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The best Visa credit cards in Canada for 2022

Whether you’re looking for a travel credit card, an everyday cash back card, a low-interest card, or something else, Visa has got you covered. The largest among Canada’s three major credit card networks (including Mastercard and American Express), Visa offers a wide variety of credit products to fit every need. Below, let’s take a look at the best Visa cards in Canada.

Best overall Visa card

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Offering the highest earn rate for a non-travel card on this list, the BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite offers a whopping five times the BMO points per dollar on virtually all types of food and transit purchases - from groceries and restaurants to gas, rideshares, taxis, and public transit. No other Visa card in Canada earns more rewards per dollar on restaurants and daily transit. Not only that, but when you add an authorized user, your earn rate will get a 10% boost, effectively rising to 5.5 points per dollar in the same categories. 

Plus, there’s also the card’s current welcome offer: new users can earn up to 60,000 BMO points and get their $120 annual fee waived in the first year. 

For travellers, the BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite’s flexibility is something to take note of. BMO points can be redeemed for flights on virtually any airline (with no blackout dates or restrictions) in increments of 400 points for one dollar. And, if using your points for travel isn’t what you’re looking for, you can also redeem them for statement credits in increments of 200 points per dollar. 

And while the card does have an annual fee of $120, it also comes with a yearly $50 credit which you can use to offset the fee, bringing it down to $70.

Pros:

• 5x the points on virtually all food and transit purchases - the best value in these categories of any card in Canada
• Get a 10% boost to your earn rate by adding an authorized user
• Welcome offer: get up to 60,000 points and your annual fee waived for the first year ($120 value)
• Flexible redemption: use your points to book travel on virtually any airline or for statement credits
• Yearly $50 credit

Cons:

• Outside of food and transit, you’ll only earn one point per dollar on other purchases
• The card’s travel insurance benefits aren’t that extensive, lacking perks such as flight delay and lost/delayed baggage insurance
• Your points must be redeemed through the BMO Rewards Centre, which does offer access to virtually all major airlines, but also means you can’t use points to book flights directly from an airline or third-party travel website.
  
  

Best cash back Visa card

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Offering an impressive 4% cash back on both groceries and gas - two of the most popular spending categories among Canadian households - the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite also gets you 2% cash back on dining/food delivery, daily transit and recurring payments, making it one of the most solid cash back cards on the market today.

For new users signing up online, they’re also currently offering a digital-only welcome bonus of 10% cash back (up to $300) and a first-year annual fee rebate.

Points can be flexibly redeemed in increments of $25 or more, and you’ll also receive some key insurance benefits, including out-of-province/country travel emergency medical insurance and mobile device insurance.

Plus, drivers can link and use their CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite card with Journie Rewards to automatically save up to 10 cents per litre at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron gas stations.

Pros:

• Digital-only welcome bonus: New users who apply online can get a first-year annual fee rebate and earn a 10% cash back welcome bonus of up to $300.
• Earns 4% cash back on both groceries and gas - two of the most popular spending categories among Canadian households.
• Get 2% cash back on everything from dining/food deliveries and daily transit to recurring bill payments.
• Cardholders receive access to some key insurance benefits including out-of-province/country travel emergency medical insurance and mobile device insurance.
• Redeem cash back flexibly on your schedule in increments of at least $25.
• Link and use your CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card with Journie Rewards to automatically save up to 10 cents per litre† at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron gas stations

Cons:

• Lacks comprehensive travel insurance benefits including flight delay and lost/delayed baggage insurance (perks some premium cardholders have come to expect).
  
  

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Another formidable entry into this category is the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite, which offers 4% cash back on groceries and recurring bills (including streaming subscriptions like Netflix and Spotify), plus 2% on virtually all types of transit (gas, rideshares, taxis, public transportation). 

The card’s welcome offer is also one of the best out there for cash-back cards: new users who sign up by August 31, 2022 can get 10% cash back on all purchases (up to a max of $2000) plus no annual fee in the first year, including supplementary cards. Used wisely, that signup incentive can net you huge savings right away.

The card also comes with complimentary benefits including mobile device insurance (up to $1,000 on newly-purchased smartphones) and emergency out-of-province/country travel insurance.

