For the past few years, the Frugal Flyer team has reviewed the Canadian credit card market to determine what cards we think are worthy of extra recognition, through our annual “Best Credit Card Awards”. We consider the winners of these awards to be shining stars within the options available to Canadians, for a number of reasons we will cover in each award section.
As we look to the year ahead, let’s dive into our selections for Frugal Flyer’s Best Credit Card Awards of 2025.
Our Process for Selecting the Best Credit Cards of 2025
At the onset of the year, we look at all of the credit cards that are available in the Canadian market. We look at all of the attributes of the cards including earning rates, benefits, and insurance coverages. We do not consider welcome bonuses when we are selecting our winners, as these fluctuate over time and are not necessarily part of what makes a great credit card.
When we first launched our “Best Credit Card” awards in 2023, we started out with 4 categories of awards. Since then, we have expanded to seventeen different awards to keep with our goal of showcasing the best cards that financial institutions in Canada have to offer, and the value that they can bring current and future cardholders.
With our 2025 awards, we have kept true to our previous lists with awards focused on credit card insurance, travel benefits, spending categories, airport lounge access, and more while also adding in a few new awards to highlight categories that we previously didn’t mention.
Without further ado, we are excited to present Frugal Flyer’s Best Credit Card Awards for 2025.
Frugal Flyer’s Best Credit Card Awards of 2025
We’ve summarized all of our award winners in the table below but read on to learn why we chose each winner for their award.
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Overall Travel Credit Card | Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card |
| Best Credit Card for Airport Lounge Access | American Express Platinum card |
| Best Premium Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card | American Express Aeroplan Reserve card |
| Best Core Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card | TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Card |
| Best Credit Card for Foreign Transactions | Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card |
| Best Overall Insurance Credit Card | National Bank World Elite Mastercard |
| Best Flexible Points Travel Credit Card | RBC Avion Visa Infinite card |
| Best Fixed Value Points Credit Card | Scotiabank Gold American Express card |
| Best Fixed Value Points Credit Card (No Annual Fee) | MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard |
| Best Cash Back Credit Card | BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard |
| Best Cash Back Credit Card (No Annual Fee) | Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard |
| Best Customizable Cash Back Credit Card | Tangerine World Mastercard |
| Best Points Credit Card for Grocery Purchases | American Express Cobalt card |
| Best Cash Back Credit Card for Grocery Purchases | Neo World Elite Mastercard |
| Best Secured Credit Card | Neo Secured World Elite Mastercard |
| Best Balance Transfer Credit Card | CIBC Select Visa card |
| Best Small Business Travel Card | American Express Business Platinum card |
Best Overall Travel Credit Card
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card has received the “Best Overall Travel Credit Card” award for 2025.
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card offers benefits such as no foreign transaction fees and six annual complimentary airport lounge access passes.
In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Overall Travel Credit Card and Best Credit Card for Foreign Transactions.
Check out our Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card review for more details.
40,000 Scene+
$40,000
$250+
$150
No
Jul 1, 2025
While we often espouse the value of many higher-end credit cards for the frequent traveler or miles and points enthusiast, we are often asked as to what card we would recommend for the average traveler. Someone who doesn’t need endless airport lounge access, and just wants to improve their travels with minimal effort.
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card is what we recommend the most when it comes to an overall travel credit card best for the masses, as it offers six complimentary airport lounge passes plus no foreign transaction fees. Additionally, the card is on the Visa network which has very strong acceptance worldwide.
Cardholders can get all of these benefits (plus a pretty good welcome bonus of up to 40,000 Scene+ points) at a reasonable annual fee of $150. For the traveler who only needs access to airport lounges a handful of times a year and wants to save on any purchases in foreign currencies, this card is an absolute keeper.
Best Credit Card for Airport Lounge Access
The American Express Platinum card has received the “Best Credit Card for Airport Lounge Access” award for 2025.
The American Express Platinum card is a premium card that offers benefits including a $200 travel credit, a $200 dining credit, airport lounge access, instant elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, and more.
Check out our American Express Platinum card review for more details.
In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Credit Card for Airport Lounge Access.
100,000 Membership Rewards
$10,000
$1,401+
$799
Yes
–
While the American Express Platinum card is a premium card that comes with a hefty annual fee of $799, it offers nearly unrestricted airport lounge access thanks to access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection.
