Best 1st Year Free Credit Cards December 2025

Credit Cards The 12 best first-year-free credit cards – December 2025

To the point Are you looking for a first-year-free credit card? Here's our selection of the 12 best first-year-free credit card offers.

The credit cards on this page offer travel points or cash back. And right now, they all have a welcome offer that includes a first-year annual fee rebate!

These are often the best offers on the market as they are credit cards that usually charge an annual fee.

These credit cards offer:

Elevated points or cash back earning rates
Premium insurance for your travels or purchases
Benefits such as travel credits and access to airport lounges

Best Credit Cards With A First-Year Annual Fee Rebate – Summary

Two tables summarize the different offers (travel or cash back). For more details, continue reading or click on a card’s name.

Here are the best travel credit card offers with a first-year annual fee rebate:

Here are the best cash back credit card offers with a first-year annual fee rebate:

Best Credit Cards With A First-Year Annual Fee Rebate – Travel Points

TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card

With the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get up to 165,000 TD Rewards points^†and a rebate on the annual fee for the first year:

20,000 TD Rewards points for the first purchase made with your Card^†
145,000 TD Rewards points if you spend $7,500 within 180 days of opening^†
A birthday bonus of up to 10,000 TD Rewards points^†

Plus, get an Annual Fee Rebate for the first year.^† This is the highest offer we have ever seen!

With the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn:

8 TD Rewards Points^† for every $1 you spend when you book travel through Expedia^® For TD^†
6 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend on Groceries, Dining, and Public Transit^†
4 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend on Recurring Bill Payments and Streaming, Digital Gaming & Media^†
2 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend on other Purchases made using your Card^†

This TD credit card is one of the best TD travel rewards cards. As of April 30, 2025, it now offers access to airport lounges with 4 free visits per year.

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

The Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card offers an excellent welcome bonus.

Until January 1, 2026, you can get up to 50,000 Scene+ points as a welcome bonus, distributed as follows:

20,000 Scene+ points with $2,000 in net purchases in the first 3 months
30,000 Scene+ points by making $7,500 in purchases on the card in the first year

This represents a value of up to $500 for travel (including Airbnb). Plus, the card is free for the first year!

With the Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card, you earn 6 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.

Also, you earn 5 points per dollar for:

Grocery stores
Restaurants
Entertainment centers

And 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services purchases.

You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). You can also use your points as cash back rewards with Scene+.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card also offers no foreign currency transaction fees, excellent travel and purchase insurance, concierge service and exclusive American Express benefits such as the Front of the Line program.

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

With this offer for the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn up to 45,000 Aeroplan points^† and no annual fee for the first year :

Get a Welcome Bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card^†.
Earn 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $7,500 within 180 days of account opening^†
Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 20,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $12,000 within 12 months of account opening^†.
Apply for the NEXUS program and, every 48 months, receive a rebate (up to C$100) on the application fee^†.
Plus, share free first checked bags with up to 8 travel companions^†
Get an annual fee rebate for the first year^†.
To receive the first-year annual fee rebate, you must activate your Card and make your first Purchase on the Account within the first 3 months after Account opening and you must add your Additional Cardholders while the offer is in effect.

It’s the best TD credit card for occasional Air Canada travellers. With the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 1.5 points^† per dollar of eligible purchases for:

Grocery stores
Gas stations, including gasoline and EV charging
Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada Vacations

CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card

The CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card is one of the best Visa credit cards with travel rewards.

CIBC has an offer with which you can earn up to 45,000 Aventura points:

15,000 Aventura Points when you make your first purchase^†
30,000 Aventura Points if you spend $3,000 or more in the first 4 monthly statement periods^†

In addition, you can benefit from a rebate on the first year’s annual fee for the primary card holder ($139 value) and up to three authorized users ($50 each).

With this CIBC Aventura Credit Card, you get:

2 points for every $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre^†
1.5 points for every $1 spent at eligible gas stations, EV charging, grocery stores and drug stores^†
1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases^†

The CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card also offers:

Airport lounges access: Visa Airport Companion Program membership with 4 complimentary visits per year
Reimbursement of NEXUS membership fees ( $160 value)

The minimum annual income required for this card is $60,000 (personal) or $100,000 (household).

BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card

By signing up for our exclusive offer for the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn up to 80,000 BMO Rewards points and enjoy a waiver of the $120 annual fee for the first year.

32,000 points after $3,000 of purchases in the first three months
4,000 points each month after $2,000 in purchases for 12 months (for a total of 48,000 points)

What’s more, you’ll receive a $50 anniversary credit that you can use as you please.

