Lund is a cute little university town in southern Sweden. It takes about an hour to travel from Copenhagen to Lund, so it is the perfect day trip to take from Copenhagen!

You can either take a train or bus from Copenhagen to Lund. The cost is virtually the same for both the train and bus, but taking the train is the best way to travel from Copenhagen to Lund. The train leaves more often and takes significantly less time, so it can be more convenient for most travellers. One downside to taking the train is there may be limited space, and sometimes people have to stand during peak times. You also have the option to drive from Copenhagen to Lund if you rent a car.

Lund is such a cute city. You can easily see the highlights of the town in a single day, and that is what makes it such an attractive day trip from Copenhagen.

Even though you’re travelling from Denmark to Sweden, the trip is super painless and just as easy as taking public transportation within a single country.

The only thing that may be different is you may be asked to show your passport when the train arrives in Sweden.

This doesn’t happen every time a train arrives from Denmark, but you should carry your passport with you just in case the Swedish authorities board the train and check people’s passports.

The passport check doesn’t take more than a few minutes and you’re back on your way to Lund in no time!

In many instances, it is quicker and cheaper to travel from Copenhagen to Lund than it is to travel from Copenhagen to other Danish cities!

That is how easy and painless the journey from Copenhagen to Lund is!

Taking the Copenhagen to Lund train is the best and most convenient way to travel between the two cities.

Three trains leave per hour (excluding super off-peak hours in the middle of the night). You can basically show up at the train station at any time and get on the next train within a matter of minutes!

I love how quick, easy, and hassle free taking the train from Copenhagen to Lund is!

The entire journey from the centre of Copenhagen to the centre of Lund takes less than an hour!

It can take a few minutes longer if there is congestion on the tracks or the Swedish authorities check passports, but it is never longer than 75 minutes!

As a Canadian, it never ceases to impress me that you can travel between countries so quickly in Europe! I absolutely love it.

Ticket costs vary between 61 Krone and 122 Krone. That is approximately $10 USD to $20 USD.

In my experience, a Copenhagen to Lund train ticket cost normally costs closer to the €8 range than the €16 range.  

That can be a little bit expensive for such a short journey, but it is the Nordic countries.

Prices tend to be a bit higher in that region than other parts of Europe, but it is so worth it!

For a bit of context, it costs roughly the same to travel from the Copenhagen airport to central Copenhagen as it does to travel from Copenhagen to Lund. It isn’t really all that expensive when you compare it to other prices in Denmark and Sweden.

There is absolutely no need to purchase your ticket in advance!

Trains travel from Copenhagen to Lund so often that there will be a train leaving within 30 minutes of you arriving at the train station.

You’ll get on the next train even if it is busy, but is may mean you have to stand rather than have a seat.

It isn’t a big deal though since it is such a short journey. A lot of people get off the train at the Copenhagen airport as well, so you can probably snag a seat then if you do end up standing.

There are ticket machines at Copenhagen Central Station and the airport, so you can easily pick up your ticket no matter where you’re departing from.

You do have the option of purchasing a ticket in advance on the ticket machine if you want to be extra prepared or have to leave at a particular time no matter what.

Ticket machines take both cash and card, and they have an English option for tourists!

All things considered, it is one of the easiest processes for purchasing train tickets, and the entire process is smooth and fool proof.

A word of caution: there are people checking tickets on almost every train. Please always purchase a ticket and never try to catch a free ride. This advice goes for every and any public transportation you take but is especially important on the Copenhagen to Lund train.

You can get on the train from Copenhagen to Lund at two spots:

• Copenhagen Central Station

It is a direct train from both the central train station and the airport, so you never have to worry about transferring trains.

It doesn’t really matter where you jump on the train, and it all boils down to what is most convenient for you.

Most people will get on the train at Copenhagen Central Station, but a few of you may want to go straight to Lund from Copenhagen airport. That is super easy to do as well, so that is another big plus about travelling from Copenhagen to Lund!

The train arrives at Lund Central Station.

It is located in central Lund, and you’ll be able to walk pretty much anywhere in the main part of the city within 20 minutes!

Lund Central Station is perfectly located, and odds are it is easier to walk to wherever you’re staying than take the bus.

• Trains leave 3 times an hour on average

• The train stations in Copenhagen and Lund are centrally located and easy to walk to

• Limited dedicated luggage storage

You other option is to take a bus from Copenhagen to Lund.

This is a fine option, but it isn’t as convenient as the train. Buses don’t leave as often, and they take significantly longer than the train.

There are only six buses per day that travel from Copenhagen to Lund, so it is much more restrictive and forces you to plan more in advance.

I personally prefer the train because you know it will likely run on schedule unlike the bus that may get caught in traffic.

Plus trains are just way more fun than buses!

Unfortunately, the Copenhagen to Lund bus ride take 90 minutes!

That is basically half again as long as the Copenhagen to Lund train, so I don’t really see much of an advantage to taking the bus over the train.

It varies by bus company, but you can expect a bus ticket to Lund from Copenhagen to cost between 67 Krone and 110 Krone That is approximately $11 USD and $18 USD.

That’s pretty close to what a train ticket will cost, so it is pretty much a saw off between the train and bus when it comes to cost.

One thing to note is I’ve often found that the bus tickets tend to average closer to the higher end of their price range whereas train tickets tend to average out closer to the lower end of their price range.

It all depends on what company you use and when you depart though!

A ticket during the peak-time on a weekend is going to cost more than a ticket during off-peak times on a weekday.

Plan accordingly and try to find the best ticket price that suits your travel schedule!

You have two options for purchasing bus tickets:

• In person right before departure

Both options work, and it is more of a matter of preference.

The buses are rarely full because the train is so convenient and popular. You don’t really need to stress about purchasing your ticket online in advance because bus tickets don’t typically sell out.

That doesn’t mean they never sell out though!

There are three different bus providers that travel from Copenhagen to Lund.

Neither of them are any better than the rest, and it all comes down to price and departure time.

The three bus operators are:

All three providers let you purchase tickets online in advance or at the station on the day of departure.

Just be sure you get to the station early enough to have time to purchase a ticket if you don’t purchase one online in advance!

The bus leaves Copenhagen at Copenhagen Central Station.

There is a bus station at the same spot as the train station, so it is really easy to find!

Copenhagen Central Station is located right in central Copenhagen next to Tivoli Gardens, so it is impossible to miss!

Buses arrive at Lund Bangatan.

It is about 100 meters away from Lund Central Station and is super centrally located.

Just like the train station, you can walk to anywhere in central Lund in less than 20 minutes, and it is normally easier to walk to your accommodation than try to take a bus.

Lund is a super small town, so it is easy to walk around the central part of the city without getting lost!

• You have a guaranteed seat

• Dedicated luggage storage under the bus

• There are only six buses that travel from Copenhagen to Lund per day

• It takes significantly longer than the train

• Is often more expensive than the train

Your final option is to drive from Copenhagen to Lund.

I don’t really recommend you rent a car and drive just to visit Lund from Copenhagen. It is more expensive than the bus or train, and is a headache you don’t need.

It isn’t terribly convenient to worry about navigating the roads, finding parking, and filling up on gas before you return the car.

The only time I recommend you driving from Copenhagen to Lund is if it is part of a larger road trip through Denmark and Sweden.

If you do choose to drive, it will take a little over an hour to reach Lund from Copenhagen.

There you have it! You now know everything you need to in order to decide how to travel from Copenhagen to Lund!

My preference is to take the Copenhagen to Lund train because it is faster and less expensive. But it all comes down to what works best for you and your travel needs.

You can technically also take a taxi from Copenhagen to Lund, but it is extremely expensive and not worth the additional price since it takes about the same amount of time as the train.

A taxi from Copenhagen to Lund will set you back at least 600 Krone or approximately $100 USD!

That is absurdly expensive!

Stick to public transportation. It is quick, effective, and convenient.

Nordic countries know how to do public transportation right, and you’ll have a lovely journey no matter if you take the train or bus.

It can be difficult to decide where to stay in London. The city is huge, and there are sights to see in every neighbourhood.

Having a general idea of where to stay in London when booking your accommodation is a huge help. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the choices because there are so many great options to choose from.

I always stay in Earls Court when I go to London. To me, it is the perfect London neighbourhood for tourists. It is along the Piccadilly line on the London Underground, so it has easy access to central London and Heathrow Airport.

Earls Court London transport zones 1 and 2, so you are charged the cheapest fare when travelling within zone 1 from Earls Court and charges a zone 2 fare when travelling to Heathrow. It is a great way to optimize your money while in London. Don’t forget to get an Oyster card to save money on public transportation in London!

Earls Court itself is a great neighbourhood. It is filled with great local places to eat, and it is far enough away from the centre of London that it isn’t busy.

The hotel prices in Earls Court are extremely reasonable for central London hotels. You can often book a room for $100-150/night.

You get the best of everything in Earls Court. It is central, less expensive than other neighbourhoods, safe, and is more relaxed and quiet than other neighbourhoods.

Earls Court is a great neighbourhood in the heart of London that also has a local, quiet feeling. You will love staying here on your next trip to London.

If you don’t stay in Earls Court, I recommend staying along the Piccadilly line. The Piccadilly line basically runs diagonally through central London.

You are guaranteed to be staying in a central location if you get a hotel close to an Underground station on the Piccadilly line in transport zone 1.

Hyde Park is a great area to stay in. It is very central and walking distance to nearly every major London tourist attraction. It is a smart neighbourhood, so it is generally more expensive than Earls Court.

This neighbourhood is filled with amazing parks, great pubs, and high-end shops. It is great for people who want an upscale trip to London without being in a super touristy area.

The Hyde Park area has a great combination of tourist attractions while not feeling overly touristy. You walk a few blocks away from the parks, and you start to feel like you are experiencing an authentic part of London.

The Piccadilly Circus/Leicester Square area is the place to stay if you want to be in the heart of London’s tourist attractions. You won’t get an authentic London experience if you stay here because you will be surrounded by tourists and businesses.

This is a great location if you have a short time in London and want to walk everywhere, but it is quite expensive. You will be able to find lots of places to eat and do if you stay in this neighbourhood.

This location is right in thee heart of the West End theatre district, so it is prefect for people wanting to see a lot of shows while in town. You won’t have to worry about taking public transportation home because you will be able to walk.

King’s Cross is one of London’s busiest train stations. It has an Underground station as well as domestic and international trains departing from it. Just like Earl’s Court, it is on the edge of transport zone 1.

King’s Cross is close enough to the heart of London that getting around is easy, but it far enough away that it is quieter. It is still busier than Earl’s Court because of the major train station, but it is less busy than the Piccadilly area.

This is a great location for people that are taking early morning trains that leave from Kings Cross or the Eurostar to another part of Europe. It saves you a commute on the underground if your hotel is walking distance from the train station you depart from.

The Kings Cross area has a number of great restaurants. You can find both independently-owned restaurants as well as chains.

Kings Cross is my second choice for location behind Earl’s Court. It is the perfect mix of being close to tourist attractions while still being able to have some quiet.

• The House of Toby
• The Pack and Carriage London
• Angus Hotel
• Crestfield Hotel

Victoria station is another great location even though it is not located along the Piccadilly line. It has access to 3 Underground lines and is a busy coach (bus) terminal.

Victoria station is close to Westminster, so you can easily walk to the majority of central London’s most popular tourist sights. Since it is such an important transportation hub, you are guaranteed to find lots of great restaurants and coffee shops.

It is also a great location if you’re looking for a less expensive location in central London. The Victoria station area has prices similar to Earl’s Court, so it is a great location to get a great hotel in the middle of the city without paying as much as you would in the Piccadilly or Hyde Park areas. It is slightly more expensive than Earl’s Court, but you can normally find a good deal.

• The Z Hotel Victoria
• Sheriff Hotel
• Dover Hotel
• Victor Hotel

London has an amazing transportation system. No matter where you stay you will be able to easily travel from place to place and sight to sight either by the Underground or the bus system.

If you choose to stay in one of the neighbourhoods I’ve suggested, you will be ideally stationed in the city to have easy access to all of the top sights London has to offer.

For a central hotel that still has an authentic London vibe and is relatively quiet, consider Earl’s Court or Kings Cross.

If you’re only in the city for a few days and want to walk to all the sights, Piccadilly/Leicester Square is the place for you.

People who are looking to stay in a high-end neighbour hood will love the Hyde Park neighbourhood.

London is an amazing city, and where you stay has an impact on what type of experience you have while on your vacation. No matter where you choose to stay be sure to research what the neighbourhood has to offer and explore it while you’re there.

Dublin is a hugely popular city with tourists, but is Dublin safe for solo female travellers?

According to a 2022 study, Ireland was ranked the safest country for solo female travellers. The study only surveyed 30 countries (most of them in Europe).

It doesn’t give the most well rounded analysis of what the safest countries for solo female travellers is, but it does say something that Ireland was at the top of the list.

That study showcased that Ireland as a whole is safe, but is Dublin safe?

I’ve been to Dublin a few times, and I can honestly say that it is safe, but I would by no means say that Dublin is the safest I’ve ever felt as a solo female traveller.

That prize goes to South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.

But, all things considered, Dublin is safe.

As long as you take reasonable precautions and don’t do anything too stupid. I’m a big believer of everywhere is as safe as you make it.

Meaning that if you follow the local norms, don’t break the law, and use common sense, you shouldn’t run into any trouble.

That being said, there are a few things you need to know in order to stay safe in Dublin as a solo female traveller.

What I wish I knew before backpacking Europe alone

Just in case you skimmed the intro and just want to get to the heart of the question, I thought I would reiterate that Dublin is safe for solo female traveller.

That doesn’t mean you can’t get yourself into trouble in Dublin. You definitely can.

But, the average tourist doesn’t have anything to worry about and can enjoy their trip to Dublin.

As I mentioned, there are a few safety tips you should know to make sure you’re safe on your trip to Dublin.

Common sense will get you most of the way there, but there are a few extra things I wanted to point out.

By following these tips, the answer to the question is Dublin safe for solo female travellers is most assuredly yes!

Dublin has a reputation of being a city that loves to drink. Pubs are everywhere, and locals enjoy their pints.

The one thing that makes we question is Dublin safe for solo female travellers is the drinking culture.

It is so easy to get swept up in it and then end up in a bad situation.

Trust me. Been there. Done that. And it was actually my trip to Dublin that made me put a hard drink cap of two on myself because I didn’t want to get in a sticky situation while travelling alone.

Most people (even solo travellers) end up in at least one pub while in Dublin. You’ll probably meet some nice locals and end up staying longer than you planned.

And quite possibly drinking more than planned.

In order to stay safe, you should give yourself a drinking limit and have a reliable plan on how you’re getting back to your accommodation at the end of your evening out.

You should also avoid telling strangers exactly where you’re staying.

That sounds like a pretty obvious thing, but you’d be amazed at how many people I’ve overheard telling strangers exactly where they’re staying.

Everywhere around the world. Not just in Dublin.

