she-found-wealth

Is Switzerland Worth Visiting? What It Really Costs

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:47:57 GMT

Switzerland has a reputation.

Expensive. Breathtaking. The kind of destination people pin to a dream board and then quietly talk themselves out of because it feels like it is only for other people.

The ones with old money, a trust fund, or a specific kind of life that does not include checking the exchange rate before ordering water at a restaurant.

Yes, I did check the exchange rate before ordering water at a restaurant.

And I still think Switzerland is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever been to.

So if you are trying to decide whether Switzerland is worth the price — especially as a Canadian traveler weighing flights, food, transit, tours, and whether this trip is actually realistic — this is the honest version.

I booked this trip for my grandmother and me on Aeroplan points. We flew Swiss Airlines business class from Toronto to Zurich, then continued on to Singapore, all on one booking. It was two countries, but only one redemption. At it cost me $232 CAD each in taxes and fees.

The flight was not the expensive part (obvs).

What came after was.

For a comfortable Switzerland trip, I would budget at least $200 to $300 CAD per person per day, not including flights or accommodations. That assumes regular meals, public transit or tours, paid experiences, and enough flexibility that you are not backpacking your way through the country on the tightest possible budget.

Switzerland is expensive. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. And yes, that is relative to other parts of the world, but the comparison matters when you are deciding where your travel budget should go.

But it also delivered on the cost in a way I have not always found to be true in expensive destinations.

This post is my honest answer to the question I get asked more than almost any other about this trip: is Switzerland worth visiting?

The quick answer: yes. Switzerland is the most expensive country I have ever visited, and I would go back tomorrow.

But how worth it is depends on what you are going for, how you travel, and where you can realistically reduce costs.

I will break down what felt worth the splurge, which costs were harder to justify, where we went in Zurich, Lucerne, Mt. Pilatus, Lake Lucerne, and Appenzell. I'll share why Switzerland worked so well for a slower trip with my grandmother.

I will also explain how using Aeroplan points made the flight the cheapest part of the trip, because that is what helped make this trip feel possible.

This is the overview post for my full Switzerland travel guide, so you can decide whether Switzerland belongs on your own travel list before diving into the detailed cost breakdowns, itinerary posts, hotel review, food recommendations, day tours, and points strategy.

Is Switzerland Worth Visiting? The Honest Answer

It depends on who you are asking and what matters to you when you travel.

If you need a destination that is budget-friendly, fast-paced, and packed with nightlife and cheap street food, Switzerland is not your answer.

Go to Portugal. Go to Mexico. You will have a wonderful time.

But if you are looking for scenery that actually stops you in your tracks, food that tastes like it was grown three miles away, beautiful public transit, mountain views, lake towns, and pockets of quiet where you can slow down without feeling like you are missing the whole point of the trip, Switzerland earns every expensive franc.

I do not want to pretend Switzerland is calm everywhere.

Zurich’s central train station is busy. Mt. Pilatus still has lines. Popular viewpoints are popular for a reason. You are not walking into a silent wellness retreat the second you land.

But compared to many other European trips I have taken, Switzerland gave us more access to slower, easier moments.

The countryside. The boat rides. The smaller towns. The way the transit worked. The fact that we could base ourselves in one place and still see mountains, lakes, farms, restaurants, spas, and city streets without constantly repacking our bags.

That mattered.

I am someone who travels with chronic pain and is deeply sensitive to overstimulation. Switzerland was not magically quiet everywhere, but it offered enough slower spaces that I could actually enjoy the trip instead of feeling like I was forcing myself through it.

I did not leave Switzerland feeling like I needed to recover from my vacation.

I came home feeling like the trip had given me something back.

My grandmother was with me. Watching her take in the mountains in Appenzell, standing in the middle of a field she had never seen anything like, not saying much because she did not need to — that was worth it.

Who Switzerland Is Right For

Switzerland is a good fit for:

Slow travelers who want to absorb a place rather than check it off
Travelers who like having access to quieter towns, lake cruises, countryside, and scenic transportation
Introverts or sensitive travelers who want breaks from busier European city energy
Travelers who value food quality over food quantity
People traveling with older family members or anyone for whom comfort is not optional
Travelers who can absorb higher daily costs in exchange for a lower-stress experience
Canadians who can use points to reduce the cost of getting there

Switzerland worked especially well for us because this was not a “wake up at 6 a.m. and see eight things before dinner” trip.

I was traveling with my grandmother, managing my own chronic pain, and trying to build a trip that felt beautiful without feeling punishing.

Switzerland made that easier because there were so many slower pockets to build the trip around.

Who Might Struggle With Switzerland

Switzerland may not be the best choice for:

Budget travelers
People who need a packed itinerary to feel like they got their money’s worth
Travelers expecting the same energy as Paris or Rome
Anyone who feels stressed by expensive day-to-day costs
People who want nightlife, chaos, and cheap meals on every corner
Travelers who get frustrated by paying more for comfort, convenience, or scenery

That is not a criticism of Switzerland.

It is just not that kind of destination.

Switzerland is expensive, scenic, orderly, and very easy to structure as a slower trip if that is what you want.

That is the feature, not the flaw.

What Actually Surprised Me About Switzerland

I did not do as much research before this trip as I normally would.

In fact, I booked our hotel while we were sitting in the lounge at the Toronto airport.

So I was genuinely surprised by how much open availability there still was once we were in Switzerland. Maybe it was the time of year, because we visited in May, but I did not run into the kind of week-long waitlists or impossible booking situations I expected from a destination this expensive and popular.

That made the trip feel more manageable than I thought it would.

I expected beautiful.

Obviously. It is Switzerland.

But I did not expect Switzerland to be as easy to move through as it was.

There is a difference.

Beautiful can be chaotic, overwhelming, and loud. Paris is beautiful. Venice is beautiful. Rome is beautiful.

Switzerland was beautiful too, but the version we experienced moved at a pace where I felt like I could actually take it in.

We got to cross Lake Lucerne by boat. We spent time in the Appenzell countryside. We had space to sit after dinner without feeling rushed. One of my favorite parts was treating myself to a spa day, taking the train back to Kloten, and not feeling like we had failed the itinerary by resting.

That was the part I had not fully understood before going.

For someone who manages chronic pain and sensory overload as part of daily life, this mattered.

It meant I could enjoy the trip while I was on it instead of pushing through and collapsing later.

The other thing I did not expect was how diverse the food scene felt.

I had a very narrow idea of Swiss food before we arrived: cheese, chocolate, fondue, maybe some bread and potatoes. And yes, all of that exists.

But Switzerland, or at least the parts we visited, had far more international food than I expected.

We ate at a Middle Eastern restaurant near our hotel more than once. During the local street holiday, I noticed different kinds of food, clothing, and people moving through the streets in a way that made the country feel much more layered than the postcard version of Switzerland I had in my head.

The street holiday itself was lively.

Honestly, it was a little loud for me by that point in the day.

We did not stay long or settle in for the whole thing. We mostly passed through, took it in, noticed the food and clothes, and kept moving to dinner. If I had not been so tired, I probably would have enjoyed browsing a bit more.

But even passing through it changed my impression of Switzerland.

I had pictured the country as reserved, serious, and a lot more luxurious in a formal way. Then we walked through a street party and I realized I had only understood one version of it.

I was also surprised by how normal everyday life felt.

People were dressed casually. Public transportation was full of regular commuters, travelers, families, and people just going about their day. The trains came often enough that the system felt usable instead of intimidating.

I do not know exactly what I expected. Maybe fancier clothes. Maybe more obvious luxury. Maybe something more polished than practical.

And maybe those areas exist.

But it was nice to notice the similarities too. Even as an avid traveler, I can still make up unfounded expectations in my head about a place before I get there.

Switzerland reminded me that a country can be expensive and beautiful without feeling untouchable.

How Much Does a Trip to Switzerland Cost?

Switzerland is not a destination where you can fully escape the cost.

You can be strategic. You can use points for flights. You can stay outside the city center. You can buy some grocery meals. You can choose the experiences that matter most.

But Switzerland is still expensive once you are there.

For a comfortable trip, I would estimate $200 to $300 CAD per person per day , not including flights and accommodations.

That daily budget covers things like:

Meals
Coffee and snacks
Local transportation
Paid experiences
Day tours
Occasional rideshares
Small purchases
Entry fees or spa visits

This is not a luxury daily budget. It is a realistic comfort budget.

The biggest surprise for me was that the flight, which should have been one of the most expensive parts, ended up being the cheapest piece of the trip because we used Aeroplan points.

We paid $232 CAD each in taxes and fees to fly Swiss Airlines business class from Toronto to Zurich as part of a larger Aeroplan booking.

The country was expensive.

The flight was not.

That difference is why I think Switzerland is especially interesting for Canadian travelers who collect points. You may not be able to make Switzerland cheap, but you can make the most painful upfront cost much easier to absorb.

Where We Went in Switzerland

We based ourselves in Kloten , the municipality right next to Zurich Airport.

That turned out to be a genuinely smart choice.

We stayed at Hotel Allegra Lodge , which was one minute from the public transit hub. The prices were more reasonable than central Zurich, and every train or tour bus we needed was accessible without complicated logistics.

From that base, we visited:

Zurich
Lucerne
Mt. Pilatus
Lake Lucerne
Appenzell
A Swiss cheese factory
A chocolate factory
Hürlimannbad Spa

For a first trip to Switzerland, Zurich, Lucerne, Mt. Pilatus, and Appenzell gave us a good mix of city, lake, mountain, and countryside without making the itinerary feel frantic.

This was important to me because I was in vacation mode.

I did bring work with me, but I barely touched it. I am still figuring out how to incorporate more rest into my vacations instead of treating every trip like something I need to optimize. Being with my grandma helped with that. It made me more present and in the moment, instead of sitting on my laptop trying to get through my to-do list.

This was not a trip where I wanted to drag my grandmother through a new hotel every night.

I wanted a beautiful trip that still felt manageable.

And since we were only in Switzerland for five days, staying in one place made the whole trip easier.

Choosing Kloten helped make that happen. It gave us a simple home base, easy access to transit, and enough flexibility to see a lot without constantly packing, checking in, checking out, and starting over.

Zurich: The City That Felt Surprisingly Livable

Zurich surprised me with how livable it felt.

It did not feel like a tourist trap. It felt like a real city with real restaurants, real streets, and a pace that made it easy to exist rather than perform.

We ate well here multiple times, visited Hürlimannbad Spa, and used Zurich as our home base for everything else.

Kloten specifically is underrated for travelers who want easy airport access without the price tag of central Zurich. Staying near the airport would not be my default advice in every city, but for this trip, it worked beautifully.

If you are flying in late, traveling with an older family member, managing pain or fatigue, or trying to keep logistics simple, staying near Zurich Airport can make more sense than forcing a central hotel.

Zurich gave us convenience without chaos.

That was exactly what we needed.

Lucerne: The Place I Wish We Had Given More Time

Lucerne was a day trip, and it deserved more time than we gave it.

The old town is gorgeous in a way that feels almost too perfect to be real. Then you realize it is just genuinely that well-preserved.

We did a one-hour boat cruise on Lake Lucerne, which was one of the most peaceful hours of the entire trip.

We made friends on that boat. In such a short time, we talked about everything from love to work to money, while still getting to take in the stunning views around us.

Mt. Pilatus was the big experience that day.

We booked through Viator, which I will talk about more in the getting around section. Even with tickets in hand, the line for the gondola was long.

We still got up there.

The aerial cable car to the top was worth every minute of waiting. As we ascended, I finally saw the version of Switzerland most people picture in their heads: mountains, valleys, and views that look almost too perfect to be real.

If I were doing this trip again, I would either stay overnight in Lucerne or make it the slowest day of the itinerary instead of trying to fit too much around it.

Lucerne is not a place I would rush next time.

Appenzell: The Day That Stayed With Me Most

Appenzell was the day that stayed with me the longest.

We booked a Viator day tour that covered the countryside, a cheese factory, and a chocolate factory in the Appenzell region.

I had no idea what I was walking into.

I thought it would be a pleasant tourist experience.

It ended up being one of the most genuinely beautiful things I have ever seen.

The rolling green countryside. The cows with bells. The farms that looked like they had not changed in a hundred years. The raw milk at the cheese factory. The best cheese I have ever tasted — and I promise I am not being dramatic. I still dream about that cheese, and about sitting in a barn in Switzerland with my grandmother, who looked like she had stepped into another life entirely.

The countryside photos we took that day are the ones that will stay in my memory forever.

Her standing in that field and posing was so cute.

That is the image I think of when I think about this trip.

If your idea of Switzerland is green hills, bells on cows, cheese, tiny villages, and the kind of scenery that makes everyone go quiet for a minute, Appenzell is the part of the itinerary I would protect first.

Getting Around Switzerland

Switzerland’s public transit system is genuinely impressive.

Trains run on time in a way that feels almost surreal if you are used to North American transit. Zurich’s central train station connects almost everything, and most of the tour buses we needed to catch left from there too.

We used Viator for the Appenzell day tour and for the Mt. Pilatus and Lucerne trip. Both were worth booking through them rather than trying to piece together the logistics independently.

Could we have done it ourselves?

Probably.

