How to Maximize Your Purchase of the New Apple iPhone 17: Credit Card or Gift Card?


With the launch of the new iPhone 17, we’re sharing tips to help you get the most out of your purchase.
The upcoming iPhone 17 and its iPhone Air, iPhone Pro, and iPhone Pro Max versions will be available very soon.
The price of the new iPhone 17 is slightly higher than last year’s iPhone 16. It starts at around CAD 1,200. If you want the iPhone 17 Pro Max with the largest storage capacity, the price can go up to CAD 2,600.
Here are the prices (subject to change) that would be in effect for the different iPhone 17 models:
Which credit card should you use to protect your valuable device or simply to earn more reward points?

To take advantage of Mobile Device Insurance offered by credit cards, you must charge the full cost of your Apple device to your card (or it can be financed through a plan where all monthly payments are charged to your account). Otherwise, the insurance won’t be applicable in the event of an incident.
However, you must be sure to keep the credit card used if a claim needs to be made. If your credit card account is closed, the insurance stops.
Many credit cards offer Mobile Device Insurance for up to 2 years (from the date of purchase) and coverage up to $1,000:
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual feeFirst Year Annual Fee Rebate$150 $0First Year Annual Fee Rebate | Welcome offer$150 annual fee rebated First Year Annual Fee RebateEnds Nov 4, 2026 $150 annual fee rebated | ||
| Annual fee$191.88 | Welcome offerGet 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months Up to 15,000 points Get 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months | ||
| Annual feeFirst Year Annual Fee Rebate$139 $0First Year Annual Fee Rebate | Welcome offerAfter $12,000 in 12 months Up to 50,000 points After $12,000 in 12 months |
Looking for more coverage?
Note that the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card offers 2-year Mobile Device Insurance for an amount of $1,500.
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.
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.
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.
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
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To earn significantly more points than usual, use our gift card tip. Take advantage of certain credit cards, which have an additional multiplier for groceries.
For example, with the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card, you get 6X the points on purchases at certain grocery stores. You can buy $500 in Apple gift cards at IGA, to pay for your new Apple Watch Series 11 or your new iPhone 17.
on Scotiabank's website
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers an excellent welcome bonus.
Until November 1, 2026, you can earn up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points, broken down as follows:
This represents a value of up to $500 for travel (including Airbnb).
With the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, you earn 6 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! grocery stores. FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
Also, you earn 5 points per dollar for:
And 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services purchases.
You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). You can also use your points as cash back rewards with Scene+.
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card also offers no foreign transaction fees, excellent insurance for your travel or purchases, concierge service, exclusive American Express benefits like the Front of the Line program.
* The potential value of savings and rewards during the first 12 months includes the value of the welcome offer, the potential value of points earned in the first year and the value of foreign transaction fee savings as of May 22, 2026:
$300 in travel rewards (30,000 bonus Scene+ points) for new Scotiabank Gold American Express Cardholders who make purchases totaling $2,000 in the first 3 months
$200 in travel rewards (20,000 bonus Scene+ points) for making purchases totaling $7,500 in the first 12 months
$59 in foreign transaction fee savings based on the average annual amount of foreign currency purchases made per account over the last 24 months (saving on the 2.5% foreign transaction fee typically charged by other credit card issuers);
$398 corresponding to the potential value of points earned in the first year (38,500 Scene+ points) based on the average amount of purchases made, per account, over the last 24 months, assuming an average spend of 28% of purchases in categories eligible for accelerated earn rates of 6X, 5X and 3X points.
Maximum potential value after the first year = $957 (rounded to $950)
The actual value of offers, savings realized and rewards earned will vary depending on card usage and eligibility for offers. Conditions apply.
1 Offer Description and Conditions: The 50,000 Scene+ points offer (the « Offer ») applies only to new Scotiabank Gold American Express credit card accounts (the « Accounts ») opened between July 2, 2026, and November 1, 2026 (regardless of the date you apply for the account), subject to the conditions below. All other program terms and conditions continue to apply during the Offer period. The Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended at any time without notice and cannot be combined with any other offer.
To qualify for the 30,000 bonus Scene+ points (the « 30,000 Bonus Points Offer »), you must make eligible purchases totaling at least $2,000 within three months of the account opening date. To qualify for the 20,000 additional bonus Scene+ points (the « 20,000 Additional Bonus Points Offer »), you must make $7,500 in eligible purchases on your new account during the first year (twelve months). Eligible purchases mean purchases, less refunds, returns and any other similar credits, and exclude payments, cash advances (including balance transfers and quasi-cash transactions), interest charges, card fees and other fees.
Fulfillment of the Annual Bonus: Bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ account within approximately eight weeks after you qualify for a bonus, provided the account is open and in good standing. In the case of a joint account with a primary borrower and a co-borrower, bonus points will be credited as follows: (i) the 30,000 bonus points and the 20,000 additional bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ account linked to the account of the borrower who made the transaction that reached the eligible purchase threshold ($2,000 or $7,500) within the appropriate timeframe (the first three months or the first 12 months). If a supplementary cardholder makes the transaction that reaches the eligible purchase threshold for the 30,000 bonus points or the 20,000 additional bonus points, the bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ account linked to the primary borrower’s account. Points can be transferred between the Scene+ accounts of a primary borrower, co-borrower or supplementary cardholder by contacting Scene+. An account is in good standing if it is not delinquent, the credit limit is not exceeded, and the holder(s) have complied with the terms of the Revolving Credit Agreement applicable to the account. All other program terms and conditions continue to apply during the Offer period. The Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended at any time without notice and cannot be combined with any other offer.
