The Best Credit cards in My Portfolio
These are the credit cards that I think are the perfect combo in my wallet in 2021.
| Card | Why |
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To get 5 points per dollar for groceries, convenience stores, food delivery as well as restaurants and bars.
To get 5 points per dollar for many businesses like Amazon or the SAQ thanks to gift cards |
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To earn 6 points per dollar for travel, for purchases at Costco, Walmart and places where American Express is not accepted
For its $100 annual travel credit |
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To get 5 points per dollar for my Marriott spending
For its Annual Free Night Award (35,000 points value) For 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year for my Marriott Bonvoy Elite status |
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To get my first checked bag free with Air Canada (as well as my spouse’s and children’s)
For benefits with Air Canada and Aeroplan flight rewards Preferred Pricing For insurance on flight rewards booked with Aeroplan points. |
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For free access to VIP airport lounges with my family.
To get Hilton Honors Gold Elite status (complimentary breakfasts). |
American Express Cobalt™ Card
The American Express Cobalt™ Card is the best credit card from American Express.
With the American Express Cobalt™ Card, you can earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:
| Category | Points per dollar |
| Grocery | 5 |
| Food delivery | 5 |
| Restaurants and bars | 5 |
| Convenience stores | 5 |
| Gas station | 2 |
| Gas & Transit | 2 |
| Travel | 2 |
| Other | 1 |
You can get up to 30,000 Membership Rewards Points as a Welcome Bonus; that’s a $300 value. You can earn 2,500 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $500 in net purchases on your Card.
So, if each month you spend $500 in the 5x categories, you could get up to 60,000 points or $600 during the first year! You can redeem your points in statement credits towards travel purchases, or even on your everyday purchases. Or you can transfer your points to Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors.
Besides, this Card provides premium insurance :
- Car Rental Theft and Damage Insurance
- Baggage delay insurance
- Lost or Stolen Baggage Insurance
- Flight delay insurance
- $250,000 Travel Accident Insurance
- Hotel or motel burglary insurance
- Purchase Protection® Plan
- Buyer’s Assurance® Protection Plan
HSBC World Elite® Mastercard®
The HSBC World Elite® Mastercard® is a great credit card with no foreign transaction fees, especially for travel purchases.
With the HSBC World Elite® Mastercard®,you earn:
- 6 points per dollar for travel purchases (flights, hotels, Airbnb, all-inclusive, etc.)
- 3 points per dollar for all other purchases
It’s a 1% to 3% value depending on your purchases!
You can apply your points on any travel purchase charged to your HSBC World Elite® Mastercard® (flights, hotels, Airbnb, all-inclusive, etc.). But you can also transfer your points to three airline loyalty programs: British Airways Executive Club, Asia Miles and Singapore Airlines Krisflyer.
Finally, with the HSBC World Elite® Mastercard® you get:
- $100 annual travel credit (for airport lounges, for example)
- Unlimited access to Boingo WiFi hotspots around the world
- 10% discount for hotel bookings on Expedia or Agoda
- Premium insurance for your travels and purchases
Finally, the HSBC World Elite® Mastercard® does not charge any conversion fees for foreign exchange transactions: you save 2.5% for each transaction.
And it’s one of the best credit cards for Costco, where you earn 3 points per dollar.
Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card
The Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card is the best credit card for free hotel nights.
For a limited time, you can earn up to 105,000 Marriott Bonvoy points!
Here’s how:
- 65,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after $3,000 in Card purchases within the first 6 months
- Up to 25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points with your grocery, restaurant, bar and bistro purchases in the first 6 months (5 times the points for $5,000 in Card purchases)
- 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you make a purchase between 14 to 17 months of Cardmembership
With this Card, you earn 5 points per dollar on all purchases at Marriott Bonvoy properties and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.
Finally, this Card has reliable insurance: Baggage delay, Lost or Stolen Baggage, $500,000 Travel Accident, Flight delay, Hotel or motel burglary, Car Rental Theft and Damage, Buyer’s Assurance® Protection Plan, Purchase Protection Guarantee.
TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 1.5 points for every $1 spent on eligible:
- Grocery stores
- Gas stations
- Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada Vacations
With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get:
- A welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card
- 10,000 additional Aeroplan points and a bonus Buddy Pass (different rules depending on your province of residence)
- An annual fee rebate for the primary cardholder (instead of $139)
- Annual fee rebate for the first year for up to 3 additional cardholders (instead of $75 per additional card )
- $100 NEXUS fee rebate
- Up to eight passengers travelling on the same reservation will all enjoy their first checked bag free (up to 23kg/50lb) when your travel originates on an Air Canada flight.
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 by August 17, 2021.
For Quebec Residents only: To receive the additional bonus 10,000 Aeroplan points and the bonus Buddy Pass, you must keep your Account open, active and in good standing for 90 days after Account opening. More Info here.
For Residents outside of Quebec: To receive the additional bonus 10,000 Aeroplan points and the bonus Buddy Pass, you must make $1,000 in net Purchases (less any returns and credits) on your Account, including your first Purchase, within 90 days of Account opening. More Info here.
American Express Business Edge™ Card
The Platinum Card® is the best premium Card in Canada for travellers.
With this great welcome offer, you can earn up to 150,000 Membership Rewards points.
Here’s how:
- 70,000 Membership Rewards points after $6,000 in Card purchases within the first 6 months
- 30,000 Membership Reward points when you make a purchase between 14 to 17 months of Cardmembership
- Up to 50,000 Membership Rewards points with your grocery, restaurant, bar and bistro purchases in the first 6 months (10 times the points)
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 multiple ways:
- Transfer points to frequent flyer programs (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Delta Skymiles, 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
- Unlimited access for you and an additional traveller to more than 1,200 airport lounges across 130 countries
- 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.