Would I have wanted to do that while traveling with my grandmother, managing timing, train connections, gondola lines, and my own anxiety about missing something?

No.

For this trip, paying for ease was part of the value.

We also used Uber a couple of times when tour timing made me anxious. It worked, and it was not dramatically expensive by Swiss standards.

I do not regret it.

Sometimes the peace of mind is part of what you are buying.

What I Would Do Differently

I would have gotten a Swiss Travel Pass for the full duration.

The transit options are extensive, and if you plan to use trains, boats, and public transportation frequently, the pass can make the logistics much easier.

I will break this down properly in my full getting around Switzerland post, but my short version is this: if you are planning more than one city, multiple day trips, or scenic transportation, price out the Swiss Travel Pass before you go.

Or just get it and do not worry about it.

I know that is not the most mathematically optimized answer, but this trip reminded me that peace of mind is worth a lot. When you are somewhere as expensive as Switzerland, the ability to get on the train, take the boat, or change plans without mentally calculating every single fare can be part of what makes the trip feel easier.

When to Visit Switzerland

We visited Switzerland in May, and I would recommend it without hesitation.

The countryside was an intense, vivid green. The weather was cool enough to be comfortable but warm enough that outdoor experiences like the gondola, boat cruise, and Appenzell countryside were genuinely pleasant.

The crowds were manageable.

Not empty, but not the wall-to-wall feeling of peak summer either.

The street holiday we stumbled into was also in May, so there was clearly some local festivity happening around that time. That was one of the best surprises of the trip.

Before you go, look up what is happening during your exact travel dates.

Best Months to Visit Switzerland

For a first trip, I would look at:

May
Early June
September
Early October

These shoulder-season months give you a better chance of comfortable weather, beautiful scenery, and fewer peak-season crowds.

Summer is the most popular and usually the most expensive time to visit.

Winter is beautiful for Christmas markets and skiing, but it is cold and still expensive.

Spring was right for us because it gave us the Switzerland I had imagined — green, chill, fresh, and scenic — without making the trip feel overwhelming.

The Food in Switzerland

I am going to say something that surprised me when I realized it was true: Switzerland has some of the best food standards I've been exposed to around the world.

It is fresh in a way you may not be used to if you shop from North American grocery stores.

Everything tasted like it was grown near where it was sold.

The cheese. The bread. The fruit. Even casual meals had a quality to them that would have passed for considered cooking at home.

The one thing I did not get to try was fondue.

Not because I did not want to.

And not only because of the price.

I would have paid for it if I thought we would actually eat it. But when we asked about fondue, the waiter explained that it was basically an entire meal of cheese. I was intrigued, but also a little intimidated. A full meal of melted cheese sounded like something I wanted to experience in theory, but not necessarily something my grandmother and I would finish.

And I really did not want to waste food.

So we skipped it.

I am not going to pretend I was above the price, either. Switzerland will make you pause before ordering things, and fondue was one of those moments for us. But the bigger issue was that it felt like too much food, too much cheese, and too much risk of ordering something just because it felt like the “Swiss” thing to do.

What we ate instead was still excellent.

There was the Middle Eastern restaurant near our hotel that we went back to twice. The Old Inn in Zurich after the spa, which was exactly the kind of quiet, cozy, genuinely good dinner a slower travel day deserves. Street food we noticed during the local holiday. Cheese from the factory in Appenzell that I am still thinking about.

And yes, we also tried Swiss Burger King.

It cost about $40 to $50 CAD for the two of us, which still makes me laugh because even the fast food was expensive. My grandma said she could taste the difference in quality.

Admittedly, I could not.

But it was tasty.

That pretty much sums up eating in Switzerland: even the casual meals cost more than you expect, but the food quality was consistently high enough that I rarely felt disappointed.

If you care about food quality more than huge portions or cheap meals, Switzerland is exceptional.

But you need to budget for it.

Is Switzerland Worth It When It Is This Expensive?

Here is what I know: Switzerland is the most expensive country I have ever visited.

That is not a rumor.

Water costs money. Fondue costs a lot of money. A spa day costs money. Getting around costs money. The exchange rate will humble you.

And I would go back tomorrow.

Not because I am casual about money.

Because the quality of the experience matched the cost in a way I have not always found to be true in expensive places.

Switzerland delivered on every single thing it promised.

The scenery. The calm. The food. The feeling at the end of the trip of having actually rested rather than just relocated.

For my grandmother, this trip was something she will carry for the rest of her life.

She was amazed by everything and calm about all of it, somehow at the same time. She has that rare quality of being fully present in extraordinary moments without needing to perform her reaction.

Watching her take in the countryside in Appenzell, holding that cheese, standing in the Swiss Airlines business class cabin at the start of it all — those are not moments I can put a price on.

What I can tell you is that the flight did not add to the cost the way you might expect.

What If Getting to Switzerland Was the Affordable Part?

This is the part that tends to surprise people when I talk about this trip.

I paid $232 CAD each in taxes and fees to fly my grandmother and me to Switzerland in Swiss Airlines business class.

The country was expensive.

The flight was not.

That gap exists because I used Aeroplan points built through everyday Canadian spending on a travel credit card.

The flight to Switzerland is one of the biggest barriers people mention when they are thinking about going. Long-haul economy is genuinely brutal, especially if you have any health considerations. Business class feels aspirational to the point of unreachable for most people.

But that price gap closes fast when you understand how points work.

If you have never looked at what your current spending could already be building toward, the First Class Calculator is the fastest way to get a real answer.

The First Class Calculator shows you exactly how many points your dream trip requires, whether you want to fly economy, premium economy, business class, or first class — and how close you already are.

FAQs

Is Switzerland worth visiting for first-timers?

Yes, with realistic expectations about cost. Switzerland rewards travelers who slow down, value scenery and food quality over sightseeing volume, and are not on a tight daily budget. It is one of the calmest countries in Europe for sensitive or introverted travelers, and it delivers on every piece of its reputation. Go knowing what you are signing up for and it will not disappoint.

How much money do you need for a trip to Switzerland?

For a comfortable trip, budget at least $200 to $300 CAD per person per day , not including flights and accommodation. This assumes regular meals, local transportation, paid experiences, and some flexibility, not a strict backpacker budget. Switzerland is consistently one of the most expensive countries in the world, and food, transportation, and experiences add up quickly. The one place Canadians can genuinely reduce costs is the flight itself by using travel rewards points.

What is the best time of year to visit Switzerland?

May through early June is excellent. The countryside is at its greenest, crowds are manageable, and the weather is comfortable for outdoor activities. We visited in May and stumbled into a local street holiday, which became one of the best unplanned moments of the whole trip. Summer is peak season with higher prices. December is beautiful for Christmas markets but cold and expensive.

Is Switzerland a good destination for introverts or sensitive travelers?

Genuinely yes. Switzerland is quieter and less chaotic than most major European destinations. The cities are calm, the natural spaces are immense, and the overall pace rewards slow travel. I have chronic pain and am sensitive to sensory overwhelm. Switzerland was one of the few international destinations where I came back feeling restored rather than depleted.

Can you fly to Switzerland without spending a fortune on flights?

If you are building Aeroplan points through everyday Canadian spending, yes. I flew Swiss Airlines business class to Zurich for $232 CAD in taxes and fees per person , using a single Aeroplan booking that also covered getting us to Singapore on the same reservation. The First Class Calculator can show you how many points your specific trip requires and how far your current spending has already taken you.

Use the First Class Calculator to find out how close you already are!

The Trip I Would Book Again Tomorrow

Switzerland is expensive.

That is a fact, and I am not going to soften it.

It is also one of the most beautiful, calm, and genuinely restorative places I have ever been.

I took my grandmother there. She stood in a field in Appenzell and looked like she was somewhere she had always been meant to see.

We ate the best cheese either of us had ever tasted, watched the mountains from a gondola, and drifted across Lake Lucerne on a boat with strangers who became temporary friends.

We had dinner at a small inn in Zurich after a spa day that cost less than a decent hotel room in many North American cities.

None of that required cash I did not have.

It required understanding how to use the points I was already earning.

So, is Switzerland worth visiting?

Yes.

But the better question is not whether Switzerland belongs on your list.

It does.

The question is how to make the trip feel possible.

Before you decide Switzerland is out of reach, run your numbers through the First Class Calculator . It will show you how many points your dream route needs and whether your current spending could realistically get you there.

Ready to go deeper? Start with the full cost breakdown of our Switzerland trip, or choose the experience you are most curious about from the guide above.

Best Travel Credit Cards Canada: The Ones I Actually Use

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:38:35 GMT

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. All credit cards mentioned are ones I personally hold or have held. This is not financial advice — it is my honest experience and perspective to help you think more critically about your own decisions.

There is no shortage of people telling you which travel credit card is the best in Canada.

Every bank has a recommendation. Every points blogger has a ranking. And somehow, every list seems to conclude that whatever card pays the highest affiliate commission is the one you should apply for.

I am going to do this differently.

This post is for Canadians who want their everyday spending to turn into actual travel, not just a points balance they never know how to use.

I spent years as an investment advisor at TD Canada Trust starting at 19, helping hundreds of clients make financial decisions, including credit products.

I have personally held every card I am recommending in this post. And I have worked with enough clients to know that the wrong card, even one with a massive welcome bonus, can cost you years of wasted earning potential.

One of my clients came to me after spending years (from university through her early thirties), earning CIBC Aventura points. She had never been able to use them for a single premium flight.

It wasn't that she did not accumulate enough, but because she had the wrong card for her goals from the beginning, and nobody told her.

That decade of spending cannot be recovered.

The cards I am recommending here are not universally the best cards in Canada. They are the ones I personally use, the ones I recommend most often to my clients, and the ones I can speak to honestly based on real experience.

I’ll tell you exactly who each card is for and who it is not for, whether you care most about premium flights, flexible points, lounge access, or avoiding cards that look better on paper than they are in real life.

Because the best travel credit card in Canada is the one that gets you where you want to go. Understanding how travel rewards points work is very important when making your pick.

My Best Travel Credit Card Picks in Canada at a Glance

Accurate as of April 2026: Credit card offers, welcome bonuses, earn rates, annual fees, and perks can change often. Always confirm the current offer and terms directly with the card issuer before applying.

Before we get into the strategy, here are my honest picks based on who each card is best for.

Best Beginner Travel Credit Card in Canada

TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite

B est for Canadians who want an easy, low-friction way to understand how travel rewards work without learning award charts, transfer partners, or complicated redemption strategies.

Best Travel Credit Card for Food and Dining Spend

American Express Cobalt

Best for Canadians who spend heavily on groceries, restaurants, coffee shops, food delivery, and subscriptions, and want to build flexible points for future travel.

Best Travel Credit Card for Aeroplan and Air Canada

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite

Best for Canadians who fly Air Canada or Star Alliance partners and want to build toward international redemptions, including premium cabin flights.

Best Premium Travel Credit Card for High Travel Spend

American Express Gold Rewards Card

Best for travelers with significant travel spending who want to earn transferable points on flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, gas, groceries, and drugstores.

Best Business Travel Credit Card in Canada

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business

Best for business owners who want to turn business expenses into premium travel, especially on airlines outside the Aeroplan and Star Alliance ecosystem.

The important thing is not just which card is “best.” The important thing is whether the card earns the type of points that can actually get you the trip you want.

The biggest mistake beginners make is asking, “Which card is best?” before asking, “Which points do I actually need?”

Before You Pick a Card, Know What You Are Picking It For

Most people approach travel credit cards the same way they approach choosing a restaurant on a Friday night.

They Google the best options, pick the one that looks good, and commit without really thinking about whether it fits what they actually wanted.

That works fine for dinner.

It can cost you years when you do it with a credit card.

There are three main types of travel points in Canada that actually matter when you are choosing a card for travel rewards: fixed value points, airline loyalty programs, and transferable points.

Cash back exists, and it can be useful for simple savings, but it is not usually the system that gets you into premium cabins.

For this post, I am focusing on the points systems that matter most if your goal is turning everyday spending into better travel.

I cover this in depth in my travel rewards points guide [Internal link: How Do Travel Rewards Points Work in Canada], but here is the short version as it applies to choosing a card.

There are three main types of travel points in Canada that matter most when you are choosing a travel credit card:

Fixed value points
Airline loyalty program points
Transferable points

The card you choose determines which type of points you earn. And the type of points you earn determines what is actually possible when it is time to redeem.

That is why you should never start with the card.

You start with the trip.

Fixed Value Points

Fixed value points, like TD Rewards or Scene+, usually have a predictable redemption value.

For example, a program might value points at something like 100 points = $1, depending on the redemption method and program rules.

These points are best for offsetting lower-cost travel expenses like economy flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation expenses, and sometimes even meals abroad.

They are easy to use, but they usually do not unlock the highest-value redemptions because it takes a long time to earn enough for a premium cabin flight.

That does not make them bad.

It just means you need to know what they are good for.

Fixed value points helped me save thousands of dollars over the years. When I first started using points, I was definitely an economy flyer. I was not thinking about first class. I was thinking, “How do I make these points stretch as far as possible?”

And for that stage, fixed value points served me really well.

I used them for flights, hotels, car rentals, and even meals abroad.

So I do think they have a place in a smart travel rewards strategy.

