Did you know that you can easily turn your credit card rewards into free Amazon gift cards? See our list of 8 reward programs below…
If you’re going to shop with the world’s largest online store, why not get as many free Amazon gift cards as you can?
Here we outline 8 rewards programs you can use to get free Amazon gift cards (plus how to get an easy lump sum of free cash).
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Something better than a free Amazon gift card
But wait, do you know what’s better than getting a free gift card? Getting free cash. It’s infinitely more flexible.
Well, that’s what we’re offering with GeniusCash. Get approved for select credit cards (there are 19 right now) and you can earn up to $125.
What offers are there? Here are the 19 credit cards you can choose from:
| Credit Card | GeniusCash Offer | Welcome Bonus | Annual Fee, Earn Rates | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Cobalt | $100 | Up to 15,000 bonus points (terms) | * $155.88 * None | |
| Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card | $125 | 10% extra cash back for the first 2 months (terms) | * $0 * $12K personal | |
| Tangerine World Mastercard | $125 | 10% extra cash back for the first 2 months (terms) | * $0 * $60K personal or $100K household | |
| Scotiabank Scene+ Visa | $20 | 5,000 bonus points (terms) | * $0 * $12K personal | |
| MBNA True Line Mastercard | $100 | 0% interest on balance transfers for 12 months (terms) | * $0 * None | |
| MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard | $125 | 30,000 bonus points (terms) | * $120 * None | |
| Scotiabank Gold American Express | $105 | Up to 50,000 bonus points, first year free (terms) | * $120 * $12K personal | |
| Scotiabank Scene+ Visa | $20 | 5,000 bonus points (terms) | * $0 * $12K personal | |
| Scotiabank Value Visa | $20 | 0.99% interest on balance transfers for 9 months (terms) | * $29 * $12K personal | |
| TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite | $100 | Up to 165,000 bonus points (terms) | * $139 * $60K personal or $100K household | |
| TD Cash Back Visa Infinite | $100 | 10% cash back on eligible purchases for the first 3 months, first year fee rebate (terms) | * $139 * $60K personal or $100K household | |
| TD Platinum Travel Visa | $20 | Up to 50,000 bonus points (terms) | * $89 * None | |
| TD Rewards Visa | $20 | Up to 15,152 bonus points (terms) | * $0 * None | |
| Loop Card | $100 | None | * $0 * None | |
| KOHO Essential Mastercard | $75 | $20 after the first purchase | * $48 * None | |
| KOHO Extra Mastercard | $75 | $20 after the first purchase | * $144 * None | |
| KOHO Everything Mastercard | $75 | $20 after the first purchase | * $177 * None | |
| RBC Avion Visa Infinite | $100 | 55,000 bonus points (terms) | * $120 * $60K personal or $100K household | |
| RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege | $100 | Up to 70,000 bonus points (terms) | * $399 * $150K personal or $200K household |
So, if you’re interested in any of these cards, you’ll want to apply right away.
Just keep in mind: We try our best to deliver your GeniusCash as soon as possible, however the process may still take up to 12 weeks. Thanks in advance for your patience.
View all GeniusCash offers here.
7 reward programs that offer Amazon gift cards
To get an idea of the value of your credit card spending, let’s briefly go over the card that would earn you the most points in one year, and the typical return you could expect to see when you redeem for an Amazon gift card, based on a $2,000 monthly spend.
These Amazon gift cards ‒ other than the 2 e-gift card options from National Bank Rewards ‒ are physical cards. So expect to receive them by mail which could take around 2 to 3 weeks.
| Reward Program | Point Value When Redeeming For Amazon Gift Cards | Best Credit Card For Earning Points | Average Credit Card Return When Redeemed On Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMO Rewards | 0.50 cents * $100 gift card for 20,300 points |
|
1.20% |
| MBNA Rewards | 0.89 cents * $100 gift card for 11,255 points |
|
2.31% |
| Scene+ | 0.75 cents * $50 gift card for 6,700 points, or * $100 gift card for 13,400 points |
|
1.73% |
| Amex Membership Rewards | 0.70 cents * $7 Amazon credit for 1,000 points |
|
1.58% |
| National Bank Rewards | 0.83 cents * $50 e-gift card for 6,350 points, * $100 gift card for 12,000 points, or * $100 e-gift card for 12,700 points, |
|
1.31% |
| Aeroplan | 0.71 cents * $100 gift card for 14,000 miles, or * $250 gift card for 35,000 miles |
|
0.77% |
| CIBC Rewards | 0.71 cents * $50 gift card for 7,000 points, or * $100 gift card for 14,000 points |
|
0.86% |
Please note that all values reflected in card views do not represent Amazon redemption values, but optimized redemptions instead.
Keep in mind: For every program mentioned here, redeeming for gift cards won’t give you the best value of your miles – travel does.
But if you have some spare miles lying around, don’t have any travel plans for the foreseeable future, or are looking for a way to get rid of unwanted points, gift cards can be an easy way to get some immediate use for your points.
Claim an Amazon gift card via BMO Rewards
BMO Rewards will also let you use your points to get Amazon gift cards.
There’s only one denomination you can get – a $100 Amazon gift card for 20,300 points, a value of 0.50 cents per point.
The best BMO Rewards credit card?
The best BMO Rewards credit card is the
GC: $150
$150 GeniusCash + Exclusive: Up to 70,000 bonus points + 5x points on gas & groceries.*
Get Amazon gift cards from MBNA Rewards
For those who collect MBNA Rewards, you can use your rewards for an Amazon gift card.