The American Express Global Lounge Collection is comprised of over 1,400 airport lounges that Platinum cardholders can access for free, oftentimes also being allowed to bring at least one guest in at no additional charge. Travelers can usually find at least one eligible airport lounge at most airports, making it a great card to hold consistently in your wallet, even if you only travel a handful of times during the year.
Airport lounge access offered by this card also includes American Express Centurion Lounges, which are some of the nicest airport lounges in North America.
Best Premium Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card
The American Express Aeroplan Reserve card has received the “Best Premium Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card” award for 2025.
The American Express Aeroplan Reserve card offers several Air Canada benefits including priority boarding, free checked baggage, and complimentary Maple Leaf airport lounge access.
In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Premium Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card.
Check out our American Express Aeroplan Reserve card review for more details.
85,000 Aeroplan
$10,000
$1,186+
$599
Yes
–
The American Express Aeroplan Reserve card comes with a plethora of benefits tied to Air Canada, including priority services (check-in, boarding, and baggage), Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge access, and the first free checked bag for the cardholder and up to eight guests on the same itinerary.
The card also offers benefits that positively impact membership in the Aeroplan loyalty program, including the ability to earn 1,000 status qualifying miles (SQM) and 1 status qualifying segment (SQS) towards Air Canada Aeroplan status upon spending $5,000. Aeroplan members can also roll over SQM and eUpgrade credits.
While the American Express Aeroplan Reserve card does come with a $599 annual fee, it has no minimum income requirements making it an achievable premium Aeroplan credit card for anyone who can stomach the annual fee. This aspect alone makes it edge out the other premium Aeroplan credit cards in the Canadian market for this award.
Best Core Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Card has received the “Best Core Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card” award for 2025.
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* card offers benefits that include a free first checked bag on Air Canada flights and a $100 NEXUS membership credit.
In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Core Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card.
40,000 Aeroplan
$12,000
$840+
$139 (FYF)
Yes
–
When it comes to the core series of Aeroplan credit cards, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card offers the most benefits, most notably a $100 NEXUS credit every four years that is not available on other comparable cards. NEXUS membership is one of the most valuable yet affordable benefits for the average traveler, as it offers access to priority security and customs lines in North America, which can result in huge time savings at the airport.
The card also offers the first free checked bag on Air Canada flights for the cardholder and up to eight guests on the same itinerary as well.
Best Credit Card for Foreign Transactions
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card has received the “Best Credit Card for Foreign Transactions” award for 2025.
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card offers benefits such as no foreign transaction fees and six annual complimentary airport lounge access passes.
In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Overall Travel Credit Card and Best Credit Card for Foreign Transactions.
Check out our Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card review for more details.
40,000 Scene+
$40,000
$250+
$150
No
Jul 1, 2025
Cardholders who travel with the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card will save 2.5% on all purchases made in foreign currencies (compared to other credit cards that do not have this benefit), which can add up to significant savings over the course of a vacation. These savings also apply to online purchases made in foreign currencies, making it a great choice if you are paying vendors in other countries than Canada.
Credit cards that offer no foreign transaction fees are a rarity in the Canadian market and the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is the easy winner for this award since it is on the Visa network, which typically has much better acceptance internationally than the American Express network.
Best Overall Insurance Credit Card
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard has received the “Best Overall Insurance Credit Card” award for 2025.
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard offers benefits that include an annual $150 travel credit and access to the National Bank VIP lounge in the YUL International terminal.
Due to its stellar travel insurance and purchase protection benefits, we deemed this card the Best Overall Insurance Credit Card of 2025.
Check out our National Bank World Elite Mastercard review for more details.
0 À la carte Rewards
$0
$-150+
$150
Yes
–
Once again, this card was an easy choice for the best overall insurance card. The insurance benefits are significant and best-in-class, from travel insurance, to purchase protection to mobile device insurance.
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard would likely also win the category of ‘best travel insurance card’. Not only is the card’s travel insurance competitive in terms of coverage amounts, but its coverage is more flexible than other cards in the market, for example including medical coverage for cardholders up to 74 years of age (most cards cover up to 65 only).
Furthermore, the National Bank World Elite is one of a select few credit cards that provide coverage for award flights. So you can use this card to pay for taxes and fees on an award booking and still be eligible for coverage.
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is no slouch when it comes to other card features too. It offers a very strong earning rate of 5 À la carte rewards points per dollar spent at grocery stores and restaurants and comes with a $150 travel enhancement credit that can be used quite flexibly.