Eligibility and exclusions: You are not eligible for the Offer if you are currently a primary or secondary cardholder of a Scotiabank personal credit card or if you have been within the past two years, including if you transfer your balance from an existing Scotiabank personal credit card account, and if you are a Scotiabank employee. Subject to the exclusions mentioned above, Scotiabank small business credit cardholders are eligible for this Offer.
Rates and Fees: The current annual fee is $120 for the primary card and $29 for each additional card (including those issued to joint account holders and additional cardholders). The preferred annual interest rates currently applicable to the account are: 21.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and quasi-cash transactions).
Rates, fees, features and benefits, which are described in the application statement, are subject to change.
Savings at Shell
Get up to 7 cents per litre in instant fuel discounts for a limited time and earn up to 5 cents per litre in Scene+ points value with a Scotiabank Gold American Express Card linked to a Shell Go+ Account:
Note: Highest value of 12 cents per litre assumes a Premium Fuel Purchase made with a Scotiabank Gold American Express Card linked to a Shell Go+ Account. Actual value will vary depending on payment card used and whether or not the card is linked, fuel grade purchased, and how you choose to redeem your Scene+ points.
0%
Thus, you will accumulate 3,000 Scene+ points (6 points/$ X $500). This represents a minimum reward value of $30.
If you buy your device directly from Apple, you would have only received 600 points, because the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card offers 1X the points on “other” purchases.
Note that a mix of Apple gift card payments and the rest of the payment charged to a credit card cancels the warranty and insurance. For peace of mind, purchase Apple Care+. This can also be paid with gift cards.
The Aeroplan eStore, Rakuten, and Airmilesshops.ca offer you the opportunity to earn rewards for your online purchases.
By going through these portals BEFORE making your purchases on Apple, you accumulate cash back, Aeroplan points, or AIR MILES.
However, make sure to check the exclusions. New devices are often excluded, but sometimes, you might still get the reward… It’s worth giving it a try.
Otherwise, you can always buy last year’s iPhone, like the iPhone 16 Pro Max. They will most likely be sold at a lower liquidation price and will not be excluded.
on TD's website
With this offer for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get up to 50,000 Aeroplan points† as well as an Annual Fee rebate for the first year†.
This card also allows you to enjoy travel benefits, such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation†, as well as a rebate on the NEXUS program application fee (up to $100 CAD per eligible cardholder) every 48 months†.
With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 1.5 points† per $1 spent on:
You also earn 1 point† per dollar on all other eligible purchases made with your card.
†Terms and conditions apply.
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In order to get the biggest return on your Apple purchase, seize this opportunity to unlock a welcome bonus with a new credit card.
The purchase of an iPhone 17 can help you meet the minimum spend requirements for two excellent credit cards that make it easy to travel for less:
An iPhone 17 that helps you travel… now that’s a great deal.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual feeFirst Year Annual Fee Rebate$139 $0First Year Annual Fee Rebate | Welcome offerAfter $5,000 in 4 months Up to 60,000 points After $5,000 in 4 months | ||
| Annual feeFirst Year Annual Fee Rebate$139 $0First Year Annual Fee Rebate | Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 6 months Up to 160,000 points After $7,500 in 6 months |
The Rogers Red Mastercard® is offering a promotion that lets you spread out your iPhone 17 payments over up to 48 months.
Last year, when purchasing the new iPhone 16 at a Rogers store with your Rogers Red credit card, monthly payments were reduced by 50% with the Equal Payment Plan at 0% interest for 36 or 48 months. We’ll see if it’s the same this year with the iPhone 17.
When facing a significant expense like the new iPhone 17, there are several factors to consider in order to choose the best credit card for the purchase.
Of course, we want to accumulate the maximum number of points, but we must also consider insurance and warranties.
It’s up to you to weigh the pros and cons of all the factors to determine what’s right for your situation. Buying the iPhone 17 with this high points earning potential means you’ll end up getting it for a great price in the end!
on American Express's website
Apply 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 American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.
American Express Cobalt® Card welcome offer
The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer we value at $255.
Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.
You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.
You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:
If hotel points are what you are after, our ultimate guide to Marriott Bonvoy and our complete map of Marriott Bonvoy hotels by category show what those points can actually buy.
American Express Cobalt® Card benefits
Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.
To see how it compares with the rest of the line-up, read our round-up of the best credit cards from American Express in Canada.
The 5X categories and where they apply
The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers four kinds of merchants:
The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.
With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:
| Category | Points per dollar |
| Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.) | 5 |
| Home food delivery | 5 |
| Restaurants and bars | 5 |
| Convenience stores | 5 |
| Streaming services | 3 |
| Service station | 2 |
| Transport | 2 |
| Travel | 1 |
| Other | 1 |
That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.
You can also stack these categories with the hundreds of stores that offer 5x points.
American Express Cobalt® Card insurance coverage
The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.
Travel insurance
Rental car insurance
Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.
Mobile device insurance
Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.
Purchase protection and extended warranty
Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.
American Express Cobalt® Card fees
Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.
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.
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The price for the new iPhone 17 is more expensive than last year’s iPhone 16:
The presale for the new iPhone 17 is on September 12, 2025, at 8:00 AM (EDT).
The release date for the new Apple iPhone 17 to the general public will be September 19, 2025.
Pre-orders begin on September 12, 2025, at 8 AM (EDT).
You have several options!
Either on Apple.ca or at an electronics store like Best Buy or Staples. Don’t forget to go through the online shopping portals to accumulate all the reward points along the way!
on BMO's website
The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card is one of the best Visa Infinite rewards credit cards in Canada. Its welcome offer lets you earn up to 70,000 BMO Rewards points, for a total value of up to $1,150*.
It also includes a monthly statement credit for streaming services, an annual $50 lifestyle credit, and no annual fee for the first year (a $120 value)*.
With the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you also get:
*Terms and conditions apply
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