Credit cards that earn you points or miles with airlines are a dime a dozen – but some are better than others. Our favourites include the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card and the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card. Here, we’ll look at all your options and offer some alternatives that allow you to transfer points to airline rewards programs.
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Airline credit cards available in Canada
Before we jump into the details of these cards, here’s a quick summary of your airline credit card options – and our top picks.
| Airline | Credit card | Rewards | Current offer | Annual fee | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | American Express Aeroplan Card | * 2 points per $1 spent on Air Canada * 1.5 points per $1 spent on restaurants * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases | Up to 40,000 bonus points (terms) | $120 | Apply |
| American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card | * 3 points per $1 spent on Air Canada * 2 points per $1 spent on dining and food delivery purchases in Canada * 1.25 points per $1 spent on all other purchases | Up to 85,000 bonus points (terms) | $599 | Apply | |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card | * 1.5 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, grocery and direct through Air Canada purchases * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases | Up to 45,000 bonus points (terms) | $139 | Apply | |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Credit Card | * 2 points per $1 spent on Air Canada * 1.5 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries, travel & transit and dining * 1.25 points per $1 spent on all other purchases | Up to 85,000 bonus points (terms) | $599 | Apply | |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Card | * 1 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, grocery and Air Canada purchases * 1 point per $1.50 spent on all other purchases | Up to 15,000 bonus points (terms) | $89 | Apply | |
| CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card | * 1 point per $1 spent on gas, groceries, EV charging, and Air Canada * 1 point per $1.50 spent on all other purchases | Up to 10,000 bonus points (terms) | $0 | Apply | |
| CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card | * 1.5 points per $1 spent on gas, EV charging, groceries, and Air Canada * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases | Up to 40,000 bonus points (terms) | $139 | Apply | |
| CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card | * 2 points per $1 spent on Air Canada * 1.5 points per $1 spent on gas, EV charging, groceries, dining, and travel * 1.25 points per $1 spent on all other purchases | Up to 85,000 bonus points (terms) | $599 | Apply | |
| CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for students | * 1 point per $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging, groceries, and Air Canada * 1 point per $1.50 spent on all purchases | Up to 10,000 bonus points, first year fee rebate (terms) | $0 | Apply | |
| WestJet | WestJet RBC Mastercard | * 1.5 WestJet points per $1 spent on WestJet or WestJet Vacations purchases * 1 WestJet point per $1 spent on all other everyday purchases | 10,000 WestJet points (terms) | $39 | Apply |
| WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard | * 2 WestJet points per $1 spent on WestJet or WestJet Vacations purchases * 1.5 WestJet point per $1 spent on all other everyday purchases | 45,000 WestJet points (terms) | $119 | Apply | |
| British Airways | RBC British Airways Visa Infinite | * 3 Avios per $1 spent on British Airways and BA Holidays * 2 Avios per $1 spent on restaurants * 1 Avios per $1 spent on all other purchases | Up to 60,000 bonus points (terms) | $165 | Apply |
| Cathay Pacific | Cathay World Elite Mastercard | * 4 miles per $1 spent on Cathay Pacific flights * 2 miles per $1 spent on purchases made in foreign currency * Avg 5 miles per $1 spent at Neo retail partners * 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases | Up to 60,000 bonus points (terms) | $180 | Apply |
Our top picks
The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card starts you off with up to 45,000 bonus Aeroplan points, and you’ll earn a solid 1.5 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, grocery, and Air Canada purchases (made directly through Air Canada). But it’s the perks that we love about this card, and they include free first checked bags on AC flights, preferred pricing on Aeroplan flight rewards, and 12 types of insurance coverage that even apply to rewards flights.
This is our #1 pick for a reasonable annual fee ($139, waived for the first year) and moderate income requirements ($60,000 personal or $100,000 household).
While the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Credit Card is an excellent super-premium card and might seem like an obvious front-runner as our favourite, it has extremely high income requirements. The American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card offers lots of perks with no minimum income. It comes with a welcome bonus of up to 85,000 bonus Aeroplan points and earns you up to 3 Aeroplan points per $1 spent on purchases.
Perks include free first checked bags and unlimited access to Maple Leaf Lounges when flying with Air Canada, preferred pricing on Aeroplan flight awards, Toronto-Pearson airport benefits, and 11 types of insurance. In exchange for those perks, you’ll pay a hefty annual fee of $599.
Pros and cons of airline credit cards
Airline cards have a lot going for them since they typically tailor their perks and benefits to travelers and their needs. However, it’s worth remembering that these cards have some drawbacks, too.
- Airline rewards earn the highest value. Generally speaking, airline rewards tend to provide the highest return on your spending. This includes cards that let you transfer points to airline partners.
- You can earn special perks with the airline. You might get discounted tickets, free checked bags, annual companion vouchers, priority services, or lounge access, for instance. Be aware that these perks usually don't extend to partner airlines or airlines in the same alliance (e.g., Star Alliance, Oneworld, SkyTeam).
- Credit card insurance covers you on rewards flights. Credit card insurance typically doesn’t apply to rewards flights – but if you’re using a card that belongs to the program and you charge the flight to that card, you’re covered!
- Lower earn rate on everyday purchases. Sure, you’ll earn points or miles at an increased rate when you fly with the airline, but you might not get much back for your grocery or fuel stops.
