Renting a car at competitive prices can sometimes be a challenge, especially for travellers who love roadtrips. Fortunately, there’s a simple and effective way to reduce these costs: by using the points you’ve accumulated on your credit cards.
All major credit card issuers in Canada offer loyalty programs that allow you to accumulate points which can then be redeemed for car rentals. Not only does this approach help you save on rental fees, but it also offers additional benefits, such as insurance or status-related privileges.
I’ll guide you through the best rewards programs available in Canada, and how you can leverage them to reduce your car rental expenses with points.
The American Express Membership Rewards program is one of the most popular in Canada. It allows you to earn points on every purchase made with an American Express credit card. These points can then be redeemed for any purchase, including car rentals with any merchant.
This program is particularly advantageous for travellers, thanks to its many redemption options and flexibility. All you have to do is make your reservation on the site of your choice, and then redeem your points for a Statement credit to reimburse your expense. In this way, you use your points at the fixed ratio of 1000 points = $10.
The American Express Cobalt® Card allows you to earn points quickly on your purchases – 5 points per dollar at grocery stores and restaurants – and the points can then be redeemed for car rentals, wherever you want to book. Plus, some American Express cards offer additional car rental benefits, such as insurance and special status discounts.
Here are the six American Express credit cards offering Membership Rewards points:
Scotiabank’s Scene+ program is another interesting choice for those wishing to use their points for car rentals. Scene+ points can be accumulated not only through credit card purchases, but also through purchases at selected partners such as the IGA Group grocery stores.
You can then redeem your points for car rentals directly on a purchase charged to a program credit card. You can use your points in increments of 1,000 points = $10 to save on your car rental, just like any other purchase categorized as travel. The exchange rate remains the same if you want to use them to reduce your grocery expenses at IGA group stores. So, there’s no worry about using the points if you change your mind and decide not to rent a car.
Another way to optimize the accumulation and use of Scene+ points for car rentals is through the Scene+ Travel portal by Expedia. By booking your rental through this platform, you can accumulate up to 3 times more Scene+ points while having the option of using them to directly reduce the cost of your rental. This option is ideal for maximizing your rewards and simplifying the management of your travel expenses.
With Scotiabank’s Scene+ credit cards, you can quickly accumulate points that can be used to save on your car rentals. The program is very flexible as mentioned, and certain credit cards, such as the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card and the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, also allow you to save on foreign currency conversion fees while offering excellent insurance coverage.
I particularly recommend this program if you’re looking for easy management of your rewards, as these points are very easy to earn and use.
The National Bank’s À la carte Rewards Plan allows you to earn points on a wide variety of expenses. These points can also be used for car rentals anywhere. This program is very flexible and offers easy management of your rewards through the bank’s portal.
The redemption ratio depends on the number of points you wish to redeem. Every 12,000 points will give you a $100 statement credit, but 55,000 points will give you a $500 statement credit. Then, beyond that, you can redeem in increments of 11,000 points for an additional $100.
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard allows people to maximize their points for car rentals, with easy point accumulation and great booking flexibility. In fact, it’s accepted everywhere and gives 5X points on everyday expenses like groceries and restaurants. The program is well suited to both occasional and frequent travellers, with its excellent insurance and $150 annual travel credit.
The CIBC Aventura program allows you to earn points for every dollar spent on a CIBC Aventura credit card. These points can then be redeemed for car rentals with any car rental company. You can simply apply your points immediately after the purchase to receive a statement credit. However, it is important to note that the transaction must remain pending to get the best points exchange rate.
Aventura cardholders can also book their rentals directly through the CIBC Expedia portal, allowing them to pay in full or in part with their points. By booking through Expedia for CIBC, you also benefit from a wide variety of rental agencies and competitive rates. Moreover, unlike the previously mentioned method where points are applied after the purchase, here you can pay immediately with your points without having to front the costs on your credit card or ensure the transaction remains pending.
The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card and the CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card are particularly attractive for frequent travellers, as they also offer benefits such as access to airport lounges (4 per year) and car rental insurance. We also regularly see high welcome bonus offers for these cards.
BMO Rewards credit cards allow cardholders to earn points that can be redeemed for car rentals when the purchase is charged to the account. BMO Rewards programs are renowned for their simplicity and ease of use, making them a convenient option for those who want to save quickly. For a travel purchase such as a car rental, the redemption rate will be 15,000 points = $100.
BMO Rewards cards are a practical option for those who want to accumulate points quickly. In fact, the welcome bonuses on these cards are often very generous.
The AIR MILES program is one of the best known in Canada. These miles can be redeemed for car rentals. AIR MILES also offers a vast network of partners, allowing you to choose from several rental agencies, including Hertz and others. The program is simple and allows users to benefit from competitive rates on a wide variety of rentals.
To make a reservation, log in to your AIR MILES account and click on the “Travel” tab, then on “Car Rentals” to launch your search and see the results.