But if your goal is business class to Europe or a premium cabin flight to Asia, fixed value points are usually not the most efficient tool.

I still like having access to fixed value points for certain travel costs, especially hotels, car rentals, or cheap short-haul economy flights.

But I would not build my entire premium travel strategy around them.

Airline Loyalty Programs

Airline loyalty program points, like Aeroplan, are earned through co-branded cards and redeemed through the airline’s loyalty program.

This is where outsized value starts to appear.

These points can unlock international flights, partner airline redemptions, and premium cabin seats that would cost thousands of dollars in cash.

The tradeoff is that you are usually working within a specific airline or airline alliance.

In plain English: airline loyalty programs are best when you are willing to stick to an airline or alliance because that is where the redemption value lives.

That can sound restrictive at first, but it is not always as limiting as beginners think.

For example, I have used Aeroplan points to fly partner airlines like United, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines.

Even though Aeroplan is Air Canada’s loyalty program, Air Canada is part of Star Alliance, which gives you access to a much larger airline network.

Air Canada boasts that the Star Alliance is the most comprehensive airline network.

That is why Aeroplan can be so strategic for Canadians.

You are not limited to only flying Air Canada. You are often using Air Canada’s loyalty program to access partner airlines, different routes, and different cabin products.

You should also know that Aeroplan is free to join. You do not need an Aeroplan credit card to have an Aeroplan account, and you can earn Aeroplan points in other ways through everyday spending partners.

But if Aeroplan is part of your premium travel strategy, the right credit card can help you earn those points much faster.

Transferable Points

Transferable points, like American Express Membership Rewards and RBC Avion, are the most flexible.

You earn them through a credit card and can move them to multiple airline or hotel programs depending on where you want to go.

In plain English: transferable points give you more doors to walk through.

If one airline program does not have the flight you want, another one might.

This matters because some routes are competitive. Flights to places like Japan, Italy, or other popular long-haul destinations can be hard to find at the exact dates and cabin class you want.

The more options you have, the better.

That is why transferable points are so powerful. With American Express Membership Rewards, for example, you can transfer points to different airline partners, including programs connected to multiple airline alliances.

This gives you more flexibility than being locked into one redemption path.

I have personally used transferable points to top up another program when I did not have enough points for the flight I wanted. For example, when I needed more Aeroplan points to fly to Germany in business class, I transferred some of my Amex points to Aeroplan.

A lot of people do not even realize this is possible.

And it is one of the most slept-on strategies in Canadian travel rewards.

The key is that you usually get better value by transferring points to the right travel partner instead of redeeming them through a basic points portal.

Not always.

But often enough that it is one of the first strategies I want beginners to understand.

Before you choose a card, figure out the trip you are actually building toward. The First Class Calculator helps you estimate how many points you need before you commit to a card strategy.

The Annual Fee Myth

Before we get into the individual cards, I need to address something I hear constantly:

“I only want a card with no annual fee.”

I understand the instinct.

Why pay for something when you can get it for free?

But here is the reality: not one no annual fee travel card in Canada will get you a premium cabin flight in a reasonable timeframe. Not one.

Unless you are spending an unusually high amount every year, the earn rates on no annual fee cards simply do not accumulate points fast enough to make premium travel achievable.

I had a friend who told me she did not want to switch her card because she got free groceries from her current no annual fee card.

I understood the appeal.

Free groceries are tangible and immediate.

But she travels regularly and has always wanted to fly in premium cabins.

So I asked her to think about it differently.

When you learn how to use travel rewards strategically, you are paying pennies on the dollar for travel.

We are talking about nearly free travel. People are paying less in taxes and fees for premium cabin flights than they would pay in cash for an economy ticket.

You are not just saving on the ticket price.

You are getting a completely different and far more luxurious experience for less than the cost of what most people consider the budget option.

The opportunity cost of staying in a no annual fee program when premium travel is your goal is not just financial.

It is experiential.

Every year you spend earning slowly toward nothing meaningful is a year you are not arriving rested, comfortable, and ready for the trip you worked hard to take.

Groceries are useful. But if your real goal is premium travel, your card needs to be earning toward that goal.

The cards I hold have annual fees ranging from around $120 to $250. None of them feel expensive to me because every single one is paying for itself many times over through points earned, perks used, and travel covered.

The question is never just, “How much is the annual fee?”

The question is:

Is this card delivering more value than it costs me?

That is the only number that matters.

And depending on your banking setup, there may be ways to reduce or waive certain annual fees. Some premium bank accounts include annual fee rebates for eligible credit cards, so this is worth checking if you already bank with the issuer.

That does not mean you should open a bank account only for a fee waiver without doing the math.

It means the annual fee is one piece of the larger system.

I used to think differently about this.

When I worked at the bank, I had access to cards without paying the annual fees, so I became very resistant to paying for a different card elsewhere. I thought, “Why would I pay for a card when I can get one for free?”

But that mindset kept me stuck in programs that were not helping me get outsized travel value.

Now I look at it differently.

If a card costs $150 but helps me unlock $1,000 or more in travel value, that fee is not the problem. The problem would be refusing to pay the fee and staying in a program that does not get me where I actually want to go.

That does not mean every annual fee is worth it.

It means you need to look at the numbers.

If the card gives you more value than it costs, it is doing its job.

If it does not, it is not the right card for you.

The Two-Card Strategy

The points and miles world has a tendency to make everything more complicated than it needs to be.

You will find people online juggling eight cards, tracking rotating bonus categories, and optimizing every single transaction down to the cent.

That is a hobby in itself. There is nothing wrong with it if that level of detail excites you.

But most people do not need it.

And honestly, most people will not stick with a system that requires that much maintenance.

I go through phases where I track everything closely. I am not going to pretend I never optimize or chase points.

But even as someone who is immersed in this world, there are seasons where I want a laid-back strategy too.

Recently, I have been focusing on my two-card strategy and not overcomplicating it. That gives me a simple system I can fall back on while still earning meaningful points toward the trips I actually want.

And it works.

I travel multiple times a year, more than the average person, and I still use points for long-haul flights that would cost thousands of dollars in cash.

I have even booked Qatar Airways from Montreal to Bangkok in business and first class using points — a trip that would have cost around $20,000 in cash. That particular trip had to be canceled because of the geopolitical climate, but the point still stands: the strategy made that redemption possible, and my out-of-pocket cost was under $1,000 round trip.

That is what most beginners need to understand.

You do not need to do everything.

You need a system that works.

When you try to do too much too quickly, it becomes easy to make mistakes. I have seen people get excited, open too many cards, forget about annual fees, miss deadlines, or get declined because they moved too fast without a plan.

That is not the goal.

The goal is to build a system you can actually maintain.

My philosophy is simple: two personal cards that work together toward your travel goals, and a business card if you own a business.

That is it.

Why Two Cards Works

No single card is the best card for every situation.

Practically speaking, not everywhere accepts every card. If your main earner card is an Amex, your second card might be a Visa or Mastercard backup.

It might also be a card that adds perks like free checked bags, airline bonuses, or access to points your everyday card does not earn.

There is also the practical reality that if there is ever an issue with one card, you are not stuck earning nothing while you sort it out.

I have had moments where I went to use a card and, lo and behold, it did not work. In those moments, having a second card is not just strategic. It is practical.

Could you use debit instead?

Sure.

But I personally hate using debit for a big purchase because it means I am earning nothing back. If I am already spending the money, I want that purchase moving me closer to a trip.

But the real reason for two cards is strategic.

The two cards need to work together to earn you the points you actually need for the flights you actually want.

Your two cards do not need to earn into the same points ecosystem either.

Depending on where you want to fly and which cabins you want to access, you may intentionally build toward two different programs because certain airlines and cabin products are only available through specific transfer partners.

What matters is that every card in your portfolio is earning toward a flight you actually want to take.

How Business Cards Fit In

On the business side, your card strategy is entirely separate.

Business expenses run through a business card, full stop.

Mixing personal and business spending muddies your financial picture and leaves points on the table.

If you own a business, your business card strategy runs parallel to your personal strategy, not on top of it.

Depending on your business structure, spending patterns, and travel goals, it may involve one card or more than one.

And just like with personal cards, your business card should match your actual travel goals.

The RBC Avion Business earns transferable points, which can be incredibly powerful. But if your goal is specifically to fly Air Canada or Star Alliance partners as often as possible, RBC Avion may not be the most efficient business card for your strategy.

That is why I always come back to the same point: the card follows the goal.

Some people are loyal to a specific airline or cabin product. I have had clients who only want to fly one airline and are not interested in alternatives. There are British Airways loyalists, Delta loyalists, and people who simply prefer the cabin experience they already know.

That is not wrong.

But it does mean the card strategy needs to match that preference.

If you are loyal to a specific airline, you do not want to spend years earning points in a program that does not help you book the flights you actually want.

The RBC Avion Business is the card I recommend most often as the anchor of a business card strategy for premium travel, but it is a starting point, not necessarily the whole picture.

There is one exception to separating your business from personal expenses that I use personally, but it is an advanced strategy that requires having your financial and accounting systems completely dialed in and a close working relationship with your accountant.

It is not something I recommend until you are firmly at that stage.

My Honest Picks for the Best Travel Credit Cards in Canada

Every card I am recommending below is one I personally hold or have held.

I am going to tell you what I use it for, who it makes sense for, and just as importantly, who it does not make sense for.

Because a card that is wrong for your situation is not a good card, no matter how many points it promises.

If You Are a Beginner or Want to Prove Travel Rewards Actually Work

TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite

This is where I started.

My very first credit card was a TD Rewards card, and when I became eligible, I moved up to the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite.

It was a natural progression and it served me well for years.

This is a fixed-value TD Rewards card, which means the points have a set value rather than being redeemed through an airline award chart.

That sounds like a limitation, and in some ways it is.

But for a beginner, it is actually an advantage.

You do not need to learn how to navigate award availability, transfer partners, or redemption sweet spots. You charge a travel purchase to the card, you redeem your points against it, and the cost comes off.

Simple. Immediate. Satisfying.

In 2023, I used this card to book six flights for zero dollars.

One of the things that makes this card particularly useful is that it does not charge taxes and fees on redemptions the way some other programs do, which means your points genuinely cover the full cost.

For those six flights, I was not limited to one airline alliance. I could book across different airlines, and my points still covered the flights.

That is where fixed-value points can be incredibly beginner-friendly.

They may not unlock the same outsized premium cabin value as airline loyalty programs or transferable points, but they are simple, flexible, and easy to use.

At the time of writing, the welcome bonus is 145,000 TD Rewards points after spending $7,500 within the first six months.

At a redemption rate of 200 points per dollar, that is approximately $725 in travel value from the welcome bonus alone.

This offer is listed as ending September 4, 2026. The card also currently includes perks like a $100 hotel credit on eligible bookings through Expedia for TD and a birthday bonus.

When I held this card, it also came with limited-time promotions that added extra value for me, including a free Uber Eats benefit for a period of time.

Those kinds of promotions change, so I would never choose a card based only on a temporary perk. But they can make a good card even more valuable when the timing lines up.

Always check the current offer before applying, as these details shift periodically.

Who This Card Is For

This card is best for beginners who want a low-friction way to see travel rewards work.

It is also a good fit for people who want to offset economy flights, hotel stays, and car rentals without learning a complex system.

The TD Rewards card can also make sense for students or people who are not yet eligible for premium cards and want to start building their travel rewards foundation.

Who This Card Is Not For

This is not the card I would choose for someone chasing international business class or first class.

It is not the card that gets you into premium cabins efficiently.

It is the card that proves the system works and gets you comfortable with using points for travel.

If You Spend a Lot on Food, Dining, and Subscriptions

American Express Cobalt

In Canada, the Amex Cobalt is what I call an earn card .

This is not a card you get because the welcome bonus is the entire strategy.

It is a card you get because over time, if your spending patterns align with it, it can accumulate American Express Membership Rewards points faster than almost anything else available to Canadians.

The earn rates are 5x points on eligible food and dining, including restaurants, quick service restaurants, coffee shops, stand-alone grocery stores in Canada, and food and grocery delivery services.

That 5x rate applies up to a combined maximum of $2,500 in net purchases per month across those categories. Once you hit that $2,500 monthly threshold, additional spending in those categories earns at the base rate.

The card also earns 3x on eligible streaming subscriptions and 2x on gas, transit, and rideshare.

For a lot of Canadians, food is one of their biggest monthly expenses.

If that is true for you, this card works exceptionally hard on your behalf without you having to think about it.

American Express Membership Rewards points are a transferable currency, which means they are not locked into one program.

You can transfer them to Aeroplan, Air France KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club, and several other partners depending on where you want to go.

I have personally transferred Amex points to Aeroplan and British Airways, and that flexibility is exactly why I value the program so much.

In plain English: this card helps turn everyday spending into points that can eventually become premium flights.

That is why it is one of the first cards I look at when someone tells me they spend a lot on groceries, restaurants, takeout, or coffee.

What About Amex Acceptance in Canada?

I hear this concern less and less.

The reality is that many restaurants, grocery stores, and everyday retailers in Canada now accept Amex. It is not the barrier it once was.

