The Best Credit Cards for VIP Lounges – January 2023

Best Credit cards For VIP Lounges

National Bank's World Elite Mastercard^®

The National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard® is the Best National Bank Mastercard credit card.

With this exclusive welcome offer for Milesopedia readers, you can get up to 70,000 points, and the first year’s annual fee is waived for the primary cardholder. Here’s how:

• 30,000 points after $5,000 in Card purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
• 30,000 points if $12,000 or more in net purchases are charged to the credit card within 12 months of account opening
• 10,000 points if you sign up for Credit Card Payment Protection for a minimum of 3 months

With this card, you earn up to 5 points per dollar on your purchases:

• 5 points per dollar on grocery and restaurant purchases
• 2 points per dollar on gas and electric recharge purchases
• 2 points per dollar on recurring bills
• 2 points per dollar on À la carte Travel
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases

And since it’s a National Bank Mastercard credit card, you can use it at Costco. With this card, you have access to a $150 annual travel credit that you can use in any of these categories:

• Airport parking
• Baggage fees
• Seat selection
• Access to airport lounges
• Flight upgrades

In addition, you can enjoy access to DragonPass airport lounges and free Wi-Fi with Boingo. And unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.

Finally, Milesopedia voted the National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard® as the Best Travel Credit Card and Best Credit Card for Insurance in 2023.

This promotion is intended for individuals who do not have a National Bank Mastercard credit card and have not held a National Bank credit card within the last 24 months.

American Express Platinum Card^®

The Platinum Card® is the Best Premium Travel Card in Canada.

Earn up to 80,000 Membership Rewards points with this welcome offer:

• 60,000 points after $6,000 in Card purchases within the first 3 months
• Plus, earn 20,000 points when you make a purchase between 14 and 17 months of Cardmembership

With this card, you get:

• 3 points per dollar on dining purchases
• 2 points per dollar on travel purchases
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases

You can use your Membership Rewards points in many ways:

• Transfer your points to airline partners (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Delta Skymiles, Flying Blue, etc.)
• Transfer points to hotel programs (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy)
• Redeem points for statement credits to offset any travel purchase charged to your Card (1,000 points = $10)
• Redeem points for statement credits towards other purchases (1,000 points = $10)
• And more!

With this card, you also have advantages for your travels:

• $200 Annual Travel Credit
• $100 NEXUS Card Statement Credit
• Complimentary and unlimited access for you and one additional traveller to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide
• Hilton Honors Gold Elite status (complimentary breakfast at all Hilton hotels)
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• Access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program

Finally, the Platinum Card® comes with premium insurance: Car Rental Theft and Damage, $500,000 Travel Accident, Emergency medical insurance (outside the province or country), Lost or Stolen Baggage, Flight delay insurance and misdirected baggage, Hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection® Plan, Buyer’s Assurance® Protection Plan.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Scotiabank Platinum American Express^® Card

For a limited time, when you sign up for the Scotiabank®* Platinum American Express® Card, you can earn up to 70,000 points. That’s $700 worth of travel including Airbnb.

With the Scotiabank®* Platinum American Express® Card, you earn 2 points per dollar spent on all purchases. You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). And you can also use them for other rewards in the Scene+ program, such as cash back rewards.

Plus, with this card, you will not pay 2.5% foreign transaction fees on any foreign currency purchases, and you get ten complimentary visits to airport VIP lounges with the Priority Pass and Premium Plaza networks.

And you get excellent insurance for your travels or purchases, concierge service, and exclusive American Express Offers (American Express Invites Program).

American Express^®* Aeroplan^® Reserve Card

With this welcome offer for the American Express®* Aeroplan® Reserve Card, you can earn up to 85,000 Aeroplan points. Here’s how:

• 55,000 Aeroplan points after $6,000 in Card purchases within the first 6 months
• 5,000 Aeroplan points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $1,000 in purchases on your Card for the first 6 months. That’s up to 30,000 Aeroplan Points

With this Card, you earn 3X the points on purchases made directly with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations. And 2x the points on Dining and Food Delivery purchases in Canada. Everywhere else, you will earn 1.25X the points.