Best Flexible Points Travel Credit Card
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite card has received the “Best Flexible Points Travel Credit Card” award for 2025.
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite card earns 1.25 Avion Rewards points on all travel purchases. Avion Rewards points can be redeemed against travel purchases or transferred to popular frequent flyer programs.
In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Flexible Points Travel Credit Card.
Check out our RBC Avion Visa Infinite card review for more details.
55,000 Avion
$0
$925+
$120
Yes
Jun 3, 2025
We love this card as it is very accessible for most Canadians, as it only has a minimum annual personal income requirement of $60,000 while offering a powerful rewards currency in RBC Avion Rewards.
RBC Avion Rewards points are one of the most valuable points currencies in Canada and they can be redeemed for a number of travel-related options, including:
- Flights utilizing the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule
- Redemptions through the flexible travel rewards chart
- Transferring to other frequent flyer loyalty programs such as American Airlines AAdvantage, British Airways Avios, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, and WestJet Rewards
We usually recommend and prefer to transfer to partner frequent flyer programs to get the most value out of our Avion Rewards points. Whether you are transferring Avion to British Airways Avios to book a Japan Airlines business class flight, or transferring your Avion points to WestJet Rewards to book a WestJet Premium Economy flight, the value and flexibility are there when it comes to making travel redemptions with Avion points.
Best Fixed Value Points Credit Card
The Scotiabank Gold American Express card has received the “Best Fixed Value Points Credit Card” award for 2025.
The Scotiabank Gold American Express card earns up to 6x Scene+ points at Empire grocery stores and charges no foreign exchange fees on purchases made in foreign currencies.
In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Fixed Value Points Credit Card.
Check out our Scotiabank Gold American Express card review for more details.
40,000 Scene+
$7,500
$280+
$120
No
Jul 1, 2025
The Scotiabank Gold American Express card is the clear winner of this award, thanks to its outsized earning rates and the ease of redemption with the Scene+ program.
This card earns 6x Scene+ points at Empire grocery stores, and 5x Scene+ points at other grocery stores, restaurants, fast food, drinking establishments, food delivery services, food box subscriptions, and eligible entertainment purchases. It also earns 3x Scene+ points on eligible gas, daily transit services, rideshare services, and select streaming services.
The 5x and 3x earning categories are available on up to a combined purchase limit of $50,000 per calendar year, making it a great option for those individuals or families who spend a lot monthly.
Not only does this card have stellar earning rates across the board, but Scene+ points are the best fixed value points currency in Canada. They can easily be redeemed at a rate of 1 cent per point against all travel purchases booked by the cardholder, making the Scotiabank Gold American Express card a powerful workhorse.
Best Fixed Value Points Credit Card (No Annual Fee)
The MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard has received the “Best Fixed Value Points Credit Card (No Annual Fee)” award for 2025.
The MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard earns 2x MBNA Rewards points on restaurant, grocery, digital media, memberships, and household utility purchases.
In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Fixed Value Points Credit Card (No Annual Fee).
10,000 MBNA Rewards
$500
$100+
$0
Yes
–
This card earns 2x MBNA Rewards points on restaurant, grocery, digital media, memberships, and household utility purchases (up to $10,000 in annual purchases per category). These are some of the most popular spending categories, so it is easy to maximize your earnings, particularly if you would feel better using a credit card with no annual fee.
MBNA Rewards points are best redeemed for travel at a rate of 1 cent per point as that is their maximum value as a fixed value points currency, however, they can also be redeemed as a statement credit, for merchandise, and for gift cards.
Best Cash Back Credit Card
The BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard has received the “Best Cash Back Credit Card” award for 2025.
The BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard earns up to 5% cash back on grocery purchases, plus elevated cash back earning rates on other popular spending categories.
In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Cash Back Credit Card.
Check out our BMO Cashback World Elite Mastercard review for more details.
$250 cash back
$2,500
$250+
$120 (FYF)
Yes
Jun 1, 2025
If you want a one-size-fits-all approach to cash back rewards, the BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard is a powerhouse. While it isn’t the best in any single category, it earns strong cashback rates in a number of important categories including:
- 5% cash back on all grocery purchases (maximum $500 per statement period)
- 4% cash back on all transit purchases (maximum $300 per statement period)
- 3% cash back on all gasoline purchases (maximum $300 per statement period)
- 2% cash back on all recurring bill payments (maximum $500 per statement period)
Earned cash back can be redeemed ad hoc as a statement credit on your monthly bill, or deposited into a BMO chequing, savings, or InvestorLine account, as long as the balance is over $1. Alternatively, you can set up automatic recurring redemptions which will trigger at the end of the billing cycle if the balance is over $25. Cashback deposits take 2-5 business days following the request or billing cycle.