And since this card works best in exactly the categories where Amex is commonly accepted, it is rarely an issue in practice for the way I use it.

That said, I still recommend pairing it with a Visa or Mastercard so you are covered when Amex is not accepted.

Who This Card Is For
This card is best for anyone with high food, dining, grocery, coffee, restaurant, or delivery spend.

It is also a strong fit for people building toward transferable points for international travel.

For many Canadians, this is the natural first card in a two-card Amex strategy.

Who This Card Is Not For

This card is not ideal for travelers who primarily do all-inclusive trips where they are not putting much food spend on the card.

It is also not the best fit if your spending does not align with the bonus categories.

And because it is an Amex, I would not rely on it as your only card. It works best as part of a two-card setup.

If You Want to Fly Air Canada and Star Alliance Partners

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite

This is my core Aeroplan card and the one I pair with the Amex Cobalt as my two-card personal strategy.

Where the Cobalt earns aggressively on food and everyday spending, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite builds my Aeroplan balance through travel purchases and Air Canada flights specifically.

Aeroplan is the program that unlocks the outsized redemptions.

Business class to Europe. Star Alliance partners across dozens of international routes. Long-haul flights that would cost thousands of dollars in cash.

This is the card that sits at the foundation of a premium travel strategy for many Canadians who fly Air Canada or its partners.

One perk that gets overlooked is that simply holding this card can give you free checked baggage when flying Air Canada. You do not necessarily need to book the flight with the card to access the checked bag benefit, as long as the card is properly linked to your Aeroplan account and the terms are met.

That alone can make a meaningful difference if you fly Air Canada regularly.

Since I also have Aeroplan Elite Status, I personally get additional Air Canada benefits, including two checked bags, Zone 2 boarding, and occasional preferred seats with extra legroom when flying economy.

Those perks come from my status, not just the card, but they are part of why Aeroplan has become such a core program in my travel strategy.

The TD Aeroplan card can also be useful when Aeroplan runs promotions through the Aeroplan eStore, especially when there are bonuses for using an Aeroplan credit card on eligible purchases.

If you fly Air Canada even a handful of times a year, the checked bag benefit alone can cover a significant portion of the annual fee.

At $30 to $65 per checked bag per flight, it adds up faster than most people realize.

A Note on Welcome Bonuses

I will be transparent about the welcome bonus landscape here.

When I was building my points strategy earlier in my journey, I was able to maximize welcome bonuses by strategically cycling between cards within TD’s lineup and timing the 12-month Aeroplan eligibility window.

That approach worked well for me for years.

The terms have since changed, and Aeroplan no longer allows you to earn a welcome bonus on a card you have previously held.

The landscape evolves and what worked then does not work now, which is exactly why staying current on program terms matters.

Who This Card Is For

This card is best for anyone whose primary travel is on Air Canada or Star Alliance partner airlines.

It is also a strong fit for people building toward Aeroplan redemptions for international premium travel.

And if you fly Air Canada regularly and want to stop paying for checked baggage, this card can quickly become worth it.

Who This Card Is Not For

This card is not ideal for travelers who primarily fly WestJet or airlines outside the Star Alliance network.

It is also not the best fit if your dream flights require programs Aeroplan cannot access, like Qatar Airways or certain other premium carriers.

If You Travel Heavily and Want to Maximize Every Dollar Spent on Travel

American Express Gold Rewards Card

The Amex Gold is the card I reach for when my travel spend is high and I want to make sure every dollar is earning meaningfully.

It earns 2x American Express Membership Rewards points on eligible travel purchases, including flights, hotels, car rentals, and cruises.

It also earns 2x on gas, groceries, and drugstore purchases.

Here is how it fits into my strategy.

The Amex Cobalt earns 5x on food and dining up to its $2,500 monthly threshold.

When I hit that threshold in a heavy spending month, I switch to the Amex Gold for the remainder of that category and still earn 2x rather than dropping to the Amex Cobalt base rate of 1x per dollar.

It is a natural complement rather than a duplicate.

Where the Gold really earns its place in my portfolio is on travel charges.

I travel a lot, and I do not always book flights with points, especially domestic and short-haul flights.

For a long time, I used the Gold as part of my broader travel strategy. My approach is to prioritize points for international premium cabin travel and use cash for other travel expenses when that makes more sense.

When I do pay cash for eligible travel expenses, I like charging them to the Amex Gold so I can still earn 2x points.

I have also used it for travel expenses while abroad, which helped me keep building my Amex Membership Rewards balance even when I was not redeeming points for that specific trip.

Over the course of a year of heavy travel, that can accumulate into a meaningful points balance.

Who This Card Is For

This card is best for frequent travelers with high travel spend who want to earn transferable points on those purchases.

It also makes sense for existing Amex Cobalt holders who want a complementary card for overflow spending in bonus categories.

If you are building a larger American Express Membership Rewards balance for flexible redemptions, this card can fit well.

Who This Card Is Not For

This card is not the best fit for light travelers who do not charge significant travel expenses to their card.

It also makes more sense as a complement than as a standalone card.

If you do not already have a clear Amex strategy in place, I would usually start with the Cobalt first.

If You Own a Business and Want to Fly Premium Cabins

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business

This card changed my points game entirely.

The RBC Avion Business earns 1.25 Avion points for every dollar spent, up to $75,000 per year.

That can be significant if you have regular business operating costs.

At the time of writing, it has one of the strongest flat earn rates I have found on a Canadian business card.

When you are running a business and putting significant expenses through a card every month, that consistent 1.25x on everything adds up to a substantial points balance faster than most people expect.

Within one year of getting this card, I used the Avion points I had accumulated to pay for an international flight .

Here is what makes this card strategically important beyond the earn rate.

RBC Avion points transfer to a set of partners that includes some programs Aeroplan cannot access.

Qatar Airways, widely considered one of the best airlines in the world for premium cabin travel, is bookable through British Airways Executive Club, which is an Avion transfer partner.

So are Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and American Airlines AAdvantage.

If your aspirational travel involves carriers outside the Star Alliance network, Avion gives you a pathway that Aeroplan simply does not.

I am planning multiple trips to Asia, and having access to those carriers through Avion is a core part of how I am building toward those redemptions.

You cannot fly Qatar Airways with Aeroplan.

You can with a strategy that includes RBC Avion.

Who This Card Is For

This card is best for business owners who want to earn premium travel points on business expenses.

It is also a strong fit for anyone with aspirational flights on carriers outside the Star Alliance network, like Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, or Japan Airlines.

If you own a business and want a strong flat earn rate on a Canadian business card, this is one I would look at closely.

Who This Card Is Not For

This card is not for employees without business expenses.

It is also not necessary for someone whose travel goals are fully covered by Aeroplan and Star Alliance partners.

And if you are not yet ready to manage a separate business card strategy, I would focus on getting your personal card setup right first.

How to Know If Your Travel Credit Card Is Actually Worth It

This is the question most points content never asks, and it is the most important one.

Getting a card is step one.

Knowing whether it is actually delivering for you is what separates someone who dabbles in travel rewards from someone who consistently gets value from them year after year.

Add Up What the Card Has Actually Given You

Not what it could theoretically give you.

What it has actually given you.

Look at:

Points earned
Perks used
Travel covered
Statement credits applied
Lounge visits taken
Baggage fees saved
Insurance benefits actually used

Every card in your portfolio should have a real number attached to it that represents the value you extracted from it in the past twelve months.

Compare the Value to the Cost

Then compare that number to what the card cost you.

That includes:

Annual fee
Any interest paid if you ever carried a balance
Foreign transaction fees
Any other costs tied to keeping or using the card

That is your total cost.

If the value you received is higher than the cost, the card is working.

If it is not, something needs to change: your card, your spending habits, or how you are redeeming.

Check Whether Your Points Are Moving Toward Your Actual Goals

This is where a lot of people get stuck without realizing it.

They are earning consistently, but the program they are earning in cannot deliver the flights they want.

Points sitting in a program that does not serve your goals are not working for you, no matter how many you have accumulated.

I have seen clients come to me with hundreds of thousands of points they cannot use for a single flight they actually want to take.

That is why the card always follows the strategy.

Not the other way around.

Do Not Ignore the Perks

The cards in this post all carry perks that contribute to their value in ways that are easy to overlook.

Free checked baggage on Air Canada. Travel credits. Purchase protection. Emergency travel insurance.

I have personally received value from perks like free checked bags, lounge access, temporary memberships like Uber One, and discounts or credits at stores where I already planned to shop.

These perks are not the whole reason to choose a card, but they have real dollar values and should count toward your return on investment calculation.

I have a calculator I use with my clients and students that walks through exactly this exercise, showing you whether a card is delivering based on your specific spending and travel patterns.

It takes the guesswork out and gives you a clear answer on whether to keep a card, upgrade, or move on.

The goal is not to have the most cards.

It is to have the right cards and know with confidence that each one is earning its place in your portfolio.

Common Questions About Travel Credit Cards in Canada

What Is the Best Travel Credit Card in Canada for Beginners?

The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite is where I point most beginners.

It is straightforward, the points have a fixed value, and there is no complex redemption strategy to learn.

It is the card that proves the system works without requiring you to become a points expert overnight.

Once you are comfortable with how travel rewards function in practice, you can layer in more strategic cards from there.

What Is the Best Credit Card for Travel Points in Canada?

The best credit card for travel points in Canada depends on the kind of points you need.

If you want simple travel credits, a fixed-value card like the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite can work well.

If you want premium cabin flights, transferable points and airline loyalty points usually matter more.

That is why I like cards like the Amex Cobalt, TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, Amex Gold, and RBC Avion Business. Each one earns points that can support a specific travel strategy.

Is the Annual Fee Worth It on Travel Credit Cards?

For premium travel, yes, if the card is being used correctly.

Every card in this post charges an annual fee, and every one of them delivers more value than it costs when used for its intended purpose.

The calculation is simple: add up the points earned, perks used, and travel covered over the past year.

If that number exceeds the annual fee, the card is worth it.

If it does not, either you are not using the card correctly for your spending patterns, or it is the wrong card for your situation.

Can I Hold More Than One Travel Credit Card?

Yes, and for most people building toward premium travel, you should.

The two-card strategy I outlined in this post exists precisely because no single card optimizes every spending category or every travel goal.

Your two cards do not need to earn into the same points ecosystem either.

The key is that every card in your portfolio is earning toward a flight you actually want to take.

If it is not doing that, it does not belong in your wallet.

How Do I Know Which Card Is Right for Me?

Start with your travel goals, not the card.

Where do you want to go?

How do you want to fly?

Which airlines operate those routes?

Once you know the destination and the experience you are building toward, you can identify which loyalty program gives you access to it, and then find the card that feeds that program most efficiently.

The card always follows the strategy.

Why Have I Earned Travel Points but Still Cannot Book Premium Flights?

Usually, it is because you are earning the wrong type of points for your goal, earning too slowly, or collecting points in a program that does not access the flights you want.

This is exactly what happened with the client I mentioned earlier who spent years earning Aventura points but could not use them for the premium flights she wanted.

The issue was not that she failed to earn points.

The issue was that her points were not connected to the travel goal she actually had.

That is why I recommend reverse-engineering your points strategy from the trip you want to take, not from the card a bank happens to be promoting.

What Is a Welcome Bonus and How Does It Work?

A welcome bonus is a lump sum of points offered by a credit card issuer to new cardholders who meet a minimum spend requirement within a specified timeframe.

Welcome bonuses are one of the fastest ways to accumulate a meaningful points balance quickly.

For many people, they cover the bulk of what is needed for a first redemption.

One thing worth knowing: welcome bonus chasing is a real strategy, but it is an advanced one.

It requires a thorough understanding of program terms, credit implications, and timing.

For most people who are not traveling at a very high frequency, it is not necessary and can get complicated fast.

Focus on building a solid card portfolio first.

The welcome bonus is a great head start, not the whole strategy.

Do Travel Credit Cards Affect Your Credit Score?

Applying for a new credit card results in a hard inquiry on your credit report, which can temporarily lower your score by a small amount.

Holding a card responsibly, meaning paying your balance in full every month and keeping your utilization low, generally has a positive effect on your credit score over time.

Travel rewards cards are designed for people who pay their balance in full.

That is the only context in which they make financial sense.

The Right Card Is the One That Gets You There

There is no universally best travel credit card in Canada.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is either selling something or has not thought carefully enough about what you are actually trying to accomplish.

The cards in this post are my keeper cards.

The ones I hold, use, and recommend because they have delivered real value in my own travel and for my clients.

But what makes them work is not the cards themselves.

It is having a strategy that connects your spending to your goals and your goals to the right program.

If you are a beginner, start with something that proves the system works and gets you your first win.

If food and dining is your biggest expense, earn 5x on every dollar of it.

If Air Canada is how you fly, build your Aeroplan balance intentionally.

If you own a business, put your business expenses to work in a program that can get you the cabins you want.

And if you have been earning points for years in a program that cannot deliver the flights you actually want, it is not too late to change course.

The thing that makes me most passionate about this is not the points.

It is what the points make possible.

Arriving in a flat bed seat on a twelve-hour flight and stepping off the plane feeling rested and ready.

Experiencing a cabin product you saved up for years and paid almost nothing for in cash.