Overcome your fear of travelling alone

Now, I’m not necessarily saying that if you have a few too many drinks that you’ll be in a bad situation, but you never know.

The people I’ve met in Dublin were incredibly kind and looked out for anybody who had a few more drinks than they should have, but you can’t count on the kindness of strangers.

As solo female travellers, I think we’re all too aware that there are people in the world who target women who are alone.

Especially women alone at night and even more so women who have had a few drinks.

It’s a very sad and unfortunate reality of being a woman travelling alone. Heck, being a women in general whether you’re in your home town or travelling.

I never recommend that women get drunk in public alone- especially when in a city they’re not familiar with.

A few drinks is totally fine.

You know your body, and you should know your limits. Know how many drinks (on average) it takes for you to start losing your inhibition and stop drinking before it gets to that point.

I know some people like to get drunk and have a good time while travelling. There are ways to do that safely, and it’s not going to a pub alone.

If you want to get drunk and party, I recommend going on a guided pub crawl.

There are companies that take tourists on pub crawls around Dublin, and they’re the safest way for solo female travellers to enjoy the nightlife without putting themselves at risk.

There is a guide who looks out for everybody on the tour and makes sure everybody gets home safe at the end of the night.

It costs a little bit more than going out on your own, but you can’t put a price on safety!

Internet safety is one of the most overlooked travel safety measures, and it needs to change.

Using the internet safely is essential for travelling, and not being internet safe could ruin your trip.

You rely on public wifi networks when travelling, and that puts your devices at risk of having your personal and private information stolen.

And you don’t want to go through the headache of having your banking information stolen while you’re on holiday. It’s a nightmare, and it leaves you in a difficult situation for the rest of your trip because all your cards are cancelled.

Even public wifi networks with a password aren’t safe because countless people are on that wifi network because they have the password.

The only way you can use public wifi networks safely is by installing a VPN on your devices.

A VPN puts a forcefield around your devices that makes it impossible for prying eyes to access your personal and private online data.

It makes using public wifi just as safe as using your home wifi where you’re the only person who knows the password.

Installing a VPN on your devices is a super small step you can take and will give you peace of mind on your trip.

I’ve used a lot of different VPNs over my many years of travel. Honestly, most of them are terrible and slow your internet down so much that your devices are basically unusable.

I’ve turned off my VPN and put my personal information at risk too many times to count because the VPN I was using was so painfully slow that a basic webpage couldn’t load.

All my frustrations went away when I discovered NordVPN.

NordVPN is the fastest VPN on the market, which is why I love it and recommend it to my fellow travel lovers.

You need fast internet when you travel, and NordVPN allows you to have fast internet and stay safe online.

Well as fast of internet as the network you’re using allows.

I’ve been using NordVPN for years (and just renewed for another two years) and have never had an issue with it slowing down my devices.

The best part is that the cost per month of a two-year NordVPN subscription is less than a single Starbucks latte.

My philosophy is that if you can afford to travel, you can afford to protect your online data and privacy with a VPN.

Esims are a new technology that allows you to access photo data while abroad. All you have to do is purchase an esim on the website or app, download it to your phone, and you’ll all set! You can access the internet with data on your phone while in Dublin.

No need for an expensive roaming fee from your home carrier. No need to get a physical sim while abroad. And you get to keep your home phone number for texting while using your esim.

I’ll never travel without an esim again. I absolutely love them and everybody else I’ve convinced to get one love them as well.

I personally use Airalo. They have data packages for the most countries around the world compared to their competitors. They also have very affordable plans and reliable data networks all around the world.

They even offer regional esims. You can purchase one esim that works everywhere in Europe, so you don’t have to worry about getting a new esim in every new country on your European vacation.

If you don’t use much data, you may also want to look into Drimsim. They’re an esim company that charges you per MB you use rather than an upfront amount of data like Airalo.

If you choose to use Drimsim, I recommend you turn off your data whenever you’re not using it. This will help keep your cost low because your data won’t accidentally be running in the background.

But, all things considered, I still recommend Airalo even if you don’t plan on using much data. You pay up front, and it only costs a few dollars if you’re not getting more than 1 GB.

This may seem silly, but one of the things that may change the answer to the question is Dublin safe from yes to no is crossing the street.

Cars drive on the left hand side of the road in Dublin.

Many tourists are used to cars driving on the right hand side of the road, and that causes problems when they’re trying to cross the street in Dublin.

They don’t look thoroughly before crossing the road, and this can cause major problems.

Luckily, it’s an easy fix!

Simply look both ways thoroughly before crossing the street. If there are any cars coming from either direction, don’t step out into traffic.

Most streets in tourist areas have markings reminding people what way to look. Take a quick peak down onto the road for a reminder what way the cars are coming at you from.

You can also just follow what the locals do.

If they start to cross, you can feel safe crossing with them. If they’re waiting around on the curb, it’s best to wait with them until they move.

It may sound like a small, simple thing, but you’ll be surprised at how many tourists you see nearly get hit by a car (or bus) because they’re not looking the right way before crossing the street.

You could make a drinking game out of it.

Ireland has a complicated political history. The last thing locals want is for a tourist to bring up politics and start commenting on (or trying to solve) the country’s politics.

Trust me. My bestie lives in Dublin (and has two Irish parents- one of which grew up in Northern Ireland), and she said everybody who has come to visit her has brought it up, and she hates it.

If you’re talking with locals, keep the conversation casual and don’t bring up politics.

I feel like this is a general rule wherever you travel, but it seems that people who visit Dublin really like bringing it up and talking about it.

Just don’t.

Talking about politics probably won’t make Dublin any less safe, but it will definitely make for a bad impression of you.

Oh. The same goes for sports.

If you’re not a sports fan and don’t have a strong opinion, it’s best to keep sports out of the conversation. Or at least declaring an allegiance to a sports team.

Again, talking about sports won’t make you any less safe in Dublin. But you’ll probably find yourself in the middle of a very heated discussion.

Solo travel in Ireland

Most large cities have pick pocketers, and Dublin is no exception.

Whenever you’re in a crowded tourist area (like Temple Street), you should have an eye on your items and be on the lookout for pick pocketers.

Most people get lost in the excitement of being in Dublin and don’t pay attention to their surroundings. This is when pick pockets make their money.

There are a few easy tips that will help you avoid being pick pocketed in Dublin:

• Keep your purse or back in front of you (or on the front of your hip)

• Store your valuables in the pocket closest to your body to make things hard to steal

• If using a backpack, keep your valuables in one of the hidden compartments closest to your body

• Don’t carry all your money with you. Leave some at your hotel/hostel safely locked up

• Beware that pick pockets often work in pairs. Keep a close eye on your bag if someone stops you and asks if you dropped something or tries to have you take a survey or sign a petition

You came here wondering is Dublin safe for solo female travellers. I hope you’re leaving knowing that Dublin is safe.

As long as you take reasonable precautions and use common sense.

Dublin is a vibrant city.

It’s a great place to start exploring Ireland, but it shouldn’t be the only place you visit.

Take the time to visit other cities in Ireland like Galway or Cork. And, of course, take in the nature.

Dublin (and Ireland) is a great place for solo female travellers.

You’ll feel safe, confident, and see interesting sights and sounds. Plus for most people, there isn’t much culture shock.

It’s a great city to experience if you’re new to solo travelling and want to get your feet wet before jumping into the deep end.

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I know it sounds dramatic, but choosing a travel blog name you love is one of the most important (and most difficult) parts of starting your blogging journey.

It is a pain in the butt to change your blog’s name once it is established, so you want to take your time and choose the right name from the start.

This is a decision you do not want to rush!

I’m in a lot of blogging Facebook groups, and it is rare for there to be a day where I don’t see someone asking for helping changing their travel blog name.

Even if you don’t know if you’re going to keep blogging or not, you need to put some thought and effort into choosing your travel blog name.

I had no intention of blogging and only signed up to Bluehost to learn how to use the backside of a website in the hopes of starting a career in the communication field.

Lucky for me I happened to choose a blog name that I still love to this day, but not everybody is as lucky as I am!

This post isn’t going to give you a bunch of travel blog ideas to choose from. You’re going to have to be creative and come up with your own name!

This article is centred around giving you the core information you need to know in order to choose a good travel blog name that won’t make you cry out in regret a year down the road.

Stick to the guidelines in this post, and you’ll come up with an amazing travel blog name that you’ll love for years to come!

Travel blogging mistakes to avoid at all costs

Gone are the days where you can be a general travel blogger and be widely successful.

For new bloggers breaking into the business, you need to niche down and specialize in one topic.

That doesn’t mean you can only write about that topic, but the focus of your blog should be as narrow as possible.

For example, there are people who only write about Texas or Disney World or Hitchhiking.

Know your expertise and stick to it!

I made the mistake of being too general when I first started my blog. It was difficult to get any traction because Google didn’t know what I was an expert at.

I narrowed my focus to solo travel and wrote a bunch of articles about travelling alone.

Google started to like me more and drive more traffic to my site!

Of course, I have lots of other content on my site, but I make sure I don’t go more than three posts without publishing an article related to solo travel.

The reason choosing your niche before your travel blog name is so important is you want your name to match your site as much as possible.

You don’t want to name your blog Erica Does Disney if the main focus of your blog ends up being the United Kingdom.

Google won’t understand what is going on!

Take some time and imagine what you want to write about for many years to come. Then choose your name!

You can also go with something more generic (like my blog’s name). That way your blog will match your niche even if you switch it up and go a different direction partway through your journey.

You may think it is a genius idea to pick a travel blog name similar to one of the biggest travel bloggers out there.

But it isn’t.

People will either forget about you and only recall the popular blogger’s name. Or they will be trying to find the popular blogger and get frustrated when they stumble on your blog rather than the blog they want.

For example, you’ll want to avoid anything too similar to the Blonde Abroad or Nomadic Matt.

Everybody knows those bloggers. They’ll be looking for those bloggers when they search similar terms.

You want to think of some unique travel blog names that make you stand out a bit from the crowd.

Because let me tell you that the travel blogging world is crowded (but there is always room for more!).

Learn how to keep your blog organized, so you can be more productive

I kind of touched on this in the first point, but you don’t want to choose a travel blog name that can’t grow with you.

That is the main issue I see when people are seeking advice on how to change their domain name.

Names like Brianna Boozes Abroad or Travelling at Twenty probably won’t be something that grows with you and your content five or ten years down the road.

You want to choose a travel blog name that works well with your niche but doesn’t pigeon hole you too much.

Something generic works as well!

One of my favourite explanations of why they chose their name is Flying the Nest. They’re a travel vlogging couple on YouTube who chose a name that could grow with them as they lived their life.

They started as broke twenty somethings, then luxury travellers, and now they document their life as a family.

That is a name chosen very well!

So, don’t be short-sighted when you come up with travel blog name ideas. Consider what life could look like five years down the road.

As hard as that is to imagine!

And go from there.

Do not fall in love with a travel blog name until you’ve made sure it is available!

You do not want to get pumped about a potential name, start fantasizing about it, and then be let down when you discover the domain is already taken.

Or the domain could be free, but the name is already used on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

That’s no good either!

As soon as you think of a potential travel blog name, go to Name Cheap and see if it is available.

If the domain is available, do a little dance of joy, and then head over to various social media platforms and see if the handle you want is available.

You want your handles and domain to match across the board.

Or at least as much as possible.

For example, I’m Travels with Erica everywhere but Instagram where I’m travelswith_erica.

That is close enough that it won’t confuse your audience.

However, if your domain is Travels with Erica, your Facebook is Erica Travels, and your Instagram is Erica Travels the World, it doesn’t make sense.

Branding is important!

You want your audience to recognize and notice you within seconds. Keep your brand as similar as possible across all platforms.

I’m sorry to tell you, but if you can’t get the same or very similar handle across all platforms, it is better to move on from that name and keep thinking of unique travel blog names you might like.

Get your hands on my favourite travel presets for Instagram. Use code TRAVELSWITHERICA at checkout for 10% off your order!

Short and memorable are the keys to coming up with good travel blog name ideas.

You don’t want a super long name that is hard to remember. Two to three short(ish) words is perfect!

Funny story.

I first started a travel blog in 2015 (that quickly died after one post) called Tripping Through the World. That’s way too long and kind of funny to look back on now!

When choosing the words that make up your travel blog name, I suggest using simple words that most people will understand.

People from all over the world will read your posts.

A lot of people have English as a second language and may not understand some of the larger or more obscure English words.

If someone doesn’t understand your name, there is a zero percent chance of them remembering it!

I like to suggest that people keep their blog names under 15 characters.

That should be enough room to succinctly describe the purpose of your blog without the length of your name getting out of control.

I didn’t know about the short and sweet rule when I first started blogging. I’m lucky that I chose something on the shorter end of the spectrum, but it could have gone the other way too.

Learn from me and make sure you choose a short blog name on purpose not just by mistake.

It may seem like a cute idea to purposefully misspell a travel-related word in your domain name, but it isn’t.

People will probably think you don’t know how to spell or that you’re trying to be funny. But they won’t find it charming.

I don’t like it when words are misspelled on purpose in blog names or titles. I know a lot of people feel the same way about it too.

It is best to stick to a traditional spelling of the name and play it safe.

The exception is when you’re using words that are spelled differently in different countries.

I’m Canadian, so I spell travelling with two “l”s. Americans spell traveling with one “l”.

That’s a cultural difference, so you can go with either one.

Some people say you should always spell words the American way because there is a strong likelihood that most of your readers will be American.

I don’t abide by that rule and spell things the way we spell them in Canada.

I’m pretty sure people are bright enough to pick up on the fact that travelling and traveling are the same thing. 😉

Numbers are a different story.

I hate when people put numbers in their travel blog name.

Whether they are spelled out or in numerical form, it doesn’t matter. They both aren’t the best choice.

They look silly in the domain name when they are numerical and take up too much space when they are spelled out.

Just leave the awkward spellings and numbers out of your domain name, and your readers will thank you for it.

You’ll probably be thankful for it down the road as well.

People tend to outgrow those sort of things pretty quickly.

Never run out of content ideas for your travel blog

This is a super underrated tip that not enough people are talking about.

Google loves it when you tell them exactly what you’re about.

What better way to please the Google gods than considering Search Engine Optimization (SEO) when coming up with unique travel blog name ideas?!

None. There are no better ways to please the Google gods.

This isn’t completely necessary, but it can help more than you think.

Especially if you have a niche webiste.

Something like Disney Trippers is a great example!

There is zero confusion surrounding what the site is about.

Alternatively, you could include the word travel in your name like I did.

Anything to point Google in the right direction is a win.

If you’re not quite sure or don’t want to commit to being solely a travel blogger, then you can always go with your name.

That is a very popular approach, and it ensures your blog will grow with you as you grow.

As a reader, I tend to click more quickly to a article written by a blog with a travel-related name. It build immediate trust.

Just some food for thought. 🙂

Everything you need to know about SEO for travel bloggers

Okay. So, by now you probably have a million blog name ideas swirling around in your head, and you’re ready to start claiming the perfect name.