With the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn 5 BMO Rewards points per dollar spent on:

Groceries
restaurants, bars
Food delivery
Gas
local transport

And 1 BMO Rewards point per dollar spent everywhere else. Plus, if you add an authorized user to your account, you’ll earn 10% more points.

You can use BMO Rewards points for all travel purchases made through the agency or website of your choice (plane tickets, hotels, rental cars, all-inclusive packages, Airbnb, etc.) or for rewards and gift cards on the BMO Rewards platform.

BMO Ascend World Elite®* Mastercard®*

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is one of the best World Elite Mastercard credit cards with travel points in Canada. With our exclusive offer, you can get up to 100,000 bonus points:

55,000 points after $4,500 in Card purchases in the first 3 months
3,750 points per month after $2,500 in monthly purchases from the 4th to the 15th month (up to 45,000 points)

Plus, the annual fee is waived in the first year for both the primary cardholder and authorized users.

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, a premium credit card from BMO, you get:

5 points per dollar on travel purchases
3 points per dollar on dining purchases
3 points per dollar for entertainment purchases
3 points per dollar on recurring bill payments

And 1 point for every $1 spent everywhere else, including at Costco. You can use BMO Rewards points for all travel purchases made through the agency or website of your choice (flights, hotels, car rentals, all-inclusive resorts, Airbnb, etc.) or for rewards and gift cards on the BMO Rewards platform.

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard also offers:

Four annual complimentary passes to airport VIP lounges
Excellent Premium insurance for your travels or purchases
a premium concierge service

Best Credit Cards With A First-Year Annual Fee Rebate – Cash Back

CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card

The CIBC Dividend^® Visa Infinite* Card is one of the best Visa credit cards with cash back in Canada.

Right now, with this welcome offer, get a 10% welcome bonus in the form of up to $250 cash back (period covered by your first 4 statements) and a rebate on your first year’s annual fees^†!

Plus, receive $50 cash back when you set up a pre-authorized payment within the first 4 months.

With this CIBC cash back credit card, you earn:

4% cash back on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, and grocery purchases^†
2% cash back on eligible transportation and dining purchases and on eligible recurring bill payments^†
1% cash back on all other purchases^†

For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or gas and/or electric vehicle charging, you’ll earn $40 cash back per month or $480 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases!

And that’s not counting the other purchases you’ll make with this card and the advantages it offers (particularly in terms of insurance).

And this CIBC Cash Back Credit Card offers many insurance coverages:

Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Insurance
$500,000 Common Carrier Accident Insurance
Out-of-Province Emergency Travel Medical Insurance
Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance

CIBC Dividend Platinum® Visa* Card

If you don’t meet the income requirements for the CIBC Dividend^® Visa Infinite* Card, you could apply for the CIBC Dividend^® Platinum Visa* Card. The minimum annual income required for this card is $15,000 (household).

With this offer, get a 10% welcome bonus in the form of up to $250 cash back (period covered by your first 4 statements) and a rebate for your first year’s annual fees!^†

Plus, receive $50 cash back when you set up a pre-authorized payment within the first 4 months.

With the CIBC Dividend^® Platinum Visa* Card, you get:

3% on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, and grocery purchases^†
2% cash back on eligible transportation and dining purchases and on eligible recurring bill payments^†
1% cash back on all other purchases^†

And this CIBC Cash Back Credit Card offers some insurance coverage:

Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Insurance
$500,000 Common Carrier Accident Insurance
Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance

Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card

The Scotia Momentum^® VISA Infinite* card is recognized year after year as one of the best cash-back credit cards in Canada.

Currently, there is no annual fee in the first year, including on additional cards. And you can earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first three months (up to $2,000 in total purchases).

With the Scotia Momentum^® VISA Infinite* card, you get:

4% on groceries and recurring payments
2% on gas and daily transit
1% cash back on all other purchases

For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or recurring payments, you’ll earn $40 cash back per month, or $480 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases! And that’s not counting the other purchases you’ll make with this card and the advantages it offers (particularly in terms of insurance).

If you rent, for example, you could use the Scotia Momentum^® Visa Infinite* Card on the Chexy website to pay your rent and get 4% cash back!

The Scotia Momentum^® VISA Infinite* card is an excellent Visa credit card for cash back.

And its insurance benefits are excellent!

TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card

With the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 3% in Cash Back Dollars on:

Grocery stores
Gas, EV charging and public transit
Recurring bills, streaming services, digital media and games

And 1% cash back on all other purchases.

It’s the best TD cash back credit card, especially for gas purchases.

With this new welcome offer, you could earn 10% cash back on gas and grocery purchases and pre-authorized payments for the first three months (up to $3,500 in purchases). So you can earn up to $350 cash back!

