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A comparison of multiple booking methods for luxury hotels

  • Luxury
7 min read
Editorial integrity
A comparison of multiple booking methods for luxury hotels
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The Trip

For Thanksgiving weekend, my family wanted a quick getaway for a couple of nights. Somewhere away from the Montreal area but within driving distance. I had thought about a chalet in the Eastern Townships, but availability was low due to the long weekend.

Therefore I thought of going to Montebello to enjoy the Fairmont Château Montebello there as I had never been to the property before. I was sitting on a stash of TD travel points which I could use to offset the cost of the trip. It’s quite a famous hotel, and you can read the Milesopedia review of it here.

Normally when using TD points it is most efficient to use the Expedia for TD portal as you get the most value from your points. However, seeing how we decided to go to a luxury hotel, that opens the door to multiple booking options which have different costs and different perks attributed to them.

I investigated the different options to see which would present the best deal.

A comparison of multiple booking methods for luxury hotels - The Fairmont Montebello

Option 1: Booking Direct

The easiest way to book a hotel of course is directly on the company’s website.  Doing it this way, the price for the best regular available rate came to $1,321 (all prices CAD) for two nights in a Luxury Room which featured two double beds for the four of us.

The « Luxury » part of the room, and the step above the regular Fairmont room, is that it is one of the newly renovated rooms in the hotel. While Fairmont hotels in Canada are often quite iconic properties, the rooms can be small and dated due to the hotel’s age. So if they are advertising some rooms that are newly renovated, it’s typically a good value to pay a small premium to make sure you get one of them.

A comparison of multiple booking methods for luxury hotels - Direct booking
A comparison of multiple booking methods for luxury hotels - room types

Two things to note here:

First, it’s often smart to book direct with a hotel if you have a high elite status with them to take advantage of your perks and collect reward points. Being a Platinum/Diamond member with Marriott and Hilton this is often what I do. However, I have no status with Accor as I rarely stay at their properties. I was a big fan of Fairmont before the Accor hotel group acquired them in 2016. However, since then I usually steer away from them as I find they are overpriced for the service level you get. So this trip was bit of an exception for me. And this rate would have given us the room only, with no chance of any other perks.

Secondly, it is possible to get a direct rate which is lower than this. Being an Accor ALL member, I would have been able to get 5% off this booking for example. And there are sometimes other options as well such as discounts for extended stays, booking early, and notably a non-refundable prepaid rate which can be less expensive. I prefer to keep maximum flexibility with travel so this was the most appropriate rate for us.

Option 2: Expedia For TD

Because I wanted to use some TD points for this booking, it can be advantageous to book directly with the Expedia For TD portal. Using this method your points are worth 0.5 cents per point. When using them to pay off travel booked by other means, they are worth 0.4 cents per point. We had a total of 265,000 points to work with, making the worth either $1,325 or $1,060, a significant difference of $265.

Booking with the portal for the same room gives a rate of $1,335. This is about $80 higher when factoring in the 5% discount I would have gotten by booking direct as an Accor ALL member.

So clearly Expedia For TD is the winner here in terms of coming out ahead price-wise, since the $265 increase in value of points far outweighs an extra $80 to book.

A comparison of multiple booking methods for luxury hotels - Booking
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With the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn up to 160,000 TD Rewards Points† as well as an Annual Fee rebate for the first year†:

  • 20,000 TD Rewards Points for the first purchase made with your card†
  • 140,000 TD Rewards Points when you spend $7,500 within 180 days of account opening†
  • A Birthday Bonus of up to 10,000 TD Rewards Points†

Get an annual TD Travel Credit† of $100 when you book at Expedia® For TD, and enjoy your time at the airport with global airport lounge access and 4 complimentary lounge visits with Visa Airport Companion Program (a value of up to $277)†.

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† per dollar on your grocery, dining and public transit purchases
  • 4 TD Rewards Points† per dollar on your recurring bill payments and purchases of streaming services as well as digital games and media
  • 2 TD Rewards Points† per dollar on all other purchases made with your card

This card also allows you to enjoy a range of travel benefits, including an annual travel credit, complimentary airport lounge visits, and a birthday bonus that boosts your points each year†.

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†Terms and conditions apply.

Annual fee

Primary card$139
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 6xGroceries
  • 6xRestaurants
  • 6xTransit
  • 4xBills & recurring payments
  • 4xStreaming
  • 2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,430
2nd Year Value$531

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$160

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $2,000,000 / 4 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Option 3: Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection

While the Expedia For TD option had the best net price for our room, Fairmont is a luxury hotel brand which opens up other options to extract greater value from your hotel reservation. This hotel participates in the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotels Collection, for holders of any Visa Infinite card, for which you can get the following benefits:

A comparison of multiple booking methods for luxury hotels - Benefits

This booking method priced at $1,247 so was less expensive than booking direct, but about $177 more expensive than booking through the Expedia for TD portal when you factor in the difference in value of TD points.

However, given the typically high cost of breakfast at luxury hotels, the additional $25 USD credit and the other perks, you’d likely come out slightly ahead here with the Visa Infinite rate. This is provided you were planning on eating at the hotel and taking full advantage of the benefits which we were in this case.

A comparison of multiple booking methods for luxury hotels - Rate
Featured

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card

RBCRBC Avion Rewards - Elite
Annual fee
$120
Our valuation
$1,050
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,050Total$1,050Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 70,000 points
Ends Nov 25, 2026
Apply Now

on RBC's website

For a limited time, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card offers a welcome bonus of up to 70,000 Avion points, worth up to $1,500 in travel.

  • 35,000 points upon approval of your application
  • 20,000 points when you charge $5,000 in purchases to your account within the first six months
  • 15,000 points on the first anniversary of your account

You can redeem your Avion points for flights with more than 500 airlines, with no blackout periods or seat restrictions, or transfer them to partner programs such as American Airlines AAdvantage, The British Airways Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles and WestJet Rewards.

The card earns you 1.25 points per dollar on eligible travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on all your other eligible purchases. It also includes extensive insurance coverage: emergency medical, trip cancellation and interruption, collision coverage for rental vehicles, and mobile devices.