The problem is you don’t know where to start or where to get your domain name from.

Worry not!

I’ve purchased a ton of domain names and have done it the right and wrong way.

I’m sharing my best tips, so you can get your domain name from the right source and for a fair price.

You can purchase your domain name through pretty much every hosting provider out there.

Many like Green Geeks and Bluehost even offer a free domain name for the first year you use their service!

Getting your domain name through your hosting provider is one of the most popular ways to get your domain name.

It is easy and straightforward.

Plus nearly every influencer recommends you get your domain name through your hosting provider, so it must be the best way to get it right?

Perhaps. But not necessarily.

There are some downsides to getting your domain name through your hosting provider that you need to be aware of.

First, hosting providers normally charge at least 50% more (and sometimes twice as much) as using an independent hosting provider.

They know a lot of their customers are new to blogging or aren’t the most tech savvy, so they can jack up the prices.

Second, having your hosting and domain with the same company creates a bit of a tricky situation if you ever want to switch hosting providers.

I’ve never had this experience because I buy my domain names through Namcheap, but I’ve heard horror stories about people having to fight with their host to allow them to change providers and take the hosting and domain name from a single company.

It is always best not to have all your eggs in one basket.

Separating your hosting from the company you purchase your domain through is just a smart business move.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t get your domain name through your hosting, but you should be aware of the pros and cons of making that decision.

Not enough people are talking about the downside to getting your domain name through your hosting provider.

I just want to make sure you have all the information, so you can make the best choice for you.

The other option you have is to purchase your domain name from a company other than your hosting provider.

This is what I do and what I personally think is best practice.

My favourite place to purchase domain names is through Namecheap.

They have super affordable prices, a great user interface, and helpful customer service staff if you ever have an issue.

If you decide to purchase your domain through Namecheap, don’t get sucked into buying upgrades before you checkout.

You don’t need to purchase an SSL certificate or an advanced DNS.

You only need to purchase the domain, and you’re good to go!

Once you’ve purchased your domain, you simply need to enter the custom DNS from your hosting provider, and your domain name will automatically be linked to your hosting provider.

If that sentence freaked you out, know that it is incredibly easy to link them. You just need to copy and paste two strings of number your hosting provider gives you into Namecheap, and you’re set.

I’m a huge advocate for getting your domain from a third-party domain provider like Namecheap.

I like the separation between my hosting provider and my domain provider.

It gives me the freedom to switch providers without a hitch if I choose to.

And it saves me some money every year because Namecheap has the best prices I’ve ever seen for domain names!

I think the best way to approach getting a domain name for your travel blog is to mix both methods we talked about above.

If you’re new to blogging and have never purchased hosting before, I suggest taking advantage of getting a domain name free for the first year.

Who doesn’t love free stuff?!

I would keep my domain name with my hosting provider for the first 11 or so months and then transfer it over to Namecheap.

It is super easy to transfer your domain to Namecheap, so it isn’t a hassle to change your domain name provider.

I think this combination method because it is the most affordable.

When you start your first blog, you don’t know if blogging is the right path for you. You may or may not have much capital to invest in your blog, so saving a few dollars on a domain name helps.

I originally had my domain name with Bluehost for the first two years I had my domain.

I wish I had known about Namecheap and how easy it was to transfer my domain name before my domain renewed with Bluehost.

The amount they charged was almost three times was Namecheap charges me per year.

It is 100% worth the effort to switch to Namecheap (or a similar service) before your domain renews with your hosting provider!

But it is also definitely worth it to get the first year of your domain name for free through your hosting provider.

You kind of have to know how to strategically play the game to get the best bang for your buck. 🙂

A ton of bloggers recommend Bluehost as the best hosting provider for new bloggers.

Probably because it is one of the best known hosting providers and offers a nice affiliate commission.

Bluehost is the hosting provider I started Travels with Erica on. They’re a great hosting provider and super intuitive to use.

I really enjoyed my time with Bluehost and would not hesitate to recommend them to new bloggers.

However, they are not my favourite hosting provider.

I love Green Geeks and recommend them to all my friends and family member who are considering starting a blog.

Green Geeks is just as easy as Bluehost to use, are less expensive, and come with more features.

They offer free nightly website backups and a free caching plugin with each hosting plan. Even the cheapest hosting plan comes with these perks!

And for those who don’t know what a caching plugin is, it is an essential plugin for any blog. It helps speed up your website, which helps you rank better in Google.

I used to pay over $40USD per year for a caching plugin, so the fact that Green Geeks includes one for free is incredible!

How to start your blog with Green Geeks in 30 seconds

I love, love, love Green Geeks and host all my websites with them now.

I don’t ever plan on switching, and they have won my heart over.

Oh!

I forgot to mention that they are the most eco-friendly hosting provider on the market! They go above and beyond to be as clean as possible.

They donate the equivalent to 300% of the energy they use to a carbon offset charity.

What is there not to love about them?!

One more bonus: if you use my link to purchase your hosting, they will plant a tree in your honour!

It doesn’t get better than that!

LEARN MORE ABOUT GREEN GEEKS

I love that you’re starting on your journey to becoming a travel blogger.

It was one of the best decisions of my life, and I hope it is one of your best decisions too!

One really important aspect of blogging that not enough people are talking about is that you need to take you internet safety seriously.

Especially when you travel.

Your business is online, and it would be devastating if something were to ever happen to it.

And that is a very real possibility when you connect to public wifi networks.

As travellers and freelancers often do!

Using a public wifi network puts you and your personal online data at serious risk of being hacked and having your data stolen.

And, yes, public wifi networks with a password on them are not safe! Anybody can access the password and hack your information.

This includes your banking information, access to your blog, and all your social media accounts.

Being unsafe on the internet is truly one of the biggest threats to any online business.

The only way you can protect yourself is by installing a VPN on all your devices.

A VPN essentially puts a forcefield around your devices.

It makes using public wifi networks just as safe as using your home wifi network where you’re the only person who knows the password.

If there is one investment that I 100% think is essential and worth making at the start of your blogging journey, it is getting a reliable VPN subscription and installing it on every single device you use.

I’ve used a lot of VPNs over my years of travel and running a digital business.

To be honest, most of them are junk.

They slow down your devices so much that they essentially make your device unusable. I normally end up turning off my VPN and exposing myself to being hacked because they are so slow.

And that totally defeats the purpose! And is a waste of money.

All my frustrations with VPNs ended when I discovered NordVPN.

They are the fastest VPN on the market, and they are they only VPN I don’t find frustrating to use.

Seriously. I’ve wanted to throw my laptop against a wall in frustration before because my internet connection was so slow.

That’s not the case with NordVPN!

The fact that NordVPN is the fastest and most reliable VPN on the market is why I recommend them to you.

As both a travel lover and a digital entrepreneur.

I don’t plan on ever switching from NordVPN. I trust them with my personal information 100% and know everything is safe under their protection.

My philosophy is that if you can afford to travel and start blogging, you can afford to protect your online information.

There are no excuses!

I hope this post helped point you in the right direction, and you’re inspired to come up with unique travel blog name ideas that suit you and your unique perspective on travel and the world!

Coming up with a travel blog name is hard.

Like really hard!

It is an extremely important part of your online presence, and you want to make sure you get it right.

Don’t rush it.

Take your time, sit on names you like for a few days, and figure out what resonates best with you.

If you’re struggling to come up with a travel bog name, try using a name generator.

I’ve used them in the past to come up with blog names.

They don’t work perfectly, but I find they help spark inspiration and come up with some pretty cool travel blog name ideas.

No matter what travel blog name you choose, I know it will be amazing!

There are so many possibilities out, and I know you’ll find the perfect name for you.

And once you have your name, the fun really begins!

You sign up with a hosting provider, build your blog, and start sharing your knowledge and passion with the world.

Travel blogging is an amazing journey.

It is a lot of work, but if you’re passionate about it, it doesn’t feel like it.

I know you’ll be an amazing travel blogger. The market isn’t too saturated. Your voice is different and ready to be heard.

I can’t wait to read your blog! Feel free to share a link in the comments below, and I’ll be sure to check it out. 🙂

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on my affiliate link and purchase something (at no additional cost to you!), I may earn a small commission that helps me keep the blog running. Thank you so much for your support!

Trying to determine the best travel credit cards in Canada can be a bit difficult. There are so many factors that go into figuring out what the “best” travel credit cards are.

And what may be the best travel credit cards in Canada for me may not be the best travel credit cards in Canada for you.

The best travel credit card in Canada for the average person is the American Express Cobalt. It has the most flexible points, the easiest points to earn, and a reasonable annual fee that doesn’t break the bank. However, if you have a specific travel goal in mind, there is probably a better Canadian travel credit card that will get you to your travel goal quicker.

There are a lot of moving parts that go into picking a credit card that suits your needs best.

You have to consider:

• Where do you want to travel?

• What class of flights do you want to take?

• How much you’re willing to pay in annual fees

• Do you flight rewards or hotel rewards?

• How much work are you willing to put in to redeem your rewards?

As you can see, there are nearly countless things that go into determining what the best travel credit cards in Canada are.

In this post, I’m going to lay out what I think are the best travel credit cards in Canada for the average person in various categories.

I’ll also give you a few alternative cards in each category that you may prefer over the “top” card.

By the end of this post, you’ll have a significantly better understanding of which credit card suits your needs best, and you’ll be on your way to travel hacking and seeing the world for “free”!

I mean who doesn’t love free travel?!

Category	Credit Card	Sign-Up Bonus
Best Overall	American Express Gold	Up to 25,000 MR points
Best for Lounge Access	American Express Platinum	Up to 50,000 MR points
Best for Flexible Points	American Express Gold	Up to 25,000 MR points
Best for Aeroplan Points	American Express Aeroplan	Up to 15,000 Aeroplan points and buddy pass
Best for Air Miles	BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard	Up to 2,000 Air Miles
Best for Hotels	Marriott Bonvoy American Express	Up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
Best No Foreign Transaction Fee	HSBC World Elite Mastercard	Up to 20,000 HSBC rewards
Best No Fee	MBNA Best Western Rewards Mastercard	Up to 20,000 Best Western Rewards
Best for Travel in North America	RBC Westjet World Elite Mastercard	Up to $250 Westjet dollars and companion voucher
Best for Travel to Asia	MBNA Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard	Up to 30,000 Alaska Airlines miles and companion fare
Best for Travel to Europe	American Express Gold	Up to 25,000 MR points
Best for Students	CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for Students	Up to 10,000 Aeroplan points

The American Express Gold is the best all around travel credit card in Canada.

American Express MR points are extremely flexible, so you can collect points and then transfer then to your favourite airline or hotel partner to redeem points.

You can also redeem MR points directly through the American Express travel portal if you don’t want to put in the time and effort to figure out which partner is the most advantageous for you to transfer your points to.

You won’t get as good of a value per point if you redeem your points directly through the American Express travel portal, but it is very convenient.

One of the best features of the American Express Gold Canada card is how quickly you can earn points!

It has elevated points earning in travel, transportation, and grocery, which are traditionally some of the categories people spend most of their money.

The Amex Gold Canada card has many benefits and card highlights, which is why it is the winner for my best travel credit card in Canada all around category.

I truly believe this card works for everybody no matter what your travel style, spending habits, or income.

It is so versitile!

The top highlights of this card include:

• 2x points on food including grocery stores, transportation, gas, and travel

• Strong travel insurance including flight delay and baggage loss insurance

• Flexible points that can be redeemed for flights, hotels, movies, dining, and more

Let’s talk about my favourite part about travel credit cards and one of the most important factors in determine the best travel credit cards in Canada.

Points!

How to earn points, how to redeem points, and what the all important points sign-up bonus is.

Points are those magical gifts from credit card and travel companies that let you get “free” travel or accommodation by redeeming the points you’ve earned.

They are really the be-all end-all in the travel hacking game!

It is time for a deep-dive into the American Express Gold Canada card point system!

Ah. The best part of every travel credit card and the most addicting part of playing the travel hacking game.

Sign-up bonuses are the best and quickest way to earn enough points to travel for free.

The Amex Canada Gold card has a very unique sign-up bonus, and I haven’t seen a similar sign-up bonus on any other credit card in Canada.

You can earn up to 25,000 MR points in your first year as a sign-up bonus with this card.

You have to spend $1,500 in the first three months of holding the card in order to receive the 25,000 MR point sign-up bonus.

This is fairly easy to do- especially if you have a plan!

Make sure you know you will be spending $1,500 in the first three months of holding the card before applying for it.

To get even more points, be sure to spend as much money as possible in the categories with elevated points earning! One of the easiest ways to meet the minimum spend and earn extra points is booking your next trip and pre-paying for everything on the American Express Gold Canada card!

The Amex Gold Canada card is the best travel credit card in Canada for earning a lot of points quickly!

It feels like American Express has designed this card specifically with millennials in mind.

If you spend money like the typical young person (a.k.a. ordering in and eating out a lot), you’ll be racking up the points and cashing in for free travel in no time!

Here is a breakdown of the points earning categories for the Amex Gold Canada card:

• 2x points on transit (including cabs, gas, and public transit passes)

• 2x points on travel (including flights and hotels)

• 1x points on all other spending

These points earning categories are really good and are in line with the Amex Platinum Canada earning categories.

One of the best parts of every American Express card in Canada is that MR points are extremely flexible.

You can transfer MR points to a number of different airline and hotel partners or book travel directly though the American Express Canada portal.

You get the most value for your points when you transfer them to partner points programs, but booking directly through the portal is easier and less time consuming.

What you choose to do with your hard-earned MR points is up to you, but I recommend transferring them to a hotel or airline partner to get the most bang for your points.

It takes a bit of time and research to figure out the best partner program to transfer your points to, but it is well worth the effort!

If you transfer your MR points to a partner program, I recommend transferring them to one of the following:

• Aeroplan miles (potentially to be redeemed through their new partnership with Etihad for a pretty good rate)

• Cathay Pacific (reasonable rates for business and first class travel to or from Asia from Western Canada or Western United States)

• British Airways (perfect for short-haul flights in South America, Asia, and Europe)

• Marriott (I like that the transfer ration is 2:3, which makes it easy to get free nights at Marriott properties)

Airline	Transfer Ratio	Estimated Transfer Time
Air Canada (Aeroplan Points)	1000:1000	30 minutes
Alitalia (MilleMiglia)	1000:750	5 business days
British Airways (Avios)	1000:100	5 business days
Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles)	1000:750	5 business days
Delta (SkyMiles)	1000:750	30 minutes
Etihad (Etihad Guest Miles)	1000:750	3 business days

Hotel	Transfer Ratio	Estimated Transfer Times
Hilton	1000:1000	5 business days
Marriott	2:3	5 business days

The annual fee on the Amex Gold Canada is $120.

That is really reasonable and in line with most other travel credit cards in Canada!

Unlike most travel credit cards in Canada, there isn’t a minimum income requirement to be eligible for this card!

