Review: National Bank Platinum Mastercard

Q: Why is the National Bank Platinum Mastercard so popular with young professionals?

Because it combines no minimum income requirement with a solid travel insurance package usually reserved for premium cards. The National Bank Platinum Mastercard ® credit card has an annual fee of $70 (often waived the first year), a welcome bonus of up to 25,000 NBC Rewards points , and attractive earn rates for someone starting their career who wants to begin travelling smart.

Q: What are the National Bank Platinum Mastercard’s earn rates?

The National Bank Platinum Mastercard ® credit card earns 2 points per dollar on groceries, restaurants, food delivery, meal kits and bars (on the first $1,000 per month), 1.5 points per dollar on gas, EV charging, recurring bills and travel, and 1 point per $1.50 on all other purchases. These are competitive multipliers for a card with no income requirement.

Q: What travel insurance is included with the National Bank Platinum Mastercard?

The National Bank Platinum Mastercard ® credit card includes emergency medical coverage for trips of up to 10 days , trip cancellation and interruption insurance , flight delay and baggage delay insurance , lost or stolen baggage coverage , as well as rental car collision and damage insurance . You also get 180-day purchase protection and an extended manufacturer’s warranty .

Q: How can I redeem my NBC Rewards points?

The NBC À la carte Rewards Plan is one of the most flexible in the country: you first pay for your travel purchase with your National Bank Platinum Mastercard ® credit card , then request a statement credit in points within the following 90 days. This removes partner restrictions: any purchase of airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, cruises or vacation packages is eligible, regardless of the company or booking site.

National Bank

Published August 12, 2026Updated October 17, 20267 min readEditorial integrity

The National Bank Platinum Mastercard won the title of Best Credit Card for young professionals in our Milesopedia 2024 ranking.

Let’s look at why this card is a smart choice for young people who want to travel more, even on a modest income.

National Bank Platinum Mastercard – Welcome offer

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An accessible travel credit card for young professionals

With an affordable annual fee of $70, the National Bank Platinum Mastercard offers a set of benefits and travel insurance coverage usually associated with premium products. Better yet, the current promotion refunds the first-year annual fee!

Another notable advantage of the National Bank Platinum Mastercard: it requires no minimum income. You can apply even if it’s your first credit card or you’re just starting out in the workforce.

Compare

National Bank Platinum Mastercard^®

National Bank NBC RewardsFirst-Year Annual Fee Rebate

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

The National Bank Platinum Mastercard^® lets you earn up to 40,000 reward points, plus a refund of the $70 annual fee for the first year for the primary cardholder:

10,000 points when you sign up for credit card payment insurance and keep it for at least the first 3 months
15,000 points after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months
15,000 points after $10,000 in purchases within the first 12 months

You have until November 4, 2026 to apply.

After that, you earn:

2 points per dollar on grocery and restaurant purchases
1.5 points per dollar on gas, EV charging, recurring bills and travel booked through the À la carte agency

Since it is a Mastercard, you can use it at Costco. Unlike the other two National Bank travel rewards cards, it does not require a minimum income.

The card includes mobile device insurance, an extended warranty on your purchases, and comprehensive travel insurance for trips of 10 days or less, with emergency medical coverage plus trip cancellation and interruption.

The annual fee is $70, plus $35 per additional card. The annual interest rate is 20.99% on purchases and 22.49% on cash advances.

Legal

PLATINUM CARD PROMOTIONAL OFFER Q3-Q4 2026-AGGREGATOR

Length of the welcome promotion
From June 30, 2026 to November 4, 2026.

Eligibility conditions

Sign up for a National Bank^® Platinum Mastercard^® credit card as a primary cardholder during the promotion period.
Have not held any National Bank personal Mastercard credit card as a primary cardholder during the past 12 months.
Keep the credit card account open and in good standing, in compliance with the Credit Card Agreement, until the annual fee refund and reward points are credited. For example, all minimum payments must be made on time.
Not be employed by National Bank of Canada or an entity in its group.

Description of the promotion
Up to 40,000 reward points upon enrollment, and a refund of the annual fee for the first year for the primary cardholder of a National Bank^® Platinum Mastercard^®.

Annual fees

The $70 annual fee for the primary cardholder will be refunded for the first year.

We will charge the annual fee to your new card account and then refund it. You will receive this refund within five months of opening your account, provided that your account remains open and in good standing. The refund will appear on your statement as a credit.

Annual fees related to authorized users’ cards are not eligible for this promotion.

Reward points

Points offered	Conditions	When points are awarded
10,000	Enrollment in credit card payment insurance* for at least the first three months	Within two months following the minimum enrollment period
15,000	$2,500 in purchases within the first three months**	By the end of the 6th month following enrollment**
15,000	$10,000 in purchases within the first 12 months**	By the end of the 15th month following enrollment**

* To apply for payment insurance, you must complete the sections related to the Credit Card Payment Protection Plan (CCPPP) included in the credit card application form.

** The purchase calculation period starts on the date you sign up for the card. For example, if you sign up on July 15, 2026, you have until October 15, 2026 to make the required $2,500 in purchases, and the 15000 points will be credited to your account by the end of January 2027.

