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The Best Cards for a Student on a School Trip

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The Best Cards for a Student on a School Trip
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School Trip – Which Credit Card to Give to Your Child?

With the return to school, school trips and competitions away from home are also resuming for many young people. When your child participates alone, the question of payment can be a challenge. Whether it’s for buying souvenirs, meals, or for an unforeseen expense, we want to provide them with a secure payment method.

It is important to note that lending your personal credit card to your child violates the terms of use of financial institutions. This practice carries significant risks: in the event of theft or fraudulent use, the bank will refuse any reimbursement since you have knowingly violated your credit card agreement.

Here are the options available to you to make your child a bit more independent while travelling.

School Trip – How to Choose the Best Card for Your Child?

When choosing your credit or prepaid card, consider the following:

  • Fees: Compare monthly fees, ATM withdrawal fees, and the foreign currency conversion fee percentage (which is generally 2.5%, with some cards at 0%);
  • Flexibility: Ensure that the card accepts multiple currencies;
  • Mobile application: Track expenses in real time;
  • Easy reloading of a prepaid card: In case of emergency or « Mom, I’d really like to have this souvenir like my friends », you want to be able to put money back into the account quickly.

School Trip – The Option of an Additional Credit Card

Your teenager can have a copy of your credit card as an authorized user. It’s one of the best options!

Depending on their age and the financial institution, you can request an additional card. Read our article to find out at what age your teenager might be able to have one.

This way, any purchases he makes will end up in your credit card account and you will pay your account afterwards, as usual.

Do you have a card in your wallet with no foreign currency conversion fees? If so, it might be a good idea to get an extra one for your child, too, to avoid the 2.5% fee for all out-of-country transactions.

The Wealthsimple Prepaid Mastercard is an excellent option for a young person: no minimum income required, no annual fees, no foreign currency conversion fees, and a welcome offer of $25 cash back when opening the account.

Wealthsimple Prepaid Card

WealthsimpleCash Back
Annual fee
$0
Our valuation
$25
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$25Total$25Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
$25
Apply Now

on Wealthsimple's website

With the Wealthsimple prepaid card, you can access your available funds in your Wealthsimple chequing account. Wealthsimple is gradually replacing its Mastercard with a Visa Platinum Prepaid card.

With this welcome offer, you can get $25 cash back as a new Wealthsimple client. To do this, you simply need to open an account and then deposit at least $1 within 30 days.

You can invest your money in an investment account or a cryptocurrency of your choice. Also, you earn interest on your Wealthsimple Cash account balance! Wealthsimple Generation clients can earn an interest rate of up to 2.25%.

In addition, there are no foreign transaction fees for any purchase made in a currency other than the Canadian dollar and no annual fees.

Annual fee

Primary card$0

Value

1st Year Value$295

If you already hold a travel card with no conversion fees, such as the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite* Card, the first supplementary card is usually free. However, this card requires a personal income of $60,000 (or household income of $100,000), so it’s only suitable if you already hold it or are eligible for it.

Annual fee
$150
Our valuation
$350
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.
Welcome offer
Up to 35,000 points
Ends Nov 1, 2026
Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

With this welcome offer for the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card +* CardMC, you’ll earn 25,000 welcome bonus Scene+ points after charging $2,000 in purchases to your account within the first three months.

Plus, every year, earn an annual bonus of at least 10,000 Scene+ points when you charge at least $40,000 in purchases to your account. In total, the offer represents up to 35,000 Scene+ points and a value of up to $1,250 in the first year, including rewards, savings on foreign transaction fees and airport lounge access.

With the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card, you earn 3 points per $1 spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland and participating Co-ops, and 2 points per $1 spent at other grocery stores, restaurants, eligible entertainment and eligible daily transit. You earn 1 point per $1 on all your other everyday purchases.

These points can be redeemed against any travel purchase at a rate of 1,000 points = $10 (flights, hotels, all-inclusives and even Airbnb), or as cash back with Scene+ at the same rate.

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card also offers:

  • No fees for foreign currency transactions
  • 6 complimentary airport VIP lounge passes
  • Excellent insurance for your travels and purchases
  • Visa Infinite* Concierge Services

We have named this credit card the Best Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

0%

Earning rate

  • 2xGroceries
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xEntertainment
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$650
2nd Year Value$397

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$240

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

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

Other advantageous cards with no high minimum income also exist: check out our guide to credit cards with no minimum income required to compare more options.

School Trip – Prepaid Cards

Mydoh

Mydoh offers a rechargeable prepaid Visa card for a child, without being linked to a bank account. And if you want, you can even personalize the card for $6.99 with any image you choose.

