Best Travel Credit Cards in Canada (2026): The Shortlist

The best travel credit card in Canada for most people who travel abroad is the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite. It charges no foreign transaction fee, includes six airport lounge visits a year and has strong travel insurance, for $150 a year. If you fly one airline, an airline card can be worth more. This shortlist compares the best travel credit cards on fees, foreign spending, perks and insurance. For more cards like it, see our no foreign transaction fee shortlist.

Key takeaways

• The foreign transaction fee matters most abroad. Most cards charge 2.5% on foreign-currency purchases. The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite, Scotiabank Gold Amex and Home Trust Preferred Visa charge none.
• Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is our top pick. No foreign fee, 6 free lounge visits a year and trip cancellation insurance make it the strongest all-round card for trips outside Canada.
• Airline cards pay off if you’re loyal to one airline. Free checked bags for up to 9 people on one booking can be worth more than any points.
• Flexible points give you options. Amex Membership Rewards (Cobalt) transfer 1:1 to Aeroplan, and RBC Avion points transfer 1:1 to WestJet and British Airways.
• Check the insurance age limits. Travel medical coverage on these cards is much shorter, or not available, once you’re 65.

What a travel credit card actually is (and what it is not)

A travel credit card is built to make trips cheaper or more comfortable. That usually means one or more of: points you can use on flights or hotels, no foreign transaction fee, travel insurance, airport lounge access, and airline perks like free checked bags.

It isn’t automatically the card that earns the most points. A card with a high earn rate but a 2.5% foreign fee can cost you more on a trip than it earns. And it isn’t a substitute for checking your insurance: coverage depends on your age, how long you’re away, and whether you paid for the trip with the card.

Travel cards usually have an annual fee of $120 to $200 and an income requirement of $60,000 or more. If you travel once a year or less, a no-fee card may be a better fit. See our best no-fee credit cards.

How we ranked these travel credit cards

We compared each card on what matters on a trip, using each issuer’s own pages. Read our full methodology.

• Foreign transaction fee: 0%, 1.5% or the usual 2.5%.
• Earn rate on travel and everyday spending, and caps.
• Travel insurance: emergency medical days, trip cancellation and interruption, flight and baggage delay.
• Airport and airline perks: lounge visits, free checked bags and companion vouchers.
• Annual fee and income requirement.

We left out welcome bonuses because they change often. No issuer paid to be on this list.

The best travel credit cards in Canada for 2026

Here’s the shortlist. The first two are the best for spending abroad, the next four are for collecting points or flying one airline, and the last two are low-fee options.

1. Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite, best for travelling abroad

It’s the card we’d take on most trips outside Canada. With no foreign transaction fee, every purchase abroad costs 2.5% less than on most cards. Six lounge visits a year cover a return trip for two with visits to spare. The insurance includes 25 days of emergency medical if you’re 64 or under, plus trip cancellation, interruption and flight delay. Its earn rate is modest, so it’s a card for trips more than for everyday points.

Best suited for: Anyone who travels outside Canada once or twice a year and wants lounge access without paying for a premium card. Waive the fee with a Scotiabank account if you can.

Details: Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite (official page)

2. Scotiabank Gold American Express, best for earning on everyday spending

It earns far more on everyday spending than the Passport card, so your groceries and dining build up a travel fund quickly, and it still skips the foreign transaction fee. The trade-off is that it’s an Amex, so it isn’t accepted everywhere, and Scotiabank doesn’t list lounge visits for it. Our grocery card shortlist ranks it first for groceries.

Best suited for: People who want one card that earns well at home and costs nothing extra abroad. Keep a Visa or Mastercard as a backup where Amex isn’t taken.

Details: Scotiabank Gold American Express (official page)

3. American Express Cobalt, best for flexible travel points

The Cobalt earns 5x on food and groceries, and its points transfer 1:1 to Aeroplan, so they can be worth more than 1¢ each on flights. It also covers flight and baggage delays and car rentals. Use another card abroad, though: the 2.5% foreign fee cancels out much of what you earn.

Best suited for: Food-heavy spenders who’ll move points to Aeroplan for flights. Pair it with a no-foreign-fee card for trips.

Details: American Express Cobalt (official page)

4. TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, best for Air Canada flyers

If you fly Air Canada a few times a year, the free checked bag is the main perk: it applies to everyone on your booking, up to 9 people. Points go straight into Aeroplan. See what an Aeroplan point is worth. There’s no lounge access on this card.

Best suited for: Families and couples who fly Air Canada and check bags. Compare it with other programs on our rewards programs page.

Details: TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite (official page)

5. RBC Avion Visa Infinite, best for airline transfers and fixed-price flights

Avion points are worth 1¢ each on any travel, and more when you book flights through RBC’s fixed redemption schedule or transfer to airline partners. It includes travel medical, trip cancellation and interruption, and mobile device insurance, though RBC’s card page doesn’t list the coverage limits.

Best suited for: People who want flexibility between airlines and don’t mind a little planning. See what Avion points are worth.

Details: RBC Avion Visa Infinite (official page)

6. WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard, best for WestJet flyers

The yearly companion voucher is the big draw: if you’d buy a second ticket anyway, one companion fare can be worth more than the $139 fee. Add free checked bags for your whole booking and a solid everyday earn rate in WestJet points.

Best suited for: Couples and families who fly WestJet at least once a year. See what WestJet points are worth. Read our WestJet credit card review.

