From points bonuses and cash back offers to annuabonvl fee waivers, there’s no shortage of credit card promotions out there on the market.
Designed to spur interest and entice applications, promotional offers can also help those on the hunt for a new credit card quickly amass hundreds of dollars in bonus rewards. So, while an offer alone shouldn’t be a deciding factor and is just one piece of the puzzle that goes into choosing a credit card, there’s no denying it can make an already great credit card even better.
It’s with that in mind that Ratehub.ca listed the top promotions available from some of the best credit cards in Canada. Remember, when reading through these offers, make sure to also look into which card would make a good long-term fit for your personal spending habits.
The best credit card promotions in Canada for 2022
Credit card | Card promotion |
Tangerine World Mastercard (VIEW) | 10% cash back for first 2 months (up to $100) |
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite (VIEW) | Up to 50,000 Aeroplan points |
Scotiabank Gold Amex (VIEW) | Up to 40,000 SCENE points ($400 value) |
American Express Cobalt (VIEW) | Up to 30,000 Amex MR points (+$300 value) |
CIBC Select Visa* Card (VIEW) | 0% balance transfer offer for 10 months |
Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card (VIEW) | 50,000 Welcome Bonus points |
BMO Cashback Mastercard (View) | 5% cash back for 3 months (up to $100) |
MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus (VIEW) | 10,000 MBNA points ($50 value)• |
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Tangerine World Mastercard
Learn more about the Tangerine World Mastercard
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
Learn more about the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
Scotiabank Gold American Express
Learn more about the Scotiabank American Express
American Express Cobalt
Learn more about the American Express Cobalt
CIBC Select Visa* Card
Learn more about the CIBC Select Visa
Below, we provide a quick snapshot of some other noteworthy credit card promotions you’ll want to consider in your hunt for some new plastic to add to your wallet.
Marriott Bonvoy American Express
Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card
BMO CashBack Mastercard
Learn more about the BMO CashBack Mastercard
MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus
Learn more about the MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus
6 Important considerations when looking at credit card promotions
1. While it may be tempting to apply for a credit card on the merit of its promotional offer alone, it’s important to evaluate whether it would make a good long-term fit for your personal spending habits. Unless you’re accustomed to churning cards on the regular, odds are you will keep a credit card after its promotional offer ends and when its regular earn rate or annual fees kick in.
So, if one of the best credit cards for gas has a particularly strong promotional offer but you don’t own a car, you may want to consider an alternative credit card – even if its welcome offer is lacking in comparison.
2. A credit card promotion may be an efficient way to amass bonus rewards, but it’ll rarely scratch your instant gratification itch. Whether it’s a points offer or accelerated cash back, in most cases, card issuers won’t provide your bonus immediately and you’ll have to wait several weeks before your rewards are redeemable.
3. It’s important to note credit card promotional offers often have terms and conditions that can impact your eligibility. In the case of a points bonus for instance, you will often be required to meet a minimum spending threshold in order to unlock the offer (i.e. spending a minimum of $1,000 during your first three months of card membership). In other instances, you’ll need to maintain an account in good standing to avoid losing out on the bonus. You also typically won’t be eligible for a card’s welcome bonus if you already have an account open with the card issuer. For instance, Scotiabank card welcome offers explicitly exclude anyone who is currently a primary or secondary cardholder of a Scotia credit card or had a Scotia account opened within the previous two years.
4. Any credit card you apply for – whether it has a promotional offer or not – can affect your credit score. While a credit card application may only temporarily impact your credit score by a few points, you may want to keep this in mind in case you have a big financial decision to make in the near future that will require a credit check (such as a rental or mortgage application).
5. Credit card promotions can offer hundreds of dollars worth in bonus rewards, but that’ll be in vain if you don’t pay off your balance in full. If you’re driven to overspend just to qualify for the welcome offer in time, you can end up racking up a large balance and owing more in interest. The best credit card promotions have qualification terms that can be met by your regular spending habits.
6. Credit card promotions usually exclude “manufactured spending.” If you make a big-ticket purchase just to hit a card promotion’s spending requirement and return that item soon after, that won’t count. For instance, the BMO Ascend World Elite offers up to 70,000 points and the annual fee waived in the first year for both the primary cardholder and authorized users.
Find your perfect credit card in under 60 seconds - No SIN required
Tell us a bit about yourself
Answer some questions so we can personalize our recommendations - this won't impact your credit score
Check your eligibility
We confirm your eligibility with our partner, TransUnion. This will be a ‘soft credit check’ which you can see but lenders cannot
Find your perfect matches
We show you the cards you’re most likely to want and most likely to get