No matter how you slice it, travel is expensive. While we are big advocates for using miles and points to reduce travel costs, simply holding a credit card with the right benefit can greatly improve your travel experience. Many Canadian credit cards offer travel-related benefits that can meaningfully impact your travel, whether it results in an elevated travel experience or reduced travel costs.
The most impactful credit card benefit that many Canadians should be taking advantage of when traveling is free checked luggage. While checked luggage fees can add up when traveling since they are charged per bag and per direction, many credit cards offer free checked baggage as a perk or have redemption opportunities to wipe these costs away.
Let’s take a look at the best credit cards for free checked baggage in Canada for September 2026 so you can start saving on checked luggage for your next flight.
The Best Credit Cards for Free Checked Baggage on Air Canada
Air Canada is the flagship airline carrier of Canada, and many Canadians prefer to fly with Air Canada as they have worldwide flight coverage and an above-average passenger experience.
Interestingly enough, saving money on Air Canada baggage fees has never been easier, as there are many Aeroplan credit cards that offer the first piece of checked baggage for free for the cardholder and up to eight guests on the same itinerary. Checked baggage fees start at $45 CAD per bag per direction of travel, meaning the savings can add up quickly even if you only take one or two flights a year.
The most accessible Aeroplan credit card that offers this benefit is the American Express Aeroplan Card, as it has a lower annual fee of $120 and has no minimum personal or household income requirements.
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Card offers a free first checked bag on Air Canada flights for the cardholder and up to eight guests on the same itinerary.
45,000 Aeroplan points
$7,500
$945+
$120
Yes
–
If you are interested in a slightly elevated Aeroplan card, the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card also offers the first checked bag free for the cardholder, in addition to a $100 credit towards NEXUS Membership or renewal.
This card does have an annual fee of $139 and does have a minimum personal income requirement of $60,000 or a minimum household income requirement of $100,000.
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.
50,000 Aeroplan points
$12,000
$1,050+
$139 (FYF)
Yes
–
Finally, if you are ok with a higher annual fee and want a premium Aeroplan credit card, the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card is the best option if you are interested in free checked baggage and even more valuable Air Canada benefits.
Not only does this card offer a hefty welcome bonus of up to 85,000 Aeroplan points and the first piece of checked luggage for free, but it also offers priority Air Canada services, access to Maple Leaf airport lounges, and more. Simply put, this card is the best way to improve your next Air Canada flight experience.
It is also the most accessible premium Aeroplan card, as it does not have any minimum income requirements.
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve card offers complimentary Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge™* access, priority airport services, and a free first checked bag for up to eight travel companions.
Frequent Air Canada flyers will also appreciate the annual worldwide companion pass earned at $25,000 in spend and the ability to earn Status Qualifying Credits towards Aeroplan elite status.
85,000 Aeroplan points
$10,000
$1,785+
$599
Yes
–
If you are interested in seeing all personal credit cards that offer the first piece of checked baggage for free on Air Canada flights, we’ve captured them in the table below:
| Credit Card | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
100,000 Aeroplan points Estimated value: $2,100 |
|
 |
100,000 Aeroplan points Estimated value: $2,100 |
|
 |
85,000 Aeroplan points Estimated value: $1,785 |
|
 |
50,000 Aeroplan points Estimated value: $1,050 |
|
 |
50,000 Aeroplan points Estimated value: $1,050 |
|
 |
45,000 Aeroplan points Estimated value: $945 |
|
On the flip side, if you are eligible for a small business credit card, the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card is your best option as it comes with a big welcome bonus of up to 90,000 Aeroplan points and excellent benefits on Air Canada flights in addition to a first piece of checked baggage for free.
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card offers premium Air Canada travel benefits as its personal counterpart, including complimentary Maple Leaf Lounge™* access, free first checked bags for up to eight guests, and priority airport services, making it the ideal card for business owners who fly Air Canada frequently.
The annual worldwide companion pass earned at $25,000 in spend, and the ability to earn Status Qualifying Credits towards Aeroplan elite status adds even more value for regular travellers.
90,000 Aeroplan points
$14,000
$1,890+
$599
Yes
–
The Best Credit Card for Free Checked Baggage on WestJet
If you are located in Western Canada, chances are you find yourself needing to fly WestJet fairly frequently. While there are several ways to save on WestJet baggage fees, the most straightforward option is to add the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard to your wallet.
The WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ offers a World Elite Companion Voucher on approval (with the ability to earn one each anniversary year through spending), plus a first free checked bag on WestJet flights.
Earn when you apply through Frugal Flyer.
70,000 WestJet points
$5,000
$825+
$139
Yes
Nov 4, 2026
WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard cardholders will receive their first checked bag for free on all WestJet flights. Even better, this benefit is passed on to up to eight guests on the same itinerary, meaning an entire family can check one piece of luggage for free, even if only one passenger holds this credit card.
Passengers will automatically receive the free checked baggage allowance when checking in for their flight, provided they have linked their WestJet Rewards number to their name on the flight booking. They must have also paid for their flight with their WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard to be eligible to receive this benefit.
This benefit can result in significant savings, considering a checked bag will cost you a minimum of $45 CAD per direction, per bag.
If you are a family of four who travels with two checked bags, a round trip that would otherwise cost you at least $180 CAD in checked bags fees can be wiped to zero, with the only requirement being that you need to hold the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard and pay for your flight with the card, which does have an annual fee of $139.
The WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard also offers a welcome bonus of up to 70,000 WestJet points plus an annual WestJet companion voucher. For more details about this co-branded airline card, see our WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard review.
