The 10 Best Visa Credit Cards in Canada
By Katherine Parent | Published on 10 Oct 2023
Table of Contents
Visa credit cards are a mainstay in the wallets of many Canadians over the age of 18. It is impossible to talk about credit cards in Canada without reviewing the many options that Visa offers. Visa is one of the go-to credit card networks and offers an impressive variety of cards to choose from. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve listed the best Visa credit cards in Canada. This list is part of our greater compilation of the best credit cards in Canada. Having a credit card allows you to start building your credit score with the goal of getting loans and further credit in the future. Whether your priority is earning cash back, getting rewards or enjoying various travel perks, there is a Visa credit card for you.
1. RBC Avion Visa Infinite – Best for Converting your Points Between Several Loyalty Programs
With the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card, you earn 1 Avion point per dollar spent and 1.25 points on travel-related purchases. You then redeem your points for travel by choosing the airline, flight and departure that suit you best. There are no blackout periods or seat restrictions. One-way flights start at 7,500 Avion points.
If you don’t want to use your Avion Rewards points for travel, you can convert them to other frequent flyer programs such as American Airlines AAdvantage, British Airways Executive Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles and WestJet Rewards. If the Avion program doesn’t work for you, keep looking for air travel hacks.
Other benefits of the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card include a unique catalog of experiences ranging from ski slopes to culinary experiences. Plus, when you link your Petro-Points card to your RBC credit card, you save 3¢ per liter on every fill-up at Petro-Canada and earn 20% more Petro-Points.
If you often have your meals delivered, you’ll enjoy a $0 delivery fee with DoorDash. RBC offers you a free DashPass subscription for up to 12 months with an eligible credit card.
You’ll also benefit from a wide range of insurance options, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, out-of-province or out-of-country emergency medical coverage, and collision and damage insurance for rental vehicles.
| Eligibility | Description |
| Credit Score (estimated) | 660 |
| Annual Income | $60,000 personal or $100,000 household |
| Other | Be a Canadian resident. Be the age of majority in your province or territory. |
2. RBC ION Visa Card – Best No-Fee Visa Credit Card
No-fee credit cards usually offer less perks than premier cards. The RBC ION Visa will surprise you. The base earning rate is 1 Avion point for every $1 you spend. But you can get 1.5 point on groceries, gas, rideshares, daily public transit and electric vehicle charging, streaming, gaming, eligible digital subscriptions and downloads, and in-game purchases.
To redeem your points, conditions are flexible. Using Pay With Points, you can redeem your Avion points to pay bills, your credit card balance or send money with Interac e-transfers. You can also redeem your points for gift cards or merchandise through the Avion Rewards catalogue.
There’s more. When you link your credit card to your Petro Points, you save 3¢/L on fuel and earn 20% more points. If you enjoy DoorDash, you’ll be happy to learn that you can get a 3-month complimentary DashPass subscription and enjoy unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more.
However, the RBC ION Visa card does not offer many insurance protections. You only get Purchase Security and Extended Warranty Insurance. It protects card purchases against loss, theft or damage within 90 days of purchase, and doubles the manufacturer’s original Canadian warranty by up to one additional year.
| Eligibility | Description |
| Credit Score (estimated) | 660 |
| Annual Income | None disclosed |
| Other | Be a Canadian resident. Be the age of majority in your province or territory. |
3. Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card – Best Visa for Cash Back
The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite card offers particularly attractive cash back rewards that vary by category. You will get 4% back on groceries as well as all recurring payments or subscriptions. There is additionally 2% cash back on gas and public transportation, including ride-share apps like Uber, and 1% on all other purchases.
Cardholders can take advantage of the Visa Infinite program, which includes three main benefits. First is a concierge service, which has a 24-hour telephone service, seven days a week. The concierge can help you in a variety of ways, from finding the perfect gift to finding tickets for the new show in town. Second, there are also several hotels where Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite cardholders will receive discounts, in addition to having the option to upgrade their hotel room and access to free Wi-Fi in their room. Third, it comes with a Dining and Wine Country program. You could dine with some of the biggest names in the food and wine industry for a delicious meal.
The card also offers several types of insurance. Cardholders benefit from protection on new mobile phones or tablets, while under contract with a mobile provider. On purchases made with the card, you are covered for damage or loss of items within 90 days of the date of purchase. There is also an extended warranty that doubles the manufacturer’s warranty on products purchased with the card for up to one additional year.