Pros:

• New cardholders who sign up by August 31, 2022 can enjoy 10% cash back across the board for the first three months (up to $2000) plus no annual fee in the first year on primary and supplementary cards
• Earns 4% cash back on groceries year-round. It also earns 4% on recurring bill payments - which can encompass a slew of purchases from smartphone bills and cable to streaming subscriptions (think Netflix and Spotify).
• Earns 2% cash back on virtually all types of transit - from gas and rideshares to public transit and taxis.
• Mobile device insurance (up to $1,000 on newly-purchased smartphones) and emergency out-of-province/country travel insurance are included as complimentary benefits.

Cons:

• Cash back is only redeemable once per calendar year in September.
  
  

Best no-fee Visa card

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The Home Trust Preferred Visa comes with no annual fee and earns a flat-rate of 1% cash back across all purchases made in Canadian currency. Plus, unlike many Canadian credit cards, it has no foreign transaction fees - a big drawing point for frequent travelers or those who shop online in a foreign currency such as USD. 

The card also comes with an insurance feature not seen on many cards of this type - complimentary car rental collision insurance. There’s also no income requirement, meaning lower-income applicants with a solid credit score should find it easier to be approved.

As this is a no-fee card, you won’t find as many bells and whistles as those with a yearly charge, but this card’s unique features make it stand out.

Pros:

• Earns a flat 1% cash back on everything you buy in a Canadian currency.
• It’s one of the few Canadian credit cards to completely waive its foreign transaction fees (unlike most cards, you won’t owe an additional 2.5% fee when making a purchase in a foreign currency - either while abroad or when shopping online).
• Complimentary car rental collision insurance is included, a perk rarely offered by no-fee cards.
• Applicants won’t need to meet a specific income requirement to be considered eligible.

Cons:

• If you don’t charge at least one purchase on the card over a consecutive 365-day period, you’ll owe a $12 inactivity fee. The silver lining: this small fee is easily avoidable by making at least one purchase on the card every year.
• Cardholders can make a maximum of 10 transactions per day with the Home Trust Preferred Visa.
• The card’s earn rate doesn’t apply to purchases made in foreign currency
  
  

Best airline Visa card

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Aeroplan clients and frequent Air Canada fliers searching for a card to help them earn more on travel should look no further than the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite.

The card’s limited-time welcome offer is impressive: new users who apply by September 5, 2022 can get up to 50,000 Aeroplan points (a $1,400 cash value) plus a waived annual fee for the first year and additional travel benefits. Broken down, it looks like this:

• Earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase with your new card
• Earn 20,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $1,500 within 90 days of Account opening
• Get an additional 20,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $7,500 within 12 months of Account opening

Aside from that, the card’s regular rates allow users to earn 1.5 points for every dollar spent on eligible gas, grocery and direct through Air Canada purchases (including Air Canada Vacations) and 1 point per dollar on everything else. The biggest benefit, however (and one common to most co-branded airline cards) is that if you use your Aeroplan card in conjunction with this card at participating retailers, you’ll get double the points. 

Air Canada travelers can also enjoy perks like complimentary checked baggage and the chance to earn Status Qualifying Miles to reach Aeroplan Elite Status more quickly. In addition, the card comes with an extensive travel insurance package covering everything from flight cancellation/delay to emergency medical. As an added bonus, users who enroll for NEXUS will get an application fee rebate (up to $100 CAD) every 48 months. Additional Cardholders can also take advantage of this NEXUS fee rebate.

Pros:

• Earns between 1 and 1.5 Aeroplan points per dollar on everyday purchases.
• Aeroplan points can be redeemed for flights on Air Canada or over 27 Star Alliance member airlines (including United Airlines and Lufthansa, to name a few).
• Access to Air Canada perks: first bag checked free on Air Canada flights for the primary cardholder and up to eight travel companions (up to $30 in savings per traveler on flights across Canada and the US) plus the ability to earn credits towards achieving elite airline status. 
• The card’s stacked digital-only welcome offer includes up to 50,000 bonus points, no annual fee for the first year, and additional travel benefits (a total value of up to $1,400). Must apply online by September 5, 2022.
• Up to $100 in Nexus Membership reimbursements available every 48 months; allowing for smoother cross-border travel within Canada or between the US.
• Comprehensive travel insurance benefits with up to 21 days of out-of-province/country medical emergency coverage, flight delay insurance, lost/delayed baggage insurance, and even hotel/motel burglary insurance for stays within the US and Canada.

