The Best Credit Cards in My Wallet

The Best Credit cards in My Wallet

These are the credit cards that I think are the perfect combo in my wallet in 2021.

Card	Why
	To earn 5 points per dollar on grocery, convenience store, food delivery as well as dining purchases. To earn 5 points per dollar for many businesses like Amazon or the SAQ thanks to gift cards
	To earn 6 points per dollar on travel purchases, for purchases at Costco, Walmart and places where American Express is not accepted No FX-Fee For its $100 annual travel credit
	To earn 5 points per dollar for my Marriott expenses For its Annual Free Night Award (35,000 points value) For 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year for my Marriott Bonvoy Elite status
	For Canada’s best credit cards insurance: up to 60 days for international travel, up to 3 years of warranty for purchases. For its annual travel credit of up to $250
	To get my first free checked bag with Air Canada (as well as my spouse’s and children’s) For benefits with Air Canada and the Aeroplan flight rewards Preferred Pricing For insurance on flight rewards booked with Aeroplan points
	For free access to VIP airport lounges with my family. To get Hilton Honors Gold Elite status (complimentary breakfasts).
	Get 15% off North American AIR MILES flight rewards To earn hundreds of miles easily each year through AIR MILES events, some of which are only available to AIR MILES credit cardholders

American Express Cobalt^® Card

La Carte Cobaltᴹᴰ American Express est la meilleure carte de crédit d’American Express, que vous souhaitiez des points pour vos voyages ou des remises en argent.

The welcome bonus is distributed monthly for the first 12 months. You earn 2,500 Membership Rewards points for every $500 in purchases charged to your card during the month (whether in the 1X, 2X, 3X or 5X category). That’s up to 30,000 Membership Rewards points.

You can easily use these points as statement credits for everyday or travel purchases. The value is the same for both: 1,000 points = $10.

Or, you can transfer your points to Aeroplan, Marriott Bonvoy, or Hilton Honors. Avec la Carte Cobaltᴹᴰ American Express, vous pouvez obtenir entre 1 et 5 points par dollar:

This is a 1 to 5% return on all these purchases.

In addition, this card provides excellent insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, flight delay, $250,000 travel accident, hotel or motel burglary, Mobile Device Insurance, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection Insurance.

Find out in this article how to maximize the welcome bonus to get 60,000 points with your everyday spending. This offer may be withdrawn at any time.

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

HSBC World Elite^® Mastercard^®

The HSBC World Elite Mastercard is an excellent no-conversion-fee credit card for foreign currency purchases, especially for your travel purchases.

For a limited time, you can get:

• Up to 110,000 points* (a $550 value in travel rewards) if you live in Quebec and with no minimum purchase!
• Up to 80,000 points* (a $400 value in travel rewards) and first-year annual fee waiver if you live outside Quebec

With the HSBC World Elite® Mastercard®, you can earn:

• 6 points per dollar for travel purchases (flights, hotels, Airbnb, all-inclusive, etc.)
• 4 points per dollar for grocery, gas or drugstore purchases
• 2 points per dollar for all other purchases (including Costco)

This means a 1 to 3% return, depending on your purchases!

You can easily redeem your points on any travel purchase made with the 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.

In addition, the HSBC World Elite Mastercard comes with:

• $100 Annual Travel Credit (for airport lounges, for example)
• 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.

Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express^® Card

The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is the best credit card for free hotel nights.

With this welcome offer, you can earn 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after $1,500 in Card purchases within the first 3 months.

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 comes with comprehensive insurance: baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, $500,000 travel accident, flight delay, hotel or motel burglary, rental car theft and damage, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection.

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

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.

TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn up to 55,000 Aeroplan points and a first-year annual fee rebate:

• A welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card^†
• 30,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $5,000 within 180 days of Account opening^†
• 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $7,500 within 12 months of Account opening^†
• Plus, get an annual fee rebate for the first year (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^†

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
• Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada Vacations

American Express Platinum Card^®

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

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points with this welcome offer after you charge $7,500 in net purchases in the first 3 months.

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.

BMO^® AIR MILES^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*

With this exclusive offer for the BMO® AIR MILES® World Elite®* Mastercard®*, you can earn 3,000 AIR MILES Bonus Miles after $3,000 in Card purchases; that’s a $310 cash value. Besides, the annual fee is waived in the first year!

With this card, you earn 3 miles for every $12 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners. Everywhere else, you’ll earn 1 Mile for every $12 spent, including at Costco and Walmart. And it’s the only AIR MILES credit card in Canada to offer a 15% discount on AIR MILES flights within North America with no blackout periods.

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

• Premium insurance for your travels or purchases
• Double the miles for car rentals with National or Alamo
• Concierge services