So here are our top 5 credit card sign up offers for July (in alphabetical order)
A mainstay offer here on Rewards Canada, the American Express Gold Rewards card has its first year fee of $150 waived and will award you 25,000 Membership Rewards points when you complete $500 in spending in the first three months. That 25,000 points is worth a $250 travel credit via Amex's TripFlex feature or can be converted to 25,000 Aeroplan Miles (1 Round trip Economy Award ticket within North America) or 25,000 British Airways Executive Club Avios (as much a 5 one way Economy Award tickets in North America, see this post for details.) - Please Note that this card no longer churnable
Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Visa - 30,000 Points (Apply here)
The best no foreign transaction fee card in Canada makes it to this list due to a very strong acquisition offer. I mean who can complain with 30,000 points awarded on approval and a certificate for a free night stay at a Category 1-4 hotel for a potential of 5 free nights, all at no cost as the card has the annual fee waived in the first year! They also give you a 15 night credit into the mix which automatically provides you with Marriott Rewards Silver Elite status. There is also a 50,000 Point offer meant only for Marriott Elite members which many non-elites have had success with when they apply for it. (You may or may not get the full 50k and if they find out you are not Elite you may only receive the 30k)
Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express - 20,000 Starpoints (Apply here)
Recently the sign up bonus for this card was increased from 10,000 Starpoints to 20,000 Starpoints and this is the only card in this list that doesn't have the first year fee waived. That doesn't matter. This is by far the best hotel points card in Canada and Starpoints have huge value. The 20,000 Starpoint bonus when you spend $500 on the card is worth at least $400 when redeeming them for Starwood Hotel stays or you can convert them to airline miles in over 30+ programs and Starwood will kick in an additional 5,000 miles when you transfer 20,000 Starpoints at a time.
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card - 25,000 Miles (Apply here)
Also seeing an increased sign up bonus and the first year fee waived, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card had a tough start trying to break into a market saturated with so many cards and competing against its CIBC equivalent. The card now seems to be gaining some traction and with offers like the current 25,000 Aeroplan Miles sign up bonus (15,000 upon approval, 10,000 when you spend $1,000) and the first years $120 fee waived, I'm sure you can see you why.
Now seeing an increased sign up bonus and the first year fee waived, the TD First Class Visa Infinite Card has also been a good card with a simple 1.5% return on all your spending that can be redeemed for any travel that is booked on the card. The regular sign up of offer 20,000 TD Rewards Points has now been boosted to 40,000 (20,000 upon approval, 20,000 when you spend $1,000) and the first year $120 fee waived which means you essentially get $200 of travel for free.
If you went for all these cards you ultimately could end up with over $1000 in travel credits and hotel free nights but even if you only take on one or two you are helping your travel budget significantly at no cost other than regular credit card spend.
FYI - I see that the SPG card will only award the bonus once as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm very surprised to see the TD First Class Visa Infinite Card is still on your list for July, given their recent announcement that they'll be downgrading the return on most spending to 1.2% in just a few weeks. I think it's pretty doubtful that a new applicant could receive and redeem their points before their devalued. I've had this card for years, and am actively trying to use up my accumulation of points before it hits!
ReplyDeleteThat is true!
ReplyDelete