Best Credit Cards for Travel Points in Canada (2026)
The best Canadian credit cards for earning flexible, transferable travel points — and how to turn everyday grocery and dining spending into flights.
Jordan Tremblay
Senior Rewards Analyst · June 4, 2026 · 2 min read
The best credit cards for travel points in Canada earn flexible, transferable points on everyday spending, then let you redeem them for flights worth far more than cash back. The standouts are the American Express Cobalt for everyday earning, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite if you fly Air Canada, and the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite if you want no foreign transaction fees.
What makes a great travel points card
Three things separate a great travel card from an average one:
- A high earn rate in categories you actually spend in — dining, groceries and travel.
- Flexible or transferable points you can move to airline and hotel partners, instead of being locked to one program.
- Travel protections — insurance, airport lounge access, and ideally no foreign transaction fees.
Our top picks for travel points
Best for everyday earning: American Express Cobalt
Earns 5x points on dining and groceries — the categories most Canadians spend the most on — and those Membership Rewards points transfer to Aeroplan and other partners. Read our full Cobalt review.
Best for Air Canada flyers: TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
A free first checked bag pays for the fee quickly, and Aeroplan points have high redemption ceilings. See the TD Aeroplan review.
Best for no foreign transaction fees: Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite
No FX fees plus six free lounge passes a year make it a traveller's workhorse. Read the Passport review.
Transferable points vs airline miles
Transferable points (like Membership Rewards) give you flexibility — you can move them to whichever airline has the best award availability. Airline miles (like Aeroplan) can deliver outsized value on specific routes but lock you into one program. If you're not sure, start with transferable points.
How much are travel points worth?
Flexible points and airline miles are typically worth 1.5–2 cents or more each when redeemed for flights — versus a fixed 1 cent for cash back. That's why a travel card can out-earn a cash-back card by 50–100% on the same spending, if you redeem well. Run your own numbers with our rewards calculator.
Ready to choose? Compare every option on our best travel credit cards page — and before you start hoarding, check whether your points expire.