Cons:

• The card’s annual fee is $139 versus the $120 typically found on comparable rewards cards.
• The Aeroplan points program isn’t the most straightforward, and navigating your way around the program’s quite elaborate rewards chart / understanding how to best maximize points can require considerable effort.
• Aeroplan points can’t be redeemed on any airline but only on Air Canada and Star Alliance Members.
  
  

Best Visa travel card

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Offering a fantastic earn rate, thorough insurance package, and one of the best welcome bonuses of any travel credit card in Canada right now, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite takes our prize for best Visa travel card.

New users who sign up for the card by October 29, 2022 can earn themselves up to a staggering 100,000 bonus points (a travel value of $500 when booked through ExpediaforTD.com) along with a waived annual fee for the first year. Here’s how the offer works:

• Welcome bonus of 20,000 TD Points when you make your first purchase with your card.
• 80,000 TD Points when you spend $1,500 within 90 days of account opening.

Outside of that, users will still get nine TD points per dollar on travel purchases through ExpediaforTD.com, and three points per dollar on all other purchases. That’s a great earn rate that will keep the card useful long after the welcome bonus ends. TD points are also extremely straightforward: one point equals 0.5 cents in travel rewards, and your points never expire.

The card also comes with a thorough travel insurance package covering everything from medical emergencies (up to $1 million) to lost/delayed baggage.

Pros:

• TD Rewards Points are extremely flexible and easy-to-understand. 1 point equals 0.5 cents in travel rewards, and thanks to TD’s partnership with Expedia, points can be redeemed for virtually anything available on one of the world’s largest travel search engines.
• Earn 9 TD Points per dollar (equivalent to 4.5% in travel rewards) on purchases booked online through the ExpediaforTD website - one of the highest earn rates on travel spending on any travel card in Canada. 
• Earn a flat 3 TD Points per dollar (equivalent to 1.5% in travel rewards) on all everyday purchases.
• For a limited time, cardholders can get up to 100,000 bonus points (a travel value of up to $500 when you book travel purchases through ExpediaforTD.com) and a first-year annual fee rebate for primary and additional cardholders (a value of up to $170). Must apply by October 29, 2022.
• Gain comprehensive travel insurance coverage with up to $1,000,000 in travel medical emergency coverage for trips up to 21 days.

Cons:

• While the TD First Class Visa Infinite offers points bonus on travel spending as well as a strong flat earn rate on everything else, it doesn’t offer additional points on popular spending categories like groceries, gas, or dining.
• Unlike other travel cards, the card doesn’t offer any complimentary airport lounge access, instead opting for an annual discount
• The card charges foreign transaction fees (2.5%)
  
  

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For those looking for a flexible travel card boasting great perks, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite warrants a look.

The card’s current welcome bonus gives new users who sign up by October 31, 2022 the chance to earn up to 35,000 bonus Scene+ points (a value of $350) in their first year, broken down as follows:

• Earn 25,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $1,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first three months.
• Plus, as a Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite cardholder, you are eligible to earn an annual 10,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $40,000 in everyday net eligible purchases annually.

And even after the first year, you’ll continue to earn 10,000 bonus points as long as you meet the spending minimum. 

The card also comes with some excellent benefits, including no foreign transaction fees, a complimentary membership to Priority Pass’ 1300-plus airport lounges with six free visits per year. It should be noted that most cards offering this level of lounge benefits charge up to $300 in annual fees, meanwhile, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite’s annual fee is just $139. There’s also the card’s impressive travel insurance package, covering emergency medical, flight delay and more.

Scotia Rewards Points are also flexible and easy-to-understand: 5,000 points always equals $50, and you can redeem them to book travel directly from an airline or travel website (so you aren’t forced to rely on Scotia’s in-house travel agency). 

The card’s earn rate on its own isn’t the most compelling (2x the points on eligible grocery stores, dining, entertainment purchases, and daily transit, one point per dollar on everything else) but its welcome offer and strong benefits can outweigh it for the right user.

