Just how far can your Canadian travel credit card take you, To help us derive our rankings for the best travel credit card, we first measured the value per point of each rewards program. We checked how many points were required to fly on 15 different flights for each credit card and compared it to the lowest price of each flight, giving us the true cost per point of each rewards program.

We did a similar exercise for hotels. We then evaluated earn rates, credit card bonuses, annual fees, perks, insurance coverage, foreign transaction fees, ease of redemption, and travel opportunities to determine the best travel credit card in Canada for each travel card category. Travel perks and a generous welcome bonus are nice, but the whole point of having a credit card is to make purchases with it.

And as long as you’re spending you might as well be simultaneously earning. Frequent travellers should seek out the maximum ratio of points to dollars when using their credit cards in order to save as much as possible on future trips. For this purpose, there’s no card in Canada better than the Scotiabank Gold Amex.

1 spent earns 1 reward point. Scotia allows customers to redeem their points flexibly, by booking the arrangements they prefer and then spending points to pay for them later. Supplementing this ease of use are other lucrative travel perks, including access to over 600 airport lounges around the world, and a thorough array of travel insurance benefits.

1,000 on their credit cards in 3 months. Compared to the Amex Cobalt, the Scotia Gold Amex wins out for travellers due to a slightly lower annual fee, more flexible point redemption, and a broader array of spending categories that earn accelerated rewards. 1 on all these categories. Why It’s a Winner: The American Express Gold Rewards card is special because of its phenomenal rewards value and its unparalleled flexibility. 250 against any travel or transfer to Aeroplan 1:1 for 25,000 Aeroplan miles). Ongoing value is strong.

Earn double points on gas, grocery, drugstore & all travel related expenses (air, water, rail and road transport, lodging and tour operator sales). Each Amex point is worth 1 cent. As a result, the base rewards rate is worth 1% and the bonus rewards rate is worth 2%. If you transfer your points to Aeroplan, the base rewards rate is worth 1.28% and 2.56% on bonus categories, which is stellar. The insurance package is phenomenal. The Amex Gold Rewards card beats RBC’s Visa Infinite Avion card for three reasons.

First, it has a higher sign-up bonus. Second, you can earn double points on travel expenses (in addition to gas & groceries). Third, Amex allows you to redeem for any travel expense on your statement at full value, while if you redeem with RBC’s Payback with Points feature, you’ll get closer to half a penny per point. In the end, Amex gives the cardholder additional flexibility to take advantage of promotions and cost saving opportunities in both the Aeroplan and Avios programs, without sacrificing any value if you decide to redeem for any travel purchase.

For frequent fliers, there’s nothing better than an airline travel card. These cards reward members with travel miles, free baggage, VIP lounge access, and more for their purchases. Partnered with the excellent AIR MILES program, one of the best for Canadians who travel often and love flight rewards, the BMO AIR MILES World Elite card is a clear winner in this category. 120 fee in the first year, and the card offers a wealth of benefits beyond that.

Why It’s a Winner: We love the BMO World Elite line of cards for their premium rewards and the flexibility they bestow on cardholders. 3,000) makes the offer even better—it’s the equivalent of two short-haul flights. The miles are deposited in new accounts within 45 days (60 days for the extra 2,000 miles), making them easy to turn around and redeem on upcoming vacations or business trips. 10 spent. There are no limits on how many can be accrued, or which purchases qualify.

Additionally, cardholders receive a 15% discount on all Air Miles flights in North America (no blackout periods). The card features a comprehensive array of insurance benefits, including protection against trip cancellation, collision and damage to rental cars, out-of-province and country emergency medical assistance and purchase protections as well. While these practical characteristics are a must-have, the card’s “cherry on top” has a more luxurious theme.