The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite also provides protection against trip delays or cancellations if the cost of the trip has been charged to the card. If you are under the age of 65 and the trip is at most 10 days, while travelling you have access to emergency medical coverage up to $1,000,000 if needed because of an accident or illness. In addition, if the plane is late, you can be reimbursed for all expenses incurred while waiting for the next flight, hotel room, food, etc. For all lost luggage or baggage delayed for more than four hours, there is insurance that can reimburse losses or the price of necessities if the luggage is late. You are also covered in the case of an accident on public transport or in a rental car. Despite these advantages, always remember to compare flights and compare hotel rooms before booking.
| Eligibility | Description |
| Credit Score (estimated) | 700 |
| Annual Income | $60,000 personal or $100,000 household or $250,000 assets under management |
| Other | Be a Canadian resident. Be the age of majority in your province or territory. Minimum credit limit of $5,000 |
4. BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite Card – Best Visa Credit Card for Couples
[Offer productType=”CreditCard” api_id=”5ff3e0a918430b1206c2fae4″]The BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite card allows you to earn BMO Rewards points through the loyalty program offered by Bank of Montreal. You are entitled to a lifestyle credit of $50 per year, to be used as you see fit. Moreover, if the main cardholder also takes out a secondary card to give to, for example, to his or her spouse, they will earn 10% more points.
Cardholders of the BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite accumulate points at a fast rate. You get 5 points per dollar spent on groceries, transit, food delivery, takeout, groceries, rideshare and gas. Then, you get 1 BMO Rewards point for every dollar you spend everywhere else.
Once the points have a minimum reward value of $1, you can redeem them for various rewards. You can spend rewards points on travel, credits to the account, gift cards, products, and experiences. How much is a latte worth? 1,500 points. And a very good blender? About 126,500 points. You could get it after one year of using the card if you spend $1,650 per month in the specified categories and thanks to a generous welcome offer.
| Eligibility | Description |
| Credit Score (estimated) | 660 |
| Annual Income | $60,000 personal or $100,000 household or $15,000 of currently reported annual expenditures |
| Other | Be a Canadian resident. Be the age of majority in your province or territory. |
5. TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card – Best Visa to Get the Most Aeroplan Points
Frequent travellers and lovers of adventure will be especially interested in the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card which includes the Aeroplan rewards program.
The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite earns Aeroplan Points on every purchase you make. You earn 1.5 Aeroplan points for every dollar you spend on gas, groceries and at Air Canada, and 1 point for every dollar you spend on all other purchases. Double your points by shopping at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and more than 170 online retailers in the Aeroplan eBoutique. You can then redeem your points for flights, hotel reservations, car rentals, merchandise and gift cards.
For example, if you spend $1,000 on gas, groceries and Air Canada purchases per month, and $1,000 on all other purchases, you could earn up to 80,000 points in your first year with the welcome bonus.
Other card features include Air Canada travel benefits that save on baggage fees, complimentary Visa Infinite concierge service, an exclusive collection of luxury hotels, access to gourmet events, tickets to organized events, and much more. For those travelling to the U.S., this card entitles you to a discount on NEXUS membership fees every 48 months. This card also includes travel medical insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, hotel/motel theft insurance, flight and travel delay insurance as well as delayed and lost baggage insurance, among others.
| Eligibility | Description |
| Credit Score (estimated) | 660 |
| Annual Income | $60,000 personal or $100,000 household |
| Other | Be a Canadian resident. Be the age of majority in your province or territory. |
*TD is not responsible for the content on this website. For the most up-to-date information, please visit td.ca.
6. BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege – Best Premium Visa Credit Card
The BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege card is a high-end metal card. It’s sure to impress! Each year, you’ll benefit from a $200 credit, which will help you pay off its annual fees. The minimum annual income requirement is quite high.
What sets it apart from its little sister are its travel benefits: you earn 5x the points on travel purchases and you get a free membership in the Visa Airport Companion program, with six free airport lounge visits per year. With the BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege card, you also earn 5 BMO Rewards points per dollar spent on groceries, gas, drugstores, restaurants and meal delivery. Then you earn 1 BMO Rewards point for every dollar you spend everywhere else. You earn 25% more points by adding an authorized user to your account.
