[Consolidated] Which Canadian credit card should I get?
 

I'm wanting to get a new credit card where I can earn miles/points. I don't spend that much per year (so I know it will take a while to earn enough miles for a trip from North America to Europe), and I don't want to spent over ~$50 a year in fees. Which card would you reccomend? Thanks!

Welcome to Flyertalk.

We need more information :) .

1) Where do you live, and which airline do you primarily fly?

2) Where do you want to go on an award trip, and in which cabin (economy, business or first)?

3) How much do you spend annually on credit cards?

4) Is American Express well accepted at the places you shop?

I guess it's pretty obvious that I'm new here :)

I live in Canada, I usually fly Delta (and NWA before it became Delta), but that was because I had points with them and I wanted to get enough for a free flight. I've used that flight now, so I'm open to other airlines that fly from Canada (I think the biggest are Delta and Air Canada).

I'm wanting a rewards trip to Europe, economy class is fine (I'm cheap!).

Right now, I don't spend a lot on credit cards (I'm guessing around $5000 per year, but I'm looking to increase that).

American Express isn't well accepted where I shop.

Thanks!

Everyone is new to something. My task is to help you find the information you need. I have edited the thread title to mention that you need a Canadian credit card, Please mention if that's not accurate.

I think it would also be helpful if you mention the airport or city from which you fly because that may help others illustrate why one program is better than another for your situation.

I would be flying out of Winnipeg (Manitoba), but flying out of Grand Forks or Fargo is an option.

Mia - thanks for the help! :)

Hi Laura,

I'm a Canadian in Calgary and my wife and I use free credit card points to book Aeroplan/Star Alliance trips, so I can tell you about those. We save our AE points up until we have enough for a mini-RTW in F as that seems to give the best bang for the buck (plus its an amazing experience in trans-oceanic F that we would never get to experience otherwise).

Currently for AE points there are these free (for first year) cards:

Amex Gold Rewards – Free for first year. 15K free MR rewards that can be converted 1:1 to Aeroplan. Get one for the SO as well and they can transfer into your Aeroplan for 30K miles. You get double miles on some stuff as well. You need to spend $500 in 3 months to get these points.

SPG Amex – Free for first year. You get 10K SPG points. When you get 20K points in your account you can transfer them to Aeroplan and get an extra 5K miles for a total of 25K. You need to spend $1K in 3 months to get the 10K bonus.

Amex Business Gold - Free for first year that gets you 25K Aeroplan miles for $3K spend in 3 months (x2 if you include the SO).

Do some searching for more details on each. We churn these cards to keep getting miles (signup, spend, cancel before 1 year is up, repeat) for free. We also have CIBC Aerogold VISA Infinite that we've had for many years. We don't churn this one so that we have a card with a long credit history. Try not to look at the 50-75K points signup deals our American brothers and sisters get as you'll become very jealous very quickly. :)

As you are accumulating CC points, keep an eye out for the transfer promos. For example right now you get bonus points when you move points into AE. Keep working these deals and it doesn't take long to build up the miles. We move our spending between the various cards and find that we easily meet the points requirements with our normal spending patterns. Good luck!

A problem is that all three cards mentioned are Amex-network and Laura8 has mentioned that such cards are not ideal. While it's possible to apply for an American Express card, use it just enough to earn the bonus, and cancel before the annual fee is due on renewal, this may prove challenging for someone spending only a few hundred dollars per month.

I think we need to focus on a Mastercard or VISA to use for everyday shopping. Is CIBC Aerogold VISA Infinite the best non-Amex card for earning Aeroplan miles in Canada? Are there Mastercard or VISA products for OneWorld (e.g. AA) or SkyTeam (e.g. DL)?

