
Changes announced by Capital One
In a letter sent to its customers, Capital One announced several upcoming changes to its Aspire Travel World Elite Mastercard.
This credit card has not been offered to new customers for several years, but current customers had significant perks with it:
- 2 points per dollar on all purchases ( = 2% back)
- 10,000 bonus points each year (a $100 value)

And it is these benefits that will be removed or reduced as of August 5, 2020. Now:
- You will only earn 1.5 points per dollar (= 1.5% back)
- The annual bonus disappears
This is mainly due to lower interchange fees.
Alternatives to the Aspire Travel World Elite Mastercard from Capital One
Here are the main features of the Capital One Aspire Travel World Elite Mastercard as of August 5, 2020:
- $150 annual fee
- 1.5 points per dollar
- great insurances
With the changes, this card has become less attractive, notably for travellers, especially compared to alternative credit cards offering travel points (with welcome bonus and other benefits).
Here are 2 alternatives:
- a lower or equal annual fee
- excellent points accumulation on your everyday purchases
- great insurance coverages
National Bank World Elite Mastercard® Card
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard® is one of the best credit card insurance in Canada:
- Out-of-province hospital insurance
- Flight Cancellation
- Trip Interruption Insurance
- Flight delay
- Baggage insurance in case of delay
- Lost or Stolen Baggage Insurance
- Vehicle rental insurance
- Purchase insurance (180 days)
- Extended warranty (2 years)
With the National Bank World Elite Mastercard®, you can earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar spent on purchases.
You can apply your points on any travel purchase charged to the card (flights, hotels, Airbnb, all-inclusive, etc.).
In addition, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard® offers:
- up to $150 travel credit per calendar year
- unlimited complimentary access to the National Bank lounge at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport
Last but not least, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard® currently offers an excellent welcome bonus.
MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard
The MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard® offers 1 to 5 points per dollar of purchase.
You can apply your points on any travel purchase charged to the card (flights, hotels, Airbnb, all-inclusive, etc.).
However, travel insurance products are less robust than the ones coming with the Capital One Aspire Travel World Elite Mastercard:
- Common Carrier Accidental Death & Dismemberment Benefits
- Unexpected Return Home
- Rental Vehicle Collision Damage Waiver Benefits
- Rental Vehicle Accidental Death & Dismemberment Benefits
- Personal Effects Benefit
Therefore, there is no cancellation or travel interruption insurance.
On the other hand, purchase insurance products are attractive:
- Purchase insurance (90 days)
- Extended warranty (1 year)
- Price protection (60 days)
And its $120 annual fee is less than the $150 required by the Capital One Aspire Travel World Elite Mastercard.
Bottom Line
So this is bad news for current cardholders of the Capital One Aspire Travel World Elite Mastercard. But as you can see, alternatives are there.
If you’re looking for other credit cards check out our rankings: