Exclusive offer: National Bank Platinum Mastercard®, up to 40,000 points and no minimum income required!
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National Bank offers a great product accessible to all travellers with the National Bank Platinum Mastercard®. Thanks to our exclusive offer, you can get up to 40,000 reward points and a first-year annual fee rebate. Plus the purchase protection offered is some of the best on the market!
National Bank Platinum Mastercard
The National Bank Platinum® Mastercard® lets you earn up to 40,000 rewards points through a multi-part welcome offer that includes enrolling in payment protection insurance, a first spending threshold of $2,500 in the first 3 months and a second threshold of $10,000 in purchases in the first 12 months.
On top of the welcome offer, this card lets you earn up to 2 points per dollar spent in certain categories, and it includes several travel insurance protections, mobile device insurance, plus purchase protection and extended warranty.
The $70 annual fee for the primary cardholder is also rebated in the first year.
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $70
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$360Annual fee rebated$70Total$430Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $430
- Welcome offerAfter $12,500 in 12 months
- 40,000 points
- Ends Nov 4, 2026
Apply Now
on National Bank's website
The components of the welcome offer
The offer does not unlock all at once. It is made of three separate components, each with its own requirement:
| Component | Requirement | Deadline | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment protection insurance enrolment | Keep the coverage active | 3 months minimum | 10,000 |
| First spending threshold | $2,500 in purchases | 3 months | 15,000 |
| Second spending threshold | $10,000 in purchases | 12 months | 15,000 |
| Total | $10,000 + enrolment | 1 year | 40,000 |
The three components together deliver up to 40,000 points, or $400 applied to a trip. The $70 annual fee rebate in the first year comes on top.
National Bank Platinum Mastercard – Rewards
Accumulating NBC Reward Points
With the National Bank Platinum Mastercard®, you can earn up to 2 points per dollar:
| Category | Earning rate |
|---|---|
| Grocery and restaurant | 2 points per dollar |
| Gas and EV charging | 1.5 points per dollar |
| Recurring bill | 1.5 points per dollar |
| À la carte Travel | 1.5 points per dollar |
| Other purchase | 1 point per $1.50 purchase |
*For the Grocery & Restaurant category, you can earn 2 points per dollar up to $1,000 in total monthly card purchases.
Once you’ve reached $1,000 in monthly purchases, you’ll earn 1.5 points per dollar on the Grocery & Restaurant category. This is still very good compared with other cards that offer only one point per dollar after the threshold is reached.
How to Use Your NBC Reward Points
To redeem your rewards points NBC, log on to the National Bank’s À la carte Rewards portal.
Then, you can use your points to book a trip (+ cash if needed ) through the “À la Carte” Travel agency. The rates are the same to those you’ll find at any travel agency.
What’s more, you can also earn NBC rewards points through this agency. This is the best use of points at a rate of 10,000 points per $100 of credit.
You can also use your NBC rewards points as a statement credit for all travel expenses charged to your credit card (redemption must be made within 60 days of the expense being charged to the credit card account).
This gives you the freedom to book as you see fit, for example with Airbnb, organized tours, excursions and so on.
The exchange rate for this type of redemption is
- 12,000 points for a $100 credit or;
- 11,000 points for a $100 credit when redeeming over 55,000 points in the same transaction
The best way to use your points is to book your trip through the online travel agency Plan à la carte NBC: you’ll earn a $100 credit for every 10,000 points redeemed. Here are the details of your other options:
| Rewards | Points for $100 |
| Exchange with dedicated À la carte Travel agency NBC | 10,000 |
| Flexible travel discount (from 55,000 points redeemed) | 11,000 |
| Flexible travel discount | 12,000 |
| Extras à la carte RRSP or TFSA contribution Repayment of all-in-one line of mortgage or mortgage loan | 12,000 |
| Gift card | 12,000 – 13,500 |
| Statement credit | 25,000 |
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $70
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$360Annual fee rebated$70Total$430Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $430
- Welcome offerAfter $12,500 in 12 months
- 40,000 points
- Ends Nov 4, 2026
Apply Now
on National Bank's website
Making the most of the $1,000 cap
This cap works like the one on the National Bank World Elite Mastercard, but it is four times tighter. The $1,000 counter adds up all of your purchases for the month, not just groceries and restaurants.
