The 5 Best Visa Credit Cards in Canada

Visa credit cards are a mainstay in the wallets of many Canadians over the age of 18. It is impossible to talk about credit cards in Canada without reviewing the many options that Visa offers. Visa is one of the go-to credit card networks and offers an impressive variety of cards to choose from. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve listed the best Visa credit cards in Canada. This list is part of our greater compilation of the best credit cards in Canada. Having a credit card allows you to start building your credit score with the goal of getting loans and further credit in the future. Whether your priority is earning cash back, getting rewards or enjoying various travel perks, there is a Visa credit card for you.

1. RBC Avion Visa Infinite – Best for Converting your Points Between Several Loyalty Programs

With the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card, you earn 1 Avion point per dollar spent and 1.25 points on travel-related purchases. You then redeem your points for travel by choosing the airline, flight and departure that suit you best. There are no blackout periods or seat restrictions. One-way flights start at 7,500 Avion points.

If you don’t want to use your Avion Rewards points for travel, you can convert them to other frequent flyer programs such as American Airlines AAdvantage, British Airways Executive Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles and WestJet Rewards. If the Avion program doesn’t work for you, keep looking for air travel hacks.

Other benefits of the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card include a unique catalog of experiences ranging from ski slopes to culinary experiences. Plus, when you link your Petro-Points card to your RBC credit card, you save 3￠ per liter on every fill-up at Petro-Canada and earn 20% more Petro-Points.

If you often have your meals delivered, you’ll enjoy a $0 delivery fee with DoorDash. RBC offers you a free DashPass subscription for up to 12 months with an eligible credit card.

You’ll also benefit from a wide range of insurance options, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, out-of-province or out-of-country emergency medical coverage, and collision and damage insurance for rental vehicles.

2. RBC ION Visa Card – Best No-Fee Visa Credit Card

No-fee credit cards usually offer less perks than premier cards. The RBC ION Visa will surprise you. The base earning rate is 1 Avion point for every $1 you spend. But you can get 1.5 point on groceries, gas, rideshares, daily public transit and electric vehicle charging, streaming, gaming, eligible digital subscriptions and downloads, and in-game purchases.

To redeem your points, conditions are flexible. Using Pay With Points, you can redeem your Avion points to pay bills, your credit card balance or send money with?Interac e-transfers. You can also redeem your points for gift cards or merchandise through the Avion Rewards catalogue.

There’s more. When you link your credit card to your Petro Points, you save 3￠/L on fuel and earn 20% more points. If you enjoy DoorDash, you’ll be happy to learn that you can get a 3-month complimentary DashPass subscription and enjoy unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more.

However, the RBC ION Visa card does not offer many insurance protections. You only get Purchase Security and Extended Warranty Insurance. It protects card purchases against loss, theft or damage within 90 days of purchase, and doubles the manufacturer’s original Canadian warranty by up to one additional year.

3. Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card – Best Visa for Cash Back

The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite card offers particularly attractive cash back rewards that vary by category. You will get 4% back on groceries as well as all recurring payments or subscriptions. There is additionally 2% cash back on gas and public transportation, including ride-share apps like Uber, and 1% on all other purchases.

Cardholders can take advantage of the Visa Infinite program, which includes three main benefits.?First is a concierge service, which has a 24-hour telephone service, seven days a week. The concierge can help you in a variety of ways, from finding the perfect gift to finding tickets for the new show in town. Second, there are also several hotels where Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite cardholders will receive discounts, in addition to having the option to upgrade their hotel room and access to free Wi-Fi in their room. Third, it comes with a Dining and Wine Country program. You could dine with some of the biggest names in the food and wine industry for a delicious meal.

The card also offers several types of insurance. Cardholders benefit from protection on new mobile phones or tablets, while under contract with a mobile provider. On purchases made with the card, you are covered for damage or loss of items within 90 days of the date of purchase. There is also an extended warranty that doubles the manufacturer’s warranty on products purchased with the card for up to one additional year.

The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite also provides protection against trip delays or cancellations if the cost of the trip has been charged to the card. If you are under the age of 65 and the trip is at most 10 days, while travelling you have access to emergency medical coverage up to $1,000,000 if needed because of an accident or illness. In addition, if the plane is late, you can be reimbursed for all expenses incurred while waiting for the next flight, hotel room, food, etc. For all lost luggage or baggage delayed for more than four hours, there is insurance that can reimburse losses or the price of necessities if the luggage is late. You are also covered in the case of an accident on public transport or in a rental car. Despite these advantages, always remember to compare flights and compare hotel rooms before booking.

4. BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite Card – Best Visa Credit Card for Couples

The BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite card allows you to earn BMO Rewards points through the loyalty program offered by Bank of Montreal. You are entitled to a lifestyle credit of $50 per year, to be used as you see fit. Moreover, if the main cardholder also takes out a secondary card to give to, for example, to his or her spouse, they will earn 10% more points.

Cardholders of the BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite accumulate points at a fast rate. You get 5 points per dollar spent on groceries, transit, food delivery, takeout, groceries, rideshare and gas. Then, you get 1 BMO Rewards point for every dollar you spend everywhere else.

Once the points have a minimum reward value of $1, you can redeem them for various rewards. You can spend rewards points on travel, credits to the account, gift cards, products, and experiences. How much is a latte worth? 1,500 points. And a very good blender? About 126,500 points. You could get it after one year of using the card if you spend $1,650 per month in the specified categories and thanks to a generous welcome offer.

5. TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card – Best Visa to Get the Most Aeroplan Points

Frequent travellers and lovers of adventure will be especially interested in the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card which includes the Aeroplan rewards program.

The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite earns Aeroplan Points on every purchase you make. You earn 1.5 Aeroplan points for every dollar you spend on gas, groceries and at Air Canada, and 1 point for every dollar you spend on all other purchases. Double your points by shopping at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and more than 170 online retailers in the Aeroplan eBoutique. You can then redeem your points for flights, hotel reservations, car rentals, merchandise and gift cards.

For example, if you spend $1,000 on gas, groceries and Air Canada purchases per month, and $1,000 on all other purchases, you could earn up to 80,000 points in your first year with the welcome bonus.

Other card features include Air Canada travel benefits that save on baggage fees, complimentary Visa Infinite concierge service, an exclusive collection of luxury hotels, access to gourmet events, tickets to organized events, and much more. For those travelling to the U.S., this card entitles you to a discount on NEXUS membership fees every 48 months. This card also includes travel medical insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, hotel/motel theft insurance, flight and travel delay insurance as well as delayed and lost baggage insurance, among others.

This article is the shortened version of an article originally published on Hardbacon.ca by Katherine Parent under the title "The 10 Best Visa Credit Cards in Canada".