- Most airline cards charge annual fees. In general, the higher the fee, the better the rewards and benefits. Keep the fee in mind if you’re trying to calculate whether you’d earn enough rewards to make the card worth it.
- Complicated redemption structure. Unlike cards that give you cash back or statement credits, airline travel cards’ best redemption option is often rewards flights. These rewards flights can be tricky to book and you might face restrictions or blackout dates.
Are airline credit cards worth it?
If you’re a dedicated airline customer and you fly often, then picking up that airline’s credit card probably makes financial sense – especially if it’s got a low annual fee. We say this because you might be able to score preferred seating, discount flights, and airline-specific perks that make travel just that much nicer.
On the other hand, if you only fly occasionally or travel with different airlines or programs, you might not want to commit yourself to a single airline. Instead, look for a great rewards card that also earns you points for travel (or at least allows you to transfer points to an airline reward program).
Credit cards with airline program transfers
Although they’re not specifically airline credit cards, there are quite a few credit cards that allow you to transfer your points to airline partners at various ratios.
We like the flexibility of these cards – you usually have more earning options with better rates and more redemption choices. Sure, you’ll give up some of the airline perks, but you’ll often get decent insurance coverage that can still help you when you travel.
Here are some of our favourites.
American Express Cobalt Card
×8 Award winner Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.*
8x Award winner Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.*
The American Express Cobalt Card won an astounding 8 creditcardGenius awards for 2025, making it the best credit card in Canada. We’ve listed some of the best benefits below but frequent flyers will be most interested in how many points or miles you earn.
With the Cobalt card, you’ll get up to 5 points per $1 spent on purchases. The card earns Amex Membership Rewards, which allows you to transfer points to Aeroplan, Air France KLM, Asia Miles, British Airways, Delta SkyMiles, and Etihad Guest.
Pros:
- Up to 15,000 welcome bonus points
- 4 ways to redeem points for high value
- 10 types of insurance included
Cons:
- Lower acceptance as American Express
- No airport lounge access included
American Express Gold Rewards Card
$125 GeniusCash + Up to 60,000 Welcome Bonus Membership Rewards® points.*
GC: $125
We’ll mention another Amex that allows you to transfer points to 6 popular airline programs. The American Express Gold Rewards Card is similar to Cobalt but offers a few more travel-specific perks. For a slightly higher annual fee, you’ll earn slightly more for flights, but you’ll also enjoy an annual $100 travel credit, airport lounge access, and extra insurance coverage.
If you’re more interested in travel perks and benefits than cash back rewards, you’ll probably want to spring for the Gold card.
Pros:
- Up to 60,000 welcome bonus points.
- Earn up to 2 points per $1 spent on purchases.
- 4 free passes to Plaza Premium lounges in Canada.
- 4 ways to redeem points for high value.
- 11 types of insurance included
Cons:
- Lower acceptance as an American Express
- High annual fee of $250
Want a premium card? Consider the American Express Platinum Card. Although the $799 annual fee will set you back, it earns you 2 points per $1 spent on flights and you can transfer them to the 6 airline programs we mentioned earlier. You’ll also get a NEXUS fee rebate every 4 years in addition to luxurious perks and benefits.
American Express Green Card
We wanted to list a no-fee Amex card that allows you to transfer points to airline rewards programs (the same 6 that all Amex cards work with). The American Express Green Card might not come with as many bells and whistles as the previous cards, but you’ll earn a flat 1 point per $1 on all your purchases. Then, you can transfer the points at a 1:1 rate to programs like Aeroplan.
Pros:
- Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all purchases
- Points worth up to 2 cents
- 4 ways to redeem points for high value
Cons:
- Lower acceptance as an American Express
- Minimal insurance included
RBC Avion Visa Infinite
×1 Award winner GC: $100
1x Award winner RBC Avion Rewards lets members transfer points, but there are some limitations that depend on whether the card is premium or elite. Unlike premium tier cards that only allow you to transfer your points to WestJet Rewards, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite falls into the Elite tier with the following transfer options:
- British Airways – 1:1
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles – 1:1
- American Airlines – 10:7
- WestJet – 100:1
Pros:
- Up to 55,000 bonus points
- High point value of up to 2.33 cents
- Includes 12 types of insurance
- Save 3 cents per litre on fuel at Petro-Canada
Cons:
- Poor rewards if not redeemed through the Air Travel Redemption chart
- Income requirements of $60,000 personal or $100,000 household
Want a premium card? The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege gives you better transfer options, a bigger welcome bonus, anniversary points, and Visa Infinite Privilege benefits like concierge services, travel assistance, and airport lounge access.
FAQ
What is the downside to an airline credit card?
Airline credit cards tend to be most valuable with a specific airline – so you’ll earn the most rewards and get the best redemption value for travel with that airline. If you’re looking for a high earn rate on everyday purchases or flexibility with your rewards redemption, a general rewards card might be a better choice.
Is it best to pay for flights with a credit card?
Paying for your flight with an airline credit card (or other credit card) is usually a good idea since most cards come with some type of travel insurance, including trip interruption and baggage coverage.
How many miles do you need for a free flight?
The number of miles you need to redeem for a free flight depends on the airline rewards program you participate in. Many programs have online calculators or charts that help you get an idea of the regions you can fly and the number of miles it costs.
Are airline credit cards hard to get?
Airline credit cards aren’t necessarily hard to get. While most require a good credit score, there are a few that have no income requirements at all.
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