Take a household that charges $900 of groceries and restaurants to the card, plus $900 of other purchases, every month:
| Order of purchases in the month | Groceries and restaurants at 2 points | Groceries and restaurants at 1.5 points | Points earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries and restaurants first | $900 | $0 | 1,800 |
| Other purchases first | $100 | $800 | 1,400 |
| Monthly gap | – | – | 400 |
Potential earnings in year one
Here is what a $1,000 monthly budget produces, which is exactly the cap, with 70% of spending on groceries and restaurants:
| Category | Rate | Annual spending | Points earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | 2 points/$ | $6,000 | 12,000 |
| Restaurants | 2 points/$ | $2,400 | 4,800 |
| Gas and EV charging | 1.5 points/$ | $1,440 | 2,160 |
| Recurring bills | 1.5 points/$ | $1,200 | 1,800 |
| À la carte Travel | 1.5 points/$ | $600 | 900 |
| All other purchases | 1 point / $1.50 | $360 | 240 |
| Total | – | $12,000 | 21,900 |
Redeemed with the À la carte Travel agency, 10,000 points are worth $100. Here is the full first-year picture:
| Value source | Detail | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome offer | 40,000 points | $400 |
| Earned on $12,000 of purchases (mix above) | 21,900 points | $219 |
| Annual fee rebated | 1st year | $70 |
| Total in the first year | 61,900 points | $689 |
National Bank Platinum Mastercard – Insurance
In terms of protection, the National Bank Platinum Mastercard® stands out when compared with other cards of the same type.
You can find the insurance contract here.
Travel medical insurance (outside province of residence)
The National Bank Platinum Mastercard® offers $5,000,000 in emergency travel medical coverage.
| Age | Maximum trip duration |
|---|---|
| 76 years or less | 10 days |
Trip Cancellation / Trip Interruption Insurance
The National Bank Platinum Mastercard® is one of the only credit cards in Canada to cover most of the cost of your trip, even if you only carry a portion of it.
The coverage will reimburse expenses (…) if at least part of the cost of the trip has been charged to the account.
National Bank of Canada
| Insurance | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Trip cancellation (prior to departure) | Up to $1,000 per insured person |
| Trip interruption (after departure) | Up to $1,500 per insured person |
The main differences in coverage with the National Bank Platinum Mastercard are the length of trip covered and the eligible amounts for trip cancellation and interruption insurance.
When we analyze this data, we can see that this card is perfect for people who like to make several short trips.
For a family of 3, the cost of equivalent travel insurance for a week’s All-inclusive holiday can rise to over $200!
Insurance in Case of Theft or Loss of Luggage
The National Bank Platinum Mastercard® covers you if at least part of the cost of your trip has been charged to your account.
| Insurance | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Lost or stolen baggage | Up to $1,000 per person |
Flight Delay Insurance
The National Bank Platinum Mastercard® covers you if at least part of the cost of your trip has been charged to your account.
| Insurance | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Flight delay of more than 4 hours | $250 per day (maximum of $500 per insured person) |
Insurance in Case of Baggage Delay
The National Bank Platinum Mastercard® covers you if the full cost of travel on a common carrier has been charged to your account.
| Insurance | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Baggage delay | Up to $500 per person (more than 6 hours) |
Car Rental Insurance
The National Bank Platinum Mastercard® covers you if you use your card (or your NBC Rewards points) to pay for your car rental in full.
Similarly, personal belongings in the vehicle are protected.
| Insurance | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Vehicle rental (48 days or less) | Vehicle value up to $65,000 |
Insurance for Your Purchases
The National Bank Platinum Mastercard is one of the only credit cards in Canada to offer purchase protection for 180 days (6 months from the date of purchase). Other credit cards offer only 90 days (3 months) of purchase protection.
What’s more, the National Bank Platinum Mastercard® is one of the only credit cards in Canada to triple the coverage period on new items covered by an original manufacturer’s warranty valid in Canada.
| Insurance | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Against theft or breakage for 180 days | up to $60,000 |
| Triple extended warranty | Up to 2 additional years |
National Bank Platinum Mastercard – Our review
We have followed the National Bank Platinum Mastercard for years, alongside its World Elite sibling. The insurance tables above come straight from the National Bank contract.
What makes this card interesting has nothing to do with earning. It is the ratio between what it costs and what it protects: $70 a year for $5 million in emergency medical coverage and 180 days of purchase protection.
