Credit card credits you should not forget
Several premium credit cards reimburse a portion of their annual fees through statement credits, but these credits expire monthly or annually if not used. You pay annual fees on your premium credit card. In return, several Canadian cards offer statement credits that reimburse part of these fees: travel credit, dining credit, lifestyle credit, grocery coupon. The catch: these credits expire. They do not roll over to the next month or the next year. A $200 travel credit not used by December 31 is a $200 travel credit lost.
Two timelines coexist. Monthly credits reset on the first of each month. Annual credits are calculated either on the calendar year or on the card anniversary date. The distinction changes everything: a forgotten monthly credit repeats twelve times a year, while a forgotten annual credit comes back only once. Here is the list to check.
Summary table of credits
The amounts below were verified on July 6, 2026, on the issuers’ websites. Click on a card name to view its full details. Offers evolve: confirm the current amount in your card’s application before planning a purchase.
| Card | Credit | Amount | Frequency | Registration | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platinum Card® American Express | Instacart credit (Extras) | Up to $240/year | Monthly | Yes | Resets each month |
| BMO® eclipse Visa Infinite® Card | Instacart coupon | $10/month (up to $120/year) | Monthly | Yes | Resets each month |
| Platinum Card® American Express | Travel Credit | $200/year | Annual | No | Calendar year |
| Platinum Card® American Express | Dining credit | $200/year | Annual | No | Calendar year |
| Platinum Card® American Express | NEXUS Credit | $100/4 years | Recurring | No | At renewal |
| Gold Card® American Express | Travel Credit | $100/year | Annual | No | Card anniversary |
| Gold Card® American Express | NEXUS Credit | $50/4 years | Recurring | No | At renewal |
| BMO® eclipse Visa Infinite® Card | Lifestyle credit | $50/year | Annual | No | Card anniversary |
| CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite Privilege® Card | Travel Credit | $200/year | Annual | No | Calendar year |
| Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card | Annual points bonus | 10,000 points (~$100) | Conditional annual | No | Based on spending |
Monthly credits you should not forget
These are the credits that cost the most to neglect, because a missed one repeats every month. In Canada, they now mainly come through online grocery partnerships. Two cards stand out.
Platinum Instacart credit
The Platinum Card® from American Express (an annual fee of $799) provides access to Instacart credits under the Member Extras section. You receive two $10 statement credits per month when you make two separate eligible purchases of at least $10 each, up to $240 per year. Registering for the benefit in the American Express app is mandatory, and the offer runs until December 31, 2027.
Key takeaway: this credit resets to zero on the first of each month. If you do not make your two eligible purchases during the month, the $20 value disappears. Over twelve months, that represents nearly a third of the card’s annual fee.
- Annual fee
- $799
- Our valuation
- $1,700Milesopedia first-year estimate First-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
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.
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”).
BMO eclipse Instacart coupon
The BMO® eclipse Visa Infinite® Card (an annual fee of $120, refunded in the first year) grants the Instacart benefit reserved for BMO Visa Infinite cardholders: six months of free Instacart+ membership, followed by a monthly $10 coupon applicable to grocery purchases of $50 or more made on Instacart. BMO advertises a value of up to $120 per year. Registration is required and the offer is valid until October 31, 2027.
As with the Platinum Card®, the coupon does not accumulate. One month without an eligible grocery order on Instacart means $10 gone. For a card with a $120 annual fee, each monthly coupon carries significant weight in the value calculation.
- Annual fee
- $0 $120No annual fee the first year
- Our valuation
- $589Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$469Annual fee rebated$120Total$589Rewards 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
No annual fee the first year
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$469Annual fee rebated$120Total$589Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate
on BMO's website
Annual credits to use before the deadline
These credits represent the largest share of recoverable value in Canada. They are calculated either on the calendar year or on the card anniversary date. The nuance matters: a credit tied to the calendar year expires on December 31, regardless of when you opened the card.
Platinum Card® credits
The Platinum Card® packs the most annual credits in Canada. Three are worth watching:
- $200 travel credit: applied to a single booking of $200 or more made through American Express Online Travel Services. It is calculated on the calendar year.
- $200 dining credit: usable at a selection of participating restaurants in Canada, on a spend of at least $200. It is also calculated on the calendar year.
- $100 NEXUS credit: reimbursement of NEXUS membership or renewal fees, up to a maximum of $100 per four-year period.
On their own, the travel and dining credits total $400 per year, or half the annual fee. Letting them expire is like paying full price for the card without receiving the intended value in return.