How total purchases are calculated

The calculation is based on the total amount of purchases made using all cards linked to the account. Transactions not included in the calculation are set out in article 1.5 of the À la carte Rewards Plan^™.

Other conditions

This promotion may only be used once per person.
Issuance of the card is subject to National Bank of Canada’s credit approval. Other conditions apply to the issuance of the card.
Unless otherwise indicated, this promotion cannot be combined with any other National Bank credit card promotion and is not retroactive.
This promotion may be modified or withdrawn without notice.

^®Mastercard and Platinum Mastercard are registered trademarks, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Authorized user: National Bank.

^®À LA CARTE EXTRAS, À LA CARTE REWARDS PLAN, NATIONAL BANK and the NATIONAL BANK logo are registered trademarks of National Bank of Canada.

^®THE TOTAL, THE CONNECTED, AND NATIONAL BANK are registered trademarks of National Bank of Canada.

*Platinum Mastercard^®

National Bank of Canada^® Platinum Mastercard^® credit card was named the best credit card for young professionals by Milesopedia in 2025 and 2026. Each year, Milesopedia examines the credit card offers of the largest financial institutions and establishes its ranking according to more than 150 criteria such as fees, welcome offers, minimum income required, number of points per category, account credits, insurance, airport lounge access, etc.

1. Certain restrictions apply. For more information, consult the Rewards plan section or the Plan rules regarding how to earn points.

Credit terms

Grace period: No interest will be charged on purchases made during the month, provided the client pays the balance in full within twenty-one (21) days of the statement date. This grace period does not apply to cash advances or balance transfers.

Minimum payment: If your account balance is lower than $10, you must pay the entire balance.

If you reside in the province of Quebec, your minimum payment is the greater of 5% of your account balance, plus any overdue amounts, or $10.

If you live outside Quebec, your minimum payment is 2.5% of your credit card balance, plus any past-due amount or $10, whichever is greater.

Account statement: A statement is sent monthly.

Example of credit charges over a 30-day period

Annual interest rate	Average balance
	$500	$3,000
22.49% (regular card)	$9.24	$55.45
20.99% (regular card)	$8.63	$51.76
13.2% (Syncro card)	$5.53	$33.16
9.2% (Syncro card)	$3.78	$22.68

Balance transfer and cash advance are subject to credit approval by National Bank. Each balance transfer must be at least $250.

4. This coverage applies to purchases and rentals charged in part to the card, except out-of-province medical/hospital insurance for which the travel arrangements need not be charged to the card, and lost or delayed luggage insurance where all transportation costs must be charged to the card. This coverage applies to the primary cardholder, their spouse and/or dependent children when they (spouse and/or dependent children) travel with the primary cardholder. Extended warranty coverage applies to most new items purchased with the card, in Canada or abroad, as long as the manufacturer’s warranty is valid in Canada. Certain conditions and restrictions apply. For more information and for details of your insurance coverage, please consult the insurance certificate associated with your card.

5. Certain conditions apply. Visit mastercard.ca for more information. Refer to the credit card terms and conditions.

6. Subject to credit approval by National Bank.

7. The amount of points earned on grocery and restaurant purchases depends on the total gross monthly amount charged to the credit card account, regardless of the purchase category. You will earn 2 points for every dollar in eligible grocery and restaurant purchases until a total of $1,000 in gross monthly purchases is charged to the account. After that, you will earn 1.5 points per dollar in eligible grocery and restaurant purchases. The total gross monthly amount is calculated based on your monthly billing period. Grocery purchases include any purchase made at a store that primarily sells food, i.e., grocery store, delicatessen, supermarket, greengrocer or specialty food store. Ready-to-eat meal services and meal delivery services are eligible. This definition excludes purchases made at retail stores and big box stores whose core business is the sale of non-food items. Certain merchants may sell products and services that appear identical or similar to those sold by eligible merchants, or may be separate merchants located on the same premises as eligible merchants, but are classified in different categories by Mastercard. For purchases at other merchants, you will only earn regular rewards points. Restaurant purchases include purchases at a restaurant, fast food restaurant, bar, nightclub or pub. For a full list of Mastercard codes associated with eligible merchants, download the terms and conditions of the À la carte Rewards Plan^®.

8. To earn 1.5 points per dollar in purchases, you will need to purchase gas or an electrical vehicle charge from a service station or from certain big box stores. Certain merchants may sell products and services that appear identical or similar to those sold by eligible merchants, or may be separate merchants located on the same premises as eligible merchants, but are classified in different categories by Mastercard. For purchases at other merchants, you will only earn regular rewards points. For a full list of Mastercard codes associated with eligible merchants, download the terms and conditions of the À la carte Rewards Plan^®.

9. Recurring bill payments are defined as monthly or regular payments automatically charged by a merchant to your National Bank Platinum Mastercard credit card. Not all merchants offer recurring bill payments, and not all recurring payments are considered recurring bill payments. Certain payments therefore may not entitle you to earn more points.