This is just another reason to love this card and why it is one of the best travel credit cards in Canada!

American Express does generally require you to have a good credit score to be approved for their cards.

You’ll want a credit score over 650 for the best chance of being approved.

That being said, American Express knows this is an attractive card for young people, so you’re more likely to be approved for the American Express Cobalt card with a lower credit score than any other Amex card on this list.

My alternative recommendation is the American Express Cobalt card.

The Amex Cobalt Canada card has a sign-up bonus of up to 30,000 MR Select points, which is really good!

The reason the Amex Cobalt Canada card didn’t win top spot is because MR Select points can only be transferred to hotel partner programs.

Regular MR points can be transferred to hotel and airline partners, and they are much more flexible.

APPLY FOR THE AMERICAN EXPRESS GOLD CARD

The Amex Platinum Canada is one of my favourite travel credit cards in Canada.

It is basically the highest end travel credit card that the average Canadian can access.

(You do know the ultra rich get exclusive credit cards right?!)

The American Express Platinum Canada has some of the best benefits out there, but it comes at a steep price.

I’ll talk more about the annual fee later in this section, but it is something you need to seriously take into consideration when applying for this card!

There are so many benefits and highlights that come along with the Amex Platinum Canada.

It truly is one of the best travel credit cards in Canada and has a ton to offer users.

The top highlights include:

• Complimentary Priority Pass unlimited airport lounge access plus lounge access for one guest

• $200 credit to be applied towards travel expenses

• Hotel status with popular companies like Marriott and Hilton

• Access to priority lines at Toronto Pearson Airport

The points system is very similar to the American Express Cobalt Canada.

The redemption is the same, but the sign-up bonus and earning ratios are different.

The sign-up bonus on the American Express Platinum Canada card is normally 50,000 MR points.

It does fluctuate a bit.

The highest it has been is 60,000 MR points and the lowest it has been is 25,000 MR points.

That bottom point is very rare and is in place during the 2020 pandemic. As soon as travel picks up again, I anticipate it will bounce back up to its normal 50,000 MR points or even higher!

The standard 50,000 MR points is a very generous sign-up bonus.

Between the sign-up bonus and the points you earn during the minimum spend of $5,000, you’ll have enough MR points for a one-way business class flight from Canada to Europe!

That’s really impressive, and it is hard to turn down such a nice sign-up bonus!

The American Express Platinum Canada earning categories aren’t as strong as the Amex Cobalt Canada card.

But they’re still pretty healthy!

You get:

• 3x points on dining in Canada

• 1x points on all other spending

But if you’re like me and don’t spend a ton of money on food inside Canada, then the Amex Platinum Canada card is a good option.

You can still rack up the points pretty quickly with this card.

Especially if you travel a lot, which is what the card is for!

You redeem the points you earn on your Amex Platinum Canada card exactly the same way you do with the Amex Cobalt Canada card.

I won’t go into detail on how to redeem MR points here since I covered it extensively in the “Best Overall” subheading, but I’ll cover the basics just in case you jumped here without reading the beginning of the post!

The best way to use MR points is to transfer them to partner airlines or hotels and redeem your points through that program.

This allows you to maximize the value you’re getting from each point and gives you an additional layer of flexibility that you don’t get when redeeming your points directly through the American Express portal.

Air Canada, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Marriott are the most common programs MR points are transferred into, and they often get you the most value for your points!

The annual fee is very high on this card.

It is $699.

That is a lot of money, but you get a lot back in return for paying that high annual fee.

You get:

• $200 annual travel credit (travel must be booked through American Express Travel Online to receive credit)

• Complimentary priority pass (value of $429USD)

• Ability to bring one guest to the lounge with you (value of $32USD per guest visit)

• Hotel status with Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, and Shangri-La

• Access to priority lines at Toronto Pearson Airport

• Premium insurances and protects

If you’re someone like me who travels a lot and are in airports all the time, then the annual fee essentially pays for itself between the $200 travel credit, priority pass, and ability to bring one guest into the lounge with you.

The annual fee is basically zero once you deduct the $200 travel credit and $500+ ($429USD converted to CAD) that the priority pass costs.

For people that visit more than 10 airport lounges a year, paying the $699 annual fee is worthwhile because you’re getting more in benefits than you’re paying in fees.

However, if you’re a causal traveller who doesn’t spend a lot of time in airports and won’t use the priority pass that often, this isn’t the card for you.

You really need to do the math to figure out how often you’ll use the perks that come with the American Express Platinum Canada card to see if it is worth it for you and your travel style.

Because that is a lot of money to be dropping on an annual fee!

This is a premium travel card, so you can expect that you have to have a proven credit history before you’re approved for this card!

You definitely need to have had a credit card for a few years and used it responsibly before you’re approved for the Amex Platinum Canada card.

America Express doesn’t list an exact credit score you need to be approved for this card, but you will have the best chance of being approved if your credit score is close to 700 or higher.

There are no income requirements in order to be eligible for the American Express Platinum Canada, which is a really nice feature!

As long as you have a good credit score, are a Canadian resident with a Canadian credit file, and are over the age of majority, you should be able to be approved for this card!

The hefty annual fee deters a lot of people away from getting this card, and it is understandable.

You need to be an avid traveller and spend a lot of time in airport lounges in order for this card to be worthwhile.

If you’re not quite at the level where you want to be paying such a high annual fee, the American Express Gold Canada card is the best alternative.

The only thing the Amex Gold Canada doesn’t have is the complimentary priority pass and hotel status.

But those are things you can definitely live without!

APPLY FOR THE AMERICAN EXPRESS PLATINUM CARD

You could easily argue that any of the American Express cards are the best travel credit cards in Canada for earning flexible points.

You earn MR points with all three of these credit cards, and MR points are just as valuable and flexible no matter what card you choose.

I think the American Express Gold Canada card is the best travel credit card in Canada to earn flexible points because it allows you to earn the points quickly and has a more affordable annual fee than the Amex Platinum Canada card.

You can’t go wrong with any American Express card that earns MR points though!

You already know about the highlights of the Amex Cobalt Canada card seeing as they were discussed at length already.

But here is a quick recap of the card’s highlight features:

• Earn 2x points on groceries, transportation, and travel

We’re going to breeze through this section.

If you skipped down to this section, go back up to the “Best Overall” section for an in-depth explanation on the Amex Gold Canada points system.

The sign-up bonus, as previously discussed, is 25,000 MR points that are awarded after you spend $1,500 in the first three months of holding the card.

You earn the following points with the Amex Gold Canada card:

• 2x points on transit including gas, public transportation passes, and taxis

• 2x points on travel including flights and accommodations

• 1x points on all other spending

You can either redeem your MR points directly through the American Express portal or by transferring your MR points to a partner airline or hotel program.

The best use of your points it transferring them to a partner program.

This gives you the best value per point and the most flexibility. If you’re lazy, then you still get a fairly decent value per point if you redeem them directly through American Express.

American Express knows that this card is appealing to millennials and young people, so they made it very accessible.

You don’t need to meet a minimum income requirement to be approved for this card.

You simply need to be a Canadian resident with a Canadian credit file and be the age of majority in whatever province you’re living in.

The Amex Gold Canada card is one of the easiest American Express travel credit cards to get, but you still need a decent credit score to be approved.

You will have the best chance of being approved for this card if you have a credit score of at least 650.

That’s a really attainable credit score for young people who have a starter credit card and pay it off in full every month.

The American Express Cobalt Canada and American Express Platinum Canada are both good alternatives to the Amex Gold Canada card.

They both allow you to earn those very flexible MR points.

I think the Amex Cobalt Canada is a better alternative because it has a lower annual fee and is more suitable for the average Canadian. The major downside is not being able to redeem your points for flights.

APPLY FOR THE AMERICAN EXPRESS GOLD CARD

Air Canada’s Aeroplan underwent a huge restructuring in November of 2020.

Everything in the program changed. From redemption price all the way to what credit card is the best for earning Aeroplan points.

If this were 2020 before the major changes to the Aeroplan program, the Amex Aeroplan card would not have been my top choice in this category.

But it became the clear winner after the Aeroplan update.

It has the best sign-up bonus and the lowest annual fee amongst the Aeroplan credit cards in Canada.

All of the new Aeroplan credit cards are among the best travel credit cards in Canada now, but the edge goes to ever so slightly to the Amex Aeroplan card.

The American Express Aeroplan credit card is one of the best travel credit cards in Canada for people who love Air Canada and fly it frequently.

The changes to the Aeroplan program and associated credit cards are designed to be way more beneficial for guests than it was in the past.

It is easier than ever to collect and redeem Aeroplan points with the Amex Aeroplan card. The major highlights include:

• 2x points on purchases directly through the Air Canada website

• 2x points on eligible purchases through the Aeroplan website and partner shops

• 1.5x points on dining and food delivery services in Canada

• Free checked baggage for you and up to eight people on the same reservation

• No blackout dates when redeeming miles

• Receive a complimentary buddy pass after spending $1,500 in the first 3 days of card ownership

You’re probably not surprised to learn that you only earn and redeem Aeroplan points with this card.

You can use your Aeroplan points to redeem flights on partner One World flights, but you don’t have the ability to transfer Aeroplan points to different point currencies like you can with other points on this list.

The sign-up bonus allows you to earn up to 15,000 Aeroplan points and a complimentary buddy pass with the Amex Aeroplan credit card.

You earn 9,000 Aeroplan points and a buddy pass after spending $1,500 in the first three months of holding the card.

You also have the change to earn an extra 1,000 Aeroplan points every month you spend $500 or more on the card in the first six months.

That is an extra 6,000 Aeroplan points you have the chance to earn in the first six months on top of the 9,000 Aeroplan points you earn for spending $1,500 in the first three months.

In summary, the least you can earn from the sign-up bonus is 9,000 Aeroplan points and a buddy pass. The most you can earn is 15,000 Aeroplan points and a buddy pass.

The buddy pass is a new addition to the Aeroplan program. It is a feature of almost every Aeroplan credit card and isn’t unique to the American Express Aeroplan card.

It essentially allows you to book a second ticket for a friend or family member for an economy flight you paid full price for. You have to pay the fees and taxes on the buddy flight ticket, so it isn’t completely free for your companion to travel with you.

Essentially, you the cardholder purchase an economy fare, and you only pay the taxes and fees for the second person on your reservation to fly.

The buddy pass has to be used on a North American flight. Because of the excess taxes and fees to land at Canadian airports, it is the best bang for your buck to use it for a flight from Canada to the US and back.

That will result in the lowest price for your buddy to fly.

The American Express Aeroplan credit card has basically the same point earning ratios as every other Aeroplan credit card on the market.

There are no super high spending categories like the Amex Cobalt Canada has, but if you use it strategically, you can earn a fair amount of points.

Here are the earning ratios:

• 2x points on purchases made through the Air Canada website (including gift cards)

• 2x points on purchases made through the Aeroplan portal and with participating businesses. Many businesses have 5x points promotions on the Aeroplan portal, so you have the potential or earning even more points!

• 1.5x points on food delivery services and restaurant purchases . This is the only category where the Amex Aeroplan card is different from the CIBC or TD Aeroplan credit cards. The CIBC and TD credit cards offer 1.5x back on gas and groceries.

• 1 point on every other purchase

The best way to maximize your earnings it to (obviously) make every Air Canada flight, vacation, and gift card purchase with your Amex Aeroplan card.

Taking advantage of the 2x points by shopping through the Aeroplan portal is another great way to increase your earnings.

The Aeroplan shop features amazing partners like Apple, Sephora, Indigo, and so much more.

If you’re doing any online shopping, be sure to check if the store partners with Aeroplan before making a purchase!

Aeroplan made it significantly easier to redeem Aeroplan points. They made changes to their online redemption platform and made it easier to redeem points on partner airlines online rather than over the phone like it had to be done in the past.

Since you don’t have to worry about converting your Aeroplan points to another point currency, you can make your redemption within a few minutes on the website.

Make sure you review the redemption chart to ensure you have enough points for the trip you want to book!

After that, you simply search for your dates, class of service, and airline you want to fly, and book it!

Some airline partner aren’t bookable online yet, so you have to call Aeroplan to have a customer service representative help you make the reservation.

Most partner airlines are bookable online now thanks to the Aeroplan update, so you likely won’t have to call to book your flight.

The annual fee for the American Express Aeroplan card is $120.

It is the lowest annual fee on an Aeroplan credit card (excluding the very basic CIBC card that has no annual fee but lacks any useful benefits).

Both CIBC and TD charge $139 for their comparable Aeroplan credit cards, so the Amex Aeroplan card is a pretty good deal in my books!

American Express doesn’t like any specific qualification requirements for this card. It states:

• You must be a Canadian resident with a Canadian credit file

• The age of majority in your province

The Amex Aeroplan card isn’t a super premium credit card, so you’re likely to get approved with a lower credit score than you need to get the Amex Platinum Canada card.

I suggest having at least a 650 credit score before applying for this card.

Both CIBC and TD offer very similar Aeroplan cards.

Their sign-up bonuses are 10,000 Aeroplan points and a buddy pass, and both annual fees are $139.

The earning categories are the same and so are the perks.

The major difference between CIBC and TD is the minimum spend. CIBC requires you to spend $3,000 in the first three months to receive your sign-up bonus. TD only requires you to spend $1,000 in the first 90 days to get your sign-up bonus.

That is a huge difference, and TD is the clear winner in this category.

If you don’t want the American Express Aeroplan credit card, the TD Aeroplan Visa is your next best choice!

APPLY FOR THE AMERICAN EXPRESS AEROPLAN CARD

Air Miles isn’t one of my favourite point currencies in Canada for travel.

There are often high fees and taxes on flight redemptions, and you have to start your trip in North America. I prefer to use my Air Miles for tickets and experiences rather than flights. I find it is better and easier to use my points on things like Universal Studios tickets rather than on a flight.

Air Miles is one of the most limiting travel points systems in Canada, but it is also one of the most popular.

A lot of Canadians are loyal to Air Miles, and if you’re one of them, the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard is the best Canadian travel credit card to get!

Honestly, this is one of my least favourite travel credit cards in Canada simply because I dislike the Air Miles program so much.

BMO is the only big 5 bank in Canada to offer a dedicated Air Miles credit card in Canada.

One of the best things about the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard is that it is very straightforward and easy to use.

You don’t have to worry about converting points to different programs or any of the other more advanced techniques that come along with relying on American Express MR points or other travel credit cards in Canada.

A few of the highlights of the card include:

• 1 Air Mile for every $10 spent

• First year’s annual fee is waived

• 15% discount on all Air Miles flights within North America

• 15% to 20% off at select Cirque du Soleil shows

Unsurprisingly, the only points you earn and redeem with this credit card is Air Miles.

There are no transfer programs, so it is easy to understand and use the points you earn.

The sign-up bonus on the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard is 2,000 Air Miles when you spend $3,000 in the first three months of holding the card.