There are no hidden fees, and the parent only deposits the necessary amount on the Mydoh card, accessible instantly. Additionally, there is no card number visible on the physical card. So, if it is lost, this minimizes the risk of fraudulent use.

Mydoh offers both a digital and physical card. Abroad, the foreign currency conversion fee is 2.5%. Its only drawback is that there is no option to withdraw cash from an ATM.

KOHO and Wise Prepaid Cards

KOHO and Wise banks offer prepaid cards, but only to people who have reached the age of majority in their province of residence.

Remember, you can’t open an account and get a prepaid card in your name, then give it to your minor child to travel with.

Our credit card selection
Credit cardAnnual feeWelcome offer
Annual fee$0Welcome offer
No welcome offer
Apply Now
Annual fee$144Welcome offer
No welcome offer
Apply Now

Vanilla Prepaid Card

Vanilla Visa or Mastercard prepaid cards may be another option. However, it is forbidden to purchase such a prepaid card with an American Express credit card, as mentioned in the conditions.

There is an activation fee on purchase, and foreign currency conversion charges are 2.5%. Also, beware of fraud with this type of card. Before making your purchase, make sure that the packaging has not been opened, as tampering occasionally occurs.

Beware: Canada Post’s Cash Passport Prepaid Card

Many schools suggest the Canada Post Cash Passport card, but we don’t recommend it.

It costs $15 to buy, you have to pay a $3 fee every time you load money into it, the foreign currency conversion fee is high (3.25%), you pay an additional 1.5% if you use it in Canada and on top of that, there’s a $20 fee if you want to withdraw the money left in it.

Let’s just say that it seems to exist mainly to remind us how much better other options are. It’s better to explore other solutions that offer more benefits and less costs.

Which card is most beneficial for a young person on a school trip?

It all depends on your child’s age and your own eligibility for credit cards.

  • Simplest and most accessible option: the Wealthsimple Prepaid Mastercard, with no minimum income required and no conversion fees, an excellent default option for a young person.
  • If you already hold a premium travel card with no conversion fees (such as the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite* Card): add your child as a supplementary cardholder, usually free and with no additional steps.
  • Most flexible option, with no minimum age: Mydoh, if your child is too young for an additional card.
  • To avoid: the Canada Post CashPassport card, whose fees are significantly higher than other options.

Conclusion

Before departure, take the time to educate your child about responsible practices that will allow them to fully enjoy the benefits of their card while avoiding excesses. We particularly recommend using an additional card, as this will help you accumulate points to use for a future trip with your child!

Have a good trip!

Annual fee
$150
Our valuation
$350
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.
Welcome offer
Up to 35,000 points
Ends Nov 1, 2026
Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

With this welcome offer for the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card +* CardMC, you’ll earn 25,000 welcome bonus Scene+ points after charging $2,000 in purchases to your account within the first three months.

Plus, every year, earn an annual bonus of at least 10,000 Scene+ points when you charge at least $40,000 in purchases to your account. In total, the offer represents up to 35,000 Scene+ points and a value of up to $1,250 in the first year, including rewards, savings on foreign transaction fees and airport lounge access.

With the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card, you earn 3 points per $1 spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland and participating Co-ops, and 2 points per $1 spent at other grocery stores, restaurants, eligible entertainment and eligible daily transit. You earn 1 point per $1 on all your other everyday purchases.

These points can be redeemed against any travel purchase at a rate of 1,000 points = $10 (flights, hotels, all-inclusives and even Airbnb), or as cash back with Scene+ at the same rate.

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card also offers:

  • No fees for foreign currency transactions
  • 6 complimentary airport VIP lounge passes
  • Excellent insurance for your travels and purchases
  • Visa Infinite* Concierge Services

We have named this credit card the Best Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

0%

Earning rate

  • 2xGroceries
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xEntertainment
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$650
2nd Year Value$397

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$240

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

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

Our featured card

Annual fee
$0 $120
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$589
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.
Welcome offer
Up to 70,000 points
+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate
Apply Now

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:

  • 5x BMO Rewards points for every dollar spent on groceries, meal delivery or takeout, rideshare, public transit, and gas*
  • 1 BMO Rewards point for every dollar spent on all other purchases*
  • 10% more points when you add an authorized user to your account*
  • Mobile device insurance offering coverage up to $1,000*
  • The Pay with Points feature, which allows you to redeem your points on recent purchases starting at $1*
  • Six months of Instacart+ membership plus a monthly $10 Instacart credit with an eligible card*

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xRestaurants
  • 5xGas & EV
  • 5xGroceries
  • 5xTransit
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,128
2nd Year Value$365

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 21 days
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

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

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.