Pros:

• Complimentary membership to Priority Pass (access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide) with six free visits per year - many cards offering this come with a much higher annual fee.
• No foreign transaction fees on purchases (adds up to 2.5% savings on all purchases made in a non-Canadian currency) - making it the only card in Canada to combine lounge access and no fx fee perks.
• Flexible point system: points can be used to book travel directly from an airline or agency, and can also be redeemed retroactively towards travel purchases (allowing you to use points to offset the cost of a travel expense at a later date, up to 12 months after it was booked). 
• Scotia Rewards Points values are easy to calculate. There are no complicated rewards charts and 5,000 points always equal $50 in travel savings (1 cent per point / 1% in travel rewards).
• You can add your first authorized user for free.
• New cardholders who sign up by October 31, 2022 can earn up to 35,000 bonus Scene+ points in their first year (a $350 value).
• All cardholders can unlock an additional 10,000 bonus points ($100 travel value) every year, provided you spend at least $40,000 on the card annually.
• Comprehensive travel insurance benefits including emergency out-of-province/country emergency medical insurance, flight delay, travel accident insurance, and hotel/motel burglary insurance.

Cons:

• While the card’s perks are impressive, its everyday rewards rate (1 to 2 Scotia Points per dollar spent) isn’t as compelling.
  
  

Best Visa card for students

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The TD Rewards Visa card is ideal for students - between its low-interest promotional offer, no annual fee, and earn rates on things like groceries, fast food and travel, it’s an ideal card for young users just starting their credit journey.

The card’s current welcome offer features an ultra-low 9.99% purchase interest rate for the first six months (a bit of a safety net for students still getting the hang of paying off their bill in full), plus a $50 value in TD Rewards Points for use at Amazon.ca with Shop With Points if the account is kept open, active and in good standing for the first 90 days (must apply by October 29, 2022). 

Students can also earn two TD Rewards points for every dollar they spend on groceries, restaurants, fast food and recurring bills, as well as three points per dollar on travel purchases made through ExpediaforTD.com and one point per dollar on everything else. Loyal Starbucks customers can also earn 50% more points by linking their card with their Starbucks loyalty account. 

Points don’t expire and can be redeemed on gift cards, cash back, and more, providing much-needed flexibility. 

Pros:

• New customers who apply by October 29, 2022 will receive a 9.99% promotional interest rate on purchases for the first six months, plus a $50 value in TD Rewards Points for use at Amazon.ca with Shop With Points if the account is kept open, active and in good standing for the first 90 days.
• No annual fee and no charge for additional cardholders.
• Earn 2 TD Rewards points for every $1 in grocery, restaurant and fast food purchases, and regularly recurring bill payments.
• Earn 3 TD Rewards points for every $1 in travel purchases made through ExpediaForTD.com.
• Earn 1 TD Rewards point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Earn 50% more TD Rewards points at Starbucks.
• Points can also be redeemed for cash back, gift cards and more.
• TD Rewards Points won’t expire as long as an account is open and in good standing.
• Use the TD Rewards Visa for qualifying car rentals at Avis Rent-A-Car and Budget Rent-A-Car and save a minimum of 10% off the lowest available base rates in Canada and the U.S. and a minimum of 5% off the lowest available base rates internationally.

Cons:

• Students could lose track of when the promotional interest rate ends - causing them to get hit with a higher APR
  
  

Best Visa card for improving credit

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Whether you’re trying to transfer a balance or just want a low-interest credit card for everyday use, the CIBC Select Visa may be up your alley.

The card’s current signup offer allows new users to get 0% interest for up to 10 months when they transfer their balance, plus a 1% transfer fee and a waived annual fee for the first year. While other balance transfer cards may offer 0% interest on their promotions, it’s rare to see a window as long as 10 months - something that sets this card apart. 

Beyond the welcome offer, the CIBC Select Visa’s standard interest rate is still well below average at 13.99%. It’s also fixed, meaning it won’t fluctuate as a result of your credit rating or the bank’s prime lending rate.

As with most balance transfer credit cards, the Select Visa doesn’t offer much in the way of extra perks, but it does feature $100,000 common carrier accident insurance and the opportunity to save up to 10 cents/litre at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron gas stations.

Pros:

• Below average APR across the board on purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances.
• Welcome bonus: get 0% interest for up to 10 months with a 1% transfer fee and first year annual fee rebate 
• The interest rate is fixed and won’t fluctuate regardless of your credit rating or Bank’s prime lending rate.
• Includes up to $100,000 in common carrier accident insurance.
• Link and use your CIBC Select Visa Card with Journie Rewards to automatically save up to 10 cents per litre at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron gas stations.

Cons:

• It has stiff competition from other lower interest cards from the likes of MBNA True Line Mastercard and BMO Preferred Rate Mastercard.