Best Credit Card Welcome Offers in Canada: October 2026
Loading article…
A credit card welcome offer can be worth more than a full year of everyday rewards, but only if you reach the minimum spend without changing your budget. This page lists the best credit card welcome offers in Canada as of October 18, 2026, grouped by what you want to earn. Every amount, minimum spend and end date below comes from our card catalogue on that date. For the full picture of each card, start with our credit cards hub or our ranking of the best credit cards in Canada.
We refresh this page every month. Issuers can change an offer at any time, so confirm the terms on the issuer's application page before you apply.
How we picked these welcome offers
We started from every active, public card in our catalogue that carried a current welcome offer on October 18, 2026. We then kept the offers that return the most value for a realistic level of spending in each category. A large point total with a $20,000 spending target is not the same deal as a smaller total you can reach with normal purchases.
Three rules apply to every pick:
- One source for every number: offer amounts, minimum spend, deadlines and annual fees come from our card catalogue, never from another article.
- "Up to" stays "up to": when an issuer pays the offer in steps, we show the maximum and explain each step.
- Paid placements stay separate: a sponsored card appears only in its own labelled section, never inside the editorial lists.
When two cards answer the same need equally well, we list first the issuer we work with most often. That rule never moves a card that fits less well above one that fits better.
Sponsored offer this month
Sponsored placement. The card in this section appears because of a commercial arrangement with the issuer. It is not part of the editorial ranking that follows.
The TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card carries the largest point total in our catalogue this month. As of October 18, 2026, the welcome offer is up to 160,000 TD Rewards Points, plus a first-year annual fee rebate. Our catalogue lists a minimum spend of $7,500 within 6 months and an annual fee of $139. No end date is published for this offer.
Sponsored
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $139
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$800Annual fee rebated$139Total$939Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $939
- Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 6 months
- Up to 160,000 points
Apply Now
on TD's website
Welcome offers at a glance
The table below summarizes our editorial picks. Amounts are maximums, and each offer has conditions set by the issuer.
| Card | Category | Welcome offer (maximum) | Minimum spend | Annual fee | Offer ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card | Travel | Up to 60,000 Aventura points + first-year fee rebate | $5,000 in 4 months | $139 | Not published |
| RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card | Travel | Up to 70,000 Avion points | $5,000 in 6 months | $120 | Nov. 25, 2026 |
| BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard (Exclusive) | Travel | Up to 115,000 BMO Rewards points + first-year fee rebate | $20,000 in 12 months | $150 | Not published |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card | Airline | Up to 50,000 Aeroplan points + first-year fee rebate | $12,000 in 12 months | $139 | Not published |
| WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard | Airline | Up to 70,000 WestJet Rewards points | $5,000 in 3 months | $139 | Nov. 18, 2026 |
| Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card | Hotel | Up to 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points | $3,000 in 3 months | $120 | Not published |
| TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card | Cash back | Up to $350 cash back + first-year fee rebate | $3,500 in 3 months | $139 | Not published |
| Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite+ Card | Cash back | Up to $300 cash back + first-year fee rebate | $2,000 in 3 months | $120 | Nov. 1, 2026 |
| BMO CashBack Mastercard | No annual fee | Up to $125 cash back | $2,500 in 3 months | $0 | Oct. 31, 2027 |
| Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard | No annual fee | $120 cash back | $1,500 in 3 months | $0 | Nov. 30, 2026 |
Best travel rewards welcome offers
Flexible travel points let you book flights and hotels with many providers, and some programs also transfer to airline partners. These are the strongest offers for points you can use broadly. Compare them with our best travel credit cards ranking.
- CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card: up to 60,000 Aventura points plus a first-year annual fee rebate. You earn 15,000 points on your first purchase, 30,000 points after $3,000 in purchases within 4 months, and 15,000 points after $5,000 in net purchases in the first 4 statements. Annual fee: $139. No published end date.
- RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card: up to 70,000 Avion points. You get 35,000 points on approval, 20,000 points after $5,000 in purchases within 6 months, and 15,000 points after your first account anniversary. Annual fee: $120. Offer ends November 25, 2026.
- BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card: up to 70,000 BMO Rewards points plus a first-year annual fee rebate. The points come in three steps, and the last one requires $12,000 in purchases within 12 months. Annual fee: $120. No published end date.
- Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card: up to 50,000 Scene+ points. You earn 30,000 points after $2,000 in purchases within 3 months and 20,000 points after $7,500 within 12 months. Annual fee: $120. Offer ends November 1, 2026.
