x everywhere else
Why it’s the best points earner: No card in Canada comes close to 5x on grocery and dining simultaneously. The $156 annual fee (billed monthly at $13) is recovered quickly at average spending levels.
Limitation: Amex acceptance is lower than Visa/Mastercard at some Canadian merchants. Not ideal as a standalone card if your spending is concentrated at merchants that don’t take Amex.
Read the full Amex Cobalt Card review.
Best Overall Value: Scotiabank Gold American Express
Programme: Scene+ | Annual fee: $120 | Best earn: 6x dining, 5x eligible grocery
The Scotiabank Gold American Express delivers the best combination of earn rates, annual fee, and practical benefits of any rewards card in Canada. Earn 6x Scene+ on dining, 5x on groceries, streaming, and transit — at one of the broadest grocery definitions in Canada (most major chains qualify, not just Sobeys). Add a no-FX fee and solid travel insurance at $120/year and there is very little to criticise.
Earn rates:
- 6x Scene+ on restaurants and dining
- 5x on eligible groceries
- 5x on streaming and transit
- 3x on gas and EV charging
- 1x everywhere else
Why it wins: Higher dining earn than the Cobalt in Scene+ terms (6x vs. 5x), broad grocery eligibility, no FX fee, and a lower annual fee than most competitors with comparable benefits.
Read the full Scotiabank Gold American Express review.
Best for Aeroplan: TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
Programme: Aeroplan | Annual fee: $139 | Best earn: 1.5x grocery, gas, dining, Air Canada
The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite is Canada’s most popular Aeroplan card. Earning 1.5x on grocery, gas, dining, and Air Canada purchases — and 1x elsewhere — it builds Aeroplan points consistently on everyday spending. The free first checked bag and NEXUS rebate deliver tangible value for Air Canada flyers.
Why it’s the best Aeroplan earner: Strong earn rates in the right everyday categories plus meaningful Air Canada perks (bag fee, NEXUS) make the $139 annual fee easy to recover.
Consider CIBC instead if: You regularly purchase Air Canada tickets directly — the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite earns 1.5x on Air Canada spending and also adds drugstores as a bonus category.
Read the full TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite review.
Best for Flexibility: American Express Gold Rewards Card
Programme: Amex MR | Annual fee: $250 | Best earn: 4x eligible grocery & gas
The Amex Gold Rewards Card targets households with high combined grocery and gas spending. At 4x MR on both categories, it earns faster than the TD or CIBC Aeroplan cards (1.5x) in those areas — and the MR points transfer to Aeroplan at 1:1, so you can still end up with Aeroplan points.
Best for: Households spending $1,500+/month on groceries and gas where the 4x earn rate returns more value than a 1.5x Aeroplan card despite the higher fee.
Read the full Amex Gold Rewards Card review.
Best for RBC Customers: RBC Avion Visa Infinite
Programme: Avion Rewards | Annual fee: $120 | Best earn: 1.25x all purchases + transfer to Avios
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite earns a flat 1.25x on all eligible purchases — not as high as category-specific earners — but the transfer partner access (British Airways Avios at 1:1) unlocks Qatar Qsuites and other premium redemptions unavailable through Aeroplan.
Best for: RBC banking customers who want a competitive rewards card within their existing bank relationship, and anyone interested in the Avios transfer for premium cabin redemptions.
Read the full RBC Avion Visa Infinite review.
Best No-Fee Rewards Cards
| Card | Programme | Earn Rate | FX Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC ION Visa | Avion | 1.5x all eligible | 2.5% |
| Amex Green Card | Amex MR | 1x all eligible | 2.5% |
| Scotiabank Scene+ Visa | Scene+ | 1x all eligible | 2.5% |
| PC Financial World Elite | PC Optimum | 3x at Loblaws | 2.5% |
For no-fee rewards cards, the RBC ION Visa (1.5x flat on all purchases) and PC Financial World Elite Mastercard (3x PC Optimum at Loblaws-banner stores) lead on earn rates. The Amex Green Card adds MR transfer partner access — the most valuable benefit at $0 annual fee if you want the optionality of transferring to Aeroplan or Avios.
Which Rewards Programme Should You Choose?
Choose Aeroplan (TD or CIBC card) if:
- You fly Air Canada at least once or twice per year
- You value a free checked bag and NEXUS rebate
- You want points that unlock Star Alliance business class
Choose Scene+ (Scotiabank Gold Amex) if:
- You shop at Sobeys-banner or major grocery stores
- You want a predictable, simple loyalty programme
- You want no FX fee without paying a premium over $150
Choose Amex MR (Cobalt or Gold Rewards) if:
- You want the highest earn rates on dining and grocery
- You want flexibility to transfer to Aeroplan, Avios, and Flying Blue
- You are comfortable with Amex acceptance limitations
Choose Avion (RBC Avion Visa Infinite) if:
- You bank with RBC
- The British Airways Avios transfer (for Qsuites or short-haul) is in your plans
- You want a flexible no-annual-fee entry into the Avion ecosystem (RBC ION Visa)
How We Ranked These Cards
We evaluate rewards credit cards on:
- Net annual value: Points earned at typical Canadian spending levels minus the annual fee
- Earn rate strength: Category earn rates vs. the most common Canadian spending patterns (grocery, gas, dining)
- Programme value: What the points are actually worth at redemption
- Practical benefits: Travel insurance, lounge access, no-FX fee, and cardholder perks
- Income accessibility: Whether most Canadians qualify for the card’s income threshold
Best Rewards Credit Cards FAQ
What is the best rewards credit card in Canada? For maximum earn on dining and grocery: Amex Cobalt (5x). For best overall everyday value with no FX fee: Scotiabank Gold Amex (6x dining, 5x grocery). For Aeroplan: TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite.
What is the best no-fee rewards card? RBC ION Visa (1.5x Avion everywhere, $0 annual fee). Amex Green Card for MR transfer partner access at $0.
Is Aeroplan or Scene+ better? Aeroplan delivers more value per point on long-haul business class (3–4¢ vs. Scene+’s fixed 1¢). Scene+ is simpler and better for everyday grocery redemptions.
Are rewards cards worth it? Yes, if you pay in full monthly. Average Canadian households earn $500–$1,000+ per year in points value from a well-chosen card — well above the annual fee.
Related Articles
- Best Aeroplan Credit Cards in Canada 2026
- Best Scene+ Credit Cards in Canada 2026
- How Aeroplan Works 2026
- How Scene+ Works 2026
- How Avion Rewards Works 2026
- Amex MR Transfer Partners Canada 2026
- Best Travel Credit Cards in Canada 2026
- Best Cash Back Credit Cards in Canada 2026
Earn rates, annual fees, and programme terms are subject to change. Always verify with the card issuer before applying.