Canada's best credit cards for travel perks and benefits
| Credit card | Est. perks value | Annual fee | Income requirements | Apply now |
| American Express Platinum Card | $829 | $699 | None | Apply now |
| American Express Aeroplan Reserve | $723 | $599 | None | Apply now |
| BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege | $478 | $499 | * Personal: $150,000 * Household: $200,0 ... | Apply now |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | $162 | $150 | * Personal: $80,000 * Household: $150,00 ... | Apply now |
Full Answer
What credit card has the most benefits?
10 of the Most Overhyped Credit Card Features
- Zero fraud liability. Nobody wants to be liable for unauthorized or fraudulent charges on their credit card when it’s so common.
- Free credit score. Checking credit scores periodically is a good idea. ...
- No over-limit fees. ...
- No foreign transaction fees (on travel cards) Some overhyped marketing points depend on the type of card. ...
- Metal cards. ...
What do credit cards have the best rewards?
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best for Flexible Points
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for Flexible Travel Credits
- Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Best Travel sign-up Bonus
- Wells Fargo Active Cash: Best for no annual fee.
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Best for Flexible Rewards for Business
What are the best credit card perks?
Perks offered by all credit cards
- Concierge service. Concierge service is a popular perk offered by any type of premium credit card. ...
- Roadside assistance. Let's be honest, vehicles are mechanical contraptions that tend to break down and can leave you stranded on the side of the road.
- Credit reports. Many credit cards will give you access to your FICO credit score for free. ...
What are the best credit card offers?
Here are the current Best Buy credit card deals:
- 5 points per $1 on your first day of purchases (within 14 days of approval) : Best Buy Credit Card, Best Buy Gold Visa and Best Buy Store Card
- 2.5 points per $1 at Best Buy: Best Buy Credit Card, Best Buy Gold VisaandBest Buy Store Card
- 0%-11.9% promo rate for 6-48 months: Best Buy Credit Card, Best Buy Gold Visa and Best Buy Store Card
What is the best credit card?
The best credit card is the one that rewards your personal spending habits in a way that makes sense for your redemption preferences. Look for card...
How many credit cards should I have?
There’s no one right number of credit cards to have. That’s because everyone’s financial profile and goals are unique to their particular circumsta...
What is the easiest credit card to get?
Secured credit cards are typically the easiest to be approved for and are designed for people who have no or bad credit. For anyone with average or...
What is the best credit card company?
When it comes to personal finance, you’ll find the best solution for you is exactly that: personal. However, several card issuers consistently rank...
How many credit card rewards points can I earn?
Many credit cards have no limit to how many points you can earn, but some do have either quarterly or annual earning caps. The card’s terms and con...
How to Account for Credit Card Rewards
While some credit cards allow you to easily see and track your rewards online or in a mobile app, it’s not always the case. With the right informat...
What credit score do I need to get a rewards credit card?
Better rewards cards in general (including travel credit cards) typically require good to excellent credit, but this isn’t always the case. Typical...
Is 2% cash back a good reward earning rate?
Yes. A few cash-back rewards cards offer a flat rate of 2% or more on every purchase. Some cards will allow you to earn higher percentages for cert...
What are crypto credit cards?
Crypto rewards credit cards feature the latest reward programs designed around earning cryptocurrency. These cards can be great for varying degrees...
What is a store rewards credit card?
Store cards are either closed-loop cards designed for use only at a specific store or co-branded network cards designed to help you earn rewards on...
What credit score do you need for a rewards card?
The best rewards credit cards require good to excellent credit — generally defined as a credit score of 690 or above — although there are a handful of options for fair or even bad credit.
What is the most cost effective restaurant card?
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is perhaps the most cost-effective restaurant card on the market, earning a whopping 4 points per dollar on dining purchases including takeout and delivery. You can find higher rates on dining, but not on cards with no annual fee. Read our review.
How to get rewards faster?
That’s the power of a rewards card: getting extra value from your regular spending . Before applying for a card, make sure you’ll be able to meet the spending minimum required to earn the sign-up bonus. Be careful to never overspend just for rewards.
What is a cash back credit card?
Cash-back cards pay you back a percentage of the amount of each transaction. Travel rewards credit cards give you points or miles for each dollar you spend; you redeem those rewards for free flights, hotel stays and more. No single rewards card is right for everyone.
What is Capital One Venture Rewards?
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is probably the best-known general-purpose travel credit card, thanks to its ubiquitous advertising. You earn 2 miles per dollar on all purchases, and miles can be redeemed at a value of 1 cent apiece for any travel purchase, without the blackout dates and other restrictions of branded hotel and airline cards. The card offers a great sign-up bonus and other worthwhile perks. Read our review.
How much does an altitude card cost?
Other cards rival its rate at restaurants, but they have annual fees of $95 to nearly $500.
Is Chase Freedom Unlimited a good card?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® was already a fine card when it offered 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Now it's even better, with bonus rewards on travel booked through Chase, as well as at restaurants and drugstores. New cardholders get a great bonus offer, too.
What is a rewards credit card?