Non-Amex cards of interest, with details for regular spending (as opposed to bonus/churning):

CIBC Aventura/Aerogold - $120 annual fee, 1 AP/$, 1.5x for gas/groceries/drug stores
RBC Avion - $120 annual fee, 1 Avion/$, 1.25x on travel, transferable to AA/BA/CX 1:1 (with 1:1.5 BA and 1:1.25 AA promos sometimes)
CapOne Delta - $120 annual fee, 1 DL/$
TD American Airlines - $120 annual fee, 1 AA/$

Also, a great candidate for regular spending (particularly for me, I have more miles than I can use right now) is the CapOne Aspire World - $120 fee, $350 "travel dollars" sign-up bonus, $100 "travel dollars" annual bonus, 2% back in "travel dollars". Mind you, "travel dollars" are tiered and only guaranteed 2% for redemptions against travel charges at exactly $150, $350 or >=$600, and no partial redemptions.

EDIT: RBC Avion has a current offer for first year free, 20K Avion after first spend.

The Capital One Delta Mastercard with a 25,000 point sign up bonus.

http://www.capitalone.ca/lp/delta-sk..._01_T_CNLPDWIN

May be an option for at least a year. Not sure about income requirements.

It's interesting that $120 seems to be the prevailing annual fee for Canadian issued affinity cards. That's 2.4% of a $5,000 annual spend and cancels the benefit any rewards earned with a one mile per dollar card, aside from introductory bonuses and fee waivers. :td:

Yes, I generally only get them for the bonuses and/or for the 1st year no fee.

However, the CapOne Aspire World can be considered a $20 fee card, in a way. And since it comes with lots of insurance coverage (travel medical, trip interruption/cancellation/delay, baggage loss/delay, extended warranty for up to 2 additional years, etc.), it's a great value, IMHO.

EDIT: Should also mention, supplementary cards are free on the Aspire, they are not on most of the other cards mentioned in this thread. But travel medical only covers primary cardholder + immediate family.

I did some research and this one looks good...but it has an income requirement, and right now I don't make that much money (I may in the future, but not yet...)

Canadian banks are all about fees. But then again, they are all solvent and aren't costing Canadian taxpayers trillions.

Canadian Credit Cards That Allow Points Conversion to Airline Miles (1:1 or better)
 

Just starting a Canadian specific thread on this since the information seems to be merged with US based cards which we can't necessarily get up here...


Accumulation of points that can be converted 1:1 or better
American Express Platinum Card (Annual Fee: 399$)
American Express Gold Card (Annual Fee: 150$, free first year)
RBC Visa Infinite Avion (Annual Fee: 120$) - CX/BA/AA
RBC Visa Platinum Avion (Annual Fee: 120$) - CX/BA/AA
Citi PETRO-POINTS MasterCard (Annual Fee: 0$) - CX

Direct accumulation of Miles
CIBC Aerogold VISA Card (Annual Fee: 120$) - Aeroplan
CIBC Aerogold VISA INFINITE Card (Annual Fee: 120$) - Aeroplan
CIBC Aero Classic VISA Card (Annual Fee: 29$) - Aeroplan
CIBC Aerogold VISA Card for Business (Annual Fee: 180$) - Aeroplan
American Express AeroplanPlus Platinum Card (Annual Fee: 499$) - Aeroplan
American Express AeroplanPlus Gold Card (Annual Fee: 120$) - Aeroplan
American Express AeroplanPlus Card (Annual Fee: 60$) - Aeroplan
American Express AIR MILES Credit Card (Annual Fee: 0$) - AirMiles
American Express AIR MILES Platinum Credit Card (Annual Fee: 50$) - AirMiles
RBC British Airways Visa Platinum (Annual Fee: 165$) - British Airways
RBC Cathay Pacific Visa Platinum (Annual Fee: 150$) - Cathay Pacific
RBC WestJet RBC MasterCard (Annual Fee: 39$) - Westjet Dollars
RBC WestJet RBC World MasterCard (Annual Fee: 79$) - Westjet Dollars
BMO Gold AIR MILES MasterCard (Annual Fee: 99$) - AirMiles
BMO AIR MILES MasterCard (Annual Fee: 0$) - Airmiles

This list is far from being complete so your help is appreciated.