Plus, a first-year annual fee rebate for the Primary and Additional Cardholders.

Finally, you have good insurance coverage, such as travel medical insurance, delayed or lost baggage insurance, collision/loss damage insurance for car rentals and mobile device insurance.

BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®*

BMO CashBack^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®* is one of Canada’s best cash back Mastercard credit cards.

Right now, for a limited time, you’ll get up to 10% cash back for the first 3 months, for a maximum return of $260 on $2,600 in purchases.

You’ll also receive an additional $75 bonus if you spend at least $25,000 in the first year.

Plus, there is no annual fee for the first year!

With BMO CashBack^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*, you get between 2% and 5% cash back on many categories of purchases:

5% on grocery purchases (on the first $500 you spend monthly)
4% on transit (on the first $300 you spend monthly)
3% on gas and electric vehicle charging (on the first $300 you spend monthly)
2% on recurring bill payments (on the first $500 you spend monthly)

Everywhere else, you’ll earn 1% cash back, including at Costco.

Finally, it is one of the only credit cards in its category to offer an extended warranty of 2 additional years.

BMO AIR MILES® World Elite®* Mastercard®*

With this exclusive offer for the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard, get up to 9,000 bonus AIR MILES:

3,000 miles after $4,500 in purchases in the first 110 days
2,000 additional miles after $1,000 in total purchases at warehouse clubs, grocery stores, and eligible liquor retailers within the first 110 days
2,000 additional miles after $10,000 in total purchases (including the $4,500 from the previous condition) within 180 days
2,000 additional miles after $20,000 in total purchases (including all expenses under the previous conditions) in the first year

What’s more, you pay no annual fee for the first year. This is the highest offer ever seen for this card!

With this card, you earn 3 miles for every $12 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners. Then, get 2 miles per $12 in purchases at any eligible grocery store and wholesale club (warehouse like Costco) or liquor retailer (SAQ, LCBO, etc.). Everywhere else, you’ll earn 1 AIR MILES mile for every $12 in purchases, including Walmart.

What’s more, it’s the only AIR MILES credit card in Canada to offer a 25% discount on AIR MILES flights to any destination during the calendar year.

The BMO^® AIR MILES^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®* card also offers:

7 ¢/L discount on Shell V-Power fuel and 2 ¢/L discount on all other Shell fuels
Excellent insurance for your travels and purchases
2X miles for car rentals with National or Alamo

Best Credit Cards With A First-Year Annual Fee Rebate – Conclusion

These first-year free credit cards are great for getting started with rewards points or taking advantage of elevated welcome offers.

But be aware that some credit cards on the market charge a first-year annual fee and have outstanding welcome offers! This is the case, for example, with the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card or all American Express credit cards.

Look at the best credit card offers available in Canada this month.

Best Credit Cards With A First-Year Annual Fee Rebate – Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about credit cards in Canada.

Why do these credit cards have a first-year annual fee rebate?

Credit card issuers regularly run promotions to showcase their best credit cards.

So, to encourage you to sign up for one of these credit cards, the banks run first-year free offers. This allows you to test the product to see if it will work for you in future years.

How is the first-year annual fee rebated?

Generally, the first-year annual fee is charged on your first statement and immediately refunded.

In other cases, you will need to meet the Welcome Offer requirements to get the first-year annual fee refunded on the 4th or 5th statement/billing cycle.

Is it possible to have the annual fee waived for subsequent years?

Yes, you may get the annual fee waived for subsequent years. But you’ll have to negotiate your annual fee when you renew your credit card in the second year.

The customer representative may refund your annual fee for a second year if, for example, you made a significant volume of purchases on your credit card in the first year or if you have other products with the institution (mortgages, investments, etc.)

What is the best credit card with Reward Points?

With the many credit cards on the market, Milesopedia offers you to compare credit cards, according to your profile and with everything you need to know about current offers. Milesopedia is along your side to help you make the best credit card choice for you.

What’s the best credit card in Canada?

There are over 200 credit cards in Canada. There is no “one best credit card” in Canada.

Several credit cards can match your needs:

Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!

Marie-Ève Leclerc

Marie-Ève, Web Director at Milesopedia, is an expert in budget travel and a slow travel enthusiast. Specializing in Aeroplan, Scene+, and Marriott Bonvoy programs, she spends nearly six months a year abroad, making travel her way of life. Constantly seeking the best waves to surf, excellent coffee, and strategies to extend her travels, she is often found in coworking spaces with fellow digital nomads or by the sea, watching the sunset.

All posts by Marie-Ève Leclerc