When combined, a welcome bonus of WestJet points and an airline companion voucher can result in significant savings on your next flight booking. If you fly on WestJet at least once per year, this is a credit card that is worth keeping in your wallet.
The Best Credit Card for Free Checked Baggage on Porter Airlines
While Porter Airlines continues to grow, the airline is already favored by many members of the Frugal Flyer team. When the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard was launched, it became one of the best ways to save on Porter baggage fees.
The BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, Canada’s most valuable airline credit card*, offers benefits including VIPorter Venture membership and the opportunity to earn an annual round-trip companion pass through spending.
Earn when you apply through Frugal Flyer.
70,000 VIPorter points
$18,000
$1,250+
$199 (FYF)
Yes
Oct 31, 2026
BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard cardholders receive complimentary Venture Membership status within the VIPorter loyalty program. Most notably, this status includes a free checked bag on Porter Airlines flights for the cardholder and up to eight guests on the same itinerary.
However, this isn’t the only valuable benefit offered by Venture Membership status. Cardholders will also receive a free carry-on bag on all Porter fare classes, free PorterClassic seat selection, priority re-accommodation for flight delays, and priority check-in, security, and early boarding. And yes, all of these benefits also apply to up to eight guests on the same itinerary.
While it can be tough to put a dollar amount on the other benefits, the free checked baggage benefit can save $50 CAD per bag, per direction. If you check luggage and fly Porter Airlines a few times a year, the savings from this benefit can add up quickly. Plus, when you include all of the additional benefits, the impact on your Porter Airlines experience from adding just one credit card is significant.
While the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard does have a higher annual fee of $199, it does tend to offer the first year free as part of the welcome bonus. Plus, eligible new applicants can earn up to 70,000 VIPorter points, which can further help reduce travel costs.
Give our review of the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard a read for more details.
The Best Credit Cards for Free Checked Baggage on All Other Airlines
While there are co-branded cards for the three major airlines in Canada that can help you save on checked luggage fees, these aren’t the only airlines you’ll find yourself flying. Whether you plan on flying on a budget carrier like Flair Airlines or any of the other airlines worldwide, there are still opportunities to save on the cost of checked luggage.
One way to do this is to earn and redeem points on a card that allows flexible travel redemptions. For this use, we are big advocates for the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + Card as one of the best overall travel credit cards in Canada.
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + Card is one of Canada’s best all-around travel cards, offering no foreign transaction fees and six complimentary airport lounge passes through the Visa Airport Companion Program.
Scene+ points are easy to earn on everyday spending and can be redeemed flexibly for travel, groceries, and more, making it a strong everyday carry for travellers who want simplicity and real value for $150 per year.
Earn when you apply through Frugal Flyer.
35,000 Scene+ points
$40,000
$475+
$150
No
Nov 1, 2026
Not only does it offer a welcome bonus of up to 35,000 Scene+ points for an annual fee of $150, but it also offers six complimentary airport lounge passes, no foreign currency transaction fees, and the flexibility that are Scene+ points.
Scene+ points can be redeemed against any purchases that code as travel, at a rate of 100 Scene+ points for $1 CAD. This means that you can charge your checked luggage fees directly to your credit card that earns Scene+ points and then redeem points directly against the charge, wiping out the cost.
However, there are a plethora of credit cards that earn Scene+ points if you are interested in utilizing their flexible redemption opportunities. For reference, we’ve captured all credit cards that earn Scene+ points below if you are interested in seeing what other options are available:
| Credit Card | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
100,000 Scene+ points and $200 FlyerFunds Estimated value: $1,200 Ends Nov 1, 2026 |
|
 |
80,000 Scene+ points and $200 FlyerFunds Estimated value: $1,000 Ends Nov 1, 2026 |
|
 |
50,000 Scene+ points and $200 FlyerFunds Estimated value: $700 Ends Nov 1, 2026 |
|
 |
40,000 Scene+ points and $125 FlyerFunds Estimated value: $525 Ends Oct 30, 2026 |
|
 |
35,000 Scene+ points and $125 FlyerFunds Estimated value: $475 Ends Nov 1, 2026 |
|
 |
10,000 Scene+ points and $60 FlyerFunds Estimated value: $160 Ends Nov 1, 2026 |
|
 |
5,000 Scene+ points and $80 FlyerFunds Estimated value: $130 Ends Nov 1, 2026 |
|
Another great credit card you can use to wipe out checked luggage fees is the National Bank World Elite Mastercard, as it offers an annual $150 travel credit usable per calendar year.
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard offers benefits that include an annual $150 travel credit and access to the National Bank VIP airport lounge in the Montreal Airport International terminal.
Earn when you apply through Frugal Flyer.
0 À la carte Rewards
$0
$100+
$150
Yes
–
Cardholders simply need to make an eligible travel purchase on their card, which can include checked baggage fees and more, and then redeem their credit towards the purchase on the National Bank website.
While the card does have an annual fee of $150, this travel credit effectively makes this card a net zero cost to hold for the long-term. Plus, you can also benefit from the amazing travel insurance on the National Bank World Elite Mastercard.
Conclusion
The fact that you can effectively zero out checked baggage fees that can add up to hundreds of dollars simply by utilizing a credit card benefit is incredibly powerful. Yet this benefit is very accessible and often underutilized for the everyday Canadian who wants to save on their travel costs.
If you have a Canadian airline that you tend to favor that offers a co-branded airline credit card with this benefit, it is absolutely worth adding one of these cards to your wallet and keeping it for the long term.
Josh Bandura
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