With this Card, you receive many Air Canada travel benefits such as access to Maple Leaf Lounges in North America for you and one guest, priority check-in, priority boarding and priority baggage handling.

Enjoy your first checked bag free (up to 23kg/50lb) for up to 9 people travelling on the same reservation on Air Canada®* flights.

And you can get a FREE Uber Pass membership for 12 months.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is one of Canada’s best travel Mastercard credit cards. With our exclusive offer, you can get up to 70,000 Welcome Bonus Points:

• 40,000 points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months
• 2,500 points per month after $2,000 in monthly purchases from the 4th to the 15th month, up to 30,000 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, you earn:

• 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 your points for travel purchases on the BMO Rewards website (flights, hotels, car rentals, all-inclusive).

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard also offers:

• Four annual complimentary passes to airport VIP lounges
• Premium insurance for your travels or purchases
• Concierge services

Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

Earn 80,000 points with this welcome offer when you spend $6,000 in purchases to your Business Platinum Card® from American Express within the first three months of Cardmembership.

You can use your Membership Rewards points in many ways:

• Transfer points to airline partners (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue, Delta Skymiles, etc.)
• Transfer points to hotel programs (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy)
• Redeem points for statement credits to offset any eligible purchase charged to your Card (1,000 points = $10)
• And more!

With this Card, you earn 1.25 Membership Rewards points per dollar on all purchases. In addition, you have travel benefits:

• Complimentary and unlimited access for you and an additional traveller to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide.
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• Access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program

With this Card you can maximize your cash flow with up to 55 interest free days.

Finally, the Business Platinum Card® from American Express comes with premium insurance: Car Rental Theft and Damage, $500,000 Travel Accident, Emergency medical insurance (outside the province or country), Lost or Stolen Baggage, Flight delay insurance and misdirected baggage, Hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection® Plan, Buyer’s Assurance® Protection Plan.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card

With the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 30,000 points on just $1,000 in purchases, a value of $300. And each year, if you make at least $40,000 in Card purchases, you’ll earn 10,000 additional points ($100 value).

In addition, there is no annual fee for the first year.

With the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 3X Scene+ points on every $1 you spend 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 2 points per dollar for:

• grocery purchases
• dining purchases
• Entertainment
• Transportation

The Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card is an excellent Visa credit card for these types of purchases.

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

The Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card also offers:

• no foreign transaction fee
• 6 complimentary passes to airport VIP lounges
• Premium insurance for your travels or purchases
• Concierge services

American Express^® Gold Rewards Card

Earn up to 50,000 Membership Rewards points with this welcome offer for the American Express® Gold Rewards Card:

• 40,000 points after $3,000 in Card purchases within the first 3 months
• Plus, earn an additional 10,000 points when you make a purchase between 14 and 17 months of Cardmembership

With this Card, you get many benefits like:

• $100 annual travel credit
• Priority Pass membership and 4 complimentary Plaza Premium visits per year
• $50 NEXUS credit

You earn 2 points per dollar for travel purchases, and at:

• gas stations
• grocery stores
• drugstores

And 1 point per dollar everywhere else.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

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 exclusive offer for Milesopedia readers, with which you can earn up to 40,000 Aventura points:

• 20,000 Aventura Points when you make your first purchase†
• Then get 20,000 Aventura Points when you spend $1,000 or more in the first 4 monthly statement periods.†

Plus, you can get a first-year annual fee rebate (a $139 value). 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, 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
• A NEXUS application fee rebate (a $50 value)

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

CIBC Aventura^® Gold Visa* Card

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

CIBC has an exclusive offer for Milesopedia readers, with which you can earn up to 40,000 Aventura points:

• 20,000 Aventura Points when you make your first purchase†
• Then get 20,000 Aventura Points when you spend $1,000 or more in the first 4 monthly statement periods.†

Plus, you can get a first-year annual fee rebate (a $139 value). 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, grocery stores and drug stores†
• 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases†

The CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card also offers:

• Airport lounges access: Visa Airport Companion Program membership with 4 complimentary visits per year
• A NEXUS application fee rebate (a $50 value)