I'm currently looking at replacing my credit cards with a VISA for worldwide use and an AMEX for all I buy at Costco. The intent is to be able to accumulate either direct Aeroplan miles or the ability to convert rewards points into Aeroplan which is why I'm currently building this list.

These are not Canadian cards.

Also, you missed the RBC Avion ($120 fee, 1:1 with CX/BA/AA, with occasional 1.5x BA and 1.25x AA promos) and the Citi Petropoints (1:1 with CX, no annual fee).

Thanks. I've made the appropriate changes.

You probably should also mention the CIBC Aventura cards under the "1:1 conversion" section. Also, the Amex cards only have 1:1 with Aeroplan. Finally, the SPG Amex has 1:1.25 with many, many airlines.

Another way to avoid the fee is get a checking account that waives the fees for the credit card and also waives the fee for the account if you maintain a certain balance.

The gold version may be a better fit: http://capitalone.ca/credit-card/rew..._07_T_PRDLGOVW

Don't worry too much about the income requirement. As long as you've got a good credit history CapitalOne is not likely to refuse you.

Interesting that you are missing my favourite three Canadian Credit Cards

American Express Starwood SPG Card (Annual Fee: $120 it was $0 at first) - SPG points

TD American Airlines Visa Platinum Card (Annual Fee: $120) - AA
B of A Alaska Airlines Platinum Master Card (Anual Fee $120) - AS *lots of sign up benefits

I thought amex cards cannot be churned? At least US SPG cards could not be churned before... umm....

Definitely not our experience up here.

Which Canadian card? Need assistance.
 

Our current credit card company is changing their program, so we're looking for a new card. Any assistance would be appreciated.

We charge about $5000 per mo and pay the balance off each month. Don't mind paying a yearly fee if the rewards are worth it.

Looking for airline points to Europe mainly.

Current card is actually mbna travel rewards, not cibc aerogold.

I'd recommend the SPG Amex and/or the RBC Avion if you prefer miles/points, and/or the CapOne Aspire World MC if you prefer travel "cash".

Opportunities for Canadians?
 

I have a Canadian friend who I'd like to assist in taking advantage of the travel-hacking game.

Are there any good credit card opportunities that exist for resident Canadians? Or, any other good opportunities that my friend could benefit from?

I'm assuming that many of the credit card offers frequently discussed are available to American citizens with a valid SSN, am I correct in that assumption?

He and his family would be flying out of Toronto's Pearson International Airport, so they should have plenty of airline options.

Thank you so much in advance for any help you guys can provide. I really appreciate it.

Canadian banks issued CC are only available to Canadian residents.

The Great White North Capital One Delta AMEX is a contender.:p

http://skymilesoffers.delta.com/intl...d_partners.php

Ask specific questions; do specific searches
 

You will find the info you seek. Where credit cards are discussed, you will find a few threads specific to Canadians. I read your question and instead of knowing a good answer for you, I immediately think of a half-dozen questions.

Where does your friend want to go?
What airline is your friend loyal to (if any)?
How much travelling will your friend do per year?
How much money can your friend spend on cards per year?

My own mix includes AAdvantage, RBC Infinite Avion VISA, AMEX Platinum (for lounge access), BMO World Elite Mastercard (churned) for the signing bonus and Priority Pass lounges. The RBC would be a bad choice if I flew AC instead of AA. For Air Canada travellers, the CIBC Infinite VISA and the AMEX Platinum (or maybe the Amex Aeroplan Platinum) are candidates.

Pore through the credit card threads and you'll find info you seek.

Good luck! (to your friend)

Such a thread would be really useful -- we all have lots of information on US mileage-earning cards and opportunities, but not so much on Canadians.

In particular, I find information on churning of Canadian cards lacking. Many people on FT have said yes, it's doable, but I haven't been able to find timelines for cancelling, waiting, and then reapplying for cards.

Also, other questions, for example, can one simultaneously hold a CIBC Aerogold and Aventura and get the sign-up bonus for both cards?

Also, I think our credit scores are calculated under different formulas and I think that they are not so quick to rise after several applications for cards.

