Top five travel rewards cards,
Travel rewards credit cards seek to offset the costs of travel by offering points on everyday purchases, but with more than 75 to choose from, finding the right card for you can be a challenge.
To help Canadians decide which card is best, Rewards Canada recently released its 2013 rankings of Canada’s top travel rewards cards in five categories. Here, we examine the winners.
TOP TRAVEL POINTS CREDIT CARD WITH AN ANNUAL FEE
Capital One’s Aspire Travel World MasterCard gives you two miles for every dollar spent and gives a generous 35,000-mile bonus on your first purchase, which equals $350 worth of travel. You also get 10,000 bonus miles each year on your card anniversary, which helps offset the $120 annual fee.
TOP TRAVEL POINTS CREDIT CARD WITHOUT A FEE
The American Express Blue Sky Card allows members to earn 1.25 points for every dollar spent on the card and gives new members 10,000 points after charging their first $500 of purchases within the first three months of membership.
TOP HYBRID TRAVEL REWARD CREDIT CARD
The American Express Gold Rewards Card provides two points per dollar of gas, grocery, drugstore and travel purchases and one point per dollar on all other spending. Unlike other cards that force you to redeem points on certain airlines or hotel chains, the hybrid card allows you to simply redeem membership points against the travel charge on your account.
TOP AIRLINE CREDIT CARD
CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite Card provides 1.5 Aeroplan miles on grocery, drugstore and gas station purchases. Air Canada and the Star Alliance provide the most flight coverage domestically and outside Canada, giving Aerogold holders many redemption options. The card also offers comprehensive travel insurance and car rental discounts, all for an annual fee of $120.
TOP HOTEL CREDIT CARD
Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card allows card holders to redeem Starpoints for hotel stays. Earn one point for every $1 purchase on the card and receive a free weekend night award when you reach $40,000 in purchases each year. With a $120 annual fee, this card has a lot of perks for those who travel frequently.