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

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

For instance, Visa Infinite playing cards often 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 often 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 depart 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 adaptability.

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 foreign money that’s straightforward to redeem towards flights, inns, 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’ll 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 gasoline, transit, and streaming providers
• 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 must undergo a particular portal — simply cost your journey to the cardboard and redeem towards it later.

Even in the event you don’t have sufficient factors instantly, you’ve obtained as much as 12 months to earn extra and redeem them towards previous journey.

On prime of this, the Scotiabank Gold American Specific® Card presents among the best 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 increased minimal incomes. The concierge can assist you rating tickets to an occasion, or a most popular reservation at eating places.

Moreover, you possibly can register the Scotiabank Gold American Specific® card to a plethora of Amex Affords, which have just lately included assertion credit for United Airways tickets and Marriott stays.

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

Whereas the $120 annual price isn’t rebated with the present supply, you possibly can simply offset its value by way of 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 electronic mail tackle. This makes the cardboard an excellent start line for anybody seeking to get into the Aeroplan ecosystem.

The cardboard is at the moment 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 possibly can 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 could be additional waived in subsequent years by opening choose TD checking account merchandise.†

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

Nevertheless, 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 get pleasure from most popular pricing on Air Canada flights† booked with Aeroplan factors.†

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

Should you’re searching for a wise strategy to earn factors shortly and redeem them for high-value journey, this duo is perhaps your greatest wager: the RBC® ION+ Visa and the RBC^® Avion Visa Platinum†.

Let’s break it down.

Begin Sturdy 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 really perfect entry level for anybody beginning their factors journey.

Presently, you’ll get 14,000 RBC Avion factors upon approval†, with no spending required — a fine addition for individuals 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, gasoline, and streaming
• 1 Avion level per greenback spent on all the pieces else

And the perks don’t cease there. You possibly can stack further worth by:

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

The one downside? Whereas the ION+ is great for incomes, it doesn’t permit transferring to airline companions, nor redeeming through 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 way of 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 at the moment 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 financial system reserving in North America, value as much as $700 in ticket worth†.

Should you handle to earn 55,000 factors (say, by pairing with the ION+), you possibly can guide a round-trip in financial system to Solar locations, as much as a max ticket worth of $1,100† – although taxes and charges nonetheless apply.

Higher but, you too can 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 supply†, though it may be offset by opening considered one of a number of sorts of RBC financial institution accounts.†

American Specific Cobalt Card

No checklist 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 the very best pound-for-pound journey bank card by the Miles & Factors group. It likewise set an ordinary 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 providers
• 2 factors per greenback spent on eligible journey purchases
• 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases

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

If the incomes charges alone aren’t sufficient to tempt you, take into account that new candidates can earn a welcome bonus of as much as 15,000 MR factors within the first 12 months. Nevertheless, 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 your complete Canadian bank card market.

CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card

The CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card is one other distinctive fixture on this checklist as a result of its welcome bonus and most of its advantages are an identical to these of its Visa Infinite counterpart, the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card, which has a better 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 an identical, outlined as follows:

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

Nevertheless, the actual 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. 

Presently, 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 way of CIBC’s Aventura portal in a wide range of methods, akin to present playing cards and merchandise.

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

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

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

When it comes to 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.

Should 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 often 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 presents a $100 (USD) NEXUS software price credit score for the first cardholder – one thing that’s significantly helpful for people who typically make journeys to the US. That is additionally a profit included principally with higher-tier playing cards.

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

Conclusion

Journey rewards shouldn’t be reserved for folks with large paycheques and nook places of work. Whether or not you’re a scholar, on depart, 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 possibly can earn strong factors, get pleasure from 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 little bit know-how to start out turning on a regular basis spending into your subsequent journey.

^†Phrases and situations apply.