A rewards credit card allows you to earn cash back or points with your purchases. When you use the card, you will receive a certain number of points per dollar you spend. You may also receive a welcome bonus when you are approved for the card and spend a specified amount within a period of time.
What is a travel reward card?
A travel rewards credit card awards points or miles for your purchases that you can use either directly for travel or, in some cases, transfer to travel partners. You earn points or miles as you make purchases on the card, then redeem the points or miles when you are ready to travel.
Is it easy to choose an airline rewards card?
Choosing an airline rewards card is not easy. There are multiple things to consider, including how often you travel, where you’re traveling, how likely you are to use lounge access and how much the miles are actually worth.
Can you redeem miles on a flexible card?
You can redeem for travel via statement credit or purchasing from the credit card’s website depending on the specific card.
Do airline rewards cards have annual fees?
Most major U.S. airlines have rewards cards that work in tiers. There is usually a starter card with no annual fee but low rewards.
Is college a good time to build credit?
College is a great time for individuals to build credit. Just because they don’t have a long (or perhaps any) credit record yet, doesn’t mean students have to miss out on a rewards card. The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a generous cash back card with increased cash back rewards in rotating categories students can actually use.
Can you transfer credit card points to travel agency?
If the card offers flexible rewards, you can either transfer the points to your chosen partner or choose to redeem the points directly with the credit card company’s travel agency. Occasionally, with some lesser known partners, you may need to call the credit card company to make the transaction.
What credit card gives you 3% cash back?
Suggested card: Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express, a no annual fee rewards credit card which offers 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%), 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores and 1% cash back on general purchases.
What are travel credit cards?
Travel credit cards let you earn points, miles or rewards that you can use, at least primarily, to book future trips. They often tout additional travel benefits, like no foreign transaction fees, airline or hotel upgrades, travel-centric statement credits and supplemental travel insurance. As with cash back cards, there are several types of travel rewards credit cards.
What is a business credit card?
Business credit cards are designed for entrepreneurs, business owners, gig workers and freelancers. They broadly feature rewards for common business needs, like office supplies or internet services, higher credit limits and flexible financing offers , like promotional APRs. Keep in mind, business cards aren’t required to offer the legal protections of consumer cards. That said, the features of a business card may outweigh those considerations.
How much cash back can you get with Unlimited Cash Rewards?
With the new Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card, you can earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every time. No annual fee. $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
How much is the Chase Sapphire bonus?
We estimate that Chase Sapphire Preferred mega-bonus, announced in early June, to be worth $1,250 when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. The IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card is also offering its best ever sign-up bonus.
What is the minimum deposit required for a secured credit card?
Secured credit cards require applicants to put down an upfront refundable deposit (typically between $200 to $1,000 ), which serves as the card’s credit limit. They’re reserved for people with bad credit or no credit who can’t qualify for a traditional, unsecured credit card. The best secured credit cards feature low deposit minimums, reasonable fees (relative to this category) and opportunities to transition to an unsecured credit card and increase your credit limit after a short period of time (generally six to eight months of responsible use). They might also provide access to credit monitoring or financial literacy services.
What is cash back credit?
Cash back credits let you earn and redeem cash, usually in the form of statement credits, gift cards, checks or, even, direct deposits into your bank account . They generally fall into three categories:
What is the best credit card for bad credit?
Credit cards for bad credit are intended for people with scores of less than 630. The best credit cards for bad credit are secured cards, which require you to put down a cash deposit (which is refunded to you if you upgrade or close the card in good standing).
What is hotel credit card?
Hotel credit cards carry the name of a specific hotel group, and they earn points that you can redeem for hotel stays. As with airline cards, the perks can be fantastic — a free night every year, automatic upgrades, elite status and so on. See our best hotel credit cards of 2021.
What is cash back card?
Cash-back cards refund a certain percentage of the purchase price. Other cards give you a certain number of points or miles per dollar spent. Every card sets its own rewards structure, so apples-to-apples comparisons can be difficult. But when comparing rewards programs, think in terms of:
What is balance transfer credit card?
Balance transfer credit cards. These allow you to move debt from a high-interest card onto a new card and then give you a year or more at 0% interest to pay that debt off. You'll often pay a fee for the transfer, but the interest savings can be substantial. See our best balance transfer credit cards of 2021.
What is a low introductory rate for credit cards?
Credit card companies drum up business by offering people with good credit a low introductory interest rate. A bunch of cards offer 0% on purchases and balance transfers for a year or more. Some cards don't go as low as 0% but still offer a lower introductory rate.
Do unsecured credit cards require a deposit?
There are "unsecured" cards for bad credit that don't require a deposit, but they tend to charge high fees. See our best credit cards for bad credit of 2021. Secured credit cards, as mentioned above, require a refundable security deposit, which is usually equal to your credit limit.
What is the best cash back card?
The Citi Double Cash is one of the best cash back cards. It pays you 1% cash back on every purchase and another 1% back when you pay your bill. Assuming you pay the balance in full every month to avoid interest charges, then you’ll earn an effective 2% cash back each month on every purchase with this card. That’s one of the better flat-rate cash back rates available on any card. However, you have to make at least the minimum monthly payment on time to earn the double cash back rewards.