Gold Card® travel credit
The Gold Card® from American Express (an annual fee of $250) offers an annual $100 travel credit, applied to a single booking of $100 or more (flight, car rental, or hotel) made through Online Travel Services. It also comes with a $50 NEXUS credit per four-year period. Unlike the Platinum Card®, the Gold Card®’s travel credit is calculated on the card’s anniversary date rather than the calendar year, so note your account opening date.
- Annual fee
- $250
- Our valuation
- $1,020Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,020Total$1,020Rewards 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 60,000 points
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,020Total$1,020Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
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”).
BMO eclipse lifestyle credit
The BMO® eclipse Visa Infinite® Card pays out a $50 lifestyle credit on every card anniversary, usable however you like. The Privilege version of the card raises this credit to $200 per year. It is a simple annual credit with no minimum spend by category: just use it before it expires.
- Annual fee
- $599
- Our valuation
- $1,340Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,340Total$1,340Rewards 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 200,000 points
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,340Total$1,340Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Ends Oct 31, 2026
on BMO's website
CIBC Aventura Privilege travel credit
The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite Privilege® Card offers an annual $200 travel credit to spend through CIBC Travel powered by Expedia, plus two NEXUS fee reimbursements per four-year period. The travel credit is calculated on the calendar year: plan an eligible booking before December 31 so you do not lose it.
- Annual fee
- $499
- Our valuation
- $960Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$960Total$960Rewards 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 80,000 points
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$960Total$960Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
on CIBC's website
Conditional bonus on the Scotiabank Passport
The Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card (an annual fee of $150) does not offer a monthly statement credit. Instead, it provides an annual bonus of at least 10,000 Scene+ points (worth about $100) if you charge at least $40,000 in eligible purchases to your account over a twelve-month period. This is not a « use it » credit in the strict sense, but a spending target worth keeping in mind if you are already close to the threshold.
- Annual fee
- $150
- Our valuation
- $350Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$350Total$350Rewards 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 35,000 points
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$350Total$350Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Ends Nov 1, 2026
on Scotiabank's website
How to forget nothing
A light routine is enough. Three habits cover most of the credits listed above.
- Activate any required enrolments as soon as you open the card. The Platinum and BMO eclipse Instacart credits do not trigger until the benefit is activated in the issuer’s app.
- Set a reminder for the first of each month for monthly credits. A grocery order planned early in the month helps avoid a last-minute miss.
- Set a mid-November reminder for credits tied to the calendar year (Platinum travel and dining, CIBC Aventura Privilege travel). Six weeks gives you time to book an eligible trip or meal before December 31.
To go further, our guide on recurring payments and our guide on managing spending by card show how to align your subscriptions and purchases with the right card. You can also compare cards side by side in our credit card comparator.
Before these offers expire, also check out our selection of the best credit card offers of the moment.
Get our best points strategies and alerts on card credits delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe to the Milesopedia newsletter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do monthly credits roll over from one month to the next?
No. Monthly credits, such as the Instacart coupons on the Platinum Card® or the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, reset on the first of each month. Any unused portion is lost and does not carry over.
Do you need to register to receive these credits?
It depends on the credit. Instacart credits require prior registration in the issuer’s app. Annual travel and dining credits on American Express cards generally apply without registration, as soon as the eligible purchase is charged to the card.
What happens if I do not use my annual travel credit?
It expires. A travel credit tied to the calendar year disappears on December 31 if it has not been applied to an eligible booking. A credit tied to the card anniversary date expires on that date. In both cases, it does not roll over.
Does the Instacart credit work on all orders?
No. Instacart credits and coupons apply under specific conditions: minimum purchase amount, separate eligible purchases, or a $50 threshold depending on the card. Check the terms of your benefit in the app before ordering.
Does the NEXUS credit come back every year?
No. The NEXUS credit is recurring, but on a four-year cycle aligned with the length of a NEXUS membership. The Platinum Card® reimburses up to $100 per four-year period, and the Gold Card® up to $50.
Which card offers the most credits to use in Canada?
The American Express Platinum Card® includes the most recurring credits: a $200 travel credit, a $200 dining credit, monthly Instacart credits, and a NEXUS credit. However, the value calculation depends on your actual ability to use each credit.
Do credits count in the card’s value calculation?
Yes, but only if you use them. An advertised credit only reduces your net fees if it is actually used. A $200 travel credit that is never used is worth nothing in your calculation.
Our editorial integrity
Our reviews and rankings are based on an objective assessment. Advertisers do not influence our content. We may receive compensation through some links; our analysis and opinions remain independent.