Traveling more, traveling better, and keeping the money you save working for you in other ways.

That is what this is actually about.

Before you apply for a card, figure out how many points you actually need for the trip you want to take.

The First Class Calculator helps you reverse-engineer your points goal so you are not guessing, collecting the wrong points, or wasting years on a card that cannot get you where you want to go.

And if you are still building your foundation on how travel rewards work before diving into specific cards, learn how travel rewards points work in Canada !

Air Miles vs Aeroplan: The Honest Comparison

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 02:04:41 GMT

If you live in Canada, you’ve probably heard of both Air Miles and Aeroplan. They’re familiar, widely used, and easy to assume are worth collecting.

But familiar does not mean right for you.

If you’ve spent years swiping a loyalty card, checking random app balances, and hoping your points eventually turn into something useful, you should know this: a loyalty program is not the same thing as a travel rewards strategy.

I spent years as an investment advisor at TD Canada Trust, starting when I was 19, helping clients navigate credit products and financial decisions. Air Miles was also one of the first rewards programs I used myself.

I tried it. I collected it. I redeemed it. And eventually, I walked away from it.

I didn’t leave it behind because Air Miles has no value at all.

I left it behind because for the kind of travel I care about now — long-haul flights, premium cabins, lie-flat seats, and travel that makes hard trips physically easier — Air Miles is not the program I would build around.

In this post, I’ll compare Air Miles vs Aeroplan honestly. I’ll explain how each program works, where they differ, what the Air Miles transition to Blue Rewards means, and which one makes the most sense if your goal is premium travel.

Spoiler: if luxury cabins are the goal, Aeroplan wins. Not just because it’s attached to Air Canada, but because it gives you access to the kind of flight redemptions Air Miles simply is not built for.

Do not collect points just because a program is well known, your best friend uses it, or an influencer speaks highly of it.

Collect points because they move you toward the trip you actually want.

What Is Air Miles?

Air Miles is a Canadian loyalty rewards program that lets members earn Miles through participating retailers, online shopping, travel bookings, promotional offers, and certain BMO credit cards.

For a long time, Air Miles was the program many Canadians collected almost by default.

You swiped your card at the grocery store. You collected at the gas station. You checked your balance once in a while and hoped it eventually added up to something useful.

That is exactly how I used to think about it.

Air Miles was one of the first programs I paid attention to because it felt easy. Everyone was talking about it, and it was just something you had. It did not feel like I had to learn a whole points system, and I definitely did not have any strategic thinking behind it either.

And easy and strategic are not the same thing.

Historically, Air Miles had two types of Miles: Cash Miles and Dream Miles. Cash Miles were used for cash-like rewards, while Dream Miles were used for travel, merchandise, and experiences.

According to AIR MILES , as of January 25, 2026, Air Miles combined Cash Miles and Dream Miles into one unified Miles balance, so collectors no longer need to split their earning between the two categories. Air Miles says existing Miles are combined into one balance with no loss of value.

That makes the program simpler, but it does not fix the main issue for premium travel.

Air Miles still works more like a fixed-value rewards program than an airline award program.

That value can be useful.

But it is capped.

And that cap is the problem if your dream is business class to Europe, first class to Japan, or a lie-flat seat across the ocean.

With Air Miles, you are not really looking for sweet spots. You are not using an airline award chart. You are not turning a $9,000 flight into a redemption where the out-of-pocket cost feels almost ridiculous compared to the cash price.

You are earning a discount.

That can be fine.

It just is not the same thing as building a premium travel strategy.

What Is Aeroplan?

Aeroplan is Air Canada’s loyalty program, and for Canadians who want to use points for flights, it is usually one of the most important programs to understand.

Aeroplan points can be earned through Air Canada flights, partner flights, Aeroplan credit cards, the Aeroplan eStore, retail partners, hotel partners, and transferable credit card points programs.

Air Canada also has Star Alliance and other airline partners, which gives Aeroplan more flight redemption potential than a closed retail rewards program.

This is where Aeroplan becomes structurally different from Air Miles.

Aeroplan is not just a retail rewards program.

It is an airline loyalty program with access to award flights.

That matters because the cash price of a flight and the points price of a flight do not always move together.

A business class ticket might cost thousands of dollars in cash, but it may be bookable for a much smaller number of Aeroplan points if you understand the program, the route, the partners, and the availability.

That gap between the cash price and the points price is where the real value lives.

This is why Aeroplan can make sense for premium travel in a way Air Miles does not.

Aeroplan is not perfect. Award availability can be frustrating. Air Canada dynamic pricing can make some routes expensive in points.

Some partner bookings have taxes, fees, or surcharges that are a bit much — in my opinion, hello Emirates. And like every loyalty program, Aeroplan can change over time.

But if you are a Canadian trying to build toward premium cabin travel, Aeroplan is usually the foundation I would start with.

Not because everyone should collect Aeroplan blindly.

Because for premium international flights, Aeroplan has the structure, airline partners, and redemption options that can actually get you there. You are not limited to Air Canada flights, which is a big part of why the program can be so useful.

Air Miles is built for everyday rewards and fixed-value-style redemptions.

Aeroplan is usually used most efficiently when you book award flights, which are flights booked with points, and leverage airline partners.

That distinction matters more than anything else.

If you want a small discount from shopping you were already doing, Air Miles may be fine.

If you want to use points for premium cabins, Aeroplan is the program with the better structure.

This is the mistake I see people make all the time.

They collect points because a program is familiar. They join everything. They swipe every card. They let points scatter across six different accounts.

Then, when they finally want to book something meaningful, they realize none of those balances are large enough or flexible enough to get them where they actually want to go.

That is not a strategy.

That is how you end up with a bunch of points and nothing meaningful to book.

Earning Points: Retail Habits vs Travel Strategy

Air Miles is mainly built around partner retailers.

You earn by shopping with participating brands, using offers, scanning receipts, booking through the Air Miles travel options, shopping through the Air Miles eStore, and using eligible BMO Air Miles cards.

That can work well if you shop regularly with Air Miles partners.

But it can also be slow.

And if the earning is slow, scattered, and not tied to a trip you actually want, it becomes very easy to stop caring.

This is the part people do not always want to hear: a program being free to join does not mean it is worth your attention.

Yes, it is free to swipe.

Yes, you might eventually get something.

But attention is also a cost.

What I have seen with clients is that when people collect too many random rewards programs, they get overwhelmed.

They forget which points they have.

They forget where they earn.

They forget to redeem before the value becomes irrelevant to them.

But when they focus on specific programs that are tied to a real travel goal, they are more likely to stay engaged.

They remember the program because the program is getting them something they actually care about.

Aeroplan earning is more travel-strategy focused.

You can earn Aeroplan points through co-branded credit cards, Air Canada and partner flights, the Aeroplan eStore, retail partners, and transferable points programs.

That gives you more ways to intentionally build toward a flight redemption instead of slowly accumulating a scattered balance from occasional retail swipes.

This is why I do not want beginners chasing every program.

I want them asking:

What trip am I trying to book, and which points actually help me get there?

Redemption Value: Discount Program vs Premium Travel Potential

This is where Air Miles vs Aeroplan becomes very clear.

Air Miles has value, but that value is limited.

If you are using points as a discount against a cash price, then a very expensive flight still requires a very expensive amount of rewards.

That is not how premium cabin sweet spots usually happen.

When I say “sweet spot,” I mean a route or redemption where you can regularly find strong value for your points. For example, Montreal to Germany is a route where I often find business class availability around 60,000 points, which can be low compared to cash prices that retail for thousands of dollars.

Aeroplan is different because Aeroplan points can be used for flight rewards with Air Canada, Star Alliance airlines, and other airline partners.

That partner access is what creates opportunity.

A cash ticket in business class might be wildly expensive.

But the points price may be much more reasonable if there is award availability and you know which partner to book.

That does not mean every Aeroplan redemption is amazing.

Some are bad.

Some are average.

Some are not worth your points.

But Aeroplan gives you the possibility of outsized value.

Air Miles does not really play that game.

And if premium travel is your goal, that possibility is the whole reason to bother learning points in the first place.

Premium Travel: Which Program Actually Gets You There?

I am going to be direct.

Air Miles is not the program I would use for premium travel.

It is not the program I would recommend to someone who wants business class to Europe, a lie-flat seat to Asia, or a premium cabin experience that would cost thousands in cash.

That is not me being dramatic.

That is just the structure of the program.

Air Miles is better understood as a passive rewards or discount program. You collect, you redeem, and eventually you may get money off groceries, merchandise, travel bookings, or other rewards.

That can be useful for some people.

But useful is not the same as powerful.

Aeroplan is the better fit for premium cabin travel because it has airline award redemptions, Air Canada access, Star Alliance partner access, and more opportunities to use points against flights where the cash price is high.

This is why I personally leave Air Miles behind.

It takes too long for what I want from a rewards program.

And if I am going to put energy into learning, tracking, earning, and redeeming points, I want that energy going toward programs that can actually get me the kind of travel I care about.

For me, that means Aeroplan.

Flexibility: Closed System vs Airline Partner Network

Air Miles is a closed system.

You cannot transfer Air Miles to Aeroplan. You cannot move them into airline partners. You cannot combine them with Aeroplan points when you are short for a flight.

That matters.

Because the moment you decide you want to book something specific, flexibility becomes everything.

Aeroplan is not transferable out to other programs either, but it has a much larger airline redemption ecosystem inside the program itself.

Air Canada is part of Star Alliance , which means Aeroplan points can connect you to far more flight options than a closed retail rewards program.

That does not make Aeroplan perfect.

But it makes it much more useful for the type of person who wants international flights, premium cabins, and more route options.

Air Miles asks you to stay inside Air Miles.

Aeroplan gives you access to an airline network.

And in travel rewards, more options are usually a very good thing.

What the Blue Rewards Rebrand Means for Air Miles Collectors

Air Miles is changing.

On June 1, 2026, the Air Miles program is expected to transition to Blue Rewards. Existing Air Miles balances will automatically convert to Blue Points with no action required and no loss in value.

Blue Points are expected to be available for redemption starting June 2, 2026. The conversion is not a simple “one Air Mile becomes one Blue Point” situation in terms of point count.

The better way to understand it is equivalent value.

Air Miles says AIR MILES Reward Miles will convert to Blue Points with no loss of value, and that 1,500 Blue Points will equal $10.

For example, 95 Air Miles currently equals $10, and under Blue Rewards, the comparable structure is expected to be about 1,500 Blue Points for $10.

BMO has also said current BMO Air Miles credit and debit cardholders can continue using their cards during the transition, with more card-specific updates expected.

So, should Air Miles collectors panic?

No.

Based on the current information, your balance is not disappearing. The value is meant to be maintained through the transition.

But should premium-travel-focused Canadians suddenly get excited about Blue Rewards?

Also no.

At least not yet.

The rebrand may make the program simpler. It may improve the app. It may add partners. It may be a better version of Air Miles.

But a better version of a fixed-value rewards program is still not the same thing as Aeroplan and other non-fixed-value rewards programs.

The issue with Air Miles was never only the name.

The issue was that it was not built for premium cabin redemptions, if that is what you are looking for.

Blue Rewards may become a better passive rewards program. I will update this post once the program is fully live and we can see how it actually performs.

But for now, if your goal is luxury cabins, Aeroplan is still where I would put my energy.

Should You Choose Air Miles or Aeroplan?

The answer depends on your goal.

Should You Choose Air Miles or Aeroplan?

If you want a simple program where you can collect passively and eventually redeem for a discount, Air Miles or Blue Rewards may be fine.

If you already shop with participating partners, remember to use the program, and do not care about maximizing for premium flights, there is nothing wrong with collecting.

But I would not go out of my way for it.

And I definitely would not let it distract you from a stronger points strategy.

If you want premium travel, choose Aeroplan.

Business class to Europe.

A lie-flat seat to Asia.

A long-haul flight where you arrive feeling like a human instead of spending the first two days recovering.

Those are Aeroplan goals.

Not Air Miles goals.

This is where I want you to be honest with yourself.

Are you collecting points because the program is familiar?

Or are you collecting points because they are getting you closer to a specific trip?

They are not the same thing, and being financially savvy means knowing the difference.

When Air Miles Might Still Make Sense

Air Miles is not completely useless.

It may still make sense if:

you already shop with Air Miles partners
you will not get overwhelmed by multiple programs
you want a passive discount program
you are not interested in premium travel
you do not want to learn airline award redemptions
you remember to use your Miles and do not let the balance sit forever
you are comfortable treating it as a secondary or tertiary rewards program

That last point really matters.

Air Miles should not be the main program for someone who says they want luxury travel.

It can be a background program.

It can be a “sure, I’ll swipe if I’m already here” program.

I am all for that as long as it does not take away from your actual goals.

It can be a small discount program.

But I would not let it become the place where your best spending, attention, and strategy go.

If you only have so much mental bandwidth for points, use it where the upside is higher.

When Aeroplan Makes More Sense

Aeroplan makes more sense if:

you want to use points for flights
you want to travel internationally
you care about premium cabins
you want access to Air Canada and partner airlines
you are willing to learn some redemption basics
you want a program that can connect to a larger travel strategy

Aeroplan is not always the easiest program.