You can get a short-haul flight to a neighbouring province with the sign-up bonus, so it is pretty much in line with the majority of the other sign-up bonuses in Canada.

$3,000 is a lot to spend in three months, so make sure you know you have enough expenses coming up to cover the minimum spend!

You earn 1 Air Miles for every $10 you spend on the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard.

That is pretty good and is double the points you get if you have the no-fee BMO Air Miles Mastercard. You can rack up the points pretty quickly if you put the bulk of your spending on this card.

Additionally, Air Miles often runs promotions through the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard. You can often earn up to 10x the points at select partners (e.g. Shell) during a particular time frame.

Pay attention to these deals and take advantage of them!

My favourite way to earn Air Miles is through the Air Miles shop. You earn Air Miles on every purchase you make with a partner store, and you can earn points very quickly on purchases you would have made in any event.

You have to log into your Air Miles account and click on their link to the store so don’t skip that step! There are no points awarded if you don’t first log into your Air Miles account.

Just like with the BMO Mastercard, Air Miles often runs promotions through the Air Miles store. You can often earn 5x or 10x the points at any given time.

All in all, it is fairly easy to earn Air Miles points. It is straightforward and an easy points program for beginners to get the hang of before moving on to a more advance program if they choose.

Air Miles is the easiest travel point to redeem in Canada, and that is one of the reasons the program is so popular.

You simply log into your Air Miles account, select what you want to redeem your points for, and pay any taxes or fees associated with your purchase.

The only purchases that have taxes and fees are flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages. If you purchase merchandise or tickets with your Air Miles, there is no additional tax charged. Shipping is also free, so that is a huge bonus!

There is a $120 annual fee on the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard.

It is waived in the first year, which is a huge plus! You can try the card for a year, see if you like it, and downgrade it to a no-fee card if it isn’t the right fit for you.

BMO has some very high minimum requirements to get this card. In my opinion, they are a little too particular about who gets the card, and a lot of people are excluded because of the high minimums.

They require:

• $80,000 personal income OR $150,000 household income

This eliminates a lot of people from being able to apply for this card, and it is fairly elitist.

I don’t think the perks of this card warrant an $80,000 minimum income. Most comparable cards require a $60,000 minimum income, which is a lot more achievable (but still excludes a lot of people).

I hope they make this card more accessible, but it doesn’t seem likely.

The best alternative to the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard is the American Express Air Miles Platinum credit card.

You receive 3,000 Air Miles as a sign-up bonus if you spend $1,500 in the first three months of having the card. On top of that, you earn 1 Air Mile for every $5 spent on eligible food, gas, and transportation purchases.

You earn 1 Air Mile for every $10 spent on every other purchase.

The reason the Amex Air Miles Platinum card isn’t the top card in this category is simply down to the fact that there are many other American Express cards winning spots on this list.

Not every merchant accepts American Express, so it is good to have at least one Mastercard or Visa in your wallet at all times.

There are better and more useful American Express cards that I would prioritize over the American Express Air Miles Platinum card.

The Amex Cobalt, Amex Gold, and Amex Platinum are all superior to the Amex Air Miles Platinum card.

If you only have room for one American Express card in your wallet, it should not be the American Express Air Miles Platinum.

APPLY FOR THE BMO AIR MILES WORLD ELITE CARD

There is no better hotel credit card in Canada than the Marriott Bonvoy American Express.

It has the best features, the best earning rate, and the most redemption properties to choose from.

There is lots to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Amex card. Some of the highlights include:

• Earn 5 points for every dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels

• Receive a free night’s stay at a category 3 hotel every year you hold the card

• Given complimentary silver elite status (and all the perks that come with it) and 15 night’s towards earning gold elite status (25 nights needed to received gold elite benefits)

• No extra charge for additional card holders

You earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy loyalty points (not a terribly unique name, eh) with this card.

They can be used to get free stays at Marriott Bonvoy hotels all around the world. Marriott Bonvoy hotels are nice. They are out of a lot of people’s price range (especially young world explorers), so it is nice to be able to redeem points for a free stay.

The signed up bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Canada card is 50,000 points.

This is enough for a complimentary three-night stay at a category two hotel. Category two is the second lowest category of hotel, so it isn’t the fanciest place around.

But is isn’t a slum either!

This is a very generous sign-up bonus, and I highly recommend every travel enthusiast sign up for the Marriott Bonvoy Amex.

It is without a doubt one of the best Canadian travel credit cards!

You have to spend $1,500 on the card in the first three months in order to receive the sign-up bonus.

This is a pretty doable minimum spend to meet- especially if you apply as you’re planning a trip and book a portion of your travel on the card!

The earning rate on the Marriott Bonvoy Amex Canada is pretty generous!

You earn 5 points for every $1 spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. This includes things like dining, upgrades, and spa treatments in addition to the base fare you pay to stay at the hotel.

Outside of Marriott Bonvoy hotels, you earn 2 points for every $1 spent on every other purchase.

The points add up quickly!

Redeeming Marriott Bonvoy loyalty points is super easy!

You simply log into your Marriott Bonvoy account, search for whatever city you want to book a hotel in, and select the box that says “use points”.

Your search will show the total number of points needed to redeem for the stay, and you go from there.

It is really that easy!

You can also transfer your Marriott Bonvoy loyalty points to other programs, but you don’t get a very good deal.

I wouldn’t recommend transferring your Bonvoy points to other loyalty programs!

The points transfer at a 3 to 1 ratio, and there are over 40 partner airline programs you can transfer to. There are so many that I’m not going to list them all here!

Essentially, for every 3 Marriott Bonvoy loyalty points you have, you get 1 airline point.

I told you it wasn’t a very good deal!

The annual fee is $120.

Every year on your anniversary, you get a free night certificate for a stay at a category three hotel!

When you take into consideration the free night certificate, you aren’t really paying anything out-of-pocket to hold the Marriott Bonvoy Amex Canada card.

The average category three hotel is more than $120 per night, so you’re making up the annual fee by not having to pay for one night in a hotel.

My favourite way of using the free night certificate is at an airport hotel. They’re always overpriced, and you tend to get a bigger bang for your free night certificate if you can find a category three hotel at an airport.

Just like every other American Express Canada card on this list, you need to have a Canadian credit file, be a Canadian resident, and be the age of majority of the province you live in.

Easy peasy!

I recommend having at least a 650 credit score before applying for this credit card, but American Express doesn’t list a specific credit score you need to be approved.

The only other hotel credit card in Canada is the MBNA Best Western Rewards Mastercard.

It is disappointing Canada only has two hotel credit cards, but the MBNA Best Western Rewards Mastercard is a pretty good alternative to the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Canada card.

You receive a sign-up bonus of 20,000 Best Western rewards after your first purchase! That’s enough for a free night’s stay, and all you have to do is put a small purchase (like a coffee) on the card to earn it!

There is no annual fee on this card, so that is a huge plus!

APPLY FOR THE MARRIOTT BONVOY AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD

One of my biggest pet peeves about Canadian travel credit cards the majority of them charge you a 2.5% foreign transaction fee on top the standard currency conversion fee.

That means anytime you make a purchase in a currency other than Canadian dollars, you’re charged an extra 2.5%.

Yup. You read that right!

It is an absolute scam, and I hate it immensely. A lot of travel credit cards in the US waive the standard 2.5%, but we aren’t so lucky in Canada.

America Express doesn’t charge the foreign transaction fee on their US cards but does on their Canadian cards. It is infuriating, but there isn’t really anything we can do about it as consumers.

There are a very few travel credit cards in Canada that don’t charge the 2.5% foreign transaction fee, and you consider having one of those cards in your wallet!

The best no-foreign transaction fee credit card in Canada is without a doubt the HSBC World Elite Mastercard.

It has the best points, the best earning ratio, and the best extra perks.

There are so many great features in this card that it is difficult to pick the top ones to highlight!

Here are a few of the top highlights of the HSBC World Elite Mastercard:

• 20,000 HSBC Rewards points (but they often run promotions where the bonus is elevated!)

• $100 travel enhancement credit to put towards seat selections, checked luggage, hotel upgrades, or anything else that enhances your travel experience

• First year’s annual fee is rebated

• No foreign transaction fee

• Ability to transfer HSBC reward points to airline partners

You earn HSBC rewards points with this credit card.

They are one of the better stand-alone points programs in Canada. It is easy to redeem your HSBC rewards points, and they can be used in a variety of different ways.

The standard sign-up bonus on the HSBC World Elite Mastercard is 20,000 HSBC Rewards points.

But!

They often run promotions where the sign-up offer is elevated, so you should wait until one of those promotions to earn even more rewards!

You earn those 20,000 HSBC Rewards points after making your first purchase!

The sign-up bonus varies widely on this card throughout the year. HSBC is known to run promotions on a regular basis, so you can end up getting a ton of sign-up points.

When I signed up for mine, I received 100,000 HSBC rewards, and that isn’t uncommon.

If you’re looking to add this card to your wallet, make sure you wait until this is an elevated sign-up bonus offer!

The best way to earn points with the HSBC World Elite Mastercard is by purchasing travel-related expenses with the card.

You earn 6 HSBC reward points for every $1 spent on travel and 3 HSBC reward points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

It is surprisingly easy to earn points on this card, but it does take a decent amount of points to redeem for anything of substance.

You need at least 25,000 HSBC rewards point before you start being able to redeem for good travel experiences or to transfer points to a partner program.

The HSBC interface is very user friendly, and they make it very easy to redeem your HSBC reward points.

The easiest way to redeem your points is to book travel with any airline, hotel, car rental, etc. provider you want and redeem your HSBC rewards after the charge shows up on your credit card account.

You have to log into the HSBC portal within 60 days of making your purchase and choose the travel expenses you want to use your points to off-set.

200 HSBC rewards points is equal to $1, so you can easily do the math to see how much of your travel costs you can offset with your points.

The better way of redeeming your HSBC rewards is to transfer them to a partner airline program.

HSBC partners with British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Singapore Airlines, and you can transfer your HSBC rewards to these partner airline programs. The transfer rates are as follows:

HSBC Rewards	British Airways Avios	Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles	Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
25,000	10,000	9,000	8,000

This means for every 25,000 HSBC rewards you have, you can covert it to 10,000 Avios, 9,000 KrisFlyer Miles, or 8,000 Asia Miles.

In addition to the base transfer rates, HSBC often runs promotions where you can get 35% to 50% bonus miles in the transfer.

It is best to wait until one of these transfer promotions to get the most value for your points!

My favourite program to transfer HSBC rewards to is the British Airways Avios program. I like using them for expensive short-haul flights that I don’t want to pay out-of-pocket for!

The qualifications on this card are a bit hefty. A lot of people are excluded from getting this card because of the high minimum income requirement, and it is a bit frustrating.

I really don’t like how elitist and exclusionary a lot of travel credit cards in Canada are, but, again, there isn’t really much we can do about it as a consumer.

The minimum income requirements on the HSBC World Elite Mastercard are:

• $80,000 personal income OR

• $150,000 household income OR

• $400,000 in assets under management (a.k.a. liquid assets under management at a Canadian financial institution- so you’re house doesn’t count)

In addition to the minimum income requirements, you have to be the age of majority in the province you live in.

HSBC doesn’t publicize what credit score you need to be approved, but they can be quite picky. It is best to have over a 650 credit score if you’re interested in applying for this credit card.

The best alternative to the HSBC World Elite Mastercard is the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite.

It is the only other major credit card company in Canada to offer a decent no foreign transaction fee credit card.

The major downside to the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is the points kinda suck. They can’t be transferred to partner airline programs, you don’t earn them very quickly, and they don’t have as much value per point as HSBC rewards points.

But if for some reason you’re not interested in doing business with HSBC, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is a good alternative.

I’ve had both the HSBC World Elite Mastercard and the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite and can say with confidence that the HSBC card is head and shoulders above the Scotiabank card.

APPLY FOR THE HSBC WORLD ELITE MASTERCARD

This may be a controversial pick, but I think the MBNA Best Western Rewards Mastercard is the best no-fee travel credit card in Canada.

It has the best sign-up bonus, you earn points quickly, and the points are useful and easy to redeem.

Outside of the fact that it costs you nothing out-of-pocket to hold this card, there are a number of additional perks that come along with the MBNA Best Western Rewards Mastercard.

The major highlights include:

• You receive 20,000 Best Western rewards after your first purchase

• Automatically receive gold status and unlock all the benefits that come along with it

• Save 5% to 10% off car rentals booked through Avis or Budget car rentals

• Solid insurances and protects for a no-fee credit card

Not so surprisingly, you earn and redeem Best Western rewards with this credit card.

You can’t transfer them to any partner program, and your points can only be redeemed at Best Western properties.

Best Western kind of gets a bad wrap, but I think they’re pretty good budget-friendly hotels. They’re always clean, have great service, and the beds are comfortable.

Nothing to complain about in my books!

The MBNA Best Western Rewards Mastercard has one of the most generous sign-up bonuses on a no-fee credit card in Canada.

You received 20,000 Best Western rewards after your first eligible purchase. This could be anything from a cup of coffee to a stay at a Best Western property.

Petty much any purchase you make with this card unlocks the sign-up bonus! No minimum spend required!

Love that in a card!

The earning ratio on the MBNA Best Western Rewards Mastercard is pretty good- especially since it is a no-fee credit card.

No-fee credit cards normally have terrible earning ratios, but that isn’t the case with this card!

You earn 5 points for every $1 spent at Best Western properties and 1 point for every other $1 spent.

Clearly, the best and quickest way to earn points with this card is to use it to book stays at Best Western properties.

You won’t earn points all that quickly if you use it for your everyday spending, so you probably want to use a different credit card in those situations.

But, overall, you can’t complain about earning 5 points per $1 spent at Best Western properties.

That is in line with the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Canada card that has an annual fee.

Best Western makes it really easy to redeem your points.

You simply log into your Best Western account, search for the dates and property you want to stay at, click “pay with points”, and the dashboard will show you the total points required for your stay.

It can’t get any easier than that!

You also have the option of redeeming your Best Western rewards points for dining gift cards, but I don’t recommend you doing that.

You don’t receive as much benefit from your points, and you get more bang for your points by redeeming for hotel stays.

Since this is a no-fee credit card, you’ve probably already figured out that the annual fee on this card is $0.

Not really a suprise!

In addition to the primary card holder not paying an annual fee, you can add up to 9 authorized users to the card at no additional charge.

I’m not sure why you would want to give 9 other people access to this card, but, hey, maybe you have a lot of kids. I don’t judge!

The only qualifications required to get the MBNA Best Western Rewards Mastercard is be a resident of Canada and the age of majority in the province you live in.

There is no minimum income requirement, so anybody and everybody can apply for this card!

MBNA has what is known as the 5/24 rule. If you’ve applied for 5 credit cards in the past 24 months, they don’t approve you no matter how good your credit score is.

You need to keep this in mind when applying for any MBNA credit card and plan strategically when applying for one of their cards.

