Quick Overview

  • Earn Rewards For Travel: Travel rewards credit cards are ideal for earning points or miles toward airfare, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and other travel expenses.
  • Flexible Travel Rewards: These cards offer versatile redemption options. Points can be used directly through the card provider’s portal or transferred to airline and hotel loyalty programs for potentially higher value—though maximizing rewards may require some research.
  • Non-Flexible Travel Rewards: Standard travel cards offer fixed-value rewards that can only be redeemed through the provider’s platform. While less versatile, they provide simplicity with no need to strategize for optimal redemptions.
  • Valuable Travel Perks: Most travel credit cards come with a suite of perks, such as travel insurance, airport lounge access, annual statement credits, and more, enhancing the overall travel experience.
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Flexible Credit Card Rewards Points

Flexible travel rewards programs are at the forefront when it comes to getting the most value towards travel out of your everyday spending. Here some of the benefits:

  • Wide Redemption Options: Redeem points for a variety of travel expenses, including flights, hotels, car rentals, and more, across multiple brands and partners.
  • Transferable Points: Points can be transferred to numerous airline and hotel loyalty programs, often unlocking higher redemption values compared to non-flexible travel rewards programs.
  • Enhanced Travel Flexibility: Not tied to a single airline or hotel brand, allowing you to book travel based on price, convenience, or availability.
  • Comprehensive Travel Perks: Enjoy broad benefits like trip cancellation insurance, purchase protection, and airport lounge access, regardless of the travel provider.
  • Non-Travel Redemption Options: If plans change, points can often be used for statement credits, gift cards, or merchandise, offering added flexibility (though sometimes at a lower value).
  • No Blackout Dates: Avoid restrictions or blackout dates with multiple booking options, whether directly through providers, card issuers, or via statement credits.
  • Bonus Earning on Everyday Spending: Many flexible travel cards offer higher rewards rates on categories like dining, groceries, or gas, boosting your points even when not traveling.
  • Works Well with Co-Branded Cards: Flexible travel cards complement co-branded credit cards by allowing point transfers to the same loyalty program, maximizing rewards while still enjoying brand-specific perks.

If you want to earn rewards towards travel, I highly recommend going with flexible travel rewards programs as they will generally be the best option over standard travel cards.

Explore all the programs and credit cards that earn flexible travel rewards points below. Use our flexible travel rewards card calculators to estimate total earnings, rewards value, partner transfers, and more.

American Express Membership Rewards Credit Cards

American Express Membership Rewards is one of the most popular flexible travel rewards programs in the world. Points can be converted into airline miles and hotel rewards points with a large handful of partners which makes these points very valuable to frequent travelers.

RBC Avion Rewards

RBC Avion is a top-tier, flexible travel rewards program offering valuable points that can be transferred to select airline and retail rewards partners. Transfer options depend on whether you earn Avion Elite or Avion Premium points.

To maximize Avion benefits, pair an Avion Visa card with an ION Visa card. The ION Visa’s higher earning rates help you accumulate points faster, while the Avion Visa enables point transfers to partners, enhancing your redemption options.

Other Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Non-flexible travel rewards credit cards function similarly to cash back cards but are geared specifically toward travel redemptions. With these cards, the best redemption option is typically travel, offering a flat value of around 1 cent per point and sometimes higher when booking through the card issuer's travel portal. Other non-travel redemptions usually yield much lower value.

One advantage of non-flexible rewards is their simplicity—you’ll generally always know exactly how much your points are worth without needing to transfer them to partners or strategize for higher value. However, flexible rewards programs like American Express Membership Rewards and RBC Avion Rewards offer similar ease, with straightforward 1 cent per point travel redemptions and the added benefit of transfer options for potentially greater value.

The main edge non-flexible travel cards have over standard cash back cards is the inclusion of valuable travel perks. These can include lounge access, credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and travel insurance, which enhance the overall travel experience.

While non-flexible travel rewards programs may lack versatility, some stand out by offering strong earning rates and solid value, sometimes even outperforming flexible rewards programs in certain spending categories or when certain qualifications are met.

Listed below are all credit card rewards program that earns standard rewards points. Use our travel rewards credit card calculators to calculate total earnings, rewards value, card value, and much more.

AIR MILES Credit Cards

BMO holds all co-branded credit cards for the AIR MILES program. With most programs, you'll earn rewards per $1-$2 spent, but AIR MILES are earned per $10-$25 spent depending on the card and category you spend in. Since they are earned after spending so much, AIR MILES have pretty high value — pushing up to 10 cent per point on average.

American Express no longer offers co-branded AIR MILES credit cards. They used to offer the American Express® AIR MILES® Reserve Credit Card, American Express® AIR MILES® Platinum Credit Card, and American Express® AIR MILES® Credit Card.

BMO Rewards

BMO offers four travel rewards credit cards that earn BMO Rewards points. Points earned with these cards have the best value when redeemed towards travel or used for investments with BMO.

Brim Rewards

Brim Financial offers two travel rewards credit cards. Points earned with these cards are worth 1 cent each.

Capital One Rewards

Capital One offers one travel rewards card in Canada. Miles earned with the card are worth 1 cent each towards travel.

CIBC Aventura Rewards

CIBC offers a handful of travel cards that earn Aventura Rewards points. These points can be redeemed for high value towards airfare using CIBC's airline redemption chart or be redeemed for travel at a lower flat-rate.

CWB Rewards

CWB offers two travel rewards credit cards that earns CWB Rewards points. Points earned with the cards are worth 1 cent each.

HSBC CA Rewards

HSBC no longer offers travel rewards cards in Canada. They were consumed by RBC and card's were converted into Avion credit cards.

Laurentian Rewards

Laurentian Bank offers one travel rewards credit card. Points are worth 1 cent each.

MBNA Rewards

MBNA offers two travel rewards credit cards that earn bonus points on restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership, and household utility purchases. Points earned with these cards have the best value of 1 cent each when redeemed towards travel.

National Bank of Canada

National Bank offers three travel rewards credit cards. Points have the highest value of 1 cent each when booked for travel through NBC.

Scotia Scene+ Rewards

Scotia Scene+ Rewards is one of the best travel rewards programs in the market. They offer several top-notch travel rewards cards that feature excellent earning rates, no foreign transaction fees, and superb travel insurance. Not only that, but points earned with these cards can be redeemed for 1 cent each towards more than just travel.

TD Rewards

TD Rewards is another solid travel rewards programs that offers high earning rates and great redemptions towards travel. TD Rewards points have the best value when redeemed through TD's travel portal which is powered by Expedia.