Thanks to the analysis of our team of experts, Milesopedia finds you the best way to save and earn the most points and cash back with :
We help you choose the best credit card and use it to its full potential. Milesopedia has done all the hard work to make your life easier. Don’t leave any more points on the table and don’t miss the chance to find the card that earns you the most!
Do you prefer a video tutorial?
By way of introduction, here is what you need to know first.
We invite you to read on to help you learn, understand and avoid beginner’s mistakes. But if you want to get started right away, here are the best credit cards for beginners.
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If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to join our Facebook group, where the entire community of experts is there to help you. By the way, the testimonial most often heard about the group is: “All those points I’ve missed over the last few years! “.
All credit cards offer rewards or benefits:
Don’t forget :
Here’s how to get started:
1- Defining your objective: this is the BASIC part, and the most difficult! 🙂
Here are a few ideas where points or cash back can help you reduce the cost:
2- Implement your strategy. Choose the relevant reward programs for your plan.
We recommend focusing on one or two programs at most at the beginning. The best ones to start with are :
3- Compare credit cards to set up your accumulation. To begin with, we believe that the best general combination regarding the best card to travel with is :
Visit our testimonials section: all those who have shared their successes with points started out with a very specific objective in mind!
Always remember the order in which to proceed: OBJECTIVE => PROGRAMS => CARDS!
Many people are reluctant to take out another credit card (or several!). We’ve heard them all:
Since 2015, the entire Milesopedia team has been experimenting with credit cards, loyalty programs, cash back and educating you on the best do’s (and don’ts!) to help you better choose the one that earns you the most.
If you prefer a video course, here it is! Otherwise, continue reading.
When applying for a credit card, the card issuer will check your credit report and review your credit score, representing your current financial situation.
Two institutions will provide this information: Equifax and Transunion.
Credit history will compile various information such as:
It is essential to know that a credit card application will only count for 10% of your credit score.
80% of your credit score is based on:
In conclusion, credit card issuers want to know:
Do you have a refusal? Call your financial institution to find out more. Perhaps for the following reasons:
Each point has a different value, and the programs are highly diversified.
For example, here is the value of :
Our mission is to set the record straight!
If you prefer the video course, here it is! If not, continue reading.
In Canada, the best known of all is Aeroplan, Air Canada’s rewards program.
These programs issue rewards points that you can use for:
However, keep in mind that you’ll get the best return on your investment by using these points for airline tickets.
We estimate that one Aeroplan point is worth 2 cents. So if you have 100,000, this is worth $2,000.
If 100,000 points save you $1,000, that’s below our estimate. It’s still good, but it could have been better.
On the contrary, if those 100,000 points save you $2,000, $5,000 or even more, congratulations! You’ve really made the most of your Aeroplan points.
Get a head start and enrol for free in the Aeroplan program here.
Here are the other main airline rewards programs:
There are several major hotel groups worldwide, and each of them has rewards programs.
In Canada, the easiest and most accessible for all is the Marriott Bonvoy program, which gives access to over 8,000 hotels worldwide. It’s the only hotel chain in the country to offer a credit card linked to their program, allowing points to be accumulated much more quickly.
Secondly, these Marriott Bonvoy points entitle you to free rooms!
To sign up for the Marriott Bonvoy program, get a head start by registering here, especially as registration is free.
The best (and only with its “corporate” version) credit card for earning quick hotel points is the Marriott BonvoyTM American ExpressMD Card.
Here are the other main hotel rewards programs:
Financial institutions offer their own reward programs.
We’ll talk about Bonusdollars at Desjardins, BMO Rewards at BMO, or Membership Rewards at American Express.
Not all points are created equal!
They award points that can be used for :
Here are the main rewards programs offering points that give you perks, free merchandise or all kinds of free travel products:
Cash back Rewards Programs are mainly for those who don’t want to use the three previous types of programs.
AIR MILES CASH Rewards are part of this type of program.
These cash rebates will lighten your Shell bill or give you gift cards to a number of stores or restaurants. That’s one less thing to pay!
Here are the top cash back rewards programs:
AIR MILES
Desjardins Bonusdollars
MBNA Rewards
PC Optimum
SAQ INSPIRE
If you prefer the video course, here it is! Otherwise, keep on reading.
Signing up for rewards programs is free.
Here are the links to the sign up pages for the most popular rewards programs:
Every day, you can earn rewards through purchases or credit card subscriptions.
A welcome offer from a credit card is the best way to earn points or cash back quickly.
Even if a card is used regularly, nothing beats the pleasure of receiving points more easily and quickly with an offer. Otherwise, it can take forever to buy that coveted toaster or plane ticket.
Here’s our monthly ranking of the best current offers.
Search for a credit card that meets your needs with our credit card comparison tool. It’s simple, reliable and powerful.
Let’s recap. The essential steps in building a strategy to accumulate the most points on your credit card are :
After about 11 or 12 months, the card will need to be re-evaluated. Is it still relevant to you? For example:
Yes, because the annual card fee is $139.
Savings of $71.
Yes. The card is free!
$120 in my pocket every year.
4 free visits to airport lounges
Reimbursment on NEXUS membership applications
Annual fee of $139. Will not use card benefits. Accumulation no longer corresponds to the objective of saving on renovations.