The annual fee is $120.

Legal

Refer to RBC page for up to date offer terms and conditions

† Based on the Air Travel Reward redemptions from the Air Travel Redemption Schedule starting at 35,000 Avion points for one round-trip long-haul flight to almost anywhere in Canada or the United States with a maximum ticket price of $750, you will need a minimum of 70,000 Avion Points for two round-trips long-haul flights to almost anywhere in Canada or the United States, exclusive of Hawaii and Alaska. All applicable taxes, service fees and surcharges are the responsibility of the traveler. For more details, including information on redeeming for first class and business class seats, visit: www.avionrewards.com/travel/index.html. For general redemption terms, conditions and restrictions that apply to the Avion Rewards program, please visit: www.avionrewards.com or call 1-800 ROYAL 1-2 (1-800-769-2512).

^ Based on the Air Travel Reward redemptions from the Air Travel Redemption Schedule starting at 15,000 Avion points for a round trip within or to an adjacent Canadian province/territory or U.S State with a maximum ticket price of $350. You will need a minimum of 60,000 Avion Points for four round-trips within or to an adjacent Canadian province/territory or U.S State. All applicable taxes, service fees and surcharges are the responsibility of the traveller. For more details, including information on redeeming for first class and business class seats, please visit: www.avionrewards.com/travel/index.html. For general redemption terms, conditions and restrictions that apply to the Avion Rewards program, please visit: www.avionrewards.com or call 1-800 ROYAL 1-2 (1-800-769-2512).

1 This offer only applies to new applications for an RBC Avion Visa Infinite or RBC Avion Visa Platinum credit card (each, an “Eligible Credit Card”) received between “August 13, 2026” and “November 25, 2026” (“Offer Period”) and approved by Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”) subject to the conditions below. Additional cardholders(s) (co-applicant and authorized user(s)) on the Eligible Credit Card account, as well as existing cardholders on any RBC Royal Bank personal credit card account transferring to an Eligible Credit Card account during the Offer Period, are not eligible for the offer.

35,000 welcome Avion points (“Welcome Points”) will appear on your monthly credit card statement within sixty (60) days after your application has been approved, provided that your Eligible Credit Card account remains open and in good standing at the time the Welcome points are credited to your account, “good standing” meaning that your Eligible Credit Card account must not be past due for more than two (2) consecutive credit card account statement periods, closed, charged off or in credit revoked status.

You will receive 20,000 bonus Avion points (“Bonus Points”) if a total of $5,000 or more (“Qualifying Transaction Amount”) in qualifying net purchases and/or pre-authorized bill payment transactions (“Qualifying Transactions”) are posted to your Eligible Credit Card account within the first six (6) months from your Eligible Credit Card account opening date (“Period”). The Bonus Points will appear on your monthly credit card statement within sixty days (60) after you reach $5,000 in Qualifying Transactions, provided your Eligible Credit Card account remains open and in good standing at the time the Bonus Points are credited to your account.

Qualifying Transactions exclude cash advances (including balance transfers, cash-like transactions and bill payments that are not pre-authorized charges that you set up with a merchant), interest charges and fees. Credits for returns and adjustments posted to your Eligible Credit Card account during the Period will reduce the amount of your Qualifying Transactions. The Qualifying Transaction Amount is based on the transaction posting date of each Qualifying Transaction, not the transaction date. This means that transactions that take place prior to the last day of the Period will not be considered for the Qualifying Transaction Amount if they have not yet been posted or processed by the merchant, the payment network (Visa) or Royal Bank by the last day of the Period.

15,000 additional Avion points (“Anniversary Points”) will appear on your monthly credit card statement within twelve (12) to sixteen (16) weeks after the one- year anniversary of your account opening, provided that your Eligible Credit Card account remains open and in good standing at the time the Anniversary Points are credited to your account.

If you close or change your Eligible Credit Card Account for another type of RBC Royal Bank credit card before the Welcome Points, the Bonus Points and/or the Anniversary Points have been credited to your account, you may lose the benefit of this offer. This offer may not be combined or used in conjunction with any other offer. Royal Bank reserves the right to cancel, modify or withdraw this offer at any time without notice, even after your application has been approved, including if we suspect that you may be manipulating or abusing it, or engaging in any suspicious or fraudulent activity, as determined by Royal Bank in its sole discretion. For complete terms and conditions that apply to the Avion Rewards Program, please visit www.avionrewards.com or call 1-800-769-2512.

 

^Point redemptions for flights under the Air Travel Redemption Schedule start at 7,500 points for a short-haul one-way Economy Class flight priced at no more than $175 (and start at 15,000 points for a short-haul round-trip Economy Class flight priced at no more than $350). The traveller is responsible for all applicable taxes, administration fees and surcharges. To learn more, including guidelines regarding redeeming points for a Business Class flight, visit www.avionrewards.com/fr/travel/.

2 Avion points are earned on qualifying net purchases only; they are not earned on cash advances (including balance transfers, cash-like transactions and bill payments that are not pre-authorized charges that you set up with a merchant) interest charges or fees, and credits for returns and adjustments will reduce or cancel the points earned by the amounts originally charged.

4 To participate in this offer, you must have an RBC debit card or a credit card which is issued by Royal Bank of Canada (excluding RBC commercial credit cards) (“RBC Card”). RBC business clients will only be able to link up to two (2) RBC business credit cards and one (1) RBC business debit card to a Petro-Points card.

You must be enrolled in RBC Online Banking or the RBC Mobile app in order to link your RBC Card to your Petro-Points card. Card linking may take up to 2 business days to process before savings and bonus points can be applied to purchases. A linked RBC Card means an RBC Card linked to a Petro-Points Account. Your linked RBC Card acts as your Petro-Points card. You will automatically earn Petro-Points when you pay for qualifying purchases with your linked RBC Card at Petro-Canada locations and you do not need to swipe your Petro-Points card before you pay. You can redeem your Petro-Points at Petro-Canada using your linked RBC Card. Each time you use your linked RBC Card to purchase any grade of gasoline, or diesel, at a Petro-Canada location, you will save three cents ($0.03) per litre at the time of the transaction.