10. To earn 1.5 points per dollar in purchases, you must make your eligible purchases via the À la carte Travel^™ Agency section of our À la carte Rewards^™ site.

11. The device must have been purchased using your National Bank Platinum Mastercard credit card, or your phone plan must be paid via recurring payments charged to your National Bank Platinum credit card starting September 1, 2022. For complete terms and conditions, please consult the insurance certificate associated with your card.

Annual fee

Primary card$70

Additional card$35

Annual income required

Individual$0

Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

2xGroceries
2xRestaurants
1.5xBills & recurring payments
1.5xGas
1.5xTravel
0.67xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$749

2nd Year Value$209

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 10 days

Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 10 days

Travel medical (65+)Up to $5,000,000 / 10 days

Trip CancellationUp to $1,000

Trip InterruptionUp to $1,500

Delayed BaggageUp to $500

Lost BaggageUp to $1,000

Flight DelayUp to $500

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded

Extended Warranty+2 years

Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years

Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $65,000 / 48 days

Personally, this card was my starting point in the world of travel rewards and points. It was my go-to card for every possible expense during my university years.

Over a two-year period, I managed to earn about 60,000 NBC Rewards points. I was then able to redeem them for a $600 discount on a flight to Paris with Air Transat.

Let’s see how this card can help you turn your everyday spending into travel opportunities!

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Fund your travels by earning points on your everyday spending

With the National Bank Platinum Mastercard, every dollar you spend earns points in the NBC À la carte Rewards Plan.

In addition, some purchase categories come with a multiplier that lets you earn even more points per dollar spent.

Earn up to 2 points per dollar spent:

At the grocery store
At restaurants
On food delivery services
Meal kit subscriptions (Hello Fresh, Cook It, Goodfood, etc.)
At bars and nightclubs

Earn 1.5 points per dollar spent:

On gas and EV charging
On recurring bills (internet, cellphone, gym, subscriptions, etc.)
On the À la carte Travel platform

Finally, earn 1 point per $1.50 spent in all other purchase categories. To earn points quickly, consider putting all your purchases on your credit card (and paying off your full balance every month).

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For example, if you put $1,000 of spending per month on your National Bank Platinum Mastercard according to this budget, here’s how many points you could earn:

Catégorie de dépenses	Montant	Multiplicateur	Points accumulés
Épicerie	300 $	2x	600
Restaurants, livraison de repas et bars	200 $	2x	400
Essence ou recharges électriques	100 $	1,5x	150
Internet et forfait cellulaire	150 $	1,5x	225
Abonnements numériques (Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime, etc.)	50 $	1,5x	75
Abonnement au gym	50 $	1,5x	75
Autres achats	150 $	0,75x	100
Total	1 000 $		1 625

That’s a total of 1,625 points per month, or 19,500 points in a year. This represents nearly $200 in discounts you can apply to your next trip, not counting the welcome bonus of up to 25,000 points, for a total of nearly $450 in travel discounts in the first year!

NBC À la carte Rewards Plan: a flexible program

NBC À la carte Rewards Plan is a good program for getting started with points and travel rewards. Its simplicity and flexibility are its main strengths.

The best way to use your points is to book your trip through the online agency À la carte Travel powered by Transat. This way, you’ll get the most value from your points: you’ll receive a $100 credit for every 10,000 points redeemed. On this booking platform, you’ll find:

Flights;
Hotels;
All-inclusive packages;
Car rentals; and
Cruises

For all other bookings, you can also use NBC Rewards points. These points can be redeemed for a statement credit against any travel expense charged to the credit card. Make sure to redeem within 60 days of the transaction.

The redemption rate for this type of use is:

12,000 points for a $100 credit; or
11,000 points for a $100 credit when you redeem more than 55,000 points in a single transaction.

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NBC À la carte Rewards Plan points can also be redeemed for gift cards, merchandise, statement credits and more. Find more details on all the rewards here.

Comprehensive travel insurance for your adventures

In addition to its rewards benefits, the National Bank Platinum Mastercard offers comprehensive travel insurance for peace of mind on your trips. Coverage includes:

Out-of-province emergency medical insurance (for trips of up to 10 days)
Trip cancellation or interruption insurance
Flight and baggage delay insurance
Lost or stolen baggage insurance
Rental car insurance (at home and abroad)

Before you leave on a trip, be sure to carefully read the insurance contract and keep the contact information you need to file a claim handy. All the policy details can be found here.

Additional protections come with the National Bank Platinum Mastercard:

Mobile device insurance for accidental damage, loss or theft
Extended manufacturer’s warranty on purchases
Purchase protection (up to 180 days)

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Conclusion

The National Bank Platinum Mastercard is an attractive option for young professionals looking for an accessible travel credit card. To see how it stacks up against another popular Platinum card, check out our comparison of the National Bank Platinum Mastercard and the TD Platinum Travel Visa Card.

With an affordable annual fee of $70 (or no fee with the current offer!), attractive multipliers on everyday spending categories, a flexible rewards program and comprehensive travel insurance, this card offers a winning combination for anyone who wants to travel more for less.