MBNA is quite accepting of product transfers and splitting credit, so there are ways around the 5/24 rule, but you need to get your first MBNA credit card before you can take advantage of these other roundabout ways of getting a credit card from them.

My top no-fee alternative is the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card.

You receive 10,000 Aeroplan points after your first purchase, which is really generous of them!

The reason this isn’t my top no-fee credit card is because it has really bad earning ratios, and it is difficult to rack up the points with this card.

My other gripe with the card is you don’t get free checked bags on Air Canada flights. Nearly every other Aeroplan credit card offers this feature, so it is pretty disappointing this card doesn’t offer that as well.

One last thing to note about the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is that you have to have a minimum household income of $15,000.

That’s pretty attainable for the majority of Canadians, but it certainly does exclude some people. I don’t like that a no-fee credit card has a minimum income limit, and I think it is in bad taste for CIBC to have it on this card.

APPLY FOR THE MBNA BEST WESTERN REWARDS MASTERCARD

This is one of my all-time favourite travel credit cards in Canada. In fact, it was the very first travel credit card I ever got.

Maybe I’m a bit nostalgic, but the RBC Westjet World Elite Mastercard is my top pick for travel in North America.

It is also the perfect Canadian travel credit card for beginners. The points system is the easiest to understand and use, so it is a great introduction into what can be the very complicated world of travel hacking in Canada.

The RBC Westjet World Elite Mastercard comes with a number of great benefits, and they are the reason I love this card so much. The highlights include:

• Free companion voucher every year

• Free first checked bag for the primary card hold and up to 8 other guests booked on the same reservation

• 2% back in Westjet dollars for every $1 you spend on Westjet flights and vacation packages

The points are very easy to understand.

You only earn and redeem in Westjet dollars.

They can’t be transferred to other programs, and they have a fixed value. 1 Westjet dollar is equal to 1 Canadian dollar.

No trying to figure out the best route to use them on or need to perform mathematical calculations to get the most bang for your points.

It can be fun to try to get the most value out of your points, but it is also really nice to not have to deal with it and have an easy redemption program like the one at Westjet.

You receive 250 Westjet dollars after making your first purchase on the card!

It can be anything no matter how big or small. I love that RBC doesn’t have a minimum spend requirement to get the sign-up bonus. It makes it incredibly easy to earn the sign-up bonus without having to worry about juggling your finances to make sure you hit the minimum spend.

In addition to the 250 Westjet dollars, you also get a companion fare.

The companion fare allows you to have a second person join you on a trip for a lower price. You have to be on the same reservation, so your companion is joining you on a vacation the two of you are taking together.

The price you pay with the companion fare is:

• $199 (plus fees and taxes) on flights within Canada and the continental USA

• $399 (plus fees and taxes) on all other Westjet flights

The best way to use the companion fare (in my opinion) is on a round-trip flight from Canada to the continental USA. You get the most bang for your buck and pay less in fees and taxes compared to Canada.

Canada has outrageous airport taxes and fees, and it often adds up to 45% to 50% of the ticket price. That wouldn’t be so bad if you just paid the taxes and fees based on the price of the companion voucher you’re redeeming.

But you have to pay taxes on the price of the ticket as if you were paying out-of-pocket for it.

Having to pay high fees and taxes can render your companion voucher useless.

The US isn’t void of taxes and fees, but a lot of American airports have significantly lower taxes and fees than Canadian airports. It varies from airport to airport, but you can normally find some good deals and avoid paying a lot of taxes and fees.

For example, I used my companion voucher to fly round-trip from Edmonton to Orland (yay Disney World!) in 2019. The taxes and fees were only $50 total!

It was an extremely good route to redeem my companion voucher on. It saved me hundred of dollars, and the taxes and fees barely made a difference in the price!

You earn 2% back in Westjet dollars for every $1 you spend on the Westjet website. This includes vacation packages, flights, and seat upgrades.

You earn 1% back in Westjet dollars for every $1 you spend on every other purchase.

The earning ratio could be better. It is definitely the weak point of the RBC Westjet World Elite Mastercard, but you can still accumulate points fairly quickly if you use it strategically.

RBC sometimes runs promotions where you earn extra rewards by making purchases in certain categories (like food or gas). Take advantage of these! They’re the quickest way to earn points.

Westjet might have the easiest system to redeeming points.

You simply search for a flight like you normally would, and at checkout you can choose to pay with Westjet dollars.

You don’t have to pay for the whole fare with Westjet dollars, so it is very flexible!

If you only have 50 Westjet dollars, you can apply them to your fare and pay the rest with Canadian dollars.

So easy. So simple.

The annual fee on the RBC Westjet World Elite Mastercard is $119.

Of all the premium travel credit cards in Canada, this is the second lowest annual fee!

Unfortunately, RBC doesn’t waive the annual fee in the first year, but the benefits of the card outweigh the annual fee in my opinion.

This is another Canadian travel credit card that has a really high minimum income requirement and excludes a lot of people because of it.

You need:

• $80,000 personal income OR

• $150,00- household income

In addition to the minimum income requirements, the standard requirements of being a Canadian resident and the age of majority in your province apply.

RBC doesn’t list a specific credit score required, but, since it is a premium travel credit card, you should have at least a 650 before applying.

The higher the better!

If you’re not a fan of Westjet and prefer to fly Air Canada in North America, the America Express Aeroplan card is the best alternative.

You easily and quickly earn Aeroplan points that can be redeemed easily for any class of service on Air Canada flights.

We already discussed this card extensively, so please refer to the best Aeroplan credit card section of this post if you want to learn more about the card!

APPLY FOR THE RBC WESTJET WORLD ELITE MASTERCARD

MBNA is one of the most underrated credit card issuers in Canada. They have two of the best travel credit cards in Canada and shouldn’t be overlooked!

My favourite MBNA credit card is the Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard.

This may sound like an odd pick for the best Canadian travel card for travel to Asia, but hear me out!

Alaska Airlines has some of the best sweet spot redemptions for travel from Western Canada to Asia.

The points required to travel to Asia are super low and one of the best travel redemptions we have in Canada.

A note of caution: the MBNA Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard is only effective for people living in Western Canada where Alaska Airlines operates out of. If you live in Eastern Canada, Aeroplan points or Avios miles are probably a better points currency to travel to Asia on.

The MBNA Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard comes with a host of benefits in addition to the great redemption program.

The redemption program is by far the star of the show, but the added perks are very much welcome!

The highlights include:

• 30,000 Alaska Airlines miles as a sign-up bonus

• Complimentary companion fare

• Ability to have a stop-over when booking a one-way flight

• Complimentary checked baggage for you and up to six guests booked on the same reservation

You earn and redeem Alaska Airlines miles with this credit card.

There isn’t the option to transfer them to a partner program, but you can easily redeem your Alaska Airlines miles for flights on dozens of partner airlines at a very reasonable rate.

The sign-up bonus on this card is pretty generous.

You receive 30,000 Alaska Airlines miles after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days of holding the card. In addition, you receive a complimentary companion fare that can be used on any Alaska Airlines operated flight.

Basically, any flight within North America that is operated by Alaska Airlines.

I like the Alaska Airlines companion fare more than the Westjet companion fare and the Air Canada buddy pass.

The Alaska Airlines companion fare includes taxes and fees, so you know the total cost of your companion’s flight no matter what the ticketed price is!

It is an amazing feature, and I appreciate it so much.

The companion fare costs $121USD no matter what flight you use it on!

This is fantastic for Canadians. Alaska Airlines flies to quite a few US destinations that are normally fairly expensive to fly into. You seriously cut down on flight costs with the companion fare!

The earning ratio on the MBNA Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard leave a bit to be desired. The earnings are pretty good if you purchase Alaska Airlines flights, but the everyday earning ratios are terrible.

You earn 5 points for every dollar spent through the Alaska Airlines website and 1 point per dollar spent on every other purchase.

This is not the card you want to use for your everyday spending outside of spending enough to get the sign-up bonus. There are much better cards for everyday spending on the market.

Where this card shines is the sign-up bonus and the 5x points on Alaska Airline purchases.

The sign-up bonus alone is worth getting the card for. When I have this card in my wallet, I meet the minimum spend to get the bonus points and then never touch it again unless I’m booking an Alaska Airlines flight.

Alaska Airlines makes it very easy to redeem points for flights.

You simply search for the route and class of service you want to redeem your points for, and they provide you with a list of options. The list includes different airline providers, and each airline provider requires a different amount of points for redemption.

There are a very few airlines (like Cathay Pacific) where you have to call to book your flight, but they are increasingly becoming more and more rare as Alaska Airlines updates their website and partnerships.

The annual fee on the MBNA Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard is $99.

There is no first year fee waiver, unfortunately, but there is still a way you can reduce the cost!

You can (and should) use the Great Canadian Rebates link to apply for the MBNA Alaska Airlines credit card. They offer a rebate of $50 if you are approved for the card!

It takes a minimum of 56 days to receive your refund, but, in my experience, it takes significantly longer than that and can be up to six months before the $50 credit appears.

This is another card that has a high minimum income requirement. Too high for my liking. You need:

• $80,000 personal income OR

• $150,000 household income

You also need to be the age of majority in your province, be a Canadian resident, and have a strong credit score. I suggest having at least 675 credit score before applying.

Additionally, just like the Best Western rewards credit card, MBNA applies the 5/24 rule.

You will not be approved for this credit card if you have applied for 5 or more credit cards in the past 24 months.

Keep that in mind and plan strategically when travel hacking in Canada!

My pick for an alternative Canadian travel credit card that will get you to Asia is the American Express Gold.

It is without a doubt one of the best all around travel credit cards in Canada as you can tell by how many times it makes an apperance on this list!

I like the Amex Gold Canada card as an Asia alternative because of the vast array of travel partners.

You can shop around and see how to best apply your points to get the best redemption rate for your trip to Asia.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, British Airways Avios, and Air Canada Aeroplan are the three transfer partners I would look at for booking a trip from Canada to Asia.

APPLY FOR THE MBNA ALASKA AIRLINES WORLD ELITE MASTERCARD

See I told you I love this card and think it is one of the top travel credit cards in Canada!

It is so versatile and MR points can be used in so many ways.

The reason the American Express Gold Canada card won out over an Aeroplan card for the best Canadian travel credit card for European travel is because of the transfer partners.

Transferring your MR points to Aeroplan points or British Airways Avios is your best option depending on how long and expensive your flight is.

We’ve already covered this card extensively, so I’m going to power through the remaining categories. The highlights of this card include:

• Up to 25,000 MR points as a sign-up bonus

• 2x points on travel, transportation, and groceries

As with all American Express Canada cards, you earn MR points.

There are plenty of transfer partners you can convert your MR points to, and that is the beauty of the sytem.

A list of the transfer partners can be found in the best overall travel credit card in Canada section of this post.

You earn up to 25,000 MR points as the sign-up bonus.

You have to spend $1,500 on the card in the first three months of holding it to receive the sign-up bonus.

The points earning ratios on the Amex Gold Canada card are outstanding. Some of the best points earning ratios for any Canadian travel credit card- especially in the food department!

You earn:

• 2 points for every $1 spent at eligible grocery purchases in Canada

• 2 points for every $1 spent on gas and transportation

• 2 points for every $1 spent on travel

• 1 point for every $1 spent on other purchases

We covered the MR point redemption process extensively in the first section of this post. If you need a more in depth discussion on how to redeem MR points, please refer to the best overall travel credit card in Canada portion of this article.

Essentially, the best way to redeem MR points is to transfer them to a partner airline or hotel partner.

It is super easy to transfer points from your MR dashboard. You need a minimum of 1,000 MR points to transfer them to another program, and sometimes it can take multiple days for the points to show up in the points bank of the program you transferred them to.

The annual fee on the American Express Gold card is $120.

You need to be a Canadian resident, have a Canadian credit file, and be the age of majority in your home province to be eligible for this card.

American Express does not have a minimum income requirement, so that is a huge win in my books!

I do recommend you have a pretty good credit score (about 650) before applying for this card.

The best alternative for travel to Europe is the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite.

You earn up to 50,000 British Airways Avios as a sign-up bonus, but most people don’t renew the card to get the additional 10,000 British Airways Avios miles. Most people will only get 40,000 Avios with this credit card.

Avios are perfect for travel to Europe if you live in Eastern Canada.

You can get a round-trip flight from Toronto or Montreal to London to Dublin for only 26,000 Avios!

It is an incredible value for your points and a great alternative to the Amex Gold Canada card.

APPLY FOR THE AMERICAN EXPRESS GOLD CARD

Getting into the travel hacking game as early as possible will help you build your travel hacking skills and help you build up your point banks.

There aren’t many travel credit cards in Canada for students, so there aren’t that many options to choose from.

But, without a doubt, the best Canadian travel credit card for students is the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for Students.

If you’re a student looking to cut down on the cost of your summer away from school, there is no better credit card!

The top highlight of the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for Students is the sign-up bonus.

The earning ratios and lack of complimentary checked baggage is a dark spot on this credit card, but it is the best option out there.

Highlights of this card include:

• 10,000 Aeroplan points as a sign-up bonus

• No annual fee or minimum income requirements

Unsurprisingly, you earn and redeem Aeroplan points with this credit card.

Aeroplan points are a great way to get started in the travel hacking game in Canada, and the sign-up bonus is enough for a flight within North America.

You earn 10,000 Aeroplan points after your first eligible purchase.

There is no minimum spend required, so you can buy a coffee and get the 10,000 Aeroplan points!

This where the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for Students falls shorts.

The earning ratios on this card are laughable, and CIBC should have done a better job.

You earn:

• 1 point for every $1 spent on gas, groceries, and Air Canada website

• 1 point for every $1.50 spent on every other purchase

• 2x points when buying from a partner retailer through the Aeroplan shop

With such low earning ratios, it is difficult to earn enough points for a intercontinental flight.

You redeem your Aeroplan points through the Air Canada website.

It is very easy to do, and with the new Aeroplan program, there are no blackout flights, so you can fly whenever suits your schedule!

There is no annual fee for this credit card!

You have to be the age of majority in the province you live in, be a Canadian resident, and attending a post-secondary institution in order to be eligible for this card.

There isn’t a minimum income required, and you can apply with nearly any credit score and still be approved.

CIBC knows that most students don’t have a strong credit score because they are young and just building up their credit file. For this reason, your credit limit on the card will probably only be $1,000.

CIBC doesn’t want to extend a lot of credit to an unproven person, but you can ask for an increase once you’ve built trust and payed off your balance in full multiple months in a row.

The best travel credit card alternative for students is the Student- BMO Air Miles Mastercard.

You earn 1 Air Mile for every $25 you put on the card, so you can rack up the points pretty quickly- especially if you pay your tuition with the card.

You also earn 3x the points if you purchase from partner retailers through the Air Miles online store or in person.

Overall, this is a good option if you want to collect Air Miles rather that Aeroplan points. The flat earning ratio is nice, and getting 3x the points at Air Miles partners really adds up quickly.