6 Each time you use your linked Eligible Avion Rewards Credit Card to pay for purchases at a Petro-Canada Location, you will earn a bonus of twenty percent (20%) more Avion points than you normally earn for every $1 in purchases in accordance with the Avion Rewards Terms and Conditions. Please allow up to ninety (90) days from the date the transaction is posted on your credit card statement for the bonus points to be deposited into Avion Rewards account. Authorized Users are excluded from earning Avion points bonus.

6 Each time you use your eligible linked Avion Rewards credit card to pay for purchases at a Petro-Canada location, you will receive a bonus of twenty percent (20%) more Avion points than you would normally receive for each dollar of purchase, in accordance with the terms of the Avion Rewards program. Please allow up to ninety (90) days from the date the transaction is posted to your credit card statement for your bonus points to be deposited into your Avion Rewards account. Authorized users cannot earn bonus Avion points.

7 Coverage underwritten by RBC Insurance Company of Canada. Please refer to the insurance certificate for complete details. rbc-visa-infinite-avion-certificate-of-insurance.pdf

9 Under 65 years of age, 15 days of coverage. For age 65 and over, 3 days of coverage. Coverage underwritten by RBC Insurance Company of Canada.

10 The discount of up to 20% off the base rate only (time and mileage) (the “discount”) is offered at participating corporate Hertz locations in Canada and the United States. The discount excludes taxes, tax recovery charges, fees, surcharges and the cost of any optional service, such as refuelling. If you are a personal credit cardholder, you must enter the first six digits of your eligible Avion Rewards card in the CDP number field at the time of booking to receive the discount. For business credit cards and commercial credit cards, a CDP number will be generated upon enrolment in the Hertz Business Rewards program. Please use this CDP identification number for future reservations to take advantage of the discount and the Hertz Business Rewards program. To take advantage of the discount, your colleagues and your company’s employees must also enter the Hertz Business Rewards program CDP number at the time they make their reservation with Hertz. Hertz, and not Royal Bank of Canada, is responsible for the sales and refund terms that apply to the discount. For complete terms, visit hertz.ca (external site opens in a new window). Royal Bank of Canada reserves the right to cancel, amend or withdraw this offer at any time, even after you have activated it. To learn more about the Avion Rewards program, go to www.avionrewards.com/fr/ (opens in a new window).

11 This offer is not transferable. To earn 3X the Avion points you normally earn (“Bonus Points”) for every one dollar ($1.00) in purchases, including taxes, you make at any corporately owned Hertz location in Canada, U.S., UK, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia and Luxembourg, beginning January 2, 2025 to December 31, 2025 (“Offer Period”), click the “Load Offer” button and pay using one of your eligible RBC Avion credit card (“Eligible RBC Card/Credit Card”) (“Qualifying Purchase”). Franchised Hertz locations are not eligible for this offer.

The up to 20% discount rate applies to the base rate only (time and mileage charges) (“Discount”) and is available at participating Hertz corporate locations in Canada and the U.S.. The Discount excludes taxes, tax reimbursements, fees, surcharges and optional service charges, such as refueling. CDP ID #451401 must be used at time of reservation to receive the Discount.

Upon Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (GPR) registration, you’ll be upgraded to Hertz Five Star status in 48 hours. If you’re already an existing member of Hertz GPR, please follow the prompts on the landing page.

If you change your eligible RBC Avion credit card, you must load the Hertz offer again in Offers. If you cancel your eligible RBC Avion credit card, you will not be eligible for the Discount, Bonus Points or Hertz Five Star status.

Please allow up to 30 days from the date of your Qualifying Purchase, provided your credit card account was in good standing at that time, for the Bonus Points to appear on the account statement tied to your eligible RBC Avion credit card. Cancellations or price adjustments may cancel or reduce the Avion points earned on your Qualifying Purchase, including Bonus Points. Offer may not be combined with any other offer, promotion, certificate, voucher or other discount.

Hertz, not Royal Bank of Canada, is responsible for the sales and returns terms and conditions applicable to your Qualifying Purchase(s) and Discount. For complete terms and conditions please visit: https://www.hertz.ca/avionrewardselite(opens to external site). Royal Bank of Canada reserves the right to cancel, modify or withdraw this offer at any time, even after you have activated it. For more details on the Offers program, please visit rbc.com/offers(opens to external site).

12 You will earn 1.25 Avion points for every dollar spent when you use your RBC Avion Visa Infinite card to pay for travel-related purchases made at merchants classified by Visa’s “Merchant Category Code” (“MCC”) as “travel”, which may include: airlines, accommodations, tour operators, cruise lines, travel agencies and car rental companies. Even though some merchants may sell travel products/services, purchases made at these locations may not necessarily qualify for the 1.25 Avion points per dollar if the merchant is not classified with a “travel” MCC. Also, merchants that are not classified by a “travel” MCC may be located on the premises of merchants that are classified with a “travel” MCC, and purchases made at these locations may not qualify for this added benefit. For more details, please refer to the Avion Rewards Terms and Conditions at: https://www.avionrewards.com/terms-and-conditions/index.html

14 The term “redeem” means using your Be Well points to pay, or partially pay, for eligible purchases using your Be Well card at participating Rexall locations according to the instructions provided by the cashier, the point-of-sale terminal or any other payment processing device. You can redeem the Be Well points you earn for eligible purchases—see section 5 of the Be Well terms (available at https://www.letsbewell.ca/terms-conditions)—or for another purpose that we may provide from time to time.

You must have joined the Be Well program and registered your Be Well card, or otherwise called customer service, to redeem Be Well points. Any Be Well points earned on a Be Well card will remain the property of the Be Well administrator until the enrollment and registration process is complete.

You must redeem a minimum of 25,000 Be Well points at any time, which are worth $10. Be Well points can be redeemed in $10 increments, up to a maximum of $200 (500,000 Be Well points) in a single transaction. A maximum of 500,000 Be Well points can be redeemed within a 24-hour period.

In Ontario and British Columbia, Be Well points cannot be redeemed for prescription drugs. As the laws of each province and territory may change from time to time, you are encouraged to consult your pharmacist for more information in this regard.

