When we talk about travel with Miles and Points, it almost always refers to air travel, but sometimes an old-fashioned road trip can be the best option. Road trips tend to incur specific expenses that add up quickly, and maximizing spending multipliers on credit cards can make a big difference.
Whether you’re moving from the Prairies to the Saint Lawrence or want to take in the Canadian Rockies on the scenic route, I’ll show you how to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to what credit card you should be using for your next road trip. If you are new to the world of miles and points, check out our miles and points beginner guide.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the best credit cards for road trips for Canadians for September 2026.
Best Credit Cards For Road Trips For Canadians
Fuel Purchases – Scotiabank Gold American Express Card & American Express Cobalt Card
Fuel will be your biggest expense with any road trip, and with prices rising in Canada for the summer, any break at the pumps is appreciated. Oddly though, my first tip for saving money at the pump starts at the grocery store.
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card earns a Canadian-best six points per dollar at Empire-operated grocery stores such as Sobeys or Safeway. Purchasing fuel gift cards in advance will give 6% cashback after redeeming Scene+ points against your roadside hotel.
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card earns an impressive 6x Scene+ points at Empire-affiliated grocery stores, 5x at all other grocery stores and restaurants, and 3x on gas, transit, and streaming. Plus, the card offers no foreign transaction fees.
Scene+ points are redeemed at a rate of 100 Scene+ points = $1 against any travel purchase, making this a powerful everyday card for those who want strong earning rates without the complexity of transfer partners.
Earn when you apply through Frugal Flyer.
50,000 Scene+ points
$7,500
$700+
$120
No
Nov 1, 2026
However, suppose cashback isn’t your primary focus, and you prefer aspirational travel such as a business class flight on Eva Air. The American Express Cobalt Card will be the right fit in that case, as you can earn Membership Rewards points which are transferable to several popular partnered airline frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs.
The American Express Cobalt® Card gives cardholders the opportunity to earn 5x Membership Rewards on eligible restaurant, food delivery, and grocery store purchases in Canada. With the American Express Membership Rewards® program, it makes for an excellent everyday credit card.
15,000 Membership Rewards points
$9,000
$300+
$191.88
Yes
–
With a lower earning rate of five Membership Rewards points per dollar at grocery stores, your points balance won’t be as high, but with an average value of $0.02 per point when used with transfer partners, your return becomes 10% or more, depending on how you redeem your American Express Membership Rewards points.
Learn More: The Best Credit Cards for Fuel Purchases in Canada
Fuel purchases aside, the American Express Cobalt and Scotiabank Gold American Express cards will also come in handy for fast food purchases off the highway, with 5x multipliers on dining.
If you run into trouble using your gift cards at major gas stations and Amex isn’t accepted, there are two good Visa options. First would be the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card, as you receive a 3% return in the form of 1.5 Aeroplan points per dollar on all gas station purchases.
In addition, if you’re at a Chevron or Ultramar, you will receive 3 cents off per litre. RBC has a similar promotion with Petro Canada, where you’ll receive 3 cents off per litre, and the RBC ION+ Visa Card has the best return with 3 Avion Points per dollar.
If you are wondering as to which is the best gas station to fill up at, there are three chains in Canada with a nationwide presence: Petro-Canada, Esso, and Shell, each with its own rewards programs. Simply put, fuel rewards programs are a great way to save more money on refueling while on the road. Check out our guide to the major gas rewards programs to pick the best one for your travels.
Hotel Stays – Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card
Canada is huge, so chances are your road trip will require at least one night in a hotel. With only two co-branded hotel cards in Canada, staying with and focusing on the Marriott Bonvoy program will be your best bet.
While most Canadians will gravitate towards the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card, the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Business Card is another available option, as you can qualify as a sole proprietor. No matter which (or both) you choose to add to your wallet, these are two of the best hotel credit cards in Canada, thanks to their strong welcome bonuses and benefits.
