You are currently viewing Teaser about how each rewards program works

Your next travel rewards update is going to have an overview of the basics of all the rewards programs in Canada, but in the meantime, I just want to remind you that you already have access to this information if you want.

Here’s how to see how all the rewards programs work.

 

How to see the program details

All rewards programs work differently, of course: they’re different programs.

We hear you loud and clear: you want more content on how to use the points in real life and that’s coming. However, you’ve always had access to all the most important information, so here’s a reminder of how to access it easily.

It’s all on the resource page of each card (but we’re going to make it easier to find everything in one place).

First, our ranking of the best credit cards in Canada is the best place to start every time.

 

You click on the blue button labeled “SEE MORE” at the end of the best cards table.

(Or at the end of the additional tables below that one: we have rankings for different subcategories, like the best cards for free airport lounge access for example!)

Best credit card offers
(March 2023)
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
Best
for
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card (excl. QC)
Card:
Bonus: spend $7.5k in 12 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $845
Card fee: $0 $139
Valuable Aeroplan pts
and travel benefits
$5k spend option also available
ends May 28th
TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card (excl. QC)
Card:
Bonus: spend $5k in 6 mos.
Rewards: $825
Card fee: $0 $139
Highest offer
for simple points
and 1st year free
ends May 28th
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $5k in 6 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $120
Versatile rewards
valuable or simple
great beginner's card
ends April 30th
Extended
National Bank World Elite Mastercard
Card:
Bonus: spend $5k in 3 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $750
Card fee: $0 $150
Great offer &
great insurance
& YUL lounge access
ends June 30th
American Express Cobalt Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $500/mo for 12 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $156
Best overall
card
in Canada
American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $6k in 6 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $1388
Card fee: $599
For Air Canada
lounge access
& other AC benefits
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card (excl. QC)
Card:
Bonus: spend $12k in 12 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $1374
Card fee: $599
For Air Canada
lounge access and
6 passes (other lounges)
ends May 28th
American Express Aeroplan Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $3k in 6 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $795
Card fee: $120
Valuable Aeroplan pts
without min. income
and lower min. spend
New
HSBC World Elite Mastercard (non-QC)
Card:
Bonus: spend $6k in 6 mos. (see QC offer)
Rewards: ≈ $688
Card fee: $0 $149
No FX fee
good earn rate
& flexible rewards
ends May 31st
Terms and conditions apply. Flytrippers editorial opinion only. Financial institutions are not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click "See More" to see most up-to-date information.
Best credit card offers
(March 2023)
TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card (excl. QC)
Card:
Bonus: spend $7.5k in 12 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
ends May 28th
Rewards: ≈ $845
Card fee: $0 $139
Best for: Valuable Aeroplan pts and travel benefits
$5k spend option also available
TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card (excl. QC)
Card:
Bonus: spend $5k in 6 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
ends May 28th
Rewards: $825
Card fee: $0 $139
Best for: Highest offer for simple points
and 1st year free
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $5k in 6 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
ends April 30th
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $120
Best for: Versatile rewards valuable or simple
great beginner's card
Extended
National Bank® World Elite Mastercard®
National Bank World Elite Mastercard
Card:
Bonus: spend $5k in 3 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
ends June 30th
Rewards: ≈ $750
Card fee: $0 $150
Best for: Great offer & great insurance
& YUL lounge access
American Express Cobalt® Card American Express Cobalt Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $500/mo for 12 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $156
Best for: Best overall card
in Canada
American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $6k in 6 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
Rewards: ≈ $1388
Card fee: $599
Best for: For Air Canada lounge access
& other AC benefits
TD® Aeroplan® Visa* Infinite Privilege* Card TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card (excl. QC)
Card:
Bonus: spend $12k in 12 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
ends May 28th
Rewards: ≈ $1374
Card fee: $599
Best for: For Air Canada lounge access and
6 passes (other lounges)
American Express® Aeroplan®* Card American Express Aeroplan Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $3k in 6 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
Rewards: ≈ $795
Card fee: $120
Best for: Valuable Aeroplan pts without min. income
and lower min. spend
New
HSBC World Elite® Mastercard®
HSBC World Elite Mastercard (non-QC)
Card:
Bonus: spend $6k in 6 mos. (see QC offer)
WELCOME BONUS
ends May 31st
Rewards: ≈ $688
Card fee: $0 $149
Best for: No FX fee good earn rate
& flexible rewards
Terms and conditions apply. Flytrippers editorial opinion only. Financial institutions are not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click "See More" to see most up-to-date information.

 

This will take you to the card’s resource page.

(It exists for most of the best credit cards already; the slightly less good cards will eventually migrate to this resource page template as well!)

Top of the card resource page (image credit: Flytrippers)

 

You have the summary of the most important card details at the top of the resource page:

  • The rewards program
  • The possible uses of these rewards
  • Our Flytrippers Valuation of the welcome bonus
  • The value of the rewards and fees (if any)
  • The requirement to unlock the bonus
  • The offer end date (if known)
  • The secure link to apply
  • The card eligibility rules
  • The bonus eligibility rules

If you scroll down a bit, you’ll see all the tabs with all the information you might want to know about the card.

Specifically, there is a tab at the top called “Reward redemption examples” that gives you concrete examples of what you can get with these points.

“Redemption examples” tab (image credit: Flytrippers)

 

We want to improve that tab as well, so that it will be even clearer for those who are less experienced. That’s our goal in everything!

But until we can give you a guide to each rewards program, there is also the “Rewards program” tab just below!

It has a lot of basic info so you can get started and understand that reward program!

“Rewards program” tab (image credit: Flytrippers)

 

You can check out the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card resource page if you want to see a real-life example yourself (this card has the best welcome bonus ever seen in Canada for simple points that can be applied to almost any trip).

 

Want to get more content to learn how to earn free travel?

Sign up for our travel rewards newsletter

 

Summary

All rewards programs are different of course, but while waiting for our directory to help you find everything in one place (and of course our ultimate guide to each one) you can find quite a bit of information on each of the resource pages for the best credit cards.

What would you like to know about how programs work? Tell us in the comments below.

 

See the deals we spot: Cheap flights

Explore awesome destinations: Travel inspiration

Learn pro tricks: Travel tips

Discover free travel: Travel rewards

 

Featured image: The program details tab (photo credit: Flytrippers)

 

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Andrew D'Amours

Andrew is the co-founder of Flytrippers. He is passionate about traveling the world but also, as a former management consultant, about the travel industry itself. He shares his experiences to help you save money on travel. As a very cost-conscious traveler, he loves finding deals and getting free travel thanks to travel rewards points... to help him visit every country in the world (current count: 64/193 Countries, 47/50 US States & 9/10 Canadian Provinces).

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