Our Strategies for Earning Travel Points Easily
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To earn travel points fast, start with credit card welcome offers: two well-chosen Aeroplan cards return about 134,000 points in the first year on $24,000 of spending. Then a wallet of five credit cards returns a net gain of more than 8% a year on your everyday purchases.
Of course, with $100,000 in purchases a year, you earn 100,000 Aeroplan points with no strategy at all. But most of us spend far less.
How do you earn that many travel points on an ordinary budget?
Here are our strategies to put each purchase in the right category on the right card (restaurants, groceries, gas, travel), with:
- the fewest credit card applications;
- the lowest annual fee;
- the minimum spending required.
This list isn’t exhaustive! Share your strategies in the Milesopedia Facebook community, and create your free member account to follow members-only offers.
Travel Points: Lead With Welcome Offers
When you get into credit card rewards, you quickly see that welcome offers pay more than anything else.
For beginners, we recommend starting with one or two cards, then spacing applications at least 6 to 9 months apart. Once you’re comfortable managing your cards, you can apply more often.
Strategy for Collecting Aeroplan Points
To earn Aeroplan points, we pair two cards whose points land in the same account: the TD card pays you Aeroplan points directly, and the Amex Gold pays you Membership Rewards points that you transfer at a 1:1 ratio.
| Credit card | Welcome offer | Minimum spend | Points on that spend | Annual fee | Total Aeroplan points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card | Up to 50,000 Aeroplan points | $12,000 in 12 months | 12,000 points minimum | $139 (rebated the first year) | 62,000 points |
| American Express Gold Rewards Card | Up to 60,000 Membership Rewards points (= 60,000 Aeroplan points) | $1,000 every month for 12 months | 12,000 points minimum | $250 ($100 annual travel credit) | 72,000 points |
| Total | 110,000 points | $24,000 | 24,000 points minimum | $250 in the first year | 134,000 points |
Card pages: TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card and American Express Gold Rewards Card.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $250 |
This strategy earns 134,000 Aeroplan points, worth about $2,680 in travel at our valuation of 2¢ per point.
You can use these Aeroplan points to travel solo or as a group. In a family, each parent can apply for the same cards and double the total!
Caroline found plenty of places to travel to with 55,000 Aeroplan points! Then, I found many getaways for 25,000 Aeroplan points or less!
Aeroplan Family Sharing lets you pool points among up to 8 family members, with each person keeping their own account. For a couple following this strategy together, the 268,000 points can be redeemed from the same shared balance.
Strategy to Accumulate Hotel Points
For hotel points, you can pair the two American Express Marriott Bonvoy cards: the personal card and the Business card, whose points land in the same Marriott Bonvoy account.
| Credit card | Welcome offer | Minimum spend | Points on that spend | Annual fee | Total Marriott Bonvoy points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card | Up to 70,000 points | $3,000 in 3 months, then $500 in month 13 | 7,000 points minimum | $120 | 77,000 points |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card | Up to 80,000 points | $5,000 in 3 months, then $1,000 in month 13 | 12,000 points minimum | $150 | 92,000 points |
| Total | 150,000 points | $9,500 | 19,000 points minimum | $270 per year | 169,000 points |
Card pages: Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120 | |||
| $150 |
This strategy quickly earns 169,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, worth about $1,520 in hotel nights at our valuation of 0.9¢ per point. Note that each card’s last 10,000 points arrive in month 13, after the annual fee renews.
- Annual fee
- $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$700Total$700Plus $100 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $700
- Welcome offerAfter $5,000 in 3 months
- Up to 80,000 points
Apply Now
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”).
Strategy for Flexible Travel Points
Prefer to keep all your options open? Flexible travel points let you pay for almost any trip:
- Activities (theme parks, food tour, museum, etc);
- Cruises;
- All-inclusive;
- Car rental;
- Any flight or hotel;
- Airbnb, etc.
For flexible travel points, we especially suggest the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card and the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card. You’ll find both in the comparison below.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $191.88 | |||
| $250 | |||
| $120 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $150 |
For a family of two adults and two children, each parent can take these cards and pay together for an all-inclusive down south!