Two details genuinely set it apart. First, the insurance applies even when you charge only part of the trip cost to the card. Second, the extended warranty triples the manufacturer period, where most cards stop at one extra year.
Do not expect points, however. The $1,000 monthly cap limits earning to roughly 22,000 points a year, and medical coverage stops at 10 days per trip.
Who is this card for?
- Anyone who does not qualify elsewhere: no minimum income is required, which is rare at this level of insurance.
- Newcomers and students: approval rests on the credit file, not on an income threshold.
- Short-trip travellers: the 10-day coverage fits several small trips across the year perfectly.
- Appliance and electronics buyers: 180 days of purchase protection and a tripled extended warranty is the best on the market.
- Point chasers: the $1,000 monthly cap limits earning to roughly 22,000 points a year.
- Long trips: medical coverage stops at 10 days, against 60 days on the National Bank World Elite Mastercard.
- Anyone who wants airport lounges: no access is included, unlike the World Elite version.
- Statement credit redeemers: that route costs 25,000 points for $100, against 10,000 through the travel agency.
How we assess this offer
Our calculations rest on three constant rules. First, we value National Bank Rewards points at 1 cent, the À la carte Travel agency rate (10,000 points = $100). Second, we count only the benefits actually received during the first year. Finally, we always weigh the value obtained against the real annual fee.
The earnings table assumes a specific profile: $12,000 in annual spending, split into $1,000 per month to stay under the cap. If you spend more, apply the 1.5 points per dollar rate to the excess grocery and restaurant spending before comparing.
The offer terms come from National Bank. Our analysis remains independent of the commercial agreements we hold with card issuers.
To see how this offer stacks up against the rest of the market, browse our best credit cards page. Also, sign up for our newsletter to get new welcome offers every week.
Bottom Line
The National Bank Platinum Mastercard® is a great card to have, especially if you don’t qualify for the high-end National Bank cards.
Actually, the insurance offered for short trips is excellent, and the purchase insurance is identical to its big sister, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard.
If your income qualifies, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard currently offers a first-year annual fee rebate through our exclusive Milesopedia offer, along with more generous travel benefits.
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $70
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$360Annual fee rebated$70Total$430Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $430
- Welcome offerAfter $12,500 in 12 months
- 40,000 points
- Ends Nov 4, 2026
Apply Now
on National Bank's website
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 about the National Bank Platinum Mastercard Offer
Here are frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about this card.
Is there really no minimum income required for the National Bank Platinum Mastercard?
Correct. The National Bank Platinum Mastercard® stands out from most premium-tier cards in Canada because it has no stated minimum income requirement. Most equivalents (Visa Infinite or World Elite Mastercard) demand a personal income of $60,000+ or household income of $100,000+. National Bank assesses approval primarily on credit profile and existing banking relationship, making this a rare option for students, newcomers to Canada, and self-employed applicants who want premium-grade insurance coverage without locking in a high salary threshold.
How do I earn rewards on the National Bank Platinum Mastercard?
Earning rates on the National Bank Platinum Mastercard® are:
- 2 points per dollar on grocery and restaurant purchases (capped at $1,000/month combined)
- 1.5 points per dollar on gas, EV charging, recurring bills and travel
- 1 point per $1.50 on all other purchases
Points are redeemed through the National Bank À la carte Rewards program, where 100 points equal $1 in travel credit. Points can also be applied as a statement credit, used to book travel, or redeemed for gift cards.
What insurance coverage is included on the National Bank Platinum Mastercard?
The National Bank Platinum Mastercard delivers premium-tier protection rarely seen at this card category:
- Emergency travel medical up to $5,000,000 (maximum 10 days per trip, age 76 or under)
- Trip cancellation up to $1,000 per insured
- Trip interruption up to $1,500 per insured
- Flight delay coverage and baggage delay/loss
- Car rental theft and damage protection
- Purchase protection for 180 days against theft or damage
- Extended warranty tripling the manufacturer’s warranty (up to 2 additional years)
Who is the National Bank Platinum Mastercard best suited for?
The card fits three profiles particularly well:
- Young professionals who don’t yet meet $60K+ income thresholds but travel a few times a year
- Newcomers to Canada who want strong insurance coverage early in their credit journey
- Frequent short-trip travelers who need solid medical and trip cancellation coverage without paying $150+ in annual fees
It’s less ideal for high spenders who would maximize a 4% category card or for travelers who want airport lounge access (it doesn’t include Priority Pass).