But it is the one I would rather see a beginner learn if their real goal is premium travel.

The learning curve is worth it because the potential outcome is better.

That is the difference.

Air Miles teaches you to collect slowly and redeem for something eventually.

Aeroplan can teach you to choose a destination, understand a route, earn the right points, and book a flight that would have been expensive in cash.

That is a strategy.

The Simplicity Argument

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is thinking more programs means more rewards.

It usually does not.

More programs often means more confusion.

More logins.

More expiry rules.

More balances that are too small to use.

More “I think I have points somewhere, but I do not remember where” energy.

I do not want that for you.

What I have seen over and over again is that people are more likely to actually use their points when the points are attached to a clear goal.

When someone knows, “I am earning Aeroplan points because I want to fly business class to Europe,” they pay attention.

They check availability.

They understand why the card matters.

They care enough to learn the system.

But when someone is collecting Air Miles, Scene+, random hotel points, a little cash back, and three different bank currencies with no plan, they usually get overwhelmed and disengaged.

That is not a personal failure.

That is just too much noise.

It is also worth thinking about your spending power.

You can only put one purchase on one card, so dividing your everyday spending across too many programs can make it take longer to see meaningful results.

Think of your spending like water filling a bucket.

If you keep pouring a little bit into five different buckets, it takes much longer for any one of them to fill.

But if you focus on the bucket that gets you closer to the trip you actually want, you will usually see progress faster.

A good points strategy should make your travel goal clearer.

Not create another chore.

FAQs

Can You Use Air Miles for Flights?

Yes, you can use Air Miles for flights and other travel redemptions through the Air Miles travel options.

Under Blue Rewards, travel booking is expected to continue with a new program experience, though the actual value will depend on the program’s redemption structure once it is fully live.

But using Air Miles for flights is not the same as booking an airline award with Aeroplan.

With Air Miles, think of it more like using rewards toward travel.

With Aeroplan, you are using an airline loyalty program to book flight rewards.

That difference matters most when the cash price is high.

Can You Transfer Air Miles to Aeroplan?

No. You cannot transfer Air Miles to Aeroplan.

They are separate loyalty programs.

This is one of the main reasons I do not recommend building both programs equally if your goal is premium travel.

You cannot combine them when it matters.

Are Air Miles Worth Anything?

Yes, Air Miles are worth something.

The better question is not “are they worth anything?”

The better question is:

Are they worth your attention compared to other programs?

For premium travel, my answer is no.

Is Aeroplan Better Than Air Miles?

For premium travel, yes.

Aeroplan is better than Air Miles if your goal is flights, international travel, airline partners, or premium cabins.

Air Miles may be easier for passive retail rewards, but Aeroplan has a stronger structure for travel redemptions because it connects to Air Canada, Star Alliance, and other airline partners.

The programs are built for different outcomes.

Choose based on the outcome you actually want.

What Happens to My Air Miles When It Becomes Blue Rewards?

Your Air Miles are expected to automatically convert to Blue Points when the program transitions to Blue Rewards on June 1, 2026.

The conversion is expected to happen with no loss in value, and Blue Points should be available for redemption starting June 2, 2026.

You do not need to do anything for the conversion.

Just be aware that redemptions and account access may be unavailable on June 1 during the transition.

Should I Still Collect Air Miles if I Already Have Aeroplan?

Maybe, but I would not prioritize it.

If you are already at an Air Miles partner and it is effortless to collect, fine.

But I would not make Air Miles your main focus if your real goal is premium travel.

Every program you collect requires attention. Even free programs create mental clutter.

If Aeroplan is the program that gets you closer to the flight you actually want, focus there first.

The Bottom Line

Air Miles and Aeroplan are both well-known Canadian loyalty programs, but they are not built for the same purpose.

Air Miles can be fine for passive rewards, small discounts, and people who want something simple.

Aeroplan is the stronger program for Canadians who want to use points for flights, especially premium cabin travel.

That is the honest comparison.

Air Miles is not bad because it has no value.

It is limited because it is not built for the kind of travel many people imagine when they start collecting points.

And that is why I do not want you blindly collecting it just because it is familiar.

Your points should have a job.

If the job is “eventually get a small discount,” Air Miles may be enough.

If the job is “get me into a lie-flat seat across the ocean,” Aeroplan is the better place to start.

Do not spread yourself thin chasing programs that do not match your goal.

Pick the program that gets you closer to the trip you actually want, then build toward it with intention.

If you are not sure how many points you actually need to make your dream trip happen, the First Class Calculator takes the guesswork out of it. Plug in your destination and preferred cabin, and it will show you what you are working toward.

And if you are still building your foundation on how travel rewards points work before diving into a specific program, learn how travel points work in Canada .

How Do Travel Rewards Points Work in Canada?

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 03:00:07 GMT

Travel rewards points in Canada let you earn points or miles on purchases, usually through credit cards. Then you can redeem these points for flights, hotels, upgrades, and other travel costs.

But if you’ve ever looked at a travel rewards credit card and wondered, “What does 60,000 points actually get me?” you’re not alone.

That is usually where beginners get stuck, because figuring out what is “worth it” can feel impossible at first.

Points can be powerful, but they are not free money. Banks and airlines offer rewards because they make money from merchant fees, annual fees, interest charges, and customer loyalty.

If you pay your credit card balance in full every month, points can help you travel better for less. If you carry a balance, the interest will usually cost more than the rewards are worth.

Quick note: this post is educational, not personalized financial advice.

Credit cards are only worth using for rewards if they fit your budget, credit situation, and ability to pay your balance in full.

That is the part a lot of people get wrong: they chase points at all costs, even when they’re taking on debt to do it.

Travel rewards are not about applying for random credit cards or chasing every welcome bonus. They work best when you understand the system, choose the right program for your goals, and only spend money you were already planning to spend.

I learned this because travel stopped feeling optional for me.

After a car accident left me dealing with chronic pain and migraines, long-haul economy flights became physically difficult. One upgrade from Egypt to Dubai showed me that premium travel was not just luxury for me.

It meant I could actually fulfill my dreams of frequent travel without the fear of totally wrecking myself in the process!

That moment is why I stopped treating points like random credit card perks and started learning them like a system.

I paid for consulting, attended conferences, tested strategies, and learned how travel rewards actually work.

I had even worked as an Investment Consultant at TD Canada Trust, advising clients on financial products, including credit cards. And I still did not understand how powerful points could be when used strategically until after I left the bank.

Since then, I have flown to Germany for $79 in taxes and fees, taken my grandmother to Switzerland and Singapore for $232 each, and covered six flights in a single year for zero dollars out of pocket.

This guide explains how travel rewards points work in Canada, the four main types of rewards programs, who points are actually worth it for, and how to choose where to start before opening a single credit card application.

What Are Travel Rewards Points?

Quick Answer: Travel rewards points in Canada are points or miles earned through credit cards, airlines, hotels, and bank loyalty programs. You can redeem them for flights, hotels, upgrades, and other travel costs. They are most valuable when you pay your credit card balance in full and use the right program for your travel goal.

Travel rewards points are a type of rewards currency earned through credit cards, airline programs, hotel programs, and bank loyalty programs.

Instead of receiving cash back, you earn points or miles that can be redeemed for travel.

In Canada, travel rewards points are commonly used for:

flights
hotel stays
seat upgrades
car rentals
vacation packages
statement credits for travel purchases

The basic idea is simple: spend money, earn points, and redeem points for travel.

But the value of those points depends heavily on the program.

Some points are worth a fixed amount, like one cent per point. Others can be worth much more when transferred to airline partners and used for premium cabin flights (business and first class).

That difference is where the strategy begins.

This is also why I do not like telling beginners to start with “the best travel rewards credit card in Canada” before they know what kind of trip they want. A card can look amazing on paper and still be wrong for your actual travel goal.

How Do Travel Rewards Points Actually Work?

Quick Answer: Travel rewards points work by rewarding you for everyday spending through a credit card, airline, hotel, or bank loyalty program. You earn points based on the program’s rules, then redeem them for travel through a bank portal, airline program, hotel program, transfer partner, or eligible travel statement credit.

Travel rewards points work by rewarding you for spending through a specific credit card or loyalty program.

You earn points based on the card’s earning rate, then redeem those points through a bank portal, airline program, hotel program, or transfer partner.

For example, a card might earn:

1 point per dollar on regular purchases
2 points per dollar on groceries
3 points per dollar on dining
bonus points after meeting a minimum spend requirement

Once you earn the points, you can redeem them based on the rules of that program.

Some programs let you apply points directly against travel purchases. Others let you book flights through airline partners. Some give you a fixed value. Others give you flexible value depending on the route, cabin, and availability.

This is why two people can earn the same number of points and get completely different results.

One person might redeem 75,000 points for $750 in travel credit. Another person might use 75,000 points for a business class flight that would have cost thousands of dollars in cash.

Same number of points.

Very different outcome.

The Simple 5 Step Version

If you are brand new to travel rewards points in Canada, think of the system like this:

Choose a goal.
Decide what you want to use your points for before choosing a card.
Earn the right type of points.
Use a travel rewards credit card or loyalty program that earns points connected to that goal.
Keep the points in the right place.
Your points may live in a bank program, airline account, hotel account, or transferable points program.
Compare redemption options.
Do not assume every redemption gives the same value.
Book when the value makes sense.
Use your points for travel when they save you money or unlock an experience you would not otherwise pay cash for.

That is the basic answer to how credit card points work for travel.

The real strategy comes from choosing the right points before you earn them.

I would rather see a beginner earn fewer points with a clear plan than collect six different points currencies they do not know how to use.

Are Travel Rewards Points Worth It in Canada?

Quick Answer: Travel rewards points are worth it in Canada if you pay your credit card balance in full every month, have stable spending, and choose a rewards program that matches your travel goals. They are usually not worth it if you carry credit card debt because interest charges can cost more than the points are worth.

Travel rewards points can be worth it in Canada if you pay your credit card balance in full, have stable spending, and choose a program that matches your travel goals.

They are usually not worth it if you carry credit card debt.

Most rewards credit cards charge high interest rates. If you carry a balance, the interest can quickly erase the value of any points you earn.

In that situation, focusing on debt repayment, lower-interest products, and financial stability should come first.

Points will still be here when you are ready.

Travel rewards work best for people who:

already use a credit card responsibly
pay the full balance every month
have predictable monthly spending
want to travel within the next 12 to 24 months
are willing to learn the basics before applying for cards

They are especially powerful for people who want premium travel without paying premium cash prices.

For me, that was the turning point. I was not trying to become a luxury traveler for the sake of luxury. I wanted flights that did not wreck my body for days after I landed.

That is why I care so much about strategy.

The goal is not to earn the most points possible. The goal is to earn the right points for the trip you actually want.

The 4 Types of Travel Rewards in Canada

Quick Answer: The four main types of travel rewards in Canada are cash back, bank proprietary points, loyalty program points, and transferable points. Cash back is the simplest, bank points are usually easy to redeem, loyalty points are tied to specific airline or hotel programs, and transferable points are often the most flexible.

Not all travel rewards points are equal.

In Canada, most rewards fall into four categories:

cash back
bank proprietary points
loyalty program points
transferable points

Understanding the difference is one of the most important things you can do before choosing a travel rewards credit card.

1. Cash Back

Cash back gives you a percentage of your spending back as money. It is simple, flexible, and easy to understand.

For example, if your card earns 2% cash back and you spend $1,000, you earn $20 back.

Cash back is great if you want simplicity. The value is clear, and you are not tied to a specific airline or hotel program.

The downside is that cash back has a fixed ceiling.

If a business class flight costs $8,000, you need $8,000 in cash back to cover it. That makes cash back useful for reducing travel costs, but less powerful for unlocking premium flights.

I do not hate cash back for beginners. For someone who feels overwhelmed by points, cash back can be a safe first step.

But once I started comparing cash back against the actual flights I wanted to take, I realized it capped my upside fast.

Best for: people who want simplicity, flexibility, and no complicated redemption rules.

2. Bank Proprietary Points

Bank proprietary points are rewards earned through a bank’s own loyalty program.

In Canada, examples include TD Rewards, CIBC Aventura, RBC Avion, and Scene+.

These points are often easy to use because you can redeem them through the bank’s travel portal or apply them toward eligible purchases.

Many bank points have a relatively fixed value. For example, some programs value points around one cent per point when redeemed for travel.

That makes them straightforward, but it can also limit upside.

If your points are worth one cent each, 75,000 points equals about $750 in travel value. That is useful, but it probably will not unlock a lie-flat business class seat on its own.

This is where a lot of beginners get confused. They hear someone say they booked a $5,000 flight with points, then assume all points work that way.

They do not.

A fixed-value bank point and a transferable point used strategically through an airline partner are not the same thing.

Best for: people who want easy redemptions and do not want to learn airline award charts or transfer partners.

3. Loyalty Program Points

Loyalty program points are earned directly with a specific airline or hotel program.

Examples include Air Canada Aeroplan points, Marriott Bonvoy points, WestJet Rewards, and Hilton Honors.

These programs can offer stronger value than fixed bank points, especially when used for flights or hotel stays that would be expensive in cash.

For example, Aeroplan points can be used for Air Canada flights and partner airline flights through Star Alliance and other partners. That means you are not limited only to Air Canada-operated routes.

