Best Metal Credit Cards in Canada

This top-shelf Aeroplan card offers 3x points on purchases made with Air Canada — the highest Aeroplan earn rate on the market. Comprehensive insurance coverage, annual companion passes and priority airport services add to the luxe factor, but the hefty $599 annual fee may be more than some cardholders are willing to spend. Best for: Air Canada enthusiasts who want to maximize their Aeroplan point accumulation.

As the name suggests, this card offers top-tier perks like free airport lounge access, an annual $200 travel credit and a full suite of insurances. However, it’s a charge card, so you must pay off the balance in full each month or face steep interest. And, for a premium travel card that costs $799 a year, the 2.5% foreign transaction fee is a bit of a letdown. Best for: High-end jetsetters who spend big on travel and don’t carry a balance.

Smaller businesses might balk at the steep annual fee, but you get what you pay for with this top-tier business offering from Amex: comprehensive airport lounge access, up to $820 in annual statement credits and a bevy of exclusive airport perks. Best for: Businesses that travel often and don’t mind spending more for premium benefits.

This flexible, mid-tier travel card is outfitted in an eye-catching stainless steel, typically reserved for premium cards with $500+ annual fees. The Amex Gold Rewards boasts broad rewards earning categories for eligible dollars spent on travel, gas, groceries and drugstore purchases. Perks like a $100 annual travel credit and airport lounge access add tangible value but only help offset the $250 annual fee if they’re put to use. Best for: Travellers seeking occasional lounge access and flexible, everyday rewards.

Strong rewards rates on everyday spending categories make this card a solid all-around earner. The travel perks, like free airport lounge access, priority airport security and robust insurance, are attractive, too. But steep income criteria and a hefty annual fee will kill the appeal for some prospective cardholders. Best for: High-income earners who want to capitalize on their everyday spending.

This card offers premium travel perks at top dollar. You get comprehensive travel insurance, annual $99 companion passes, unlimited access to Maple Leaf Lounges, six annual lounge passes via the Visa Airport Companion Program, priority airport services, NEXUS rebates and more. But not everyone will be able to afford the annual fee, nor meet the steep income requirement. Best for: Frequent Air Canada travellers with a big budget looking for premium perks at the airport.

A metal credit card equipped with all the bells and whistles of a high-end travel companion: accelerated points on travel spending, airport lounge access and an annual travel credit. The trade-offs are what you'd expect at this tier: six-figure annual income eligibility criteria and a sizable annual fee. Best for: Cardholders who spend big on travel and want a card that unlocks luxurious experiences to match.

If you spend big abroad and want a simple, rewarding cash-back card, this Wealthsimple offering could be worth a look. It offers 2% on all purchases and doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. But its monthly fee amounts to $240 annually and meeting the requirements to have it waived is not easy: you need to have at least $100,000 in assets with Wealthsimple or set up a direct deposit of at least $4,000 monthly. Best for: Overseas spenders who can meet this card’s fee-waiving requirements.

The Everything Plan is KOHO’s top-tier prepaid card and it shows. Cardholders get up to 2% back on purchases, earn 3.5% interest on balances, get discounts on credit-building services and don’t pay foreign transaction fees. But all these perks come at a cost — $177 per year if paid annually, or $22 a month (totalling $264 per year). Best for: Travellers who like to deal in cash and can afford the card’s fee.