With approximately $2,000 in monthly spending, you’ll earn about 180,000 points after one year. For example, a trip from Vancouver to Rio de Janeiro is worth 118,000 points. The number of points required for travel is subject to change.
| Eligibility | Description |
| Credit Score (estimated) | 760 |
| Annual Income | $150,000 personal or $200,000 household |
| Other | Be a Canadian resident. Be the age of majority in your province or territory. |
7. Scotiabank Value Visa Card – Best Low-Interest Visa Credit Card
Inflation is hard on everyone. If you need to carry a balance on your credit card, the Scotiabank Value Visa is perfect for you. It has an interest rate of 12.99% on purchases and cash advances, allowing you to manage your monthly payments with more flexibility. By using a low-interest credit card, you limit the damages of carrying a balance to your credit score. This card also helps you save on car rentals. Like other Scotiabank credit cards, you can take advantage of discounts of up to 25% at Avis and Budget in North America.
| Eligibility | Description |
| Credit Score (estimated) | 660 |
| Annual Income | $12,000 |
| Other | Be a Canadian resident. Be the age of majority in your province or territory. |
8. Scotia Passport Visa Infinite – Best Visa Card for Foreign Currency Purchases
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card offers a number of very attractive benefits. The card offers Scene+ points accumulation fairly quickly. Cardholders earn 3 Scene+ points per dollar at partner grocery stores like Sobeys, 2 Scene+ points at all other grocery stores, restaurants and entertainment venues, 2 points on public transit and 1 point on all other purchases.
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card offers a number of exclusive advantages, such as no foreign currency transaction fees for online transactions and purchases made abroad. It also includes access to 6 free airport lounges per year, and easier travel purchases thanks to its Scene+ Travel Service and concierge service.
All Scotiabank Visa Infinite Passport cardholders can join the Avis Preferred Plus program free of charge to take advantage of free upgrades, a special Avis Preferred Plus telephone number for reservations and customer service, and discounts of 5% to 25% on the lowest eligible retail rates in Canada and the United States.
| Eligibility | Description |
| Credit Score (estimated) | 660 |
| Annual Income | $60,000 personal or $100,000 household or $250,000 assets under management |
| Other | Be a Canadian resident. Be the age of majority in your province or territory. |
9. TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite – Best Visa Credit Card for Travel
The accumulation rate of the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite is impressive. This card allows you to earn points which you can redeem for travel rewards, but also gift cards and financial rewards. You get 8 TD points per $1 spent when you book travel through Expedia For TD (which also gives you an annual $100 travel credit), 6 points per $1 on groceries and restaurants, 4 points per $1 spent on recurring bills and 2 points per $1 spent on everything else. You could also get an annual Birthday Bonus of up to 10,000 TD Rewards Points.
The TD First Class Travel credit card has a strong included insurance package for travel and car rental. You are covered for medical emergency, travel accident, car rental, trip interruption, flight interruption and delayed and lost baggage. You also have access to Visa Infinite experiences as well as 5% to 10% off the lowest available base rates when renting a car at Avis or Budget.
| Eligibility | Description |
| Credit Score (estimated) | 660 |
| Annual Income | $60,000 personal or $100,000 household |
| Other | Be a Canadian resident. Be the age of majority in your province or territory. |
*TD is not responsible for the content on this website. For the most up-to-date information, please visit td.ca.
10. Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa – Best No-Fee Cash Back Visa
[Offer productType=“CreditCard” api_id=“61a1344886fe7e29f7ee241c”]With the no-fee Simplii Cash Back Visa, you can get up to 4% cash back at eligible restaurants and bars. Once you reach the limit of $5,000 annual spend in this category, the rate falls back to 0.5%. You also earn 1.5% on the first $15,000 spent on gas, groceries, drugstore purchases and pre-authorized payments. Then, you get 0.5% on all other net annual card purchases. You will even get cash back when you send a Global Money Transfer using your Simplii Cash Back card. What happens when a transaction could fit under more than one cash back category? You will get the cash back of the higher category, subject to the $5,000 and $15,000 limits.