Best Cash Back Credit Card (No Annual Fee)
The Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard has received the “Best Cash Back Credit Card (No Annual Fee)” award for 2025.
With the Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard® Rogers, Fido and Shaw postpaid customers can earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases and get a 1.5x redemption bonus on Rogers, Fido and Shaw purchases – a 3% cash back value.
In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Cash Back Credit Card (No Annual Fee).
$0 cash back
$0
$0+
$0
Yes
–
If you are interested in maximizing your cash back earnings while not paying an annual fee and are a Rogers, Fido, or Shaw postpaid customer, the Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard is the best product in the market as it offers 2% cash back on all purchases regardless of spending category.
The value of your cash back rewards is also multiplied by 1.5x when redeeming towards Rogers, Fido, and Shaw purchases, making that 2% cash back rate an effective 3% cash back rate. Cash back can be redeemed once the cardholder earns a minimum of $10.
The Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard does earn 3% cash back on purchases made in US dollars, but it does charge a 2.5% foreign exchange fee on those transactions, resulting in a net 0.5% cash back. For those who are not Rogers, Fido, or Shaw customers, the card earns 1.5% on all other purchases.
Best Customizable Cash Back Credit Card
The Tangerine World Mastercard has received the “Best Customizable Cash Back Credit Card” award for 2025.
The Tangerine World Mastercard earns cash back and allows cardholders to choose three accelerated spending categories to increase their cash back earnings.
In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Customizable Cash Back Credit Card.
Check out our Tangerine World Mastercard review for more details.
$100 cash back
$1,000
$100+
$0
Yes
Apr 30, 2025
If you want a credit card that earns cash back, but value the flexibility in how you can approach maximizing your cash back earnings, the Tangerine World Mastercard is the best option in Canada. Cardholders can select up to three bonus spending categories that earn 2% cash back and can adjust these categories as they desire.
This means that if you know you have a big purchase coming up in a different category, you can proactively switch to the desired bonus category at least one billing cycle in advance to earn the elevated cash back rate. Or, you can just keep the three bonus spending categories the same if your top purchases categories are very similar month over month.
Cash back is paid monthly via a statement credit to the credit card account or as a deposit to a Tangerine savings account, meaning you won’t need to wait too long to access your earned rewards.
Best Points Credit Card for Grocery Purchases
The American Express Cobalt card has received the “Best Points Credit Card for Grocery Purchases” award for 2025.
The American Express Cobalt card gives cardholders the opportunity to earn 5x Membership Rewards on eligible restaurant, food delivery, and grocery store purchases.
In 2025, we selected this card to receive the award Best Points Credit Card for Grocery Purchases.
Check out our American Express Cobalt card review for more details.
15,000 Membership Rewards
$9,000
$174+
$156
Yes
–
Ever since it came onto the scene, the American Express Cobalt card has been a complete powerhouse for cardholders who are looking to earn valuable Membership Rewards points en masse.
This card earns 5x Membership Rewards points on eligible food and drink purchases in Canada (including restaurants, food delivery, and grocery stores), up to a $2,500 spending cap per month. This means that if you regularly shop at grocery stores and restaurants that accept American Express, you could earn 12,500 Membership Rewards per month if you are able to hit that spending cap.
Not only does this card earn points quickly, but Membership Rewards is the most valuable points currency available to Canadians. With eight frequent flyer and hotel loyalty program transfer partners, including the prevailing Air Canada Aeroplan, cardholders can use this card to book aspirational travel redemptions on a number of airlines or at the best hotels in the world.
Best Cash Back Credit Card for Grocery Purchases
The Neo World Elite Mastercard has received the “Best Cash Back Credit Card for Grocery Purchases” award for 2025.
The Neo World Elite Mastercard offers a base earning rate of 5% cash back on groceries, 4% on recurring bills, and 3% on gas purchases, with the option to increase earning rates by holding money in a Neo Everyday account.
In 2025, we selected this card to receive the award Best Cash Back Credit Card for Grocery Purchases.