- American Express Cobalt® Card: up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points, paid as 1,250 points for each month you spend $750 during your first 12 months. Annual fee: $191.88. No published end date.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $120 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $120 | |||
| $191.88 |
Exclusive: BMO Ascend World Elite
The BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®* is marked Exclusive in our catalogue, which means this version of the offer is available through Ratesopedia's links. As of October 18, 2026, it pays up to 115,000 BMO Rewards points plus a first-year annual fee rebate. The points arrive in three steps, and the final step requires $20,000 in purchases within 12 months. The annual fee is $150, so this offer suits households that run large expenses through one card.
Exclusive
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$771Annual fee rebated$150Total$921Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $921
- Welcome offerAfter $20,000 in 12 months
- Up to 115,000 points
Apply Now
on BMO's website
Best airline welcome offers
Airline cards earn points in a single loyalty program. They work best when you already fly that airline. Air Canada flyers can compare the best Aeroplan credit cards, and everyone else can start with the best airline credit cards.
- TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card: up to 50,000 Aeroplan points plus a first-year annual fee rebate, after $12,000 in purchases within 12 months. Annual fee: $139. No published end date.
- CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card: up to 50,000 Aeroplan points plus a first-year annual fee rebate. You earn 10,000 points on your first purchase, 15,000 points after $6,000 within 6 months, and a 25,000-point anniversary bonus after $12,000 within 12 months. Annual fee: $139. No published end date.
- American Express® Aeroplan®* Card: up to 45,000 Aeroplan points. You earn 35,000 points after $7,500 in purchases within 6 months and 10,000 points when you spend $1,000 in month 13. Annual fee: $120. No published end date.
- WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡: up to 70,000 WestJet Rewards points. You earn 30,000 points on your first purchase, 30,000 points after $5,000 within 3 months, and 10,000 points after your first account anniversary. Annual fee: $139. Offer ends November 18, 2026.
- BMO VIPorter World Elite®* Mastercard®*: up to 70,000 VIPorter points, a round-trip companion pass and a first-year annual fee rebate. The offer comes in three steps, and the last one requires $18,000 in purchases within 12 months. Annual fee: $199. Offer ends October 31, 2026.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $120 | |||
| $139 | |||
| $0 |
Best hotel welcome offer
The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card offers up to 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points as of October 18, 2026. You earn 60,000 points after $3,000 in purchases within 3 months and 10,000 points when you spend $500 in month 13. The annual fee is $120, and no end date is published. The first target works out to $1,000 a month, which is easier to reach than most premium offers on this page. For other hotel programs, see the best hotel credit cards.
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600Plus $100 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $600
- Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months
- Up to 70,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Best cash back welcome offers
Cash back is the simplest reward: no points to value and no transfer rules. These offers pay the most cash for a reasonable spend. All our cash back picks are in the best cash back credit cards ranking.
- TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card: up to $350 cash back plus a first-year annual fee rebate, after $3,500 in purchases within 3 months. Annual fee: $139. No published end date.
- Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite +* Card: up to $300 cash back plus a first-year annual fee rebate, after $2,000 in purchases within 3 months. Annual fee: $120. Offer ends November 1, 2026.
- RBC® Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard‡: up to $300 cash back, through 15% extra cash back on your first $2,000 in spending over 3 months. Annual fee: $120. Offer ends February 2, 2027.
- CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card: up to $250 cash back plus a first-year annual fee rebate. That is 10% cash back on up to $2,000 in net purchases in the first 4 statements, plus $50 for setting up a pre-authorized payment in the same period. Annual fee: $120. No published end date.
- BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®*: up to $480 cash back, paid as $40 for each month you spend at least $2,000 during your first year. Annual fee: $139. No published end date.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $120 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 |
Exclusive: Wealthsimple Visa Infinite+
The Wealthsimple Visa Infinite+ Card is marked Exclusive in our catalogue. As of October 18, 2026, it pays up to $500 cash back through an extra 3% (5% in total) on the first $10,000 in net purchases during the 35 days after approval. The card must stay open for 180 days after that boosted period. The annual fee is $240, so the offer only makes sense if a large planned expense falls inside those 35 days.
Exclusive
- Annual fee
- $240
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$500Total$500Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $500
- Welcome offerAfter $10,000 in 1 month
- Up to $500 cash back
Apply Now
on Wealthsimple's website
Best no-annual-fee welcome offers
A no-fee card keeps the whole welcome offer in your pocket, since there is no fee to subtract. The trade-off is a smaller amount. See every option in the best no annual fee credit cards.
- BMO CashBack® Mastercard®*: up to $125 cash back after $2,500 in purchases within 3 months. Offer ends October 31, 2027.