Be Well points you earn when you make a purchase cannot be redeemed immediately for that same purchase. They can only be redeemed for a future eligible purchase that must be made at least 12 hours after earning those Be Well points.

16 To receive a complimentary DashPass subscription for $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more at eligible restaurants when you pay with your Eligible RBC Credit Card, you must subscribe to DashPass by adding an Eligible RBC Credit Card, accept the DoorDash terms and conditions, and activate your benefit by clicking “Activate Free DashPass” before November 16, 2028 (“Offer Period”). If you are an existing DashPass subscriber and have already added an Eligible RBC Credit Card to your account you must activate your benefit by clicking “Activate Free DashPass” during the Offer Period. If you have been charged for DashPass you will receive a refund to the method of original payment, in the amount of the monthly subscription fee for the month you activate your complimentary subscription. For all clients, by clicking on “Activate Free DashPass” you agree to the DoorDash terms and conditions which can be found at https://help.doordash.com/consumers/s/terms-and-conditions .

Eligible RBC Credit cardholders include primary cardholders, co-applicants, authorized users, primary business cardholders and secondary business cardholders on an Eligible RBC Credit Card account.

The DashPass monthly subscription fee will be waived (“Complimentary DashPass Subscription”) and you will receive either a 6 months or 12 months Complimentary DashPass Subscription based on the Eligible RBC Credit Card you use to subscribe to DashPass.

DashPass subscriptions purchased through third parties, including third-party payment accounts, or online or mobile digital wallets (like Apply Pay and Google Pay) are not eligible for the Complimentary DashPass Subscription.

Eligible RBC Credit Cards: Your Eligible RBC Credit Card may only be used with one DoorDash account to receive a Complimentary DashPass Subscription. Once you have received a Complimentary DashPass Subscription you cannot use the same eligible RBC Credit Card to obtain a Complimentary DashPass Subscription with another DoorDash account.

You are only eligible for one 12 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription and one 6 months Complimentary DashPass Subscription during the Offer Period. The Complimentary DashPass Subscription commences on the date you subscribe to receive the Complimentary DashPass Subscription. For example, if you subscribe to a 12 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription in on the last day of your second month of a 6 months Complimentary DashPass Subscription you will receive a total of 14 months of Complimentary DashPass Subscription. In order to validate your credit card as an Eligible RBC Credit Card, Royal Bank may need to administer a $0.50 charge to validate your card enrollment. This charge will be reversed in 3 to 5 days once your account has been validated.

12 Month Complimentary DashPass Subscription is available for the following Eligible RBC Credit Cards:

As an RBC Avion Visa Platinum, RBC Avion Visa Infinite , RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege, RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege for Private Banking, WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard, RBC Rewards Visa Preferred, RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard, More Rewards RBC Visa Infinite, RBC British Airways Visa Infinite, RBC Avion Visa Business, RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business, WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard for Business (Elite Benefit cards) cardholder.

You are eligible for a Complimentary DashPass Subscription for 12 months from the date you subscribe to receive the Complimentary DashPass Subscription. You will be auto-enrolled into full-price membership at the then-current rate after the end of the 12 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription. Your RBC credit card account must be open and not in default to maintain the benefits of DashPass.

6 Months Complimentary DashPass Subscription is available for the following Eligible RBC Credit Cards:

As an Rewards+TM Visa‡, Signature® RBC Rewards® Visa‡, RBC® Visa‡ Platinum, RBC® Visa‡ Cash Back, RBC® Cash Back Mastercard‡, RBC® Visa‡ Classic Low Rate Option, RBC® Visa‡ Classic, RBC® Student Visa‡ Classic, RBC® Visa‡ Classic II Student, RBC® Visa‡ Gold, RBC® U.S. Dollar Visa‡ Gold, RBC Rewards Visa‡ Gold, RBC RateAdvantage® Visa‡, WestJet RBC® Mastercard‡, RBC ION Visa, RBC ION+ Visa, More Rewards RBC Visa, RBC Staff VISA Classic Expense, RBC Staff VISA Gold Expense, RBC® Visa‡ Business, RBC® Visa‡ Business Gold, RBC® Visa‡ CreditLine for Small BusinessTM, or RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡, WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ (Premium Benefit Cards).

You are eligible for a Complimentary DashPass Subscription for 6 months from the date you subscribed to the Complimentary DashPass Subscription. You will be auto-enrolled into full-price membership at the then-current rate after the end of the 6 months Complimentary DashPass Subscription. Your RBC credit card account must be open and not in default to maintain the benefits of DashPass.

DoorDash not Royal Bank of Canada, is responsible for (i) services and products provided through DoorDash; (ii) DashPass, including the DashPass Benefits, the administration of DashPass and (iii) the DoorDash terms and conditions. The Complimentary DashPass Subscription offer may be amended or withdrawn at any time. To learn more about DashPass, visit www.doordash.com/dashpass (opens to external site). For full DashPass for RBC Program Terms and Conditions, visit rbcroyalbank.com/credit-cards/documentation/pdf/full-doordash-tcs-en.pdf

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 1.25xTravel
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,369
2nd Year Value$271

Transfer partners

  • American Airlines AAdvantageAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • WestJet RewardsAirline

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Included
Travel medical (55-64)Included
Travel medical (65+)Included
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,500 / 1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card