Details: WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard (official page)

7. CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite, best for lounge visits and NEXUS

Aventura points can be worth the most when you book flights with CIBC’s airline rewards chart. The card adds 4 lounge visits a year, a NEXUS fee rebate, and trip cancellation, interruption and mobile device insurance.

Best suited for: Frequent cross-border travellers who want NEXUS and a few lounge visits. See what Aventura points are worth.

Details: CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite (official page)

8. Home Trust Preferred Visa, best for no annual fee

It’s the simplest way to avoid foreign fees without paying an annual fee. You won’t earn anything on foreign purchases, but you’ll save the 2.5% most cards charge. It’s not available in Quebec.

Best suited for: Occasional travellers and online shoppers who pay in U.S. dollars. Read our Home Trust review.

Details: Home Trust Preferred Visa (official page)

9. Wealthsimple Visa Infinite Privilege, best for cash back abroad

It pays 2% cash back on everything, including foreign purchases, with no foreign transaction fee. That makes it the best earner abroad on this list. The $240 fee is billed $20 a month and is waived if you have $100,000 at Wealthsimple or $4,000 a month in direct deposits there. You need a Wealthsimple chequing account to pay it. It’s available in Quebec.

Best suited for: Wealthsimple clients who travel abroad and want cash back instead of points. Read our Wealthsimple credit card review.

Details: Wealthsimple Visa Infinite Privilege (official page)

Also worth a look

• Brim World Elite Mastercard: $89, 1% back on everything, a 1.5% foreign fee and travel insurance including trip cancellation.
• BMO VIPorter World Elite: free checked bags on Porter for you and up to 8 guests.
• Rogers Red World Legend: $495, no foreign fee, six lounge passes and full travel insurance.
• Marriott Bonvoy American Express: $120, a free hotel night each year worth up to 35,000 points. Limited insurance, with no emergency medical.

Side-by-side comparison

Our nine picks compared on the criteria we ranked them by.

Which travel card fits how you travel

What results look like: a $5,000 trip abroad

Here’s what each card leaves you with if you spend $5,000 in another currency on a trip. We count points at 1¢ each for comparison (Aeroplan, Avion and Aventura points can be worth more on flights) and subtract the foreign transaction fee.

The lesson: abroad, the foreign fee usually outweighs the points. Use a no-foreign-fee card on the trip, and your airline or points card for booking flights and spending at home. Run your own numbers with our foreign transaction fee calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best travel credit card in Canada?

For most people who travel abroad, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite: no foreign transaction fee, 6 lounge visits a year and travel insurance including trip cancellation, for $150. If you fly one airline, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite or WestJet RBC World Elite can be worth more.

What is the best credit card for international travel with no foreign transaction fee?

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite and Scotiabank Gold Amex charge no foreign transaction fee and earn travel points. The Wealthsimple Visa Infinite Privilege charges none and pays 2% cash back on foreign purchases. The Home Trust Preferred Visa has no foreign fee and no annual fee.

What is the best travel credit card with no annual fee?

The Home Trust Preferred Visa: no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee, plus 1% cash back on purchases in Canada. It has no travel insurance, and it isn’t available in Quebec.

Which credit card gives a free checked bag?

The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite gives a free first checked bag on Air Canada, and the WestJet RBC World Elite on WestJet, each for the cardholder and up to 8 companions on the same booking. The BMO VIPorter World Elite does the same on Porter.

Which travel credit cards include lounge access?

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite and Wealthsimple Visa Infinite Privilege each include 6 free lounge visits a year, and the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite includes 4. Some other cards include a lounge membership but charge per visit.

How do I avoid foreign transaction fees in Canada?

Use a card that doesn’t charge them, such as the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite, Scotiabank Gold Amex, Wealthsimple Visa Infinite Privilege or Home Trust Preferred Visa. Most other cards add 2.5% to every foreign-currency purchase.

Is travel insurance on credit cards enough?

It depends on your age and trip length. For example, the Scotiabank Passport covers 25 days of emergency medical if you’re 64 or under but only 3 days at 65 and older, so check the limits before you go.

Find the right travel card for your trips

Start with where you go and how you pay. If most of your spending on a trip is in another currency, a card with no foreign transaction fee saves you 2.5% straight away. If you fly one airline, add up what free checked bags or a companion fare would save you each year. Then check whether the annual fee pays off at your spending. Compare fees with our annual fee calculator, and see what your points are worth on our rewards programs page.

Related reading

• All credit card reviews: reviews and best-card shortlists
• Rewards programs: what your points are worth
• Cash back vs. travel points: which type fits you
• Foreign transaction fee calculator: what FX fees cost you
• Best Aeroplan credit cards: 5 picks from TD, CIBC and Amex
• Best rewards credit cards: our top picks across every category

How we checked: Every fee, earn rate, perk, insurance limit and income requirement comes from the issuer’s own card page, benefits guide or insurance documents, checked in October 2026. The $5,000 trip example values points at 1¢ each for comparison. Insurance has age limits, exclusions and conditions, so read the issuer’s certificate before you rely on it. We left out welcome offers because they change often. This list is general information, not financial advice. Sources: Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite; Passport Visa Infinite welcome kit (PDF); Scotiabank Gold Amex; Amex Cobalt; Amex Cobalt benefits; Amex airline transfer partners; TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite; TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite FAQ; RBC Avion Visa Infinite; RBC Avion redemption options; WestJet RBC World Elite; WestJet cardholder benefits; CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite; CIBC Aventura benefits guide (PDF); Home Trust Preferred Visa; Wealthsimple Visa Infinite Privilege benefits; Wealthsimple lounge access. Last checked October 2026.