The Finest Journey Credit score Playing cards for Canadians with Decrease Incomes

Among the best methods to make journey extra inexpensive is by utilizing the correct bank card — however most of the high choices in Canada include steep revenue necessities.

For instance, Visa Infinite playing cards normally require a minimum of $60,000 in private revenue, and the higher-tier Visa Infinite Privilege playing cards require a whopping $150,000 in private or $200,000 in family revenue.

In the meantime, qualifying for a Mastercard World Elite product normally requires $80,000 in private or $150,000 in family revenue.

However let’s be sincere — not everybody hits these numbers. College students, retirees, newcomers to Canada, or new mother and father on go away all deserve a strategy to earn journey rewards too.

The excellent news? There are some strong journey bank cards in Canada that don’t ask for a excessive revenue however nonetheless ship nice worth in factors, perks, and suppleness.

Let’s have a look.

Scotiabank Gold American Specific^® Card

For Canadians who need strong journey perks with out sky-high revenue necessities, the Scotiabank Gold American Specific® Card is among the greatest picks.

You solely want a $12,000 in annual revenue, and also you’ll earn Scene+ factors, which is a versatile forex that’s straightforward to redeem towards flights, lodges, and even rideshares.

Till October 31, 2025, you’ll be eligible for a welcome bonus of as much as 50,000 Scene+ factors, structured as follows:

• 30,000 Scene+ factors upon spending $2,000 within the first three months
• 20,000 Scene+ factors upon spending $7,500 within the first 12 months

50,000 Scene+ factors are value a cool $500 when redeemed for journey, and you may additional pad your stability with the cardboard’s wonderful incomes charges:

• 6 Scene+ factors per greenback spent on Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, FreshCo, and extra
• 5 Scene+ factors per greenback spent on groceries, eating, and leisure
• 3 Scene+ factors per greenback spent on fuel, transit, and streaming companies
• 1 Scene+ level per greenback spent on all different purchases

Scene+ factors are tremendous straightforward to make use of: they’re value 1 cent per level towards any journey expense. No have to undergo a particular portal — simply cost your journey to the cardboard and redeem in opposition to it later.

Even if you happen to don’t have sufficient factors immediately, you’ve bought as much as 12 months to earn extra and redeem them in opposition to previous journey.

On high of this, the Scotiabank Gold American Specific® Card gives the most effective advantages of any bank card in Canada – no international transaction charges. When you’ll earn a flat charge of 1 Scene+ level per greenback spent exterior of Canada, you additionally gained’t need to pay the pesky 2.5% international transaction price, which is levied by most banks.

Furthermore, the cardboard comes with a complimentary concierge service, which is a characteristic usually reserved for bank cards that require larger minimal incomes. The concierge may also help you rating tickets to an occasion, or a most well-liked reservation at eating places.

Moreover, you’ll be able to register the Scotiabank Gold American Specific® card to a plethora of Amex Presents, which have lately included assertion credit for United Airways tickets and Marriott stays.

In sum, the Scotiabank Gold American Specific® Card gives unimaginable worth for any would-be globetrotter.

Whereas the $120 annual price isn’t rebated with the present provide, you’ll be able to simply offset its price by the cardboard’s incomes charges and options alone.

TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Platinum* Card

Subsequent up is the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Platinum* Card, which solely requires you to be the age of majority, a Canadian everlasting resident, and have an e mail tackle. This makes the cardboard an excellent start line for anybody trying to get into the Aeroplan ecosystem.

The cardboard is presently providing a welcome bonus of as much as 20,000 Aeroplan factors†, structured as follows:

• 10,000 Aeroplan factors upon first buy†
• 10,000 Aeroplan factors upon spending $1,000 within the first three months†

You may earn the total welcome bonus upon spending $1,000 within the first three months†, which averages out to simply over $333 every month.

Higher but, the $89 annual price is rebated within the first 12 months,† and may be additional waived in subsequent years by opening choose TD checking account merchandise.†

Observe that the incomes charges on this bank card aren’t the best on this listing. You’ll earn 1 Aeroplan level per greenback spent† on eligible fuel, grocery, and Air Canada purchases,† while all different purchases will earn 1 Aeroplan level per $1.50 spent.†

Nonetheless, the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Platinum* Card additionally comes with insurance coverage advantages,† together with baggage and flight delay, and journey cancellation protection.† The insurance coverage additionally covers Aeroplan reward flights,† so long as you pay for the taxes and charges with the cardboard.†

Plus, with an Aeroplan co-branded bank card, you’ll take pleasure in most well-liked pricing on Air Canada flights† booked with Aeroplan factors.†

RBC^® ION+ Visa & RBC® Avion Visa Platinum† Combo

When you’re in search of a wise strategy to earn factors rapidly and redeem them for high-value journey, this duo is likely to be your greatest wager: the RBC® ION+ Visa and the RBC^® Avion Visa Platinum†.

Let’s break it down.

Begin Robust with the RBC® ION+ Visa

The RBC® ION+ Visa is a sleeper hit in relation to incomes. With no revenue requirement and a month-to-month price of simply $4, it’s a great entry level for anybody beginning their factors journey.

At the moment, you’ll get 14,000 RBC Avion factors upon approval†, with no spending required — a great addition for many who wish to ease in.

Right here’s what you’ll earn on on a regular basis purchases:

• 3 Avion factors per greenback spent on groceries, eating, fuel, and streaming
• 1 Avion level per greenback spent on every little thing else

And the perks don’t cease there. You may stack additional worth by:

• Saving 3¢/L at Petro-Canada whenever you hyperlink your card to a Petro-Factors account
• Incomes 1 additional Moi level per $2 spent at taking part grocery shops like Metro and Meals Fundamentals (minimal buy applies)

The one disadvantage? Whereas the ION+ is great for incomes, it doesn’t enable transferring to airline companions, nor redeeming by way of the RBC Air Journey Redemption Schedule.

That’s the place the RBC® Avion Visa Platinum† is available in.

Unlock Excessive-Worth Redemptions with the RBC® Avion Visa Platinum†

Pairing your ION+ with the RBC^® Avion Visa Platinum† Card unlocks the total potential of your factors — each by RBC Air Journey Redemption Schedule and transfers to airline companions.

The Avion Visa Platinum† is the entry-level card within the Avion Elite household, and it comes with no revenue requirement†. It earns at a slower tempo, however makes up for it with premium redemption choices.

The cardboard is presently providing 35,000 RBC Avion factors upon approval†, with out having to spend a dime on the cardboard.

Below the RBC Air Journey Redemption Schedule, the 35,000 factors given on approval is sufficient for a round-trip economic system reserving in North America, value as much as $700 in ticket value†.

When you handle to earn 55,000 factors (say, by pairing with the ION+), you’ll be able to e book a round-trip in economic system to Solar locations, as much as a max ticket value of $1,100† – although taxes and charges nonetheless apply.

Higher but, you can too switch Avion factors to 4 airline companions, after which make redemptions from inside every program:

As for the cardboard’s different options, the budget-conscious traveller would profit from the cardboard’s suite of comparatively robust insurance coverage.†

The cardboard’s $120 annual price isn’t rebated within the first 12 months with the present provide†, though it may be offset by opening one in every of a number of sorts of RBC financial institution accounts.†

American Specific Cobalt Card

No listing of income-friendly Canadian bank cards could be full with out the legendary American Specific Cobalt Card.

Ever since its launch in 2017, this product has been revered as one of the best pound-for-pound journey bank card by the Miles & Factors neighborhood. It likewise set a typical of excellence amongst Canadian bank cards that has typically been imitated, however by no means totally replicated.