TDAeroplan
Annual fee
$599
Our valuation
$2,000
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$2,000Total$2,000Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 100,000 points
Apply Now

on TD's website

Terms of the offer

  • Limited Time Offer! Apply by December 1, 2019 to earn up to 60,000 Aeroplan Miles (equivalent to 2 business class short-haul roundtrip flight rewards)¹ as follows:
    • Welcome Bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan Miles when you make your first Purchase with your card¹.
    • + Earn 2x miles on your purchases4,5 made using your Card for a total of up to 30,000 Aeroplan Miles, for first 3 months¹.
    • + Earn 5,000 Aeroplan Miles when you add an Authorized User to your Account by December 1, 2019. Annual Fees for Authorized Users continue to apply¹.
  • Earn Aeroplan Miles with every purchase made on your Card and arrive at your dream destination sooner
  • Enjoy Air Canada®³ and Visa Infinite Privilege benefits4
    • Priority Check-in on Air Canada®³ flights
    • Priority Boarding on Air Canada®³ flights
    • First checked bag free on Air Canada®³ flights
    • Four annual One-Time Guest Passes to the Maple Leaf Lounge (when travelling on flight rewards)
    • 50% discount on companion tickets for eligible Executive Class or Executive First fare (booking classes J & C) on tickets entirely operated by Air Canada®³ & Air Canada Express
    • Global Airport Lounge Access4
    • Visa Infinite Privilege* Airport Benefits4 at Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal-Trudeau International airports
  • An extensive suite of travel insurance
  • Earn 1.5 miles5 for every $1 spent on eligible grocery, gas, drugstore and Air Canada Purchases (excluding Air Canada Vacation packages) made with the Card (capped annually on the first $100,000 across these categories)
  • Earn 1.25 miles6 for every $1 spent on all other purchases made with the Card
  • Earn miles twice7 when you pay with your Card and present your Aeroplan Membership Number at participating partner brands and online retailers via the Aeroplan eStore
  • Your Aeroplan Miles don’t expire as long as you’re a TD Aeroplan Credit Cardholder
  Sponsored advertising. The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) is not responsible for the contents of this site including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information on this TD credit card, please click the Apply Now button.

Fees / Rates / Eligibility

 
Type Details
Personal annual income -
Household annual income $200,000
Purchase APR 19.99%
Cash Advance APR 22.99%
Interest Grace Period 21 days on all new purchases
Balance Transfer Rate 22.99%
Foreign Transaction Rate
Annual Fee $399
Authorized User Cards $99
Balance Transfer Fee Promotional Balance Transfer/ Cheque Fee: 3% of the amount of each Balance Transfer or TD Visa Cheque that we may offer to you at a promotional interest rate which is an interest rate that is lower than the regular annual interest rate that applies to Cash Advances on your Account. The Bank may waive or lower this 3% fee at the time the promotional interest rate offer is made to you. You will be advised of the exact fee that applies at the time the offer is made.
Cash Advance Fee 1% of the amount of the transaction (minimum fee of $3.50 up to a maximum fee of $10.00) (in Canada) or $5.00 (outside Canada), plus $3.00 at a PLUS* network ATM. (Fee does not apply to a Balance Transfer or TD Visa Cheque)
Foreign Currency Conversion Fee 2.50%
Over Credit Limit Fee N/A
 