APPLY FOR THE CIBC VISA CARD FOR STUDENTS

Whew! We finally made it to the end of the post. You deserve a pat on the back for making it this far!

There are a lot of great travel credit cards in Canada. They aren’t nearly as many as in the US, but every year there seems to be more and more good Canadian travel credit cards popping up.

Every travel credit card on this list is tried and true and will get you closer to your travel goals.

Whether you want to fly for free or get free hotel stays, travel credit cards in Canada are the way to meet those goals.

They are the fastest way to earn points, and in a lot of cases, you earn a free flight in the sign-up bonus alone.

Many travel credit cards in Canada allow you to reapply for the same card 6-12 months after you last held the card.

Strategically applying and reapplying for the Canadian travel credit cards on this list will make you an expert travel hacker in no time.

Please don’t abuse the system though!

Play within the rules set by the credit card companies, don’t manufacture spend, and don’t purposefully cheat the system.

We all want to enjoy the benefits of the travel credit cards in Canada on this list, and the only way we can is if we all play by the rules.

It only takes a few bad apples for the rules to get changed, and we all suffer because of that.

But taking advantage of the generous rules travel credit cards in Canada have is the perfect way to see the world without breaking the bank.

There is hardly a better feeling than walking onto a plane or into a hotel room and knowing you didn’t pay a dime for it!

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Air Canada did a complete update of their Aeroplan program in November of 2020, and with that came an overhaul of the Aeroplan credit card suite. The changes to the Aeroplan credit cards made the American Express Aeroplan card the clear winner kicking CIBC out of the top spot.

Today we’re going to talk about why you should seriously consider the American Express Aeroplan card if you want an Aeroplan specific credit and all the features of the card.

It is a powerhouse of a credit card, and it helps you get to your Aeroplan goals quickly.

The American Express Aeroplan credit card offers a generous sign-up bonus of up to 15,000 Aeroplan points plus a Buddy Pass for an annual fee of $120. This is the highest sign-up bonus on any of the Aeroplan specific credit cards and the lowest annual fee. The Amex Aeroplan card also features 1.5x points earning on dining and food delivery services, which is a category not seen in any other Aeroplan credit card.

The American Express Aeroplan credit card is the perfect addition to anybody’s wallet. The new Aeroplan program is very versatile, and the program is much easier to use since the upgrade.

Aeroplan is without a doubt the best travel points program in Canada, and the Amex Aeroplan helps you get to your dream trip faster than ever!

Best travel credit cards for Canadians

There is a lot to love about the American Express Aeroplan card. It has great points earning categories, a great sign-up bonus, and a reasonable annual fee- especially compared to the other Aeroplan credit cards on the market.

A few of the top highlights include:

• Up to 15,000 Aeroplan points as part of the sign-up bonus

• Receive a Buddy Pass after spending $1,500 in the first three months of holding the card

• 2x points on Air Canada purchases and purchases at participating Aeroplan partner retailers (like Hudson’s Bay, Chapters, Etsy, and more!)

• 1.5x points on eligible grocery, restaurant, and food delivery services in Canada

• Free first checked bag for primary card holder and up to eight companions on the same reservation

• Excellent sign-up bonus and points earning categories

• Easy to redeem points for travel throughout the world

• No blackout dates on Air Canada flights

• Charge card, so you have to pay it off in full each month

• Not every vendor accepts American Express cards

• Can’t transfer points to another program

APPLY FOR THE AMEX AEROPLAN CARD

You earn and redeem Aeroplan points with the Amex Aeroplan card.

There isn’t the option to transfer your Aeroplan points to a partner program like with other American Express cards. It is extremely easy to earn and redeem Aeroplan points, and it is basically the same process as booking a flight and paying for it in cash.

The old Aeroplan program got a lot of hate. It was difficult to use, you had to call to book many non-Air Canada flights, and you were often hit with high taxes and fees that rendered your points basically useless.

The update to the Aeroplan program solved most of those problems, and it is a much easier and less frustrating system to use now.

There are no blackout dates on Air Canada flights, it is easier than ever to avoid paying high taxes and fees, and most partner airline flights can be booked online rather than through the phone.

It was a much needed upgrade and one that benefited the user a lot.

You earn up to 15,000 Aeroplan points and a Buddy Pass as the sign-up bonus on the Amex Aeroplan card, but it isn’t a straightforward sign-up bonus to earn.

There are multiple steps you have to take in order to receive all 15,000 Aeroplan points and the Buddy Pass.

Here is a breakdown of how the sign-up bonus on the American Express Aeroplan card works:

• Receive a Buddy Pass after spending $1,500 in the first three months of holding the card

• Earn 9,000 Aeroplan points after spending $1,500 in the first three months of holding the card. You get the Buddy Pass and 9,000 Aeroplan points at the same time.

• Earn 1,000 Aeroplan points every month you spend $500 or more on the Amex Aeroplan card in the first six months of holding the card for up to 6,000 Aeroplan points awarded.

That’s a bit confusing, but it isn’t as complicated as it sounds.

All you need to do is spend at least $500 on the American Express Aeroplan card each month for the first six months of holding the card, and you’ll receive the full sign-up bonus.

The Buddy Pass is a new addition to the Aeroplan program, and it is part of the sign-up bonus on every Aeroplan credit card that has an annual fee.

It allows you to bring a companion on any North American Air Canada flight for free. You just have to pay the taxes and fees but don’t have to pay the base fare.

The Buddy Pass can only be used on round-trip flights within North America, so you’re quite limited on how you can use the pass.

You also have to be booked on the reservation as well.

Essentially, you pay full price for your airfare, and you only pay the taxes and fees on the second person’s airfare.

This is a pretty good deal as long as you use it properly!

I suggest using it for a flight from Canada to the United States. Flights are often expensive, and American airports have significantly lower taxes and fees than Canadian airports.

This is the best way to use your Buddy Pass because you get the most value out of it.

There is no sense using your Buddy Pass on a flight where you’re paying hundred of dollars on taxes and fees. It takes the perk out of the Buddy Pass and costs you nearly the same out-of-pocket as if you paid for the full airfare.

For example, I used a Westjet companion fare to fly from Edmonton to Orlando. The taxes and fees were less than $50, so it was a great use of my companion pass.

The next time I went to use my companion fare, I looked at flying from Edmonton to Ottawa. The taxes and fees on that flight came to over $500! That is pretty close to the price of a full-price ticket, and I decided not to book it because it was essentially a waste of the companion fare.

A companion pass is very similar to the Buddy Pass but is provided by Westjet and has a base fare you have to pay.

There are ways to strategically use your Buddy Pass to squeeze every single dollar possible out of it and keep as much money in your pocket as possible.

If you’re going on multiple trips in a year, play around with the Buddy Pass and use it on the trip where you pay the least in taxes and fees!

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There are multiple different points earning categories, so you need to be strategic on when you use your American Express Aeroplan.

You can really rack up the points quickly when you use the Amex Aeroplan card to its full potential!

Here are the points earning categories:

• 2x points on purchases through the Air Canada website

• 2x points on purchases at Aeroplan partner retailers. The most common way to earn these points is making your online purchases at partner retailers through the Aeroplan portal. You have to be logged in and access the retailer through the Aeroplan website in order to earn your bonus points!

• 1.5x points on eligible grocery, restaurant, and food delivery services in Canada. You won’t receive bonus points for food purchases outside of Canada. You will only earn 1 point per $1 spent on food outside of Canada.

• 1x points on every other purchase including travel and other purchases made outside of Canada.

Of all the Aeroplan credit cards on the market, the American Express Aeroplan card has the best points earning categories.

CIBC and TD have 1.5x points on gas and transportation, and American Express has 1.5x on groceries, restaurants, and food delivery services.

Most people spend more money on food than transportation, so it is easier to earn more points with the American Express Aeroplan card than any other Aeroplan card on the market.

It is so easy to redeem your Aeroplan points!

You simply log into your Aeroplan account via the Air Canada website. After that, you go to the book a flight box on the homepage and toggle the red button from $CAD to points. You search your flight just as you normally would, and the prices shown are in points rather than Canadian dollars.

Most of Air Canada’s partner airlines will show up in your search, so you can easily book a ticket on a non-Air Canada flight.

There are some partner airlines that, unfortunately, don’t show up on the Air Canada website.

In this case, you have to do a little more work. Find the flight you want to take on a different website (like the partner airline’s website or Google Flights) and then call the Aeroplan booking phone number and book your flight with a customer service agent.

There is a small $30 fee for booking your flight over the phone.

It is a shame that they charge you when it is the only option, but it is a small price to pay to get the flight you want to book!

More and more partner airlines are added to the Air Canada website, so (fingers crossed) it won’t be long until we can book every flight online and never have to call a customer service agent again!

You can use the Aeroplan price predictor tool to help figure out how many points you need for any given flight!

Aeroplan breaks down the number of points you need to redeem into travel zones and distance travelled within each travel zone.

There are also different points required depending on whether you’re flying Air Canada or a partner airline.

It can be a little bit complicated to wrap your head around, but the redemption chart is a huge help.

Looking at the redemption chart, the very best value for your points is flying a partner airline between North American and the Pacific zone or North American and South America.

You get the most bang for your points when you travel between these zones. This goes for whether you’re flying economy all the way up to business class!

That being said, I’m going to give you some really unpopular advice that most people in the travel hacking space won’t tell you.

You should spend your points on whatever fits your travel schedule the best.

It is always better to use your points for any travel then let your points sit there collecting dust or (even worse) expire and go to waste!

Most people tell you to get the absolute best value for your points no matter what. This ends up creating analysis paralysis, and many people don’t use their points for anything.

Don’t be that person!

I personally am planning to use my Aeroplan points for a flight from the Atlantic zone to North America even though technically it isn’t the best value for my points.

But it works for my travel plans, and that’s all that matters!

While there isn’t a best way to use your Aeroplan points, there is certainly a worst way to use them!

You should try at all costs to avoid using your Aeroplan points for merchandise or gift cards.

It gives you the lowest value for your points, and basically anything else is better than redeeming your points for merchandise or gift cards.

If your points are able to expire, then, of course, use them for merchandise or gift cards, but it should be a last resort!

In terms of flights, the worst point redemption values is flying between North America and the Atlantic zone.

The points required are higher than in other categories, and it isn’t the best value for your points.

I chalk it up to Europe being the most popular travel destination and people being willing to pay a premium to travel there.

That being said, if you want to redeem your points for a trip to Europe, redeem your points for a trip to Europe! You earned them, and you can use your points however you want!

The points required to fly within South America are outrageous as well! I highly recommend you not use your points for travel on a partner airline within South America.

It is a rip off!

The annual fee on the American Express Aeroplan card is $120. There is, unfortunately, no first year fee waiver, so you’ll be shelling out $120 every year you hold the card.

This is a very fair annual fee!

The comparable CIBC and TD Aeroplan cards have a $139 annual fee and a lower sign-up bonus!

I love that American Express gave us more for less! There is a reason they are known to have the best travel credit cards in Canada!

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American Express makes it really easy to get one of their credit cards!

They don’t have a minimum income requirement, so their credit cards are accessible to most Canadians assuming you have a decent credit score.

Here are the listed American Express requirements for the Amex Aeroplan card:

• Have a Canadian credit file

• Be the age of majority in the province you live in

It is as easy as that!

American Express doesn’t post a required credit score, but you do need a decent credit score in order to be approved for the American Express Aeroplan card.

I suggest having a credit score of at least 650 before applying for the Amex Aeroplan card.

I honestly think anybody can benefit from having the American Express Aeroplan card in their wallet.

It is one of the best travel credit cards in Canada, and it suits pretty much any travel style.

I love how versatile the Amex Aeroplan card is. You can use it to travel anywhere in the world and in any class of service.

The points are super easy to redeem, and the Aeroplan program is perfect for beginner travel hackers and more experienced travel hackers.

The American Express Aeroplan card is one of those rare credit cards where it suits everybody’s needs, and you can’t go wrong applying for it!

I can’t really think of a situation where the Amex Aeroplan card isn’t a good fit.

There are the obvious scenarios where you can’t meet the minimum spend or don’t have the restraint to not go into credit card debt.

Outside of those obvious situations that are universal, I think everybody will love the American Express Aeroplan card!

• TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite

• CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite

There you have it! A complete analysis of the American Express Aeroplan card and why it is the best Aeroplan credit card on the market.

I truly think it is the a great addition to every wallet, and everybody can benefit from holding the Amex Aeroplan card.

You can use Aeroplan points to travel anywhere in the world on a myriad of different airlines.

With the updates to the Aeroplan program, the elimination of blackout dates, and the reduction of fees and taxes, there are very few downsides to the Aeroplan program and the American Express Aeroplan card.

I highly recommend you look into the American Express Aeroplan card next time you’re in the market for a new Canadian travel credit card!

APPLY FOR THE AMEX AEROPLAN CARD

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There is a lot of hype around the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard. Heck! I even included it in my list of the best travel credit cards in Canada as the winner of the Air Miles category.

Today we’re going to investigate whether or not the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard is worth the hype or if you should be looking at a different travel credit card instead.

There is no doubt that the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard is one of the best Air Miles credit card in Canada. It has the best Air Miles sign-up bonus, a simple point earning structure, and a first year annual fee waiver. However, the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard isn’t a great choice in general. When compared to other travel credit cards in Canada, it falls short. This is a good card for Air Miles loyalists, but everybody else should give it a pass.

Okay. Clearly you now know that I’m not a big fan of the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard.

It isn’t so much that the card itself isn’t great, but it is more that the Air Miles program itself is terrible.

There are high taxes and fees on airfare, lots of blackout dates and seats, you have to depart from Canada, and you don’t earn points very quickly.

All in all, it is difficult to find a positive spin to put on the Air Miles program.

But! We’ll get deeper into the Air Miles program later on in this article.

We’re still going to go through a complete breakdown of the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard, so you can decide whether or not it is the right travel credit card for you.

While I don’t love the Air Miles program, there are some really cool features and perks that come with the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard.

BMO, in general, is known to have unique perks associated with their travel credit cards, and this card is no exception!

Here are some of my favourite perks and features of the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard:

• 15% discount on North American flights booked with Air Miles

• 15% discount on Cirque du Soleil shows touring Canada

• 20% discount on Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas

• Extended warranty and purchase protection

• Two complimentary Lounge Key passes

• $40 yearly annual fee rebate when you have a BMO Performance Plan bank account

• Best Air Miles credit card in Canada

• Unique and beneficial extra perks

• Mastercard extended by a Big 5 bank and widely accepted/trusted

• Only collect and redeem Air Miles

• Have to deal with BMO, which in my experience is often unpleasant

APPLY FOR THE BMO AIR MILES WORLD ELITE MASTERCARD

You earn and redeem Air Miles with this credit card.

There is no option to transfer your points to a partner program like many other Canadian travel credit cards have.

This puts you at a disadvantage because Air Miles is one of the least flexible travel rewards points in Canada.

