Top 5 Credit Card Sign Up offers for December - These cards provide some of the best value out of their welcome bonuses

Here are the Rewards Canada Top 5 Travel Credit Card Sign Up offers for the month of December 2020! This is not a 'best' credit card list like our Top Travel Rewards Credit Card rankings but instead a look at cards that have very good acquisition (welcome/sign up) offers. As always when choosing a card you should always take other factors into account other than the just sign up bonus, but when some of these cards are first year free, they can and do pay off even when you grab them strictly for the sign up rewards. This month we see three first year free cards on the list 

There is no change this month from November - the list stays the same! Again this month's Top 5 sign up offers are bit more on the subjective side thanks to Aeroplan's new buddy pass that are being offered on many of the new Aeroplan cards. The value of this welcome bonus pass can vary greatly from as little as $100 to well beyond $2,000. This makes it somewhat more difficult to value the welcome bonus on those Aeroplan cards so I arbitrarily set the value of the pass at $300. This is most likely a lower value than what many people would get but I try to make my valuations based on the minimum amount you can get but felt that most people would not be redeeming it for less than $300

Editor's Note:
As travel is curtailed right now these offers are more forward looking and can and should be used towards your long term travel plans - whether that's later this year, next year or even beyond. Getting the cards now allows you to achieve the sign up bonuses as you wish and then continue to spend to build up those points and miles balances to make those future vacations that much better. - Or in the case of all the cards except the Alaska Airlines Mastercard you can also look at cash back or cash back equivalents like gift cards from each program if you are looking at short term financial help. If you are going for the latter focus on the cards that have no fee in the first year so that you can maximize your value.

Remember as well that you will find this list smack dab in the middle of the Rewards Canada homepage for easy reference!

Here are our top 5 credit card sign up offers for November (in order of welcome bonus value, calculated as minimum mile/points value minus annual fee)

HSBC World Elite Mastercard - 100,000 points (Apply here)
Minimum value: $500
This card offers a welcome bonus of 100,000 points, split between 20,000 on first purchase and 80,000 more when you spend $5,000 within 180 days of getting the card. The annual fee of $149 is waived in the first year as well meaning these points come to you at no cost other than card spend. The card has a lot of other good benefits like no foreign transaction fees to consider as well! Those 100,000 points are worth $500 in travel rewards but those points can also be converted to British Airways Executive Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
Minimum Income: $80,000 personal or $150,000 household or $400,000 in assets at any Canadian Financial Institution

Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard - 30,000 Miles + $100 Statement credit (Apply here)
Minimum value: $451

This card offers a welcome bonus of 30,000 miles plus a $100 statement credit when you spend $1,000 on the card in the first three months of having it. This is one of the easiest bonuses to achieve and this card is one of the most churnable in Canada. There are really no problems in getting it 2-4 times in one year alone! Those 30,000 miles and the statement credit are worth no less than $451 when redeeming for economy class flights and just go up from there.
Minimum Income: $80,000 Personal or $150,000 Household

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card - 10,000 points + Buddy Pass (Apply here)

Minimum value: $420

The new Aeroplan cards are here and the bonus offer on the mainstay cards provide 10,000 Aeroplan points, a Buddy Pass and an annual fee rebate for the primary and first additional cardholder. All told the points and buddy pass are worth no less than $420 in our minds and in reality should be worth much more than that. To get in on this bonus you have to apply by January 17, 2021. Learn more about the Buddy Pass here and the New Aeroplan program here.
Minimum Income: $60,000 Personal or $100,000 Household

 

 

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card - 10,000 points + Buddy Pass (Apply here)

Minimum value: $420

The offer on this card is virtually the same as the TD version but offers fee rebates on more additional cards than the TD version. The welcome bonus provides 10,000 Aeroplan points, a Buddy Pass and an annual fee rebate for the primary and three additional cardholders. All told the points and buddy pass are worth no less than $420 in our minds and in reality should be worth much more than that. To get in on this bonus you have to apply by January 31, 2021. Learn more about the Buddy Pass here and the New Aeroplan program here.
Minimum Income: $60,000 Personal or $100,000 Household

 

 

Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card - 50,000 Points (Apply here)
Minimum value: $380

The 50,000 points, awarded after spending $1,500 on the card in three months are worth at least $500 in our minds which means after subtracting the annual fee you are coming out ahead by $380. In reality you can pull even more value out of the card (into four figures) as we outlined in our post A look at how The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card provides huge value!  Don't forget you get an annual free night with the card as well on the card anniversary date, automatic Silver Elite status, 15 night credit towards the next elite status and more. Plus the card offers additional points on spending until January 3. Learn more about that points offer here.
Minimum Income: N/A

If you went for all these cards you ultimately could end up with $2,171 in travel value to well beyond that!. However 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. We don't really recommend getting all five in one month unless you know you can meet the minimum spend for them all at once, rather you'd want to pick one or two right now, perhaps another next month and so on.

Disclaimers:
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