Disclaimer

Annual interest rates, fees and features are current as of June 19, 2017 unless otherwise indicated and subject to change. The Aeroplan Program is a coalition loyalty marketing program owned and operated by Aeroplan Inc. Visit aeroplan.com for complete terms and conditions of the Aeroplan Program. The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its affiliates are not responsible for the Aeroplan Program. 1 Must apply by December 1, 2019. Welcome Bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan Miles will be awarded to the Aeroplan Member account associated with the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege* Card Account (“Account”) only after the first Purchase is made on the Account. Welcome Earn Bonus of 2x in Aeroplan Miles ("Welcome Earn Bonus") applies to new Account in the first 3 months of Account opening ("First 3 Months") to a maximum total collective miles of 30,000 ("Welcome Earn Bonus Cap") on all purchases charged to your ("Account"). During the Welcome Earn Bonus promotional period, 3 Aeroplan Miles are earned for each $1.00 in Purchases of eligible gas, groceries, drugstore, and aircanada.com products and services (excluding Air Canada Vacations packages, car rentals, hotel bookings, and other third party partner products and services that can be purchased through aircanada.com) charged to your Account and 2.5 Aeroplan Miles are earned for each $1.00 for all other Purchases charged to your Account. Any returned items, refunds, rebates or other similar credits on any Purchases made during the First 3 Months will reduce or cancel the Aeroplan Miles earned at the Welcome Earn Bonus on the original Purchase, as applicable. Welcome Earn Bonus Cap: Once the Welcome Earn Bonus Cap is reached, any further Purchases made in the First 3 Months will earn Aeroplan Miles at the regular 1.5 Bonus Aeroplan Miles that applies to each $1.00 in Purchases of eligible gas, groceries, drugstore, and aircanada.com products and services (excluding Air Canada Vacations packages, car rentals, hotel bookings, and other third party partner products and services that can be purchased through aircanada.com) and 1.25 Aeroplan Mile to each $1.00 to all other eligible Purchases. To receive the additional 5,000 Aeroplan Miles for adding an Authorized User to your Account ("Authorized User Bonus"), you must: (a) apply for an Account and add an Authorized User between September 4, 2019, and December 1, 2019; and (b) Authorized User must call and activate their Card by January 31, 2020. You can have a maximum of three (3) Authorized Users on your Account but you will only receive 1 (one) 5,000 Authorized User Bonus Aeroplan Miles offer. Annual Fee for each Authorized User Card added to the Account will apply. The Primary Cardholder is responsible for all charges to the Account, including those made by any Authorized User. Other conditions apply. Offers may be changed, withdrawn or extended at any time and cannot be combined with any other offer unless otherwise specified. Welcome Bonus and 2x miles earned through Welcome Earn Bonus are not eligible for Aeroplan status. Your Account must be in good standing at the time bonus miles are awarded. Please allow 8 weeks after the conditions for each offer are fulfilled for the miles to be credited to your Aeroplan Member account. The number of Aeroplan Miles required for the destination is accurate as of September 4, 2019 and is subject to change at any time by Aeroplan Inc. According to Aeroplan's current reward chart, destinations reflect two short-haul  Fixed Mileage Flight Reward® in Business Class departing from within Canada or the continental US (plus applicable fees and taxes). Fixed Mileage Flight Reward availability is capacity controlled and is subject to availability at time of booking as well as seasonality of demand. Aeroplan Flight Rewards are subject to taxes, landing and departure fees, and other charges and surcharges may apply. Aeroplan Partners, rules and regulations are subject to change without notice. For full details on Aeroplan's current reward chart, please visit aeroplan.com. 2 Primary Cardholder remains liable for all charges to the Account, including those made by an Authorized User. 3 All Air Canada benefits are fulfilled in whole or in part by Air Canada or its designated affiliates or other third parties, and are subject to change at any time. The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its affiliates are not responsible for fulfilling these benefits. For more details about these benefits, please contact Air Canada directly. Air Canada Benefit Eligibility – Priority Travel Services : With the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card, Air Canada benefits (the complimentary first checked bag, priority check in and priority boarding) apply whenever the Primary Cardholder travels on a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or under the Air Canada Express banner. Flights operated by other airlines are not eligible. To access priority check-in and priority boarding, the Primary Cardholder must include their Aeroplan Number on their reservation at time of booking, or redeem their Aeroplan flight reward (defined as Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards® or Market Fare Flight Rewards®) using miles from their Aeroplan account. To access these benefits, the Primary Cardholder must also ensure that the name on the Air Canada flight booking is identical to the name on the Aeroplan account profile of the traveler. Where zonal boarding is available, the priority boarding status will be recognized by a Zone 2 descriptor for the Primary Cardholder and companions travelling on the same reservation checking-in at the same time, which will be displayed on the Air Canada issued boarding pass. Priority check-in may also be extended to companions travelling on the same reservation checking-in at the same time as the Primary Cardholder. To access priority check-in and priority boarding, the Primary Cardholder may be required to show their TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege* Card to the Air Canada agent. Please allow two (2) weeks from receiving your Card for these Air Canada benefits to be activated. The complimentary first checked bag , up to 23kg (50lb), applies whenever the Primary Cardholder travels on a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or under the Air Canada Express banner. Flights operated by other airlines are not eligible. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder must include their Aeroplan Number on their reservation at time of booking, or redeem their Aeroplan flight reward (defined as Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards or Market Fare Flight Rewards) using miles from their Aeroplan account. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder must also ensure that the name on the Air Canada flight booking is identical to the name on the Aeroplan account profile of the traveler. The complimentary first checked bag applies solely to the Primary Cardholder, and service charges for additional/oversized/overweight baggage may apply. Applicable on flights that do not already offer a complimentary first checked bag. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder may be required to show their TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege * Card to the Air Canada agent. Please allow two (2) weeks from receiving your Card for these Air Canada benefits to be activated. The complimentary first checked bag, up to 23kg (50lb), applies whenever the Primary Cardholder travels on a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or under the Air Canada Express banner. Flights operated by other airlines are not eligible. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder must include their Aeroplan Number on their reservation at time of booking, or redeem their Aeroplan flight reward (defined as Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards or Market Fare Flight Rewards) using miles from their Aeroplan account. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder must also ensure that the name on the Air Canada flight booking is identical to the name on the Aeroplan account profile of the traveler. The complimentary first checked bag applies solely to the Primary Cardholder, and service charges for additional/oversized/overweight baggage may apply. Applicable on flights that do not already offer a complimentary first checked bag. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder may be required to show their TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card to the Air Canada agent. Please allow two (2) weeks from receiving your Card for these Air Canada benefits to be activated. Air Canada Benefit Eligibility – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge One-Time Guest Access Benefit : With the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card, the Primary Cardholder will receive four Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge™ One-Time Guest Access Benefits once every calendar year (January 1 - December 31). The Primary Cardholder may access an Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge™, where available, upon presentation of an active TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card with a valid, same-day boarding pass for travel using an Aeroplan Flight Reward, only, on flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or under the Air Canada Express banner. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder must redeem their Aeroplan Flight Reward (defined as Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards® or Market Fare Flight Rewards®) with miles from their Aeroplan account. Each Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge One-Time Guest Access Benefit applies for a single entry during the calendar year for which it was provided by the Primary Cardholder only and cannot be carried forward to the next calendar year. As of November 2, 2015, Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge One-Time Guest Access Benefits associated with the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card may be used by a traveling companion, pending space availability, provided that the companion is booked on the same reservation as the eligible Primary Cardholder. Only applicable if the companion ticket is also redeemed using miles from the eligible Primary Cardholder’s Aeroplan account. Companion must be accompanied by the eligible Primary Cardholder who is using a One-Time Guest Access Benefit to access the same Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge. The One-Time Guest Access Benefit may be extended to more than one companion at any given time, pending space availability, provided that the conditions above are met and that this does not exceed the maximum annual allotment of One-Time Guest Access Benefits. Additional conditions may apply and are outlined on aircanada.com/tdbenefits. Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge access is subject to availability and all other terms and conditions located here that are subject to change at Air Canada’s sole discretion from time to time. Please allow two (2) weeks from receiving your Card for these Air Canada benefits to be in effect. Air Canada® Benefit Eligibility – 50% Discount on Companion Ticket : Upon the purchase from Air Canada of two (2) eligible Business Class (Flexible) fares for the Primary Cardholder and a companion (booking classes J, C, and D only) on tickets entirely operated by Air Canada or under the Air Canada Express banner, the Primary Cardholder will be eligible for a 50% discount on the companion ticket. Flights operated by other airlines, including Air Canada-marketed codeshare flights are not eligible. The 50% discount only applies on the published fare, and will not apply to any additional taxes, fees, charges or surcharges. This offer is available once every calendar year (January 1 – December 31) to each Primary Cardholder. The Primary Cardholder can only access the 50% discount each year when booking online at aircanada.com using that year’s promotional code. All travel must be completed by December 31 of the following year. Offer also applies to select Premium rouge bookings, where booking classes J, C, or D are available, on flights operated by Air Canada rouge to select destinations in Canada, the United States, or the Caribbean. Should you require assistance completing your 50% discount during your online booking, please contact Air Canada at 1-888-247-2262. Offer is non-transferable, and the companion Business Class ticket must be booked on the same reservation as the eligible Business Class (Flexible) booking by the Primary Cardholder. Please note that promotional codes apply to undiscounted published fares. Some of our previously discounted fares, while not eligible for the promotion, may be lower than the final price of the undiscounted fare to which the promotion applies. 4 You must be an eligible Visa Infinite Privilege cardholder with a valid Visa Infinite Privilege Card to take advantage of the Visa Infinite Privilege benefits and services. Certain benefits and services require enrolment. Offers and benefits are non-transferable and discounts cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Neither Visa nor the Issuer of the card is responsible for any claims or damages arising from use of any benefits or services provided by a third party. Visa reserves the right to modify or cancel offers or benefits at any time and without notice. All offers, benefits and services made available through Visa are subject to complete terms and conditions, including third party suppliers’ terms and conditions (available at www.visainfinite.ca/privilege/terms.jsp). The Visa Infinite Privilege privacy policy (available at www.visainfinite.ca/privilege/privacy.jsp) applies to all benefits and services that require enrolment through, or are otherwise provided by, the Visa Infinite Privilege Concierge or the Visa Infinite Privilege website. The collection, use and disclosure of cardholders’ personal information by third party suppliers of services and benefits to Visa Infinite Privilege cardholders are subject to such third parties’ own privacy policies. 5 1.5 Bonus Aeroplan Miles (“Bonus Rate”) are earned on each $1.00 in Purchases of gas, groceries or drugstore products/services charged to your TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card Account (“Account”). This Bonus Rate is also earned on each $1.00 in Purchases from Air Canada charged to your Account for products and services completed online at aircanada.com, in-person at an Air Canada customer service counter at the airport or aboard an Air Canada flight. Excluded from the Bonus Rate are Air Canada Vacations packages, car rentals, hotel bookings, and other third party partner products and services that can be purchased through aircanada.com. Any returned items, refunds, rebates or other similar credits will reduce or cancel the Aeroplan Miles earned on the original Purchase. To earn this Bonus Rate, Purchases of gas, groceries, drugstore products/services and Air Canada Purchases must be made at merchants classified through the Visa* network with a Merchant Category Code (“MCC”) that identifies them in the “gas”, “grocery”, “drugstore” or “Air Canada” category. Some merchants may sell gas, groceries or drugstore products/services or Air Canada products/services, or have separate merchants located on their premises that also sell gas, groceries or drugstore products/services or Air Canada products/services, but may not be classified with a gas, grocery, drugstore or Air Canada MCC and such Purchases will not earn this Bonus Rate. If you have questions about the MCC that applies to a Purchase, contact TD at 1-800-983-8472. Bonus Rate is only available on the first $100,000 in net annual Purchases of gas, groceries, drugstore products/services and Air Canada Purchases made from January 1 to December 31 each year on your Account. Once the maximum net annual amount has been reached, Purchases of gas, groceries, drugstore products/services or Air Canada Purchases on the Account will not earn the Bonus Rate but will only earn Aeroplan Miles at the standard rate that applies to all other Purchases on the Account. This Bonus Rate offer is in place of, and not in addition to, the standard rate earned on all other Purchases made on your Account. Offer may be changed, withdrawn or extended at any time and cannot be combined with any other offer. 6 1.25 Aeroplan Miles are earned on each $1.00 in Purchases charged to your TD Aeroplan Credit Card Account (“Account”). Credit for returned items, refunds, rebates or other similar credits will reduce or cancel the Aeroplan Miles earned by the amount originally charged to your Account. Fees, Cash Advances (including Balance Transfers, Cash-Like Transactions and TD Visa Cheques), interest charges, optional services, refunds, rebates or other similar credits do not earn Aeroplan Miles. Please see the Aeroplan Terms for Your TD Credit Card section of the Cardholder Agreement for complete details on Aeroplan Miles earned on Purchases (a copy of your Cardholder Agreement is available at http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/tdvisa/agreements ). 7 The Toronto-Dominion Bank is not responsible for any Aeroplan Miles under this “earn miles twice” feature of the Aeroplan Program when the Aeroplan Membership Card is presented. See your Aeroplan Program for full details. Feature may be changed, withdrawn or extended at any time and cannot be combined with any other offer. For full details on hotel accommodation and car rental booked with Aeroplan Travel Services, please visit aeroplan.com. All trade-marks are the property of their respective owners. * Trademark of Visa Int., used under license. TM Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is a trademark of Air Canada, used under license. ® Air Canada, Air Canada Express, Air Canada Rouge and the Air Canada Maple Leaf logo are registered trademarks of Air Canada, used under license. ® Air Canada is a registered trademark of Air Canada, used under license. ® Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards and Market Fare Flight Rewards are registered trademarks of Aimia Canada Inc. Aeroplan® and the Aeroplan logo are registered trademarks of Aeroplan Inc. The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.
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†Terms and conditions apply.

