For us to determine the best travel rewards credit cards for 2018, we need to take a look at what happened in 2017. The credit card market in Canada witnessed some significant changes last year. Banks and other institutions stopped issuing some of the more sought-after cards, they made changes to rewards programs, and one new card, hailed as a game-changer, entered the market. How far do you want to go this year with your Canadian travel rewards credit card,

We’ve forecast what we believe will be the best travel rewards credit cards for 2018 to help you soar, whether you’re a snowbird, a bargain hunter, a bonus surfer, or a frequent flyer. To find out which were the deals for each category of travel card in Canada, we then assessed bonuses; earn rates, perks, annual and foreign transaction fees, insurance coverage, travel opportunities, and ease of redemption.

Here’s the synopsis of the highest rated travel rewards credit cards in Canada (complete credit card reviews are below). For more categories besides travel, please see our Best Credit Cards in Canada page. The Scotiabank Gold American Express again ranks as one of the best travel rewards credit cards in 2018 in Canada due to benefits such as a 4% earn on groceries, gas, entertainment, and restaurants. 250. You can use this bonus towards any travel (hotels, flights, cruises, car rentals, or vacation packages), in addition to merchandise and gift cards from vendors such as Best Buy and Apple.

You can opt to use Scotia Rewards’ full-service travel agency when booking your flights and hotel, or use your card to cover your expenses and redeem your points afterward. You can book anywhere, anytime, and use points to pay for all fees and taxes - there are no limits when using your points towards travel. Scotiabank Gold American Express offers numerous other benefits including concierge service, comprehensive travel insurance, price protection, Priority Pass membership (renewed yearly), and much more.

Also, there are many frequent business travelers who prefer to spend their vacation time at home. These types of travelers would be better served by foregoing points and miles and using a cash back credit card instead. Is it worth it, With travel credit cards offering so many advantages and drawbacks, they are not the best choice for all credit card users.

How can you tell if a travel credit card for you, Are you avoiding interest charges by paying your statement balance in full each month, According to the National Center for Credit Counseling, 39 percent of Americans carry credit card debt each month. Since travel and other reward credit cards will have higher interest rates than similar, nonreward cards, they are best used by those who make a habit of paying their statements in full and avoiding interest charges. However, it may be worth carrying a travel card for its benefits, but using another card for most of your charges.

Will you be redeeming your rewards, According to a 2017 Bankrate survey, 3 in 10 have never redeemed their rewards. If you’re finding it to complicated or inconvenient to redeem your travel credit card rewards, then perhaps you should consider switching to a cash back card that automatically gives you a statement credit.

Will you be satisfied with a travel credit card, While travel cards can make travel dreams possible, they’re not for everyone. Some can find the reward programs too confusing, that eligible rooms or flights are hard to find or that the value of rewards can change - and not always for the better.

On the other hand, there appears to be very high satisfaction with some of the latest travel reward cards. For example, Chase reported that more than 90 percent of those who received its premium Sapphire Reserve card renewed it after the first year. When is annual fee worth it, One of the primary disadvantages of travel credit cards is that most come with an annual fee.

While some credit card users will always refuse to pay an annual fee, many have found these fees to be worth it to receive these benefits. To decide if a fee is worth it, you must first consider the net cost of the card, after any fee credits. 150 per year, so long as you use the credit.