To recap, this unimaginable bank card, which requires no minimal revenue, earns the next:

• 5 factors per greenback spent on eligible eating places and groceries (as much as $2,500 month-to-month)
• 3 factors per greenback spent on eligible streaming companies
• 2 factors per greenback spent on eligible journey purchases
• 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases

Needless to say American Specific Membership Rewards (MR) factors are transferable to all kinds of companions, together with Aeroplan, Air France KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Government Membership, and Marriott Bonvoy, amongst others.

If the incomes charges alone aren’t sufficient to tempt you, contemplate that new candidates can earn a welcome bonus of as much as 15,000 MR factors within the first 12 months. Nonetheless, the welcome bonus requires spending a minimum of $750 every month for a 12 months, which might be onerous for Canadians with decrease incomes.

Whereas this card comes with a $12.99 month-to-month price ($155.88 yearly), the worth you’ll be deriving from it’s among the many greatest in the complete Canadian bank card market.

CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card

The CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card is one other distinctive fixture on this listing as a result of its welcome bonus and most of its advantages are equivalent to these of its Visa Infinite counterpart, the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card, which has the next minimal revenue requirement.

What separates them is that the CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card solely requires a $15,000 minimal private family revenue, making it accessible to many Canadians. 

Whereas the complimentary insurance coverage protection on this card isn’t as strong as its Visa Infinite cousin, its incomes charges on on a regular basis spending are equivalent, outlined as follows:

• 2 factors per greenback spent on eligible journey booked instantly by way of CIBC’s portal
• 1.5 factors per greenback spent on eligible fuel, groceries, EV charging, and pharmacy purchases
• 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases

Nonetheless, the true magic comes within the type of its welcome bonus, which, in comparison with different playing cards, is among the most beneficiant in Canada relative to the dimensions of the spend. 

At the moment, the cardboard is providing a welcome bonus of as much as 45,000 Aventura Factors, structured as follows:

• 15,000 Aventura Factors upon first buy
• 30,000 Aventura Factors upon spending $3,000 in 4 months

The welcome bonus factors you’ll earn could also be redeemed by CIBC’s Aventura portal in a wide range of methods, corresponding to reward playing cards and merchandise.

You might also use mounted quantities of Aventura factors to redeem for flights with the CIBC Aventura Flight Rewards Chart.

For example, 25,000–35,000 Aventura Factors will get you a round-trip ticket from Toronto to Las Vegas or Vancouver in economic system, as much as a most base fare of $800.

You can even redeem Aventura factors instantly in opposition to journey purchases charged to the cardboard at 1 cent per level, making it easy and simple to redeem your factors. This fashion, 45,000 Aventura Factors from the welcome bonus can yield a complete worth of $450.

By way of the cardboard’s different journey options, the CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card has one thing that’s typically not included on playing cards with decrease revenue necessities: significant premium luxurious enhancements.

When you’re accredited for the cardboard, you’re entitled to 4 complimentary lounge visits at taking part Visa Airport Companion Program lounges per 12 months. Free lounge entry is normally a profit that is available in change for prime annual charges, so it’s good to see it supplied on a card with decrease revenue necessities.

Furthermore, the CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card gives a $100 (USD) NEXUS software price credit score for the first cardholder – one thing that’s significantly helpful for folk who typically make journeys to the USA. That is additionally a profit included largely with higher-tier playing cards.

As half of the present provide, the $139 annual price is rebated for the primary 12 months, which implies that you may rating the entire above with out an out-of-pocket price in 12 months one.

Conclusion

Journey rewards shouldn’t be reserved for individuals with huge paycheques and nook places of work. Whether or not you’re a scholar, on go away, retired, or just not swimming in six figures, there are nonetheless loads of bank cards that provide nice worth — with out gatekeeping behind excessive revenue necessities.

These playing cards show you’ll be able to earn strong factors, take pleasure in journey perks, and save on charges with out overextending your self. All it takes is the correct technique, and perhaps a little bit of endurance.

All it takes is the correct card and a bit of know-how to begin turning on a regular basis spending into your subsequent journey.

^†Phrases and circumstances apply.