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa* Infinite Privilege* Card, you can earn up to 100,000 Aeroplan points† with a tiered welcome offer.

This card also offers premium travel benefits, including:

  • A partial rebate on NEXUS program application fees (up to $100 CAD per eligible cardholder) every 48 months†
  • Unlimited access to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges†, with complimentary access for one guest
  • 6 complimentary visits per year to select international airport lounges through the Visa Airport Companion Program† presented by DragonPass International Ltd.
  • First checked bag free for you and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation when travel begins with an Air Canada flight†

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa* Infinite Privilege* Card, you earn:

  • Earn 2 points† for every $1 spent on eligible purchases made direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®)
  • 1.5 points† per dollar on eligible purchases of gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries, travel, public transit and dining
  • 1.25 points† per dollar on all other eligible purchases

Annual fee

Primary card$599
Additional card$199

Annual income required

Individual$150,000
Household$200,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 2xAir Canada flights
  • 1.5xRestaurants
  • 1.5xGroceries
  • 1.5xTravel
  • 1.5xTransit
  • 1.5xGas & EV
  • 1.25xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$2,334
2nd Year Value$461

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$400

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 31 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 31 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $5,000,000 / 4 days
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $2,500
Flight DelayUp to $1,000
Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+2 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,500 / 2 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Option 4: American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts Program

Another popular luxury booking platform is the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts Program, exclusively for holders of the American Express Platinum® Card. Booking through this method gives a superior suite of benefits to the Visa program:

A comparison of multiple booking methods for luxury hotels - Benefits

While several of the Fairmont properties in Canada participate in the program, the Fairmont Montebello unfortunately does not so it was not a booking option this time.