- Tangerine® Money-Back World Mastercard®*: $120 cash back after $1,500 in purchases within 3 months. Offer ends November 30, 2026.
- Scotia Momentum® No-Fee Visa* Card: up to $100 cash back after $2,000 in purchases within 3 months, plus a 0.99% introductory rate on balance transfers for the first nine months. Offer ends November 1, 2026.
- CIBC Dividend® Visa* Card: up to $100 cash back after $2,000 in purchases within 4 months. No published end date.
- RBC ION Visa Card: up to 14,000 Avion points, with 7,000 points on approval and 7,000 points after $500 in purchases within 3 months. Offer ends November 4, 2026.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 |
First-year-free and low-interest offers
Some cards skip points and waive the fee or cut the interest instead. These offers suit you if you want to test a premium card at no cost or pay down a balance.
- National Bank World Elite® Mastercard®: a first-year annual fee rebate on a $150 annual fee. The card is marked Exclusive in our catalogue. Offer ends November 4, 2026.
- MBNA True Line® Mastercard®: 0% interest for up to 12 months on balance transfers, not available in Quebec. No annual fee and no published end date.
- CIBC Select Visa* Card: 0% interest on balance transfers of $100 or more for your first 10 months, plus a first-year annual fee rebate on a $29 annual fee. No published end date.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 |
A balance transfer usually carries a transfer fee, so read the card's terms before you move a balance. Our best balance transfer credit cards and best first-year-free credit cards list more options.
How to compare welcome offers
Minimum spend versus your budget
Divide the minimum spend by the number of months. A $7,500 target over 6 months is $1,250 a month, while $3,000 over 3 months is $1,000 a month. If you would need to buy things you do not need, pick a smaller offer. Interest on a carried balance can cost more than the offer is worth.
Points are not dollars
A point total says little until you know what a point is worth. The value depends on how you use the points, so check our points valuation page before you compare a points offer with a cash back offer. Our rewards calculator also estimates what a card earns with your own spending.
Steps that pay after the first year
Several offers pay their last step after the first account anniversary or in month 13. By then, the second-year annual fee usually applies. Count that fee before you treat the final step as free value.
Eligibility and your credit file
Applying for a card triggers a credit check, which appears on your credit report. Issuers also set their own rules on who qualifies for a welcome offer, especially if you held the card before. Our credit score hub explains how applications affect your file.
Conclusion
The best welcome offer is the one you can earn with your normal spending. For broad travel points, the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card and the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card balance value and effort well this month. For cash, the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card and the Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite +* Card pay the most for a modest spend. If you want no fee at all, the BMO CashBack® Mastercard®* leads our list. Check the end dates, since several offers close before the end of November 2026.
To get next month's update and other rate changes, subscribe to the Ratesopedia newsletter.
Frequently asked questions about credit card welcome offers
What is a credit card welcome offer?
A welcome offer is a reward an issuer gives new cardholders, usually in points or cash back, once they meet a spending condition. Some offers also include a first-year annual fee rebate or a low introductory interest rate. On Ratesopedia we use the term "welcome offer" for all of these. You can compare current offers side by side with our credit card comparison tool, and each card's page lists its full conditions.
How much do I need to spend to get a welcome offer?
It depends on the card. In our October 18, 2026 catalogue, targets range from $500 within 3 months for the RBC ION Visa Card to $20,000 within 12 months for the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*. Divide the target by the number of months to see if it fits your budget. Our rewards calculator helps you test your own spending.
Do I still pay the annual fee during the welcome offer?
Usually yes, unless the offer includes a first-year annual fee rebate. Many cards on this page include that rebate, such as the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card and the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card. Offers that pay a step after the first anniversary often fall after the second-year fee is charged. Our best first-year-free credit cards page lists cards that waive the first year.
Does applying for a credit card hurt my credit score?
An application triggers a credit check that appears on your credit report, and several applications in a short period can weigh on your score. Paying the card in full and on time matters more over the long run. Space out your applications and apply only for cards you plan to use. Our guide on how to get a good credit score explains what lenders look at.
Why is one card shown in a separate sponsored section?
The TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card holds a sponsored placement this month, which is a paid arrangement with the issuer. We keep it in its own labelled section so it does not blend into our editorial picks. The figures for that card come from the same catalogue as every other card on the page. Our full best credit cards ranking explains how we evaluate cards.
How often do credit card welcome offers change?
Issuers change offers often, sometimes several times a year, and some offers carry a fixed end date. This page reflects our catalogue as of October 18, 2026, and we refresh it every month. Before you apply, confirm the current terms on the issuer's page. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada also recommends reading the application and credit agreement carefully.
Read next