However, you’ll have to be patient to actually get your cash back. You will see how much cash back you accumulate each month on your statement. But all accumulated cash back is only redeemed on the last day of your December statement and applied as an annual credit on your January statement.
| Eligibility | Description |
| Credit Score (estimated) | 660 |
| Annual Income | $15,000 |
| Other | Be a Canadian resident. Be the age of majority in your province or territory. Haven’t declared bankruptcy in the last 7 years. |
Why Get a Visa Credit Card?
With so many financial institutions, rewards programs, and different providers, it can be difficult to choose which credit card is right for your financial situation and needs. Indeed, there are many very attractive incentives for cardholders! Fortunately, you can obtain personalized recommendations when you use a free credit card comparison tool.
Although most benefits and advantages are determined by the card issuer (such as a bank), there are instances where the processor/network (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) can play a role. Good examples of this include concierge services, liability insurance, and fraud protection. Most major Canadian Visa credit cards have Visa Secure (Verified by Visa), which helps to prevent online fraud.
Some Visa cards may include “Infinite” or “Infinite Privilege” in their names, indicating that they are premium cards offering extra perks and benefits. Regarding specific benefits, Visa Infinite cards grant discounts at eligible partner hotels, access to Visa concierge service, various types of insurance, and sometimes membership to access airport lounges. Typically, Infinite cards require an annual fee of around $120 and a minimum individual income of $60,000. On the other hand, Infinite Privilege cards represent the most exclusive Visa cards, providing all the benefits of the Infinite series along with additional perks for airports, hotels, wine, and fine dining. However, these extra benefits can be reflected in a substantial annual fee and a quite high minimum income requirement.
So, should you choose a Visa, a Mastercard or a smaller network? Our advice: don’t make your choice solely based on the processor. Look for sign-up bonuses, rewards and cash back rates, other benefits, and terms which are usually determined by the issuing institution. Your best approach is to assess which programs or perks align most with your spending habits and needs, and then find the specific card that caters to those preferences. By doing so, you can ensure that you make the most of your credit card choice and enjoy benefits that suit your lifestyle.
FAQs on the Best Visa Credit Cards in Canada
The best Visa credit card in Canada depends on individual needs and preferences, as benefits and rewards vary from card to card. It’s a good idea to compare credit cards based on factors such as annual fees, interest rates, rewards programs and additional benefits to find the one that best suits your financial goals.
The Visa Debit card is not a credit card, but a debit card linked to your bank account. It allows you to make purchases and withdraw cash directly from your account, just like a traditional debit card. It does not involve borrowing money or accumulating debts like a credit card. The Visa Debit card lets you make purchases online, outside Canada, wherever Visa is accepted. You’re also protected against fraudulent purchases by Visa’s Zero Liability program.
Choosing a credit card between Visa and Mastercard depends largely on your personal preferences. Both Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted around the world, and it’s advisable to consider factors such as rewards programs, fees, interest rates and customer service when comparing the specific credit cards offered by each network.
In most cases, you cannot pay your credit card directly with a Visa prepaid card. Prepaid cards are usually loaded with a specific amount and can be used to make purchases, but they cannot be used to make payments on an existing credit card balance.
To cancel a Visa credit card, you need to contact the customer service department of the card issuer (such as your bank), either by telephone or via their website. Inform the department of your intention to cancel the card, provide the necessary information or documents and follow the instructions to complete the cancellation procedure. Be sure to settle any remaining balance on the card before proceeding with the cancellation.
Visa cards are among the best credit cards in Canada. They allow cardholders to make purchases or obtain credit from merchants who accept Visa cards. When you use your Visa credit card, the card issuer pays the merchant on your behalf, and you agree to reimburse the card issuer later. Visa credit cards are convenient, secure and often come with additional benefits such as rewards programs, travel insurance and purchase protection. You must pay your balance within a certain number of days of receiving your monthly statement to avoid paying interest.
There are many Visa credit cards, but Visa also offers other types of cards. Visa is primarily a payment network. You can get a Visa credit card, debit card, prepaid card or gift card.
There are multiple Visa credit cards. Credit card issuers, such as your bank, partner with a network, like Visa and Mastercard. A Visa card can be a credit, debit or prepaid card.
You cannot borrow money or access a credit limit using a Visa Debit. However, you can use your Visa Debit to make online purchases, just like you would do with a credit card. The amount of your purchase is deducted directly from your checking account. You can pay online, place an order by phone or mail, swipe your card at merchants and make ATM withdrawals with your Visa Debit.