American Express Platinum Card®

American ExpressAmex Membership Rewards
Annual fee
$799
Our valuation
$1,700
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,700Total$1,700Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 100,000 points
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

Terms of the offer

  • Unlock special experiences with the newly designed metal Platinum Card
  • New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn 25,000 Welcome Bonus Membership Rewards® points when you charge $2,000 in purchases to your Card in the first three months of Cardmembership
  • Earn 3 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible dining in Canada, 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible travel, and 1 point for every $1 in all other Card purchases
  • You will have access to a $200 CAD Annual Travel Credit to use towards any single travel booking of $200 or more charged to your Platinum Card and made on www.americanexpress.ca/travel or through Platinum Card® Travel Service
  • Take full advantage of the American Express Global Lounge Collection™ which unlocks access to over 1200 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience
  • Enjoy complimentary benefits that offer an average value of $550 USD at over 1,000 extraordinary properties worldwide when you book Fine Hotels & Resorts.
  • Platinum Cardmembers can enjoy access to special events and unique opportunities
  • Enjoy premium benefits at the Toronto Pearson Airport including security bypass, complimentary valet car service and discount car care and parking
  • You will also have access to many leading hotel and car rental companies’ loyalty programs. Our partners include Marriott International, Hilton Hotels and Resorts®, Radisson Hotel Group Hotels and Resorts, Hertz® and Avis®
  • As a Charge Card, the balance must always be paid in full each month. 30% annual interest rate applies to balances not paid in full. Payments must be received and processed by the date of the next monthly statement to avoid interest charges
  American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details, current product information and Terms and Conditions, click the Apply now link. Conditions Apply
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*Terms and conditions apply.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of the information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

The Platinum Card® is the best premium card in Canada for travellers.

With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® points:

  • 70,000 points after charging $10,000 to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
  • 30,000 points when you make a purchase between the 15th and 17th month after your Cardmembership begins

With this Card, you get:

  • 2 points per $1 on eligible dining and delivery purchases in Canada
  • 2 points per dollar on eligible travel purchases charged to the Card
  • 1 point per $1 on all other purchases charged to the Card

You can use your Membership Rewards® points in many ways:

  • Transfer points to airline partners: Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways / Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Delta SkyMiles, etc.
  • Transfer points to hotel partners, including Hilton Honors and 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!

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards® points to a partner loyalty program, you could earn up to:

  • 100,000 Aeroplan points
  • 100,000 Avios
  • 100,000 Flying Blue Miles
  • 120,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

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

  • $200 Annual Travel Credit
  • An annual meal credit of $200
  • A $100 statement credit for NEXUS membership
  • Complimentary access for you and one additional guest to more than 1,550 airport lounges in over 140 countries
  • Hilton Honors Gold status
  • Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
  • Access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program

Last but not least, The Platinum Card® offers a wide range of insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, $500,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out-of-province or out-of-country), lost or stolen baggage, flight delays and misdirected baggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.

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

Annual fee

Primary card$799
Additional card$250

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 2xTravel
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,482
2nd Year Value$470

Transfer partners

  • AeroplanAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • Etihad GuestAirline
  • Flying BlueAirline
  • Hilton HonorsHotel
  • Marriott BonvoyHotel

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$400
Travel creditsIncluded

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $1,000
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Option 5: Accor STEP

The last option I investigated was Accor STEP. This is Accor’s preferred partner program. The “STEP” stands for “Special Travel Experience Program”. With it, you can get benefits at participating hotels without having to have elite status, or needing to have any particular credit card. Many Fairmont hotels around the world participate in it (in addition to Accor’s other premium brands), including all the ones in Canada.

The one catch is that you can’t make a STEP booking yourself. You need a travel agent who is partnered with the program to make the booking on your behalf. This is precisely what I did, who informed me that the hotel was in fact available through the program and what the benefits were:

  • Welcome note and amenities
  • $100 USD credit per stay
  • Complimentary breakfast for two
  • Room upgrade (subject to availability)
  • Early check-in and late check-out (subject to availability)
A comparison of multiple booking methods for luxury hotels - Booking

This was the identical price to the Visa rate, but includes a credit of $100 USD rather than $25 USD, making this the very best valued booking. In addition to this, hotels can give a higher priority for upgrades to those who have booked through their own programs compared with a third-party. Therefore this was by far the best option to go with.

Our strategy then was to book this rate and pay at the hotel with a couple of different TD credit cards in order to cash out our TD Rewards points. Seeing how we had a value of $1060 of TD points (at the rate of 0.4 cents per point), and we were given a USD $100 hotel credit, the hotel reservation ultimately will only cost approximately $60.

Conclusion

When booking hotels there are many strategies you can use to maximize credit card points and booking methods. When planning a trip to a luxury hotel, multiple further options present themselves which may allow you to get further value from your hotel stay without occurring any additional costs. When doing so, always remember to:

  • Check the best published rates on a hotel’s own website, including any non-refundable rates depending on how much flexibility you need.
  • Check third-party booking sites such as the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotels Collection and the The American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts Program. There is a similar program for premium Mastercard credit card holders called the Mastercard Travel & Lifestyle Services.
  • Check with a travel agent who is able to book through preferred partner programs such as Accor STEP. Other chains have such partner programs as well such as Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt, among others.  The travel agents may also have access to rates through other programs which are independent of both hotel and credit card companies.

Our featured card

Featured

Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

American ExpressMarriott Bonvoy
Annual fee
$120
Our valuation
$990
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$990Total$990Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 110,000 points
Ends Sep 22, 2026
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

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

New Cardmembers can earn up to 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points with the current offer:

  • Earn 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on your Card in your first 6 months of Cardmembership.
  • Plus, earn 30,000 points by making a purchase during your 15th month of Cardmembership.

This offer ends on September 22, 2026. The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.

To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.

The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.

You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 110,000 point welcome offer is worth about $990, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.

You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.

The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.

Legal

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
  • 2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,437
2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Our editorial integrity

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