Love travelling? Then you should definitely check out some of the top travel rewards programs in Canada.
I’ve used these programs to earn miles, get discounts, and enjoy booking advantages on hotels, flights, car rentals, airport lounges, and more.
Below are my top recommendations for travel rewards programs and the best travel rewards credit cards.
Top Travel Rewards Programs in Canada
1. American Express Membership Rewards
I love earning and using American Express Rewards because it’s so flexible.
One thousand points equals $10, and while you can redeem them directly on the American Express website, you can also transfer them to other rewards programs.
This means you can use them for almost anything. Not only travel but also discounts on shopping and statement credits.
You can book via the American Express Travel Services site, but you’re not limited to this, and you can also redeem your points for travel accessories.
Related: Best American Express Credit Cards.
2. Aeroplan
Aeroplan is one of the biggest and most popular travel loyalty programs. It is run by Air Canada, and the best deals are for Air Canada flights, but you can redeem points with other airlines too.
Earn points by spending on Aeroplan credit cards, booking Air Canada flights, shopping at the Aeroplan eStore, and more. Then redeem points for travel discounts and more.
You can also redeem points for gift cards and merchandise or discounts on products.
It’s free to join, and points are worth about 1 to 2 cents. There are over 45 partners in the program, including hotels and car rental firms.
Related: Best Aeroplan Credit Cards.
3. Air Miles
Air Miles is one of the largest rewards programs in Canada and the world. You can earn points in various ways, like spending on an eligible credit card.
You can redeem your miles by putting them towards booking flights, car rentals, hotel stays, and more.
But one thing I like about this is that you are not restricted to travel. Dream Miles can be used on entertainment, tech, and appliances, and Cash Miles can be used in many places to get discounts.
Redeem your points on the website, and take your pick from several categories, including flights, accommodation, vacation packages, merchandise, events, special offers, and more.
4. Marriott Bonvoy
I enjoy staying in Marriott hotels on my travels, and the Marriott Bonvoy is one of the best hotel rewards programs in Canada. With over 7,000 hotels worldwide, Marriott has plenty of places to stay.
You can enjoy free nights in hotels, free in-room Wifi, discounted hotel rates, mobile check-in, and more perks when you earn points.
You can also go up to Silver Elite status after staying 10 nights in hotels to get bonus points, late checkout, and many other benefits.
You can earn points by staying at hotels, spending on a credit card linked to the rewards program, going on tours, or shopping with travel partners.
5. CIBC Aventura
CIBC Aventura is the travel rewards program from CIBC, and you can only earn these points by using CIBC’s credit cards.
It’s a flexible program, and you can use your points on any airline. Points don’t expire, and you can use them for the full airfare plus taxes.
Visit the CIBC Rewards Centre to find vacation packages, hotels, gift cards, merchandise, and more.
You can also see how many points you will need for certain types of flights. For example, for short-haul in Canada, you will need between 10,000 and 20,000 points.
6. BMO Rewards
With BMO Rewards, you can earn points for discounts when you book your travel with any provider using the ‘Pay with Points’ option.
You can earn more points when you make purchases using your credit card. 150 points is equal to $1, which can add up to some big savings.
When you book flights, there are no blackout periods or restrictions. You can also redeem them to cover seat selection fees as well as car rentals, cruises, hotels, resorts, travel packages, timeshares, and more.
Related: Credit cards for free car rental insurance.
7. Avion Rewards
The Avion Rewards program from RBC has lots of exclusive experiences for members. It’s not specifically for travel, and you can also enjoy discounts on merchandise, gift cards, and more. But there are some great travel rewards too.
You can earn Avion points using a credit card or if you have an eligible bank account in the Value Program. Or combine both for more rewards.
Use the points in many ways, from weekend breaks to unique experiences. You can also use them for discounts on flights, hotels, car rentals, packages, and cruises.
You can also use rewards points for any airline and convert points to other rewards programs.
When you redeem points for discounts, 100 points are equal to $1. You can use 15,000 points for quick getaways and 35,000 points for flights in Canada and the United States.
8. Scene+
This is Scotiabank’s rewards program, and the best way to earn points is by using a Scotiabank credit card.
I’ve used this many times, but not always for travel-related bonuses. You can use it to get discounts on travel purchases, groceries, entertainment, and more.
It has teamed up with Expedia, and you can use the Powered by Expedia feature to book flights, hotels, cars, and other travel purchases.
You can also earn points for travel purchases, with 3 points for every $1 spent on hotels and car rentals via Powered by Expedia. Even when you pay using points, you can still earn more points.
When you book with Scene+ Travel, 100 points are worth $1.
9. TD Travel Rewards
TD’s rewards program has also teamed up with Expedia to offer travel rewards. Use the Expedia For TD website to enjoy discounts and more at hotels, flights, and more by redeeming your points.
You can pay for some of your trip or all of it. When you spend $1 on travel, you can earn up to 8 TD Rewards Points.
Redeem points for car rentals, hotels, flights, etc., and you can also redeem points to go towards many travel expenses that you charge to your TD travel credit card.
250 points is equal to $1 in savings for the first $1,200, and 200 points is equal to $1 for any costs over $1,200.
10. WestJet Rewards
WestJet Rewards is the final addition to my list of loyalty programs in Canada. WestJet has one of the best airline rewards programs in Canada, where you can earn WestJet dollars, one of which is equal to $1.
Use your WestJet dollars like cash when travelling on the network with no blackouts.
Choose a Member Exclusive fare for exclusive discounts, and enjoy many offers. You can earn points using a credit card on the program and then get money back in WestJet dollars that you can use to enjoy priority services and upgrades.
You’ll earn WestJet dollars for everyday purchases, and you can use them on hotels, car rentals, and more when you book with partners.
Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards in Canada
If you like the look of any of these travel rewards programs, you’ll need to start earning some points.
Here are some of my favourite credit cards you can use in Canada to earn points in various travel rewards programs.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card
If you want to earn Scene+ points, which you can use for travel rewards as well as many other types of rewards, this card makes it easy.
Earn 3x Scene+ points on grocery purchases, 2x points on gas, daily transit, entertainment, and dining, and 1 point for every $1 you spend on anything else—all for a $150 annual fee.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card
Best for no FX fees and travel perks
Annual fee: $150
Rewards: Earn 3x Scene+ points on eligible grocery purchases, 2x pts. on dining, entertainment and transit, and 1x pts. on everything else.
Welcome offer: Up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points and no annual fee for the first year.
Interest rates: 20.99% for purchases, 22.99% for cash advances.
Minimum income requirement: $60,000
Recommended credit score:
Very Good
On Scotiabank’s website
Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card
Earn Scene+ points with this card. It has an annual fee of $399 per year but a low APR of just 9.99%. You can earn 2x points on all eligible purchases and enjoy no FX fees, access to airport lounges, mobile device insurance, and more.
Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card
Top premium credit card for airline lounge access
Annual fee: $399
Rewards: Earn 2X Scene+ points on all eligible purchases and 3X points on travel purchased via Scene+ Travel.
Welcome offer: Earn up to 60,000 bonus Scene+ points.
Interest rates: 9.99% on both purchases and cash advances.
Minimum income requirement: $12,000
Recommended credit score:
Very Good
On Scotiabank’s website
American Express Cobalt Card
Earn American Express points the easy way with this card. If you like eating out or ordering deliveries, you can earn 5x points on these or 3x points on streaming.
You can earn 2x points on travel and transit purchases and 1 point for all other spending. You can even transfer your points to other rewards programs.
American Express Cobalt Card
Best for travel rewards and perks
Annual fee: $155.88 (in monthly payments of $12.99)
Rewards: Earn up to 5X points on high-spend categories.
Interest rates: 20.99% on purchases and 21.99% on cash advances.
Minimum income requirement: No minimum income or credit limit requirements.
Recommended credit score:
Good
On Amex’s website
EQ Bank Mastercard
This prepaid card has no monthly or annual fees, and you can use it to earn 0.50% cash back on all your purchases. You also earn interest on your balance and don’t pay FX fees when shopping abroad.
In addition, it offers free ATM withdrawals in Canada at any bank ATM, plus other perks.
EQ Bank Card
Earn up to 4%* interest on your balance
0.50% cash back on purchases
No monthly account or FX fees
Free ATM withdrawals
The Platinum Card from American Express
This is another great card for earning American Express points. Use it to earn 2x points on all your dining and delivery purchases or 2x points on travel. Everything else earns 1 point.
Use your points however you wish, including on flights, hotels, and access to airport lounges.
American Express Platinum Card
Top credit card for VIP perks
Annual fee: $799 (and $250 annual fee for additional cards)
Rewards: Earn 2x Membership Rewards Points on dining and food delivery, 2x pts. on travel and 1x pts. on everything else.
Interest rates: Variable (charge card)
Minimum income requirement: N/A
Recommended credit score:
Very Good
On Amex’s website
Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card
Enjoy your next stay in a Marriott hotel even more with this card. Earn 5x points on all Marriott purchases and 2x points for every $1 you spend on anything else.
Get free nights in Marriott hotels, transfer points to get discounts on flights, and enjoy other perks like American Express Experiences.
Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card
Best for Marriott Bonvoy points and perks
Annual fee: $120
Rewards: Earn up to 5X Marriott Bonvoy points on eligible purchases.
Interest rates: 20.99% on purchases and 21.99% on cash advances.
Minimum income requirement: No minimum income or credit limit requirement.
Recommended credit score:
Good to Excellent
On Amex’s website
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
This is one of the best Aeroplan credit cards in Canada, and you can earn Aeroplan points on all your purchases. You can also enjoy benefits like saving on baggage fees at the airport, getting your first checked bag free on Air Canada flights, and more.
Earn 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on groceries, gas, and Air Canada, and 1 point for all other purchases.
Pros and Cons of Travel Loyalty Programs
Pros:
- Make excellent savings on flights, hotels, car rentals, and more.
- Easy to earn points when you spend on your credit card.
- Quick and easy to redeem points in a variety of ways.
Cons:
- You may be limited to getting discounts and offers from certain travel companies.
- You might have to earn many points to qualify for the best offers.
How to Choose a Travel Rewards Program
With all of the travel rewards programs, how do you choose the right one for you?
I’d recommend closely looking at all of the above and picking out the one that offers the benefits you are specifically interested in.
The Aeroplan program could be a good choice if you regularly fly with Air Canada. American Express Membership Rewards might be more suitable if you prefer more flexibility.
Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to one. You can always sign up for several and enjoy various travel benefits wherever your next journey takes you.
Conclusion
Travel rewards are some of the most appealing rewards, and the programs I’ve outlined above should give you plenty to consider.
If you love to travel or simply want a discount on your next vacation, check them out today. You could make some serious savings on your next trip.
FAQs
Airline rewards programs can certainly be worth it by helping you to potentially save a lot on flights and enjoy additional benefits like airport lounge access.
There are many popular loyalty programs in Canada. Aeroplan, Air Miles, and Marriott Bonvoy are a few of the best.
Rewards programs can be worth it. However, choose a reward program that aligns with your needs (e.g., a travel rewards program if you like travelling).
There are not many disadvantages, but some loyalty programs may limit the rewards you can get to particular airlines and hotels.
If you stay active, your Aeroplan points do not expire. However, if you become inactive, they expire after 18 months.