Another example: a solo traveller dreaming of a Galapagos Islands cruise.
A week-long tour of the archipelago, for example with G Adventures, costs several thousand dollars. Your travel points cover a good part of it!
- Annual fee
- $191.88
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $255
- Welcome offerGet 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months
- Up to 15,000 points
Apply Now
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”).
Earn Without a New Card
You can also earn points without applying for a card. The Aeroplan eStore gives you points at more than 200 online retailers, on top of the points from your card. Scene+ and PC Optimum do the same at the grocery store, and Scene+ at the movies too. The result: the same purchase pays you twice.
The Long-Term Traveller’s Strategy
Prefer to keep only a few cards? A good wallet, kept for the long term, earns you accelerated points on every purchase, year after year, with no new card applications.
Cards with the best reward rates often carry an annual fee. The fees look high, but the benefits cover them when you use the card well.
American Express also runs regular offers that lighten the bill. Over time, the American Express Cobalt Card has become one of the best cards for earning travel points.
Then, we recommend choosing your credit cards so they cover every spending category.
With the Cobalt, one Membership Rewards point becomes 1 Aeroplan point. You can also transfer your Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy, but at 2¢ per Aeroplan point versus 0.9¢ per Marriott point, Aeroplan almost always returns more: we transfer to Aeroplan, except to top up a specific hotel night.
The Long-Term Travel Portfolio
These five cards split your spending between them: each one earns you accelerated points in a major category, and their benefits cover a good part of their fees.
| Card | Categories | Return per dollar | Annual fee | Other benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Cobalt Card | Groceries, restaurants, food delivery, store gift cards bought at the grocery store* | 5 Membership Rewards points (= 5 Aeroplan points), up to $2,500 in purchases per month; 3 points on streaming; 2 points on gas and transit | $191.88 ($15.99 per month) | Mobile device insurance |
| Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ Card | Sobeys, IGA, Safeway and other participating grocery banners; other grocery stores, dining, entertainment, transit | 3 Scene+ points; 2 Scene+ points | $150 | No foreign transaction fees |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card | Groceries, gas, direct Air Canada purchases; other purchases | 1.5 points; 1 point | $139 (rebated the first year) | First checked bag free for you and up to 8 companions; NEXUS rebate up to $100 every 48 months |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | Groceries, restaurants; gas, recurring bills, travel booked through À la carte Travel | 5 points (on the first $2,500 of purchases per month); 2 points | $150 (rebated the first year, offer until November 4, 2026) | $150 annual travel credit, access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau (international flights, excluding the U.S.) |
| Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card | Marriott Bonvoy hotels; other purchases | 5 points; 2 points | $120 | Free night every year (up to 35,000 points), 15 Elite night credits |
Card pages for this wallet: American Express Cobalt Card, Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ Card, TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card, National Bank World Elite Mastercard and Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card.
*You can buy store gift cards (Walmart, Amazon, SAQ, LCBO, IKEA…) at the grocery store and earn 5 points per dollar with the Cobalt.
What we recommend you avoid:
- Prepaid Visa or Mastercard cards: they earn no points with American Express.
- Several card applications just before a mortgage: each application leaves a credit inquiry on your file.
- An annual fee for a benefit you won’t use: airport lounge, travel credit or insurance you already have elsewhere.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $191.88 | |||
| $150 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $120 |
Illustrated Example of the Strategy
Here are some figures to illustrate the return of this portfolio with a strategy aimed at the principal accumulation of Aeroplan points and other travel points.