Check out our Neo World Elite Mastercard review for more details.
$0 cash back
$0
$-125+
$125
Yes
–
Launched in late 2024, the Neo World Elite Mastercard has the highest cash back rate on grocery purchases, as it earns 5% cash back for every dollar spent on grocery purchases (up to $12,000 in spend per calendar year).
Cardholders can elevate their cash back earning rate on grocery purchases to 6% by holding a minimum balance of $5,000 in their Neo Everyday account, or 7% by holding $10,000 in their Neo Everyday account.
If you are interested in the higher earning rates, you should calculate the opportunity cost of holding the $5,000 or $10,000 in a Neo Everyday account to ensure you are maximizing your earning potential versus other potential income-generating options.
The Neo World Elite Mastercard also makes it easy for cardholders to redeem their cash back, as it can be redeemed at any time as long as they have a minimum balance of $1.00 in cash back rewards earned.
Best Secured Credit Card
The Neo Secured World Elite Mastercard has received the “Best Secured Credit Card” award for 2025.
The Neo Secured World Elite Mastercard offers guaranteed approval with no hard credit check, plus a base earning rate of 5% cash back on groceries, 4% on recurring bills, and 3% on gas purchases, with the option to increase earning rates by holding money in a Neo Everyday account.
In 2025, we selected this card to receive the award Best Secured Credit Card.
$0 cash back
$0
$-125+
$125
Yes
–
This is a secured version of the Neo World Elite Mastercard which won the “Best Cash Back Credit Card for Grocery Purchases” award above. The Neo Secured World Elite Mastercard offers all of the same earning rates as the normal version, making it easily the most powerful secured credit card in Canada.
If you are interested in a secured credit card to build your credit, the Neo Secured World Elite Mastercard is the best choice, as it guarantees approval with no hard credit check.
Best Balance Transfer Credit Card
The CIBC Select Visa card has received the “Best Balance Transfer Credit Card” award for 2025.
The CIBC Select Visa card is a low annual fee credit card with low purchase and cash interest rates, and a promotional balance transfer rate of 0% for 10 months (1% transfer fee). Consequently, we selected this card as the Best Balance Transfer Credit Card of 2025.
0 None
$0
$0+
$29 (FYF)
Yes
–
Balance transfers can be a useful tool for reconsolidating or reorganizing debt, and this is particularly the case with promotional balance transfer rates which can be as low as 0% for a short period of 6-12 months.
When considering public offers only, the CIBC Select Visa card is arguably the best balance transfer card in Canada today, offering a promotional 0% interest rate for 10 months with only a 1% transfer fee. This offer is only available at the time of applying and imposes a limit of 50% of your approved credit limit. The card comes with a $29 annual fee but this is rebated for the first year.
Alternatively, if you already have a CIBC credit card, CIBC offers targeted transfer promotions. You may receive one of these offers in your online portal or while on the phone with customer service, perhaps while doing a product change. The rates can vary but are commonly 0% APR for 10 months with a 1-2% transfer fee, making them competitive with the CIBC Select Visa offer as well.
As mentioned, CIBC’s policy is typically to only offer 50% of the credit limit as a transfer (the so-called ‘cash limit’), however, there are data points of people being allowed to do the full limit when requesting over the phone.
Best Small Business Travel Card
The American Express Business Platinum card has received the “Best Small Business Travel Card” award for 2025.
The American Express Business Platinum card is a premium card that offers benefits including a $200 travel credit, airport lounge access, a $100 NEXUS membership credit, and more.
In 2025, we selected this card to receive the award Best Small Business Travel Card.
Check out our American Express Business Platinum card review for more details.
120,000 Membership Rewards
$15,000
$1,841+
$799
Yes
–
There are several small business cards in Canada that could take this award, but the American Express Business Platinum card reigns supreme thanks to its $200 travel credit granted every cardholder anniversary, unlimited airport lounge access via the Amex Global Lounge Collection program, complimentary Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors elite status, and comprehensive travel insurance coverages.
The card also earns Membership Rewards points, which are the ultimate flexible currency in Canada when it comes to transferring to frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs.
Conclusion
Congratulations to all of the winners of Frugal Flyer’s Best Credit Card Awards for 2025! If you are looking for a new credit card to add to your wallet, consider any of the award-winning cards in this article depending on your personal financial needs.
Josh Bandura
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