What is the Blue Cash Preferred card?
The Blue Cash Preferred from American Express is a leading cash back rewards card. It offers an impressive 6% cash back on the first $6,000 per year at U.S. supermarkets (then 1%). If you take full advantage of this offer, then you’ll get $360 back just from just that category. It also offers an unlimited 6% back on select U.S. streaming service subscriptions.
What is Citi Prestige card?
The Citi Prestige® Card is Citibank's top-tier travel card, which comes complete with a Prestige Concierge and a rich set of travel perks. The $495 annual fee stings, but you can offset that with just one 4th hotel night free plus the $250 (up to) annual travel credit. The rewards rates are impressive, topping out at 5x on travel and dining out.
What is a platinum card?
The Platinum Card is destined for frequent travelers who intend to fully leverage the rich set of luxury travel benefits and Platinum Concierge service. In the right hands, the classic status card's staggering annual fee is well justified.
Do Bank of America points expire?
No limit to the points you can earn and your points don’t expire. Redeem for cash back as a statement credit, deposit into eligible Bank of America® accounts, credit to eligible Merrill accounts, or gift cards or purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center.
Is Alliant card hard to beat?
If you regularly rack up your monthly balance, the 2.5% return on the Alliant card is hard to beat. The downsides are that excellent credit is recommended before you apply for the card and the lack of a welcome bonus. Pros & Cons.
Is there a good credit card for excellent credit?
There’s no one best credit card for excellent credit since everyone has their own unique financial circumstances and goals. When you have excellent credit, there’s a broad range of cards you’re likely to qualify for, from premium luxury travel cards to elevated cash back rewards cards.
Best Cards Summary
Why this is one of the best cards for good credit: You need good credit to apply for top travel rewards cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. Score 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Best Credit Cards for Good Credit Methodology
U.S. News has been helping consumers make money decisions for decades.
What Can You Expect From Credit Cards for Good Credit?
Here's what you should know about credit cards for those with good credit:
What Is Good Credit?
When you have good credit, lenders will view you as less risky than consumers with fair, poor or very poor credit.
How Can You Get Good Credit?
Good credit, unlike excellent credit, doesn't call for a long credit history or an exceptionally low credit utilization ratio – the amount of available credit you use. If you pay your bills on time and keep within your credit limits, good credit is possible.
What Do Cards for Good Credit Offer?
Cards for good credit provide many features of cards for excellent credit. Here is what's in the cards for you if you have good credit:
How Can You Get Approved for a Credit Card for Good Credit?
Despite your good credit, you may not always be approved for the credit card you want. As with excellent credit, card approval depends on more than your credit rating, although it is an important factor.
What are Marriott credit cards redeemable for?
With hotel credit cards, you’ll earn rewards in the hotel’s currency, like Marriott Bonvoy points, Hilton Honors points or World of Hyatt points, which are redeemable towards any eligible hotel property under that brand’s umbrella.
What is a platinum card?
The Platinum Card is destined for frequent travelers who intend to fully leverage the rich set of luxury travel benefits and Platinum Concierge service. In the right hands, the classic status card's staggering annual fee is well justified.
What credit cards can be transferred to other programs?
These types of credit cards earn rewards that can be transferred to other programs, like airline or hotel loyalty programs. Transferable rewards include Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Points.
What is the Hilton Honors Aspire card?
The flagship card from Hilton, the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express comes with a price tag to match its top-tier status and perks. It's a perfect fit for big spenders who haunt Hilton properties enough to leverage the rich suite of benefits that come with the complimentary Diamond status.
Is Chase Sapphire Reserve a good travel card?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® makes the top of our list of best travel rewards cards for many reasons. While it does charge a high annual fee, it earns valuable rewards at a good rate, and offers a plethora of travel benefits including best-in-market travel insurance benefits. If you travel at least a couple times per year, this card deserves serious consideration.
Is Capital One Venture Rewards a good credit card?
If you’re looking for a simple travel rewards card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a good place to start. It offers flat-rate earnings on all purchases and the ability to redeem your miles for eligible travel purchases.
How much does an airline credit card cost?
Most airline credit cards charge an annual fee around $95 for a mid-tier card and $500 for an elite card. The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (see rates and fees) and the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card * are the most commonly known no annual fee airline cards that are open to new applicants.
What is a platinum card?
The Platinum Card is destined for frequent travelers who intend to fully leverage the rich set of luxury travel benefits and Platinum Concierge service. In the right hands, the classic status card's staggering annual fee is well justified.
What is Delta Skymiles Reserve Card?
Similar to the United Club Infinite Card, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card offers access to Delta’s SkyClub lounges when you’re flying with Delta. It also offers the ability to help you earn status with Delta.
How to get airline perks without status?
One easy way to get airline perks without status is with a travel rewards credit card. While it might seem like the best choice for a credit card for flights is an airline credit card, that’s not necessarily the case.
Can you redeem credit card miles in the same account?
You can redeem credit card miles in the same account and they have the same value. One exception is that some airlines calculate credit card spending differently in terms of elite status. Additionally, some credit cards earn miles that are part of the credit card’s rewards program, like Capital One Venture Miles.