You can easily adapt it to earn Marriott Bonvoy points or other travel points.
| Card | Category | Annual expenses | Points accumulated |
| American Express Cobalt® Card | Grocery store where American Express is accepted | $1,500 | 7,500 points |
| TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card | Grocery store | $3,000 | 4,500 points |
| American Express Cobalt® Card | Gasoline | $1,000 | 2,000 points |
| American Express Cobalt® Card | Restaurants where American Express is accepted | $500 | 2,500 points |
| TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card | Restaurants | $500 | 500 points |
| American Express Cobalt® Card | Uber Eats | $700 | 3,500 points |
| American Express Cobalt® Card | Tim Hortons, Starbucks | $500 | 2,500 points |
| Gift cards (Cobalt) | Walmart | $500 | 2,500 points |
| Gift cards (Cobalt) | Amazon | $1,000 | 5,000 points |
| Gift cards (Cobalt) | SAQ or LCBO | $500 | 2,500 points |
| Gift cards (Cobalt) | Netflix | $250 | 1,250 points |
| Gift cards (Cobalt) | Cinema | $500 | 2,500 points |
| Gift cards (Cobalt) | Books and culture | $500 | 2,500 points |
| TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card | Pharmacy | $300 | 300 points |
| Gift cards (Cobalt) | Home furnishings (IKEA, Wayfair…) | $375 | 1,875 points |
| Gift cards (Cobalt) | Renovation and maintenance | $375 | 1,875 points |
| Gift cards (Cobalt) | Clothing | $1,000 | 5,000 points |
| TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card | Other purchases | $2,500 | 2,500 points |
| – | TOTAL | $15,500 | 50,800 Aeroplan points |
With this strategy, here is the value you get from it each year:
- 50,800 Aeroplan points ($1,016)
- 1 free Marriott night ($150)
- Annual travel insurance for the whole family ($500)
- National Bank lounge access ($150 for 2 visits as a couple)
- National Bank travel credit ($150)
- Free checked bag ($120 for 2 round trips for two)
- Savings on foreign exchange fees
In total, you get about $2,090 in value a year on $15,500 of spending (based on Milesopedia’s valuation, with a dollar value assigned to the wallet’s card benefits).
Once you add up the rewards and benefits, the cards pay for themselves… in a good way! Minus about $751 in annual fees, the net gain is about $1,335, a return of more than 8%.
When you hold few credit cards, the best strategy is to optimize every purchase category. That’s why the gift card strategy is worth mastering.
As you can see, this wallet returns far less than a welcome offer in the first year. That’s why we combine both: welcome offers to get started, the wallet to keep going.
Exclusive
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueAnnual fee rebated$150Total$150Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $150
- Welcome offer$150 annual fee rebated
- First Year Annual Fee Rebate
- Ends Nov 4, 2026
Apply Now
on National Bank's website
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to earn travel points?
Credit card welcome offers. In one year, two well-chosen offers earn you more points than several years of everyday purchases. Start with a card whose points land in the program you are aiming for, such as Aeroplan.
How many credit cards do you need to start?
One or two. We then recommend spacing applications at least 6 to 9 months apart, so you get used to managing several cards.
How much are 100,000 Aeroplan points worth?
About $2,000 in travel at our valuation of 2¢ per point. The real value depends on the ticket you book: a business class flight often gets you far more per point than a short economy hop.
Can American Express Membership Rewards points be transferred to Aeroplan?
Yes, at a rate of 1 Membership Rewards point to 1 Aeroplan point with the Cobalt and Gold Rewards cards. You can also transfer them to Marriott Bonvoy, but we keep that option for topping up a specific hotel night.
Do gift cards earn points with the Cobalt?
Yes, store gift cards bought at the grocery store earn 5 points per dollar, up to $2,500 in purchases per month. Prepaid Visa or Mastercard cards earn no points.
Are annual fees worth it?
Yes, when you actually use the benefits they pay for. Our rule: a card keeps its place in your wallet if its rewards and the benefits you use exceed its fee. A travel credit or lounge access you never use doesn’t count.
What is the best way to earn points?
Start with a credit card welcome offer, then put your everyday spending in the categories that earn the most points. Keep in mind that an Aeroplan reward ticket is never entirely free: you still pay the taxes and fees.
How do I get travel points on a credit card?
You earn them on every purchase, with more points in bonus categories such as groceries, restaurants or travel. A business card like the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card earns 5 points per dollar at Marriott Bonvoy, 3 points on gas, dining and travel, and 2 points on everything else, on top of the airline or hotel program’s own points.