I think this could be a useful thread :)

I have a limited amount of experience in this, as I live in the USA and my wife lives in Canada. I have found her point-earning opportunities to be much more limited. For example, a year ago when you could get 25-50K for signing up for Amex PRG, she got only 15K. I think there just aren't as many different cards available in Canada, as well.

If you somehow have access to the USA market, you can look at cards with no international transaction fee.

My wife now has a SSN, but last summer, before she did, she was able to get a USA-based Amex Skymiles card, using our USA address, but relying on her existing relationship with Amex in Canada. She had to have her name on a USA bank account for 30 days though, which she did.

The question is, did she get the sign-up bonus for what I'm guessing was the Amex Global Transfer.

And the 15K for the Amex PRG in Canada is not too bad -- first year is free, which I think is much rarer for us up here.

Such as this one located in Credit Card Programs?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...canadians.html

lol...travel-hacking :D:D

There are several credit cards in Canada which can be applied and re-applied for over and over again, each with varying levels of sign up bonuses and annual fees

AMEX GOLD REWARDS
AMEX SPG
AMEX AEROPLAN GOLD/PLATINUM
CIBC AVENTURA
CIBC AEROGOLD
CAPITAL ONE DELTA MC
MBNA CHOICE HOTELS MC
MBNA ALASKA AIR MC
RBC AVION

My situation:

Amex Gold charge card : applied on August 19, 2011
Amex Gold charge card : canceled on November 19, 2011
Amex Gold charge card : applied on December 1, 2011
(Denied as the system deemed I had 2 applications submitted for the same product, and advised to wait for the welcoming package) Did not wait long enough.

Amex Gold Business charge card : Applied on December 17, 2011
Amex Gold Business charge card : Approved on December 21, 2011
Amex Gold Business charge card : Received cards on January 9, 2012

MBNA MasterCard(r): Applied in November 2011
(Denied : excessive credit inquiries, I must have submitted twice for the same card or something)
MBNA MasterCard Optimum : Received card on December 1, 2011

Its possible to have more than one MBNA Smart Cash cards at the same time the rep told me on chat.

In the last 2 years obtained 12 new cards. My wife received 9 cards.
In the same time frame, I canceled 5 cards some of which were "old". Now I understand the cards with significant credit history I should have kept.

Thanks -- this is super useful information.

Great term! :D Travel hacking is how we manage our F trips as neither of us flies much for business.

There are also various business equivalents of these cards. I do have a business but there are many reports of folks getting them that are not business owners. Also, get a free account on Great Canadian Rebates and apply for these cards through there when they show up as you can get cash back deals.

Keep checking the aeroplan forum as well since occasionally the odd super deal comes up. For example a couple of years ago we earned 60,000 Aeroplan miles from Rexall over a weekend with a couple of hours worth of effort. Also, the Aeroplanplus Platinum card that some folks were able to get, earn the 50K points, and then get their $499 annual fee mostly reimbursed after prorating the one month's ownership. Oh and the the Sobey's KD loophole out East later last year.

Where there's a will there's a way. :) The lousy part is the devaluation of the AE miles but for F travel (not on Air Canada), it's still worth it IMO.

Yes
The sign up bonus are not linked to each other or how many cards you have with them.
Meaning that yes, you can apply for both Aventura and Aerogold, and have both cards. I dont recommend appling for both at the same time, unless you know your credit score is excellant.

The TD First Class Travel Visa is a solid choice and quite flexible. We did a ton of analysis on the options that are out there (taking true redemption rates in to account, annual fees, etc.) and we found the CapitalOne Aspire MasterCard to have the best program, with very few restrictions.

That said, our experience has been less than great since we have gone overseas with the card:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...rd-canada.html

We'll likely be switching to the TD First Class Visa, which edges out the competitors if you have a Select Service account (free with a $5K balance) that brings the annual cost of the card down to $0. You can also get a US Dollar card for $0 to avoid the 2.5% forex fee. And if that isn't enough, you get free international ATM withdrawals with a Select Service account. For a traveler, TD seems to offer quite a lot for only holding $5K in cash in your account.