The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card offers benefits that include an annual Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate and 15 elite qualifying nights towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
110,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
$6,000
$990+
$120
Yes
Sep 22, 2026
I’ve talked a lot about the long-term value of Bonvoy cards in my Best Use of Marriott Free Night Certificates article, so there’s no worry about the annual fee, as you’ll easily recoup it. Getting an effective 4.5% return in the form of 5 Bonvoy points per dollar will be the best you can find for hotel expenses in Canada. I like the Free Night Certificates so much that our family has four cards, and my parents each have a card.
If there are no Bonvoy properties at a good stopping point along your drive, the American Express Cobalt Card will be your best bet with two points per dollar on travel spend, giving a 4% return on any hotel stay. Also, consider purchasing a CAA Membership if it will save you money on your nightly hotel rate.
A niche case here would be using the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, as you can transfer points to World of Hyatt, where free nights can be had for as little as 3,500 World of Hyatt points.
The catch is that this card is only available to those with a US credit history, which is only possible if you have a US tax number, such as an SSN or ITIN. World of Hyatt also only has two Category 1 properties in Canada, so it’s probably more realistic to use this program when traveling south of the border.
Roadside Assistance – TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card & Canadian Tire Triangle World Elite Mastercard
If your car is over six years old, chances are its factory warranty has expired, and so has any free roadside assistance program that went with it. While roadside assistance doesn’t come complimentary on any credit cards we consider “travel” cards, there are a few cards you can consider adding to your wallet to take advantage.
The TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card comes with a complimentary membership to TD Auto Club. If you have a credit limit of $5,000 or higher, you could even consider performing a TD product switch to this card. In order to take advantage of the membership, simply call the TD Deluxe Auto Club number on the back of your credit card.
The TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card earns 3% cash back on all eligible grocery purchases, gas purchases, and regularly recurring bill payments.
$350 cash back
$3,500
$350+
$139 (FYF)
Yes
–
The TD Cash Back Visa Infinite credit card is also one of the best cash back credit cards in Canada, so it is definitely worth signing up for if it fits the gap in your wallet.
If you are unable to get the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite credit card, the dark horse of this article comes into play: the Canadian Tire Triangle World Elite Mastercard.
I have this card as I signed up for it way before I was ever into Miles and Points and lived around the corner from a Canadian Tire. I did pretty well with the card, and while it’s no American Express Platinum Card in terms of overall value, it definitely punches above most no-annual-fee credit card options.
The Canadian Tire Triangle World Elite Mastercard includes valuable benefits such as complimentary gold membership to the Canadian Tire roadside assistance program.
0 CT Money
$0
$0+
$0
Yes
–
With free roadside assistance in Canada and the US included for just holding the card year after year, the value can be seen with just one tow truck call. While it’s obviously not an outcome you would like to see, nothing is worse than having travel plans disrupted and a $200 towing bill.
Read our Canadian Tire Triangle World Elite Mastercard review to learn about all of the reasons why this is an excellent card.
Summary of the Best Credit Cards for Road Trips for Canadians
We’ve compiled a comparison list of the best credit cards for road trips for Canadians, sorted by the value offered by the welcome bonus and the exclusive FlyerFunds Rebate available when applying through Frugal Flyer.
| Credit Card | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
110,000 Marriott Bonvoy points Estimated value: $990 Ends Sep 22, 2026 |
|
 |
50,000 Scene+ points and $200 FlyerFunds Estimated value: $700 Ends Nov 1, 2026 |
|
 |
$350 cash back Estimated value: $350 |
|
 |
15,000 Membership Rewards points Estimated value: $300 |
|
 |
None Estimated value: $0 |
|
Conclusion
Road trips will be a necessity for most Canadians at some point in their travel journey, and thus, represent a good opportunity to continue to maximize your miles and points as well as associated credit card benefits. As you tend to be eating, sleeping, or filling up with gas as the main activities, it’s easy to take advantage of using the right credit card for those spending categories to work towards your next luxurious trip or redemption.
Daniel Burkett
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