The Best First-Year Free Credit Cards – October 2023

Best First-Year Free Credit Cards - Summary

Best First-Year Free Credit Cards - Travel Points

TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card

With the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get up to 115,000 TD Points^† and a first-year annual fee rebate:

• Welcome Bonus of 20,000 TD Points when you make your first Purchase with your Card^†
• 95,000 TD Rewards Points if you spend $5,000 within 180 days of Account opening^†
• A Birthday Bonus of up to 10,000 TD Rewards Points^†

Get an Annual Fee Rebate for the first year^†.

With the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card, you get:

• 8 TD Rewards Points^† for every $1 you spend when you book travel through Expedia® For TD
• 6 TD Rewards Points^† for every $1 you spend on Groceries and Restaurants
• 4 TD Rewards Points^† for every $1 you spend on regularly recurring bill payments set up on your Account
• 2 TD Rewards Points^† For every $1 you spend on other Purchases

This TD credit card is one of the best TD travel rewards cards.

CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card

The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card is one of the best Visa credit cards with travel rewards.

You can earn up to 40,000 Aventura points with this CIBC digital exclusive offer for Milesopedia readers.

• 20,000 Aventura Points when you make your first purchase†
• 20,000 Aventura Points when you spend $3,000 or more in the first 4 monthly statement periods†

Plus, you can get a first-year annual fee rebate (a $139 value). With this CIBC Aventura Credit Card, you get:

• 2 points for every $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre†
• 1.5 points for every $1 spent at eligible gas stations, EV charging, grocery stores and drug stores†
• 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases†

The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card also offers:

• Airport lounges access: Visa Airport Companion Program membership with 4 complimentary visits per year
• A NEXUS application fee rebate (a $50 value)

The minimum annual income required for this card is $60,000 (personal) or $100,000 (household).

CIBC Aventura^® Gold Visa* Card

If you don’t meet the income requirements for the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card, you can apply for the CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card. The minimum annual income required for this card is $15,000 (household).

You can earn up to 40,000 Aventura points with this CIBC digital exclusive offer for Milesopedia readers.

• 20,000 Aventura Points when you make your first purchase†
• 20,000 Aventura Points when you spend $3,000 or more in the first 4 monthly statement periods†

Plus, you can get a first-year annual fee rebate (a $139 value). With this CIBC Aventura Credit Card, you get:

• 2 points for every $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre†
• 1.5 points for every $1 spent at eligible gas stations, EV charging, grocery stores and drug stores†
• 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases†

The CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card also offers:

• Airport lounges access: Visa Airport Companion Program membership with 4 complimentary visits per year
• A NEXUS application fee rebate (a $50 value)

TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn up to 50,000 Aeroplan points with no annual fee for the first year:

• A welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card^†
• 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $5,000 within 180 days of Account opening^†
• 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $7,500 within 12 months of Account opening^†
• $100 NEXUS fee rebate^†
• Up to eight passengers travelling on the same reservation will all enjoy their first checked bag free (up to 23kg/50lb) when your travel originates on an Air Canada flight^†

It’s the best TD credit card for occasional Air Canada travellers.

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 1.5 points^† per dollar of eligible purchases for:

• Grocery stores
• Gas stations
• Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada Vacations

BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card

When you sign up for our exclusive offer on the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn up to 70,000 BMO Rewards points as well as a$120 annual fee waiver for the first year:

• 40,000 points after $3,000 in purchases in the first three months
• 30,000 points at annual renewal if you have made $25,000 in purchases with the card in the first 12 months

Plus, you’ll get a $50 annual lifestyle credit – per calendar year – to spend however you want.

With the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn 5 BMO Rewards points per dollar spent on:

• Groceries
• Dining
• Food delivery
• Gas
• Transit

And 1 BMO Rewards point for every $1 spent on everything else. Plus, if you add an authorized user to your account, you’ll earn 10% more points.

BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is one of the best World Elite Mastercard credit cards with travel points in Canada. With our exclusive offer, you can get up to 70,000 Welcome Bonus Points:

• 40,000 points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months
• 2,500 points per month after $2,000 in monthly purchases from the 4th to the 15th month, up to 30,000 points

Plus, the annual fee is waived in the first year for both the primary cardholder and authorized users.

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, a premium credit card from BMO, you get:

• 5 points per dollar on travel purchases
• 3 points per dollar on dining purchases
• 3 points per dollar for entertainment purchases
• 3 points per dollar on recurring bill payments

And 1 point for every $1 spent everywhere else, including at Costco. You can use your points for travel purchases on the BMO Rewards website (flights, hotels, car rentals, all-inclusive).

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard also offers:

• Four annual complimentary passes to airport VIP lounges
• Excellent Premium insurance for your travels or purchases
• a premium concierge service

BMO Rewards^® World Elite^®* Business Mastercard^®*

The BMO Rewards® World Elite®* Business Mastercard®* is one of Canada’s best Business travel Mastercard credit cards. You can earn up to 70,000 points as a welcome bonus:

• 50,000 points after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months
• 20,000 points after you spend $35,000 in the first twelve months

Plus, there is no annual fee for the first year! And you get 2 free visits a year to DragonPass airport lounges.

You can also enjoy a 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for nine months (with a 3% transfer fee).

With BMO World Elite Business Mastercard, you earn 4 points for every dollar you spend on:

• gas purchases
• office supply purchases
• cell phone/internet payments

And 1.5 points for every dollar you spend, including at Costco or for significant purchases at home improvement stores.

You can use your points for travel purchases on the BMO Rewards website (flights, hotels, car rentals, all-inclusive). Finally, you can combine the points you earn with the other two BMO Rewards cards to save even more on your travel.

With the BMO World Elite Business Mastercard, you get premium insurance:

• Collision Damage Waiver
• Car Rental Personal Effects & Business Property
• Car Rental Accidental Death & Dismemberment
• Baggage & Personal Effects
• Baggage insurance in case of delay
• Trip Cancellation Insurance
• Trip Interruption/Trip Delay
• Departure flight delay insurance
• Common Carrier Insurance

And for your purchases :

• Extended Warranty
• Purchase Protection

Best First-Year Free Credit Cards - Cash Back

TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card

With the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 3% cash back on:

• Grocery stores
• Gas stations
• Recurring bill payments

And 1% cash back on all other purchases.

It’s the best TD cash back credit card, especially for gas purchases.

With this new welcome offer, you could earn 10% cash back on gas and grocery purchases and pre-authorized payments for the first three months (up to $3,500 in purchases). So you can earn up to $350 cash back!

Plus, a first-year annual fee rebate for the Primary and Additional Cardholders.

Finally, you have good insurance coverage, such as travel medical insurance, delayed or lost baggage insurance, collision/loss damage insurance for car rentals and mobile device insurance.

BMO^® CashBack^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*

The BMO® CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®* is one of the best cash back Mastercard credit card in Canada.

For a limited time, you will earn up to 10% cash back on select purchases for the first 3 months (that’s up to $260 cash back). Besides, the annual fee is waived in the first year!

With the BMO® CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®*, you earn between 2% and 5% cash back on many spending categories:

• 5% on grocery purchases (on the first $500 you spend monthly)
• 4% on transit (on the first $300 you spend monthly)
• 3% on gas and electric vehicle charging (on the first $300 you spend monthly)
• 2% on recurring bill payments (on the first $500 you spend monthly)

Everywhere else, you’ll earn 1% cash back, including at Costco.

Finally, it is one of the only credit cards in its category to offer an extended warranty of 2 additional years.

CIBC Dividend^® Visa Infinite* Card

The CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card is one of the best Visa credit cards with cash back in Canada.

With this CIBC Cash Back Credit Card, you get:

• 4% cash back on gas, EV charging, and grocery purchases^†
• 2% cash back on eligible transportation, dining purchases and recurring payments^†
• 1% cash back on all other purchases^†

For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or gas and/or electric vehicle charging, you’ll earn $40 cash back per month or $480 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases!