Use 11,255 points for an $100 Amazon gift card, a value of 0.89 cents per point ‒ the highest point value of the 8 reward programs.
The best MBNA Rewards card?
For earning the most MBNA Rewards, the
×4 Award winner GC: $125 + $25
4x Award winner
Enjoy free Amazon gift cards from Scene+
Next on our program list is Scene+.
For Amazon gift cards, there are plenty of denominations to choose from, here are 2 popular options:
- 6,700 points for a $50 gift card, or
- 13,400 points for a $100 gift card.
Each one gives you a value of 0.75 cents each.
The best Scene+ credit card?
For the most points with Scene+, the
×1 Award winner GC: $60
1x Award winner
Shop on Amazon with Amex Membership Rewards
For Amex Membership Rewards, there are no Amazon gift cards available – you’ll get an Amazon credit instead.
For shopping at Amazon, Amex Membership Rewards takes things up a notch.
Instead of having the extra step of getting a gift card, you can use your points to directly pay for Amazon purchases instead.
You’ll save $7 at checkout with 1,000 Membership Rewards points, a value of 0.70 cents per point.
How does it work? Go to amazon.ca/membershiprewards and sign in to your Amazon account (or create a new one).
Follow the steps to link your Membership Rewards account to your Amazon account.
And that’s it! When you’re at the checkout, you’ll have the option to use your points to help pay for your purchase.
The best Amex Membership Rewards card?
The best Amex Membership Rewards card is the
Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.* Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.* ×8 Award winner 
8x Award winner
Use National Bank A La Carte Rewards for Amazon gift cards
Continuing with bank programs, the next one up is National Bank Rewards.
There are 3 different options, each with varying point values:
- $50 e-gift card for 6,350 points, value of 0.79 cents,
- $100 gift card for 12,000 points, value of 0.83 cents, and
- $100 e-gift card for 12,700 points, value of 0.79 cents.
Redeeming for a regular $100 gift card is your best value. But if you need it quicker, you can opt for the e-gift cards instead – it’s the only program where this was offered.
The best National Bank credit card?
For the most rewards, the
Swap your Aeroplan miles for free Amazon gift cards
For a non-bank program, next up is Canada’s largest airline program – Aeroplan.
When it comes to Amazon gift cards, you have the choice of 2 amounts:
- 14,000 miles for a $100 gift card, or
- 35,000 miles for a $250 gift card.
Either one will net you a value of 0.71 cents per mile. There are lots of other gift cards available as well for the same value.
But there’s one exception – Air Canada gift cards. The smallest amount is $100, but it only costs 10,000 miles, a value of 1 cent per mile.
A top Aeroplan credit card
A top Aeroplan credit card right now is the
This is a long way from the typical return of 2.18% when redeemed for Aeroplan flights. But…if you find yourself Amazon shopping more than flying, then by all means.
Try CIBC Rewards for Amazon gift cards
CIBC Rewards has an array of gift cards you can redeem for, including Amazon cards.
You have 2 choices, each with the same value:
- $50 gift card for 7,000 points, and
- a $100 gift card for 14,000 points.
Either one is worth 0.71 cents per point.
The best CIBC Rewards credit card?
For the most Aventura points, look no further than the
You’ll earn roughly 29,100 Aventura points per year, which gives this card a return of 0.86% – which is one of the worst in the group.
The best credit card for getting Amazon gift cards
After looking through all these numbers, there’s a clear winner – the
More so, it also only has a small difference when you compare redeeming for travel and Amazon gift cards. With an average return of 2.6% when redeemed for travel, you’re only losing out on 0.21% of value.
With an earn rate of up to 5 points on every $1 you spend, for the Amazon enthusiast, it’s a great way to turn credit card rewards into free purchases at Amazon.
Coming in at a close second is the
- 5 points per $1 spent on groceries, restaurants, and entertainment,
- 3 points per $1 on gas, transit, and select streaming services, as well as
- 1 point on all other purchases.
This means you’ll get more points – and if you spend heavily in the 5x category, it could actually give you a better return as well.
×4 Award winner GC: $125 + $25 4x Award winner
×1 Award winner GC: $60 1x Award winner
Programs that let you redeem for gift cards, but don’t carry Amazon gift cards
There’s a couple of programs that have yet to be mentioned, as they don’t have Amazon gift cards.
AIR MILES is the biggest one that stands out. You can use your Cash Miles to either redeem for a discount in store, or print a voucher you can bring in instead. Amazon is currently not available for this redemption option.
Our top hotel loyalty program Marriott Bonvoy doesn’t have Amazon gift card redemptions in Canada (but they do in the U.S.).
Out of the big Canadian bank programs, we didn’t mention RBC Rewards. TD Rewards doesn’t carry any Amazon gift cards. And unfortunately, we’re unable to check RBC Rewards, as an account is required to view their catalogue, and no one in the creditcardGenius team has one. Leave a comment below if you have any insight on this.
You may also notice that major retail programs like PC Optimum and Canadian Tire Triangle Rewards aren’t mentioned either. For both of these programs, even though you can buy Amazon gift cards in store, you can’t use program points to pay for them (nor can you collect points when purchasing them either). The same holds true when trying to redeem AIR MILES Cash in store for gift cards.
Lastly, you may be able to cash out your earnings on sites like Survey Junkie and convert them into Amazon gift cards.
Your turn to weigh in
Any strategies you use for getting Amazon gift cards for free?
Share them with everyone in the comments below.
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