The Smart Canadian’s Guide to First-Year-Free Travel Credit Cards

What if you could earn hundreds — sometimes over a thousand dollars — in travel without paying a single dollar in annual credit card fees?

It sounds too good to be real, but right now in Canada, several travel credit cards are offering first-year fee rebates. That means you can earn welcome bonuses, collect valuable points, and unlock premium travel perks without paying the typical $120–$199 annual fee in your first year.

When used strategically, these offers can turn everyday spending into free flights, hotel stays, lounge access, and upgraded travel experiences. But like anything in the world of points, the real value comes from understanding how they work.

By the way…

I made a video on this exact subject. If you’d prefer to watch the video instead of reading the blog, see below. Otherwise, continue onwards

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Why First-Year-Free Cards Are So Powerful

Credit card issuers don’t offer free first years out of kindness — they do it because most people forget to cancel before year two and end up paying the full annual fee.

Smart travellers treat these cards like a rotation strategy:

• Apply for a new card
• Earn the welcome bonus
• Use it wisely for a year
• Decide whether it’s worth keeping before the second annual fee hits

Welcome bonuses are the fastest way to earn points. In a few months, you can earn more points than you would through years of everyday spending alone.

That said, these cards aren’t “free money.” They come with:

• Minimum spending requirements
• Income thresholds
• Activation deadlines

These details matter.

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1. Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

This is one of the most accessible travel cards in Canada.

Welcome bonus:

• Up to 50,000 Scene+ points
  • 30,000 points after spending $2,000 CAD in the first 3 months
  • 20,000 more after spending $7,500 CAD in the first year

Estimated first-year value: Up to $500 CAD in travel value.

Why it stands out:

• No foreign transaction fees (saves 2.5% abroad)
• Excellent everyday earn rates:
  • 5x points on groceries, dining, food delivery, entertainment
  • 3x on gas, transit, and streaming
  • 1x on everything else

Income requirement: Very low — around $12,000 CAD household income.

Best for:
Students, young professionals, and anyone who wants a strong points card without a high income requirement.

Reality check:
Scene+ points are usually worth about 1 cent per point, so they’re not the most valuable currency in Canada — but the earn rates help balance that out.

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2. CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa Card

This card is all about simplicity and predictable value.

Welcome bonus:

• Up to 45,000 Aventura points
  • 15,000 after your first purchase
  • 30,000 after spending $3,000 CAD in 4 months

Estimated first-year value: 45,000 Aventura points = about $450 CAD in travel value.

Extra perks:

• Annual fee is usually $139 but is waived in the first year
• Authorized user fee rebates (up to $150 CAD)
• Four complimentary airport lounge passes (worth about $200 CAD)
• Nexus fee rebate (up to $160 CAD)

Income requirement: Around $15,000 CAD household income.

Earning rates:

• 2x points on travel through CIBC Rewards
• 1.5x on gas, groceries, and drugstores
• 1x on everything else

Best for:
Travellers who want easy redemptions, lounge access, and who are interested in getting NEXUS.

Value proposition:
Aventura points are worth about 1 cent per point when redeemed on their travel portal.
The strength of Aventura is clear, fixed value — you always know what your points are worth.

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3. TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Card

This card introduces variable-value points, where strategy makes a big difference.

Welcome bonus:

• Up to 45,000 Aeroplan points
  • 10,000 after first purchase
  • 15,000 after spending $7,500 CAD in 180 days
  • 20,000 anniversary bonus after $12,000 CAD in the first year

Estimated first-year value:

• Annual fee of $139 CAD is waived in the first year
• Since Aeroplan points are variable, your first-year value could range anywhere from $450 CAD (at 1 cent per point) to well over $1,000 CAD, depending on how you redeem

Income requirement: $60,000 CAD personal or $100,000 CAD household.

Earning rates:

• 1.5x on Air Canada purchases, gas, groceries, and transit
• 1x on everything else

Key perks:

• Free first checked bag for you + up to 8 companions
• Nexus rebate (up to $100 CAD)
• Strong Air Canada and partner airline redemption options

Best for:
Air Canada flyers, families who travel together, and anyone planning a big international trip.

Reality check:
Aeroplan points can be incredibly valuable — but only if you’re willing to be strategic. If you’re planning a big international trip and can strategically stretch the value of your Aeroplan points to 2-4+ cents per point, you’ll be achieving the true power of this card.

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4. TD® First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card

This card has one of the largest “easy value” welcome offers on the market.

Welcome bonus:

• Up to 165,000 TD Rewards points (= $825 CAD in travel value)
  • 20,000 after first purchase
  • 145,000 when you spend $7,500 CAD within 180 days
  • Birthday bonus of 10,000

Estimated first-year value:

• Annual fee of $139 CAD is waived in the first year
• Plus a $100 CAD travel credit
• Plus four airport lounge passes
  • Over $1,000 CAD in total potential value (this figure includes these rewards + the 165,000 points)

Income requirement: $60,000 CAD personal or $100,000 CAD household.

Earning rates:

• 8x points on Expedia for TD
• 6x on groceries, dining, and transit
• 4x on streaming and recurring bills
• 2x on everything else

Best for:
Travellers who want guaranteed and predictable value without hunting for airline sweet spots.

Value proposition:

While each point is worth less than Aeroplan, the sheer volume of points makes this an extremely strong option for casual travellers.

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5. BMO® VIPorter World Elite® Mastercard

This is a premium card designed for Porter Airlines flyers.

Welcome bonus:

• Up to 70,000 VIPorter points
• A round-trip companion pass (with spending requirements)
  • To achieve this, you need to spend $18,000 CAD within 12 months.

Estimated value:

• The annual $199 CAD fee is waived in the first year.
• The 70,000 VIPorter points equals roughly $1,050 CAD in flights, plus companion pass value

Income requirement: $80,000 CAD personal or $150,000 CAD household (the highest income requirement on our list!).

Earning rates:

• 3x points on Porter purchases
• 2x on gas, groceries, dining, and hotels
• 1x on everything else

Key perks:

• Automatic Porter loyalty status
• One round-trip companion pass per year
• Free checked bag and carry-on for you and up to 8 companions
• Free PorterClassic seat selection
• Priority security and boarding

Best for:
Travellers based in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal who regularly fly Porter, business travellers on Porter routes, and anyone planning any Porter trips in the upcoming year.

Important:
VIPorter points are far less flexible than Aeroplan or TD Rewards — they mainly lock you into Porter and a few partners, like Air Transat and Alaska.

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Critical Warnings Every Canadian Should Know

Before jumping into any of these cards, a few rules matter:

• Never carry a balance just to earn points
• Space out applications responsibly
• Set calendar reminders before the second-year fee posts
• Only apply for cards where you can naturally hit the minimum spend
• Use your points — don’t hoard them while programs quietly devalue

These cards are tools, not traps — but only if used correctly.

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Final Thoughts

First-year-free travel credit cards are one of the most powerful and overlooked travel tools in Canada. With the right strategy, you can turn everyday spending into free flights, lounge access, and meaningful travel experiences.

The key isn’t collecting cards — it’s using the right ones, at the right time, for the right reasons.

Used wisely, your first year really can be completely free and incredibly rewarding. 

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