To earn AIR MILES, you can do so with several co-branded credit cards offered by the Bank of Montreal.
The Aeroplan program is one of the most comprehensive for frequent travellers in Canada. Not only can you earn points on purchases as well as flights, Aeroplan also offers a wide variety of car rental options from partners such as Avis and Budget.
You can use your Aeroplan points not only for car rentals, but also for flights and hotel stays, making it an extremely advantageous program for those looking to maximize their savings. However, as an airline loyalty program at its core, you’ll get the most value from booking flights.
To reserve a car using your Aeroplan points, click on this link and log in to your personal account. Select the location, date and time you wish to pick up the car, as well as the return date.
The results page will then display the car options available from their rental partners, Avis and Budget.
Aeroplan credit cards are ideal for travellers, as they offer rapid accumulation of points that can be redeemed for a multitude of travel-related items such as car rentals should you decide not to fly. On top of this, Aeroplan cards also offer benefits such as insurance and discounts on rentals, making them perfect for all travellers.
TD Rewards points can be used to reduce the cost of your car rentals through Expedia for TD, an exclusive platform for eligible TD credit card holders. To get started, you need to visit the Expedia for TD website and log into your TD account. This will allow you to access your points at their best value. It is important to use this specific portal instead of the standard Expedia site, as the points earning and redemption rates are more favorable through this platform.
Once logged in, search for a car rental by entering the necessary criteria such as the pick-up and drop-off city, the vehicle pick-up and return dates and times, and the age of the main driver. After filling in this information, initiate the search to display the available results from various partner agencies like Avis, Budget, or Hertz. Once you have found the vehicle that best suits your needs, click on “book” to proceed to the next step.
Upon payment, your TD Rewards points balance will be displayed, and you will have the option to apply them to reduce the total cost of the rental. The conversion rate is 200 points = $1, which equals 0.5 cents per point. If you don’t have enough points to cover the full amount, the difference will be charged to your TD credit card. This flexibility allows you to use your points to offset some or all of the rental costs, depending on your balance.
It is also possible to book with any rental agency and then apply your TD Rewards points as a Statement credit. However, the redemption rate will be 250 points for $1, or a value of 0.4 cents per point, which is less advantageous than Expedia for TD, but more flexible.
The MBNA Rewards program allows you to use accumulated points to cover car rental expenses, but the conversion rate varies according to the method chosen.
The most advantageous option is to use your points for travel purchases, including car rentals, made with your MBNA Rewards card. You can redeem 100 points for $1, for a value of 1 cent per point. To do so, you must apply your points as a statement credit on a recent travel transaction.
If you choose to use your points for credit on other types of non-travel purchases, the value decreases, as 120 points are required for $1, reducing the value to 0.83 cents per point.
MBNA Rewards cards can also be used to quickly accumulate points, including bonuses on certain categories of purchases, which can make it easier to earn rewards for a future car rental.
The RBC Avion Rewards program offers several options for using your points to rent a car. The most advantageous way is through the RBC Rewards travel portal, where you can book directly with rental agencies and pay in full or in part with your points. This method gives you a value of 1 cent per point, an optimal rate for maximizing your rewards.
It’s also possible to book your car elsewhere and use RBC Avion points to obtain a statement credit. However, in this case, the redemption rate is less advantageous.
Another strategy is to transfer RBC Avion points to airline loyalty programs, which may be more attractive depending on your travel needs.
RBC Avion credit cards also offer other benefits for travellers, such as travel insurance and special promotions with partner car rental agencies.
Cash back is a great way to save on a variety of purchases, including car rentals. To take advantage of them, simply use a cash-back credit card and apply it toward a Statement credit on your rental.
Whether you’re booking a hotel, shopping online or renting a car, cash back is a simple and effective way to reduce your expenses without any extra effort. Here are a few examples of credit cards that offer a lot of cash back on everyday expenses. That way, you’ll save money faster on your car rental!
One of the biggest advantages of credit cards offering preferred status for car rentals, like those mentioned above, is the opportunity to benefit from status matches. This means you can transfer your benefits from one car rental company to another, depending on your preferences or destination. For example, if you have Five Star status with Hertz, you might receive similar services with Europcar or other major brands thanks to partnerships between loyalty programs.
For a complete overview of these status matches and the partnerships between the different rental programs, as well as to learn how to establish the links, we invite you to consult our detailed article on this subject:
Most cards offering travel and car rental benefits include comprehensive rental insurance. These coverages are often much more advantageous than the insurance offered directly by rental agencies, which can be costly.
For a detailed explanation of credit card car rental insurance, see our complete guide her :
Using the points accumulated with your credit cards is a simple and effective way to reduce car rental costs. By choosing the right rewards programs and credit cards, you can save on your rental fees while enjoying booking flexibility and additional benefits, such as insurance and upgrades thanks to higher status.
Turo can also be another option for low-cost car rental.
Don’t hesitate to explore these options to make your travel more affordable!
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