The tradeoff is that you are working inside one program’s rules.

Availability, fees, partner access, and redemption prices can vary.

This is the part I wish more beginners understood before collecting points. A loyalty program can be incredibly valuable, but only if it matches where you actually want to go.

If you live somewhere with limited routes, or you usually fly from a smaller Canadian airport, your strategy may look very different from someone based in Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal.

Best for: people who already know which airline or hotel program matches their travel habits.

4. Transferable Points

Quick Answer: Transferable points are often the most flexible travel rewards points because you can move them from a credit card rewards program to eligible airline or hotel partners. This can make them especially useful for booking flights, premium cabins, or higher-value redemptions.

Transferable points are often the most flexible and powerful type of travel rewards points.

You earn them through a credit card program, then transfer them to airline or hotel partners when you are ready to book.

In Canada, major transferable points programs include American Express Membership Rewards and RBC Avion.

Transferable points are valuable because they give you options.

Instead of locking yourself into one airline program immediately, you can wait until you know which partner has the best redemption for your trip.

Think of transfer partners as the booking programs your points can move into. You do not need to understand all of them today.

The key idea is that transferable points keep your options open until you know which program works best for your trip.

For example, depending on the card program, you may be able to transfer points to programs like:

Aeroplan
Air France KLM Flying Blue
British Airways Executive Club
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Marriott Bonvoy
other airline or hotel partners

This flexibility can create outsized value.

A flight that costs thousands of dollars in cash might be bookable for a much smaller number of points through the right airline partner. That is why transferable points are often the best starting place for people who want international premium cabin travel.

This is also where Amex points can be useful for flights. American Express Membership Rewards can transfer to certain airline partners, but the best transfer depends on your route, cabin, dates, and award availability.

That is a whole strategy on its own, which is why I would not try to learn every Amex transfer partner in your first week.

Start with the trip.

Then figure out which points can get you there.

Best for: people who want flexibility, premium travel, and higher-value redemptions.

Why Not All Points Are Worth the Same

Quick Answer: Not all travel rewards points are worth the same amount. Some points have a fixed value, such as one cent per point, while others can be worth more when used for flights, hotels, or premium travel redemptions. The value depends on the program and how you redeem the points.

Points are not worth the same amount across programs.

Their value depends on how you redeem them.

A point used for a gift card might be worth less than one cent. A point used for a fixed travel credit might be worth around one cent. A point used for a strong airline redemption could be worth several cents.

That is why “how many points do I need?” is not the full question.

The better question is:

“What kind of points do I need for the trip I actually want?”

This is also why redeeming airline points for gift cards is usually a weak use of points.

It may feel easy, but it often gives up the value that makes travel rewards powerful in the first place.

I know because I made that mistake early.

I once used Aeroplan points for a gift card because I did not understand how valuable they could be for flights. I would not make that redemption today.

At the time, I thought I was being practical. I had points, I saw a redemption option, and I used it.

Now I know that ease and value are not always the same thing.

That is one of the biggest lessons I want beginners to take from this post: just because you can redeem points a certain way does not mean you should.

Why Do Banks and Airlines Offer Travel Rewards?

Banks and airlines offer travel rewards because loyalty programs are profitable.

They encourage spending, build customer loyalty, and generate revenue through merchant fees, annual fees, interest charges, and program partnerships.

This is not generosity.

It is business.

Every time you use a credit card, the merchant pays a processing fee. Banks also make money from annual fees, foreign transaction fees, late fees, and interest from people who carry balances.

Airlines benefit because points encourage customers to stay loyal to their network. Banks benefit because rewards cards make people more likely to spend on their products.

That does not make points bad.

It just means you need to understand the rules.

You are either using the system intentionally, or the system is using you.

The goal is simple: spend only what you were already going to spend, pay your balance in full, and earn rewards from money already moving through your life.

That is why I never recommend opening a card just because the welcome bonus looks exciting.

A big bonus attached to the wrong strategy can still be a bad starting point.

How to Start With Travel Rewards Points in Canada

Quick Answer: The best way to start with travel rewards points in Canada is to choose your travel goal before choosing a credit card. Decide where you want to go, what airport you usually fly from, what kind of travel you want, and whether you prefer simple redemptions or maximum value.

The best way to start with travel rewards points is to choose your travel goal before choosing a credit card.

Most people do this backwards.

They apply for a card because they saw a big welcome bonus, liked the bank, or heard someone online recommend it.

But the right card depends on the trip you want.

Before I recommend any card, I look at the trip, the route, the spending pattern, and the points program.

That is the difference between collecting points and having a plan.

Start with these questions.

1. Where Do You Want to Travel?

Your destination determines which points are useful.

A person who wants to fly from Toronto to Paris may need a different strategy than someone who wants to fly from Calgary to Vancouver or from Halifax to Tokyo.

Before looking at credit cards, choose one realistic travel goal.

For example:

“I want to fly business class to Europe.”
“I want to visit Japan in the next two years.”
“I want to cover domestic flights within Canada.”
“I want to take my parents on one big international trip.”

The clearer your goal, the easier it is to choose the right program.

This is what changed everything for me. Once I stopped asking, “What card has the best bonus?” and started asking, “What flight am I trying to book?” the entire process became less overwhelming.

2. What Airport Do You Usually Fly From?

Your home airport matters more than most beginners realize.

If you live in Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal, you may have access to more direct international routes and airline partners.

If you live in a smaller city, your options may depend heavily on Air Canada, WestJet, Porter, Flair, or a connecting airport.

For example, someone in Calgary may care more about WestJet than someone in Toronto. Someone in New Brunswick may have fewer airline options and need to plan around available routes.

Your best points strategy should match the flights you can actually take.

This matters a lot in Atlantic Canada.

A strategy that looks perfect for someone in Toronto can fall apart when your real trip starts with a positioning flight. I always want to know where someone is actually starting from before deciding which points make sense.

3. Do You Want Simplicity or Maximum Value?

There is usually a tradeoff between simplicity and maximum value.

Cash back and fixed-value bank points are easier to understand. Transferable points and airline programs can unlock better value, but they require more learning.

Neither option is automatically better.

If you want a simple way to reduce travel costs, fixed-value points may be enough.

If you want international business class flights, lie-flat seats, or premium cabins without paying premium cash prices, you will likely need to learn transferable points and airline loyalty programs.

I would not push a complete beginner into the most complicated strategy if they are still nervous about using a rewards card at all.

But I also would not tell someone dreaming of business class to rely only on basic cash back.

The right answer depends on the goal.

4. How Much Do You Naturally Spend?

Travel rewards work best when you earn points from spending you were already going to do.

That can include groceries, gas, dining, recurring bills, insurance, or business expenses, depending on the card and merchant acceptance.

The key word is already .

Do not spend more just to earn points.

If a welcome bonus requires a minimum spend, make sure you can meet it comfortably with normal expenses.

A card bonus is not worth buying things you do not need.

This is one of the most common mistakes I see beginners make. They get excited about the bonus and forget to ask whether the spending requirement fits their actual life.

Points should support your budget.

They should not distort it.

5. What Kind of Travel Do You Actually Want?

Some people want as many free economy flights as possible.

Some want one big luxury trip.

Some want to visit family more often.

Some want hotel stays.

Some want upgrades because economy is physically difficult.

Those are different goals, and they may require different points strategies.

For me, premium cabins matter because of pain, migraines, and accessibility. That does not mean everyone needs to chase business class.

It means your strategy should fit your real reason for traveling.

If your goal is to take your kids to Disney, your points plan will look different from someone who wants a lie-flat seat to Singapore.

Neither is wrong.

But they are not the same strategy.

If you already have points and do not know what they can realistically get you, start by calculating your target trip before choosing another card.

Use the First Class Calculator to see how many points your dream flight may require before applying for another card

What Is the Best Way to Use Credit Card Points to Travel?

Quick Answer: The best way to use credit card points to travel is to match your points to a specific trip. Choose your destination, decide what cabin you want to fly, check which airlines serve the route, then earn points that can be used with the right airline, hotel, or transfer partner.

The best way to use credit card points to travel is to match the points to a specific trip.

For beginners, that usually means choosing one travel goal, figuring out which program can book that trip, then earning points that transfer to or work with that program.

A simple process looks like this:

Choose your destination.
Decide whether you want economy, premium economy, business class, or first class.
Check which airlines fly that route.
Identify which points programs can book those airlines.
Earn the points that give you the best combination of flexibility and value.
Compare the points cost, taxes, fees, and cash price before booking.

This is how to use credit card points to travel strategically instead of randomly.

The mistake is collecting points first and trying to find a use for them later.

I have done that, and it is frustrating.

You end up with points scattered across programs, not enough for the flights you want, and no clear next step.

A goal-first strategy avoids that.

What Is the Best Travel Rewards Credit Card in Canada?

Quick Answer: There is no single best travel rewards credit card in Canada for everyone. The best card depends on your travel goal, home airport, spending habits, preferred airlines, and whether you want simple redemptions or maximum value. Start with the trip first, then choose the points program and card that can help you book it.

There is no single best travel rewards credit card in Canada for everyone.

The best card depends on:

your travel goals
your home airport
your monthly spending
your preferred airlines
whether you travel domestically or internationally
whether you want simplicity or maximum value
whether you pay your balance in full every month

Anyone who gives one universal answer is skipping the most important part: your strategy.

The right process is:

choose your travel goal
identify the best loyalty program for that goal
choose the card that earns those points efficiently
use the card only for planned spending
pay the balance in full every month

That is how points become a tool instead of a trap.

This is also why I do not like “best card” lists as a starting point for beginners.

They can be useful once you know what you are looking for. But if you do not know whether you need Aeroplan points, Amex Membership Rewards, RBC Avion points, WestJet dollars, hotel points, or cash back, a best-card list can send you in the wrong direction.

Do Travel Rewards Points Expire?

Quick Answer: Travel rewards points can expire depending on the program. Airline and hotel points often require account activity within a certain period, while bank points may stay active as long as your account is open and in good standing. Always check the expiry rules for each program you use.

Travel rewards points can expire, depending on the program.

Many airline and hotel programs require account activity within a certain period to keep points active.

Activity can include:

earning points
redeeming points
using a shopping portal
making a small purchase with a linked credit card
transferring points from an eligible partner

Bank points may be tied to your credit card account and may remain active as long as the account is open and in good standing.

The safest habit is to check your loyalty accounts regularly and understand each program’s expiry policy.

I recommend beginners keep a simple note with the programs they belong to, approximate points balances, and any expiry rules.

You do not need a complicated spreadsheet at the beginning.

You just need to know what you have and when you might lose it.

Common Beginner Mistakes With Travel Rewards Points

Travel rewards points can feel overwhelming at first, but most beginner mistakes come from skipping the strategy step.

Here are the big ones to avoid.

Applying for a Card Before Choosing a Goal

This is the most common mistake.

A card can have a huge welcome bonus and still be the wrong card for your trip.

Before applying, ask:

“What trip am I trying to book, and do these points help me get there?”

Redeeming Points for Low Value Options

Gift cards, merchandise, and statement credits can be easy, but they are often not the best value.

That does not mean you can never use them.

It means you should understand the tradeoff before redeeming.

I used Aeroplan points for a gift card early on because I did not know better. Now I would save those points for flights instead.

Ignoring Taxes and Fees

Points do not always make a flight completely free.

You may still pay taxes, carrier surcharges, airport fees, or booking fees.

That does not mean the redemption is bad, but you need to compare the full cost.

A flight that costs 70,000 points plus $900 in fees may not be as good as it looks.

Earning Points You Cannot Easily Use

A points program is only useful if it helps you book travel you actually want.

If you live near an airport with limited airline options, or you have strict travel dates, some programs may be harder to use than others.

This is why your home airport and travel flexibility matter.

Spending More to Earn Points

Never buy things you do not need just to earn rewards.

If you would not have spent the money without the points, the points are not really free.

They are a rebate on spending, not a reason to overspend.

Final Thoughts: Travel Rewards Are a System

Travel rewards points are not just for frequent flyers, finance experts, or people with unlimited money.

They are a system.

And like any system, they work best when you understand the rules before you start.

You now know the four main types of rewards in Canada: cash back, bank points, loyalty program points, and transferable points.

You know why transferable points can be powerful, why not all redemptions are equal, and why carrying credit card debt makes points a bad trade.

Most importantly, you know that the right starting point is not a credit card application.

It is your goal.

Once you know where you want to go, how you want to fly, and what programs can get you there, the card decision becomes much easier.

If you are ready to figure out how many points you need for your dream trip, use the First Class Calculator to map your destination, cabin, and points target before applying for anything.

And if you want to build a full strategy from goal to redemption, start with the T.R.I.P. System .

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning a Girls' Trip: A Practical Guide

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 01:54:37 GMT

If you want your friendship to survive the girl's trip,
I recommend you read this!