No. Card to be cancelled.
If you’d like to watch this tutorial (with English subtitles), here it is. Otherwise, keep on reading.
Rapid earning of hotel points can cover a travel need in 3-6 months.
In 3 months, the Marriott BonvoyTM American ExpressMD Card can easily get you more than free hotel nights. And double up by also applying for the Marriott Bonvoy™ Business American Express® Card.
Since these are the only cards linked to a hotel program in Canada, the decision is easy.
Here’s how to book free nights with your Marriott Bonvoy points.
The earning of cash back through major expenses (renovations, dentist, payment of professional dues, car repairs, etc.) within the next 3 months.
Excellent credit cards to start with are those listed in the Best Cash Back Credit Cards, updated every first day of the month. They include :
Quite a big expense is coming up (municipal or school taxes, etc.)? Take the opportunity to unlock welcome bonuses from cards that require spending $3,000+ in 3 months!
For example hotel points, for exampleor many airline points by strategizing with a spouse or friend(s).
The goal is to afford a trip in six to twelve months (or more).
We’ll use the various cards belonging to a banking program to increase our points balance and treat ourselves to a gift that feels good!
For example, NBC Rewards points via one of the cards that are part of this program, or Scene+ points via credit cards to reimburse airport parking, a plane ticket to the South or a hotel at Disney!
This will generally be a goal that requires more than one subscription to reach the amount in points requested for an airline award or a hotel stay.
Your long-term goal should be for the next twelve to twenty-four months.
We’ll earn American Express Membership Rewards. American Express Membership Rewards are the most flexible, offering you a wide range of transfer partners (such as Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Delta Skymiles, Marriott Bonvoy, etc).
And these points have virtually no risk of loss of value (whereas other programs may be “devalued”).
American Express offers 7 cards with Membership Rewards!
With the many Membership Rewards earned in one year, purchasing flight rewards for yourself and your family for the following year is possible.
As loyalty programs continuously evolve – and we are not immune to points devaluation – the long-term goal should not exceed 18 to 24 months.
Being flexible is the most challenging goal to achieve. Here, strategy and preparation will be essential to earn many credit card bonuses.
In Canada, there are some great loyalty programs:
And other programs that will save you a lot of money. Let’s take a look at their strengths and weaknesses.
Aeroplan is useful to book flights with flight rewards.
To learn more about Aeroplan, check out our ultimate guide!
The AIR MILES loyalty program has 2 options:
Soon it will be possible to combine Dream and Cash miles! This will make the program even easier to use.
To learn more about AIR MILES, check out our ultimate AIR MILES guide!
The Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program will come in handy for free hotel nights at nearly 8,000 hotels worldwide. It’s the largest hotel loyalty program in the world, and the only one in Canada where you can earn hotel points quickly.
Credit cards available
You can transfer Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy
You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to airline programs
Stay for 5, pay for 4 when you pay with points
A global footprint in more than 100 countries
Status benefits (upgrades, free breakfasts, etc.)
Want to know all about the Marriott Bonvoy program? Check out our ultimate guide to Marriott Bonvoy!
American Express Membership Rewards is THE best loyalty program for travellers with miles and points.
Credit card issuers offer many other rewards programs. Each of them will have their pros and cons.
We suggest you choose a program offering greater flexibility to use points:
Now you know:
It’s time to build your credit card application strategy. To help you, you can check out our best credit card offers page.
This article is a beginner’s guide, so begin slow from the beginning with a max of one or two credit card applications!
Check out our ranking of the best credit cards for each program: AIR MILES, Aeroplan, Hotel Points, travel points, and cash back.
This is a frequently asked question in the Milesopedia” facebook group !
If you ask me, the answer is the American Express CobaltTM Card!
We decerned it as the best credit card in Canada!
It’s easy to understand and gives a very fast accumulation of 5X points at grocery stores and restaurants. It’s the best way to start.
During the first year of ownership of the American Express CobaltTM Card, it is possible to earn a potential of at least 60,000 points, or $600 in account credit for any purchase:
Here’s what you could do with those 60,000 points:
You can convert 60,000 points into 72,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
Use them as a credit to the $600 travel account (plane tickets, hotels, airbnb, car rental,etc.)
Use as a $600 account credit for any purchase
Transfer them into 60,000 Aeroplan points
Whether you book hotels or Airbnb, or flights directly with any airline, the American Express Cobalt® Card is a proper Swiss Army knife!
Well done! Now you understand the principles and basics of points accumulation and cash back!
If you want to learn more, here are some ideas for articles that will help you perfect your knowledge of Reward Points! But, of course, you go at your own pace and according to your needs.
The community often asks us to establish customized credit card rewards points strategies.
It is a delicate exercise because everyone has:
In short, one size does not fit all when it comes to credit card rewards strategies!
Mastering rewards and credit card programs require knowing the basic rules:
All you have to do is reread, revise and try. Use our credit card comparison tool!
Our Facebook community will support you if you wish. And don’t forget to sign up for our free newsletter so you don’t miss any of our tips and offers!
See our best credit cards for beginners. For those with a little more experience, read about our best credit cards for the intermediate level.