And that’s not counting the other purchases you’ll make with this card and the advantages it offers (particularly in terms of insurance).

Earn 10% cash back welcome bonus of up to $200 (first 4 statements)!† And you’ll get a first-year annual fee rebate^†!

And this CIBC Cash Back Credit Card offers many insurance coverages:

• Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Insurance
• $500,000 Common Carrier Accident Insurance
• Out-of-Province Emergency Travel Medical Insurance
• Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance

This is a digital-exclusive offer.^† To be eligible for the offer:

1. this offer must have been directly communicated to you from CIBC or from a partner/affiliate;
2. you must apply for the eligible card through the link provided in the CIBC or partner/affiliate communication to you^†.

This offer is reserved for you. Please do not forward it to anyone else. If you have opened, transferred or cancelled another eligible card within the last 12 months, we may approve your application, but you may not receive this offer.^†

Scotia Momentum^® VISA Infinite* Card

The Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card is recognized year after year as one of the best cash-back credit cards in Canada.

Currently, there is no annual fee in the first year, including on additional cards. And you can earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first three months (up to $2,000 in total purchases).

With the Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card, you get :

• 4% on groceries and recurring payments
• 2% on gas and daily transit
• 1% on all other purchases

For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or recurring payments, you’ll earn $40 cash back per month, or $480 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases! And that’s not counting the other purchases you’ll make with this card and the advantages it offers (particularly in terms of insurance).

The Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card is an excellent Visa credit card for cash back.

And its insurance benefits are excellent!

BMO AIR MILES^®† World Elite^®* Business Mastercard^®*

The BMO AIR MILES® World Elite Business Mastercard particularly rewards AIR MILES collectors who wish to separate their personal and business spending.

You can earn up to 15,000 Bonus AIR MILES in your first year! In addition, there is no annual fee for the first year.

You earn 4x the Miles when you use your card at participating AIR MILES Partners. And 1 Mile for every $12 you spend everywhere else, including Costco.

With the BMO AIR MILES®† World Elite®* Business Mastercard, you benefit from various travel protections:

• Collision Damage Waiver
• Car Rental Personal Effects & Business Property
• Car Rental Accidental Death & Dismemberment
• Baggage & Personal Effects
• Baggage insurance in case of delay
• Flight Cancellation
• Trip Interruption/Trip Delay
• Flight delay
• Common Carrier Insurance

And for your purchases:

• Extended Warranty
• Purchase Protection

CIBC Dividend Platinum^® Visa* Card

If you don’t meet the income requirements for the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card, you could apply for the CIBC Dividend® Platinum Visa* Card. The minimum annual income required for this card is $15,000 (household).

With the CIBC Dividend® Platinum Visa* Card, you get:

• 3% cash back on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging and grocery purchases
• 2% cash back on eligible transportation, dining purchases and recurring payments
• 1% on all other purchases

For a limited time, receive a 10% welcome bonus in the form of up to $200 cash back (period covered by your first 4 statements). And you’ll get a first-year annual fee rebate!

And this CIBC Cash Back Credit Card offers some insurance coverage:

• Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Insurance
• $500,000 Common Carrier Accident Insurance
• Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance

BMO^® AIR MILES^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*

Thanks to this exclusive offer for the BMO® AIR MILES® World Elite Mastercard®*, you earn 2,000 miles after $3,000 in purchases, representing a cash value of $210.

Besides, the annual fee is waived in the first year! And until October 4, 2023, you can also get a samsung.ca promo code worth $518!

With this card, you earn 3 miles for every $12 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners. Everywhere else, you’ll earn 1 Mile for every $12 spent, including at Costco and Walmart.

And it’s the only AIR MILES credit card in Canada to offer a 25% discount on one worldwide AIR MILES flight redemption during the calendar year

The BMO® AIR MILES® World Elite®* Mastercard®* card also offers:

• Premium insurance for your travels or purchases
• Double the miles for car rentals with National or Alamo
• Concierge services

Who benefits from no-fee credit cards?

Best First-Year Free Credit Cards - Conclusion