Planning a girl's trip can be an exciting...except we've all heard about the girl's trip where everyone comes back enemies. Amidst the excitement, it's crucial to approach the planning process with a strategic mindset to save your friendships! Here are five mistakes to steer clear of when organizing your next girl's trip:

1. Don't Ignore Budget Conversations
One of the most significant mistakes you can make when planning a girls' trip is neglecting to discuss everyone's budge...and I mean explicitly . It's not enough to just say an amount you want to spend on the trip. You need to break it down, ubers, excursions, shopping, etc. It is essential to create a welcoming environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their financial preferences and limitations. You want to ensure that everyone has full autonomy over their spending by openly discussing what they do and do not want to participate in. Having a clear understanding of everyone's budget will set realistic expectations and avoid any financial surprises along the way. We've all heard of those horror stories or girls travelling with only $100. Yikes.

HOT TAKE: Don't go on a girl's trip with people you aren't comfortable talking budgets with.

2. Don't Skip the Actual Budgeting Phase
While budgets may not be the most glamorous aspect of trip planning, they are undeniably essential.

PRO TIP: Have one of the girls put everyone's budget on a spreadsheet. Trust me, you'll thank me later.

Failing to map out your spending beforehand can lead to exceeding your budget and potential financial stress. Take the time to research the costs associated with your destination thoroughly . For example, if you're heading to a luxurious hotspot like Turks and Caicos, expect to pay a premium for dining and activities. Careful planning and realistic budgeting will ensure that you're prepared for any unexpected expenses that may arise.

3. Don't Avoid Talking About Bill Splitting

When it comes to splitting bills during your trip, communication is key. In destinations like Turks and Caicos where there may only give one bill, it's essential to have a conversation beforehand about how expenses will be divided. Will you all take turns? Does everyone keep track of what they ordered? Designate responsible individuals to manage group expenses, and consider using a shared app to track spending.

PRO TIP: Take a picture of the bill and upload it after each meal if everyone is taking care of their own food.

Remember to account for currency conversion rates and appropriate tipping practices to avoid any misunderstandings.

4. Don't Forget to Learn About the Tipping Culture
Tipping customs vary widely from one destination to another, so it's crucial to do your research beforehand. While some countries may not have a significant tipping culture like North America, others may expect gratuities for various services. Discuss with your group what is considered customary in your destination and ensure that everyone is aware of how to tip appropriately. Factor in tipping expenses when budgeting for your trip to avoid any awkward situations or misunderstandings.

5. Don't Underestimate Expenses
Finally, always err on the side of caution and overestimate your expenses. If you anticipate that dinners will cost around $100 per person, budget for a slightly higher amount to account for unexpected costs or fluctuations in prices. Don't forget to include allowances for souvenirs or unexpected purchases along the way. By building a buffer into your budget, you'll ensure that you have the financial flexibility to enjoy your trip without worrying about overspending.

Ensuring Happiness and Friendship
Remember, everyone is happiest when these considerations are ironed out. Trust me; you want to come back from the girls' trip still friends. Finances can be stressful and uncomfortable, but in my opinion, you shouldn't be vacationing anywhere with anyone you can't be open about your budget with. That's a recipe for disaster!

By avoiding these common mistakes and approaching your girls' trip with careful planning and open communication, you'll set the stage for a memorable and stress-free trip. So gather your girlfriends, start the conversation, and bon voyage!

Xo,

Jess

3 Key Insights I Wish I Knew About Credit Sooner

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 01:54:31 GMT

If you were never taught about how credit works, you're not alone. Here are 3 things you need to know...

In the world of personal finance, understanding credit can be a game-changer. From buying a home to financing a car or simply managing everyday expenses, your credit score can significantly impact your financial well-being. Reflecting on my own journey, there are three crucial insights about credit that I wish I had known earlier:

1. Credit Utilization: The Silent Player in Your Score

One of the most underrated aspects of credit is the role of credit utilization. This term refers to the percentage of your available credit that you're currently using. What many people don't realize is that maintaining a low credit utilization ratio is essential for a healthy credit score. Ideally, you should aim to keep your credit utilization below 30% of your available credit limit at all times (but most importantly right before your next statement comes out).

For instance, if your credit card has a limit of $10,000, try to keep your outstanding balance below $3,000. High credit utilization can signal to lenders that you may be overextended financially, which can negatively impact your credit score. By keeping your credit utilization in check, you can demonstrate responsible borrowing behavior and maintain a positive credit profile.

2. The Power of Payment History: Consistency is Key

Another critical factor that influences your credit score is your payment history. This aspect accounts for the largest portion of your credit score and reflects your track record of making on-time payments. Payment history is a reflection of your reliability as a borrower and plays a significant role in shaping your creditworthiness.

Missing payments can have detrimental effects on your credit score and may take years to recover from. On the flip side, consistently making on-time payments can help you build a strong credit history and boost your credit score over time. Prioritize timely payments on all your credit accounts, including credit cards, loans, and mortgages, to maintain a positive payment history and reap the benefits of a higher credit score.

3. The Importance of Credit Monitoring: Stay Informed and Empowered

Lastly, I've come to appreciate the value of credit monitoring in managing my financial health. Regularly checking your credit report allows you to stay informed about your credit standing and detect any errors or fraudulent activity early on. Many credit monitoring services offer free access to your credit report and score, making it easier than ever to keep tabs on your credit profile.

By staying proactive and vigilant, you can take control of your credit journey and address any issues promptly. Whether it's disputing inaccuracies on your credit report or identifying unauthorized charges, credit monitoring empowers you to safeguard your financial reputation and make informed decisions about your credit.

Empowering Yourself with Credit Knowledge

In hindsight, these three insights have been instrumental in shaping my understanding of credit. By prioritizing low credit utilizati on, maintaining a positive payment history, and embracing credit monitoring, you can empower yourself to achieve financial success. The banks would be happy to give you more credit when you're ready (if your income can support it).

Remember, credit is not just a number; it's a reflection of your financial habits and responsible behavior. By mastering these key principles and implementing actionable strategies, it can help pave the way for a prosperous financial future.

Creating Good Credit Habits: Actionable Steps for Success

In addition to understanding these key insights, it's essential to implement actionable strategies to create good credit habits. Here are some steps you can take to maintain a positive credit profile:

Set Up Payment Reminders: Use reminders or automatic payments to ensure you never miss a payment deadline.
Monitor Your Credit Regularly: Check your credit report at least once a year and report any discrepancies or suspicious activity.
Keep Credit Card Balances Low: Aim to pay off your credit card balances in full each month to maintain a low credit utilization ratio.
Diversify Your Credit Mix: Consider having a mix of different types of credit accounts, such as credit cards, loans, and mortgages, to demonstrate responsible borrowing behavior.

By incorporating these actionable steps into your financial routine, you can proactively manage your credit and pave the way for a brighter financial future.

Xo,

Jess

How business owners can pay for an international flight using points in under 1 year

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 21:59:43 GMT

Are you a business owner ready to travel internationally using points?
I’m going to tell you exactly how I accumulated over 100,000 RBC Avion points in less than a year. Trust me; it's easier than you think!

1. Upgrade Offers: 25,000 Bonus Points

The first step on my business rewards journey was accepting the upgrade offer given to me by my bank. Previously, I was on a lower tier card, RBC Avion Visa Business. By simply upgrading my credit card, I was rewarded with a whopping 25,000 bonus points right off the bat. There are better ways to earn points fast but at the time, this was the easiest solution. On top of the initial points I earned from opening up the card, I got this bonus and then with my regular spending I hit 100,000 points in less than a year.

TIP: Keep in mind, this upgrade did come with a higher annual fee but the difference was waived for me in the first year.

2. Channeling Business Expenses: Turning Transactions into Travel

As a savvy entrepreneur, I realized the potential of leveraging my business expenses to earn even more points. Every matcha run or business trip became an opportunity to rack up points. By putting all my business expenses on my credit card, I was able to accelerate my points accumulation without any additional effort. Sometimes vendors want you to pay by wire or debit, I always ask if there's a way I can pay with credit. Even in the rare instance where I might incur a fee, it makes sense for me to pay processing fees to get the points because of the way I travel. I love the luxurious flights and they take more points than economy flights. When you run the math, I get so much value from booking first class flights that a $10 processing fee is well worth it! So, I make sure every single dollar is helping me reach my goals. My accountant was also overjoyed with this change in separating my business and personal expenses. I used to mix my personal and business expenses and not only did that make accounting harder but it held me back from earning more points as I'll explain later.

TIP: Make sure you are paying your credit card balance in full each month. Otherwise, you’ll end up paying interest which will likely not outweigh the benefits of points.

3. Maximizing Point Earnings: 1.25 Points per Dollar Spent

One of the secrets to my success was taking full advantage of RBC Avion's generous rewards structure for my new card. With 1.25 points awarded for every dollar spent (up to an annual spending limit of $75,000), I was earning 25% more points than with a regular RBC business card. It's worth noting that even after surpassing the spending threshold, the earn rate still remains competitive at 1 point per dollar spent. This makes RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Card one of the strongest earners in the Canadian credit card market.

Want to make your travel dreams a reality?

If you're ready to turn your everyday spending into extraordinary travel experiences? Explore the world using your hard-earned points. Check out my course, Points 4 Paradise and learn to use points to pay for flights!

Perks of the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Card

In addition to its exceptional earn rate, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Card offers exclusive perks that enhance the travel experience. A unique benefit of this card is the ability to apply your points directly to Business Class or First Class flights at a fixed rate of 2 cents per point. This means you can indulge in premium travel without breaking the bank.

Furthermore, with 100,000 Avion points, you can secure flights from major gateways in Canada/U.S. to destinations across Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and South America, with a maximum ticket price of $2,000. You have a lot of options with the flexibility and freedom!

There are sooo many ways to maximize points. The RBC Avion is not the end all, be all. It was one of the cards I used because the points gave me access to the flights I want. Keep in mind every person will be different because we all travel differently. But, with a little strategic planning and the right guidance, you can get crazy value with your credit card!

Xo,

Jess

she-found-wealth

Is Switzerland Worth Visiting? What It Really Costs

Is Switzerland Worth Visiting? The Honest Answer

Who Switzerland Is Right For

Who Might Struggle With Switzerland

What Actually Surprised Me About Switzerland

How Much Does a Trip to Switzerland Cost?

Where We Went in Switzerland

Zurich: The City That Felt Surprisingly Livable

Lucerne: The Place I Wish We Had Given More Time

Appenzell: The Day That Stayed With Me Most

Getting Around Switzerland

What I Would Do Differently

When to Visit Switzerland

Best Months to Visit Switzerland

The Food in Switzerland

Is Switzerland Worth It When It Is This Expensive?

What If Getting to Switzerland Was the Affordable Part?

FAQs

Is Switzerland worth visiting for first-timers?

How much money do you need for a trip to Switzerland?

What is the best time of year to visit Switzerland?

Is Switzerland a good destination for introverts or sensitive travelers?

Can you fly to Switzerland without spending a fortune on flights?

The Trip I Would Book Again Tomorrow

Best Travel Credit Cards Canada: The Ones I Actually Use

My Best Travel Credit Card Picks in Canada at a Glance

Best Beginner Travel Credit Card in Canada

Best Travel Credit Card for Food and Dining Spend

Best Travel Credit Card for Aeroplan and Air Canada

Best Premium Travel Credit Card for High Travel Spend

Best Business Travel Credit Card in Canada

Before You Pick a Card, Know What You Are Picking It For

Fixed Value Points

Airline Loyalty Programs

Transferable Points

The Annual Fee Myth

The Two-Card Strategy

Why Two Cards Works

How Business Cards Fit In

My Honest Picks for the Best Travel Credit Cards in Canada

If You Are a Beginner or Want to Prove Travel Rewards Actually Work

TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite

Who This Card Is For

Who This Card Is Not For

If You Spend a Lot on Food, Dining, and Subscriptions

American Express Cobalt

What About Amex Acceptance in Canada?

Who This Card Is For This card is best for anyone with high food, dining, grocery, coffee, restaurant, or delivery spend.

Who This Card Is Not For

If You Want to Fly Air Canada and Star Alliance Partners

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite

A Note on Welcome Bonuses

Who This Card Is For

Who This Card Is Not For

If You Travel Heavily and Want to Maximize Every Dollar Spent on Travel

American Express Gold Rewards Card

Who This Card Is For

Who This Card Is Not For

If You Own a Business and Want to Fly Premium Cabins

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business

Who This Card Is For

Who This Card Is Not For

How to Know If Your Travel Credit Card Is Actually Worth It

Add Up What the Card Has Actually Given You

Compare the Value to the Cost

Check Whether Your Points Are Moving Toward Your Actual Goals

Do Not Ignore the Perks

Common Questions About Travel Credit Cards in Canada

What Is the Best Travel Credit Card in Canada for Beginners?

What Is the Best Credit Card for Travel Points in Canada?

Is the Annual Fee Worth It on Travel Credit Cards?

Can I Hold More Than One Travel Credit Card?

How Do I Know Which Card Is Right for Me?

Why Have I Earned Travel Points but Still Cannot Book Premium Flights?

What Is a Welcome Bonus and How Does It Work?

Do Travel Credit Cards Affect Your Credit Score?

The Right Card Is the One That Gets You There

Air Miles vs Aeroplan: The Honest Comparison

What Is Air Miles?

Who This Card Is For
This card is best for anyone with high food, dining, grocery, coffee, restaurant, or delivery spend.

If you want your friendship to survive the girl's trip,
I recommend you read this!