With Air Miles, you have to book a flight that originates from Canada. That means you don’t have the option to book a one-way flight from, say, Europe to Canada to get home.

If you wanted to use your Air Miles for a one-way flight for your European vacation, your only option is to use it on the outbound flight that departs from Canada.

The Air Miles program is one of the easiest programs to use, but it is also frustrating when you have to work within their rules and don’t have much travel flexibility.

You earn 2,000 Air Miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months of holding the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard.

That is a fairly generous sign-up bonus, and you can book an ultra short-haul round trip flight with 2,000 Air Miles.

A round-trip flight from Edmonton to Calgary, Vancouver to Victoria, or Toronto to Thunder Bay can all be booked using the 2,000 Air Mile sign-up bonus.

This sign-up bonus is comparable to other sign-up bonuses on travel credit cards in Canada, and there is nothing to complain about there!

The BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard has a really straightforward and easy points earning structure.

It is a great card for beginners because you don’t have to worry about using the card strategically in different categories.

No matter what you purchase, you earn 1 Air Mile for every $10 you spend on the card.

Yup! It is really that easy and straighforward!

The downside to that is there aren’t any special categories where you earn 1.5x or 2x points on your purchases.

This really slows down how quickly you can earn points!

The other way you can earn extra Air Miles is by showing your Air Miles card in participating stores or shopping through the Air Miles Shop.

The Air Miles Shop allows you to earn extra Air Miles when you shop online at some of the most popular retailers in Canada. Stores like Chapters, The Bay, and David’s Tea are all on the Air Miles Shop.

You have to log into the Air Miles Shop and shop through their link to earn your extra Air Miles. If you go directly to the store’s website, you won’t earn those extra Air Miles.

Best travel credit cards in Canada

One of the best parts of the Air Miles program is how easy it is to redeem points!

No matter what you want to redeem your points for, all it takes is a few clicks of your mouse!

They even have free skipping if you purchase merchandise with your Air Miles!

You can redeem your Air Miles for flights, hotels, car rentals, travel experiences, merchandise, and gift cards.

It is all done through the Air Miles website, and you search for the hotel or flight just as you would if you were using cash and going through a traditional travel website.

You really have to give it to Air Miles for making it so easy to redeem your points!

Air Miles is known for having high taxes and fees, so the best strategy for redeeming Air Miles is to use them for rewards that cost you the least out-of-pocket.

I personally like to use my Air Miles for travel experience like theme park and museum tickets. You get a pretty good value for your points, and you don’t have to pay any cash in addition to the Air Miles you redeem.

Other great options include hotels, short-haul flights within the same province, and last-minute flights.

All of these redemptions will get you the best bang for your points.

You do have to be careful when redeeming your points for flights though! Pay attention to how much you’re being charged in taxes and fees and really do the math to figure out if that redemption is the best use of your points or not.

You should strive to be getting at least 10 cents worth of value out of every point you redeem. Anything below that is considered a less than desirable redemption rate.

With that being said, I always say that it is better to use your points for anything than to let them go to waste and not use them at all.

That isn’t common advice you’ll hear in the travel hacking community, but it is the truth!

Most people tell you to get the most value possible out of every point, and it can lead to people letting their points go to waste because they’re waiting for the perfect moment to redeem their points.

Don’t be that person!

Use your points for what suits your needs, and try to get the most value for your points in whatever way you choose to use them!

On a value per points basis, one of the worst ways you can use your Air Miles is to redeem them for long-haul international travel.

The value per point tends to be much lower than on shorter fights, hotels, or travel experiences.

Outside of not getting a great value on long-haul international flights, the absolute worst way you can use your Air Miles is redeeming them for a flight that has extremely high taxes and fees.

I know I keep going on and on about the taxes and fees, but it is honestly shocking at how high some of them are!

There have been multiple times where I’ve gotten to the last screen in the redemption process and aborted the mission because the taxes and fees were too high.

I’m talking over $600 worth of taxes and fees!

You’re using potentially thousands of points with an approximate value of 10 cents per point and then are expected to pay hundreds of dollars of taxes and fees on top of it!

It just doesn’t sit right.

Many travel points programs require you to pay taxes and fees, but they are so much higher with the Air Miles program.

The taxes and fees really bring down your value per point value so make sure you do updated calculations taking into consideration the taxes and fees before you pull the trigger and redeem your points!

American Express Platinum Canada Review

By now it should be pretty clear that I don’t love the Air Miles program.

It may be one of the most popular travel points programs in Canada, but it doesn’t deserve the popularity it has.

Here are just a few reasons I dislike the Air Miles program:

• Flights have to originate in Canada

• Points earning is quite slow even if you have an Air Miles credit card

• Lack of flight customization and normally get stuck with long layovers

• Rental car option not available in many countries

The annual fee on the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard is $120.

The first year’s annual fee is rebated, and you receive a $40 rebate on your annual fee every year going forward if you have a BMO Performance Plan bank account.

This is one of those cards where they require a minimum income. If you’ve read a number of my blog posts, you know that I am opposed to minimum income requirements.

I think they are elitist and exclude far too many people who would use the card responsibly. I completely understand that it is a tactic credit card issuers use to protect themselves from having people abuse their cards, but it is an outdated and classist practice.

American Express has the best travel credit cards in Canada and doesn’t have a minimum income requirement. More credit card issuers should follow suit and eliminate the need for a minimum income.

But I digress.

BMO is one of the worst when it comes to minimum income requirements. All of their annual fee credit cards have an outrageously high minimum income requirement.

BMO requires you to earn at least $80,000 in personal income or $150,000 in household income.

The average Canadian household income in a household where two adults are working is $84,900!

That means the majority of Canadians won’t have access to this credit card. BMO’s personal income requirement is just a few thousand dollars lower than the average household income in Canada.

Just because you’re underpaid at your job does not mean you shouldn’t have access to travel credit cards.

Don’t let a credit card issuer make you feel like you don’t deserve their credit card just because they have elitist requirements and only cater to the financially privileged.

This is a great card for Air Mile die hards.

There are people who swear by Air Miles, and it is their favourite travel point in Canada.

If you’re not an Air Mile enthusiast, I don’t see any harm in getting this card and then cancelling it before your first year is up.

The annual fee is waived in the first year, so you’re not shelling any cash out for this card.

The only thing you need to consider is the opportunity cost of holding this card.

You have to spend $3,000 in the first three months to get the sign-up bonus. You could spend that $3,000 to meet the minimum spend on the American Express Gold, TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, or American Express Aeroplan and get points that will potentially benefit you more.

But if it works with your current travel hacking strategy, then there is no harm in getting the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard.

Just make sure you cancel it before the second year, so you don’t have to pay an annual fee!

I think people serious about travel hacking and getting the most value out of their travel rewards should pass on the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard.

It lacks the flexibility that most travel points programs have, and you’re really limited in your options since the flight has to originate from Canada.

Additionally, it is quite difficult to earn a lot of Air Miles quickly. The BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard doesn’t offer any bonus categories, and you earn a flat 1 point per $10 spent across the board.

This is a decent option for people wanting to redeem points for experiences, but it really isn’t a viable option for people looking to redeem for flights- especially luxury flights in business or first class.

• American Express Cobalt (read review)

• American Express Aeroplan

• RBC Westjet World Elite Mastercard (read review)

I know this review is a little harsh, but I want you to know the good and the bad before you apply for any credit card.

The BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard just falls short.

It is a great credit card when compared to its peers and fellow Air Miles cards. However, when you review the card objectively and compare it to other travel credit cards on the market, it comes in as one of the most disappointing travel cards on the market.

You don’t get a ton of value each year to justify paying a $120 annual fee. Outside of the first year with the sign-up bonus, the perks you get with the card aren’t worth paying $120 for.

In my (humble) opinion, I see no harm in getting the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard for the first year and then promptly canceling it before the second year annual fee kicks in.

I would only get it if I had exhausted the other travel credit cards I’m eyeing up and would not prioritize it over a more robust and versatile credit card like the American Express Cobalt, HSBC World Elite Mastercard, or American Express Aeroplan.

APPLY FOR THE BMO AIR MILES WORLD ELITE MASTERCARD

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The BMO Air Miles Mastercard is one of the best no annual fee credit cards in Canada. In fact, it is arguably the best no annual fee Air Miles credit card.

The BMO Air Miles Mastercard has no annual fee but still packs on the perks. It comes with a sign-up bonus of 800 Air Miles, has elevated points earning categories, and has a higher base reward than its competitors. It is a no-brainer for anyone looking to add an Air Miles card to their wallet but want to avoid annual fees.

Air Miles isn’t my favourite travel program, but you can’t go wrong with a no annual fee credit card!

The bonus points you earn with the BMO Air Miles Mastercard make it somewhat beneficial to use it strategically.

Using the BMO Air Miles Mastercard at Air Miles partners is the quickest way to earn Air Miles with this credit card.

You have to spend a lot of money on other purchases to earn a significant amount of Air Miles.

The best use of this card is to maximize its elevated earning category and then put it away and use a stronger credit card for other purchases.

Best travel credit cards in Canada

This is a no fee credit card, so there aren’t that many perks. However, the perks you do get with the card are awesome.

You get far more perks with the BMO Air Miles Mastercard than with most other no annual fee credit cards.

Here are the top perks you need to know about:

• Received 800 Air Miles as a sign-up bonus

• Earn 1 Air Mile for every $25 spend on the card

• Earn 3x the Air Miles at partner locations (e.g. Sobey’s and Shell)

• Ability to earn Air Miles twice at partner stores (once for showing your normal Air Miles card and second for using the BMO Air Miles Mastercard)

• BMO often runs promotions where you can earn 5x the points in certain spending categories for a limited time

APPLY FOR THE BMO AIR MILES MASTERCARD

You earn and redeem Air Miles with this credit card.

Probably not much of a surprise there!

One of the best parts of the Air Miles program is that everything is done through the Air Miles website.

You don’t have to worry about transferring points to a partner program, which is very nice. It makes is very easy for people to navigate the website, and it is a great platform for beginners.

I don’t love the Air Miles program personally, but I will admit it is one of the easiest program websites to navigate.

You get a very generous sign-up bonus with the BMO Air Miles Mastercard.

I mean getting any sign-up bonus on a no annual fee credit card is amazing!

You received 800 Air Miles as a sign-up bonus after spending $1,000 on the card in the first three months.

That’s a minimum of an $80 value!

Not too shabby at all for a no annual fee credit card.

In fact, this may be the most generous sign-up bonus on any no annual fee credit card in Canada!

The points earning structure on the BMO Air Miles Mastercard is very straight forward.

You don’t need to worry about remembering any complicated points earning categories. There is a base level of earning and a few ways to earn additional Air Miles.

Here is a breakdown of how you earn points with this card:

• Earn 1 Air Mile for every $25 spent on the card

• Earn 3 Air Miles for every $25 spent at partner stores (e.g. Safeway or Shell)

• Ability to earn double the points when shopping at partner stores including online retailers when you shop through the Air Miles shop online

The straightforward points structure is appreciated, but it does have its flaws.

It takes a long time for you to earn a significant amount of Air Miles when you earn 1 to 3 miles per $25 spent.

In the big scheme of things, that is not a great points earning rate. Especially when you consider how many miles it takes to redeem for a flight.

I wish the points earning were higher, but it is on par with (and slightly better than) comparable credit cards by other providers.

Underrated cities in Europe you need to visit ASAP

The redemption process is done completely online and is very easy to navigate.

You can also change the settings in your Air Miles account to allocate some (or all) your Air Miles to be Dream Miles.

Dream Miles allow you to receive a $10 discount off at partner locations when you scan you Air Miles card (and have enough points saved up).

This helps you spend your Air Miles easily and continuously. It also gives you a decent value per point.

And saves you the hassle of paying taxes and fees that you often get stuck with when redeeming for travel.

Sometimes it feels like it is very difficult to get a good value for you Air Miles.

You often get hit with high taxes and fees on flight redemptions, and it feels like it isn’t even worth it.

I completely understand the feeling!

My personal favourite way to redeem Air Miles is for travel experiences.

This is a great way to skirt around the taxes and fees imposed on flight redemptions while still getting some free travel!

There are tons of different travel experiences you can redeem Air Miles for. Most of them are in the United States, and new experiences are always being added (or removed) from the website.

My favourite redemption is for Universal Studios California tickets. I love not having to pay out-of-pocket for theme park tickets! They are expensive, but I simply cannot resist a good theme park.

I highly recommend you peruse the Air Miles website before you book your trip to see if there are any experiences you want to redeem your miles for.

In terms of flights, the best value comes when you book flights within North America.

You tend to get the best value per mile and pay the least amount in taxes and fees.

It seems the longer the flight, the more taxes and fees you have to pay in addition to having to redeem more Air Miles.

One of the things that often gets lost in the travel hacking space is the personal element.

People are always talking about how to get the most value per point and the focus is on maximizing your points as much as possible.

This leads people to have analysis paralysis.

You research and think about how to get the best value out of your points and never end up booking anything.

That is one of the worst travel hacking mistakes you can make!

My personal philosophy is to decide what trip you want to take and find a way to maximize your points within the context of your trip.

You may not be getting the best value per point overall, but you are getting the best value per point on the trip you want.

You need to balance your dream trip with maximizing your travel rewards.

That is where the magic of travel hacking takes place!

The absolute worst way you can spend your Air Miles is on merchandise.

I know it is tempting because of the taxes on fees on flights, and I’ve definitely been guilty of it in my youth.

You get such a low value per mile that it isn’t worth it, and you’re not getting the value you deserve.

You spend a lot of time earning your Air Miles, and you should get the value you deserve out of them!

In terms of flight rewards, I don’t recommend using your Air Miles for long-haul international flights.

The number of miles required is ridiculous, and you get hit with an absurd amount of taxes and fees.

I was playing around on the Air Miles website one day, and the taxes and fees on a round-trip flight from Canada to Europe as almost the same as what a normal flight would cost!

You want to make sure you’re getting a value of $0.15 per mile and ideally closer to $0.20 per mile.

You should include what you’re paying out-of-pocket when making these calculations to see the full price of the redemption.

No matter what you choose to do with your Air Miles, try to get as much value per point as possible!

I know it is easier said than done, but you should always strive to get the most value per point for the redemption you want to use your points for.

Benefits of travelling alone

There is no annual fee on the BMO Air Miles Mastercard!

It costs you $0 per year to hold the card. You gotta love it!

It is pretty easy to be approved for the BMO Air Miles Mastercard.

There is no minimum income requirement (yay!), and you only have to meet these simple requirements:

• Be the age of majority in your home province

• Have a Canadian credit file

If you meet those requirements, there is a solid chance you’ll be approved!

Anybody who is interested in holding an Air Miles Mastercard should consider getting the BMO Air Miles Mastercard.

One hack you can do to make it the most worth while is apply for the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard and then downgrade to the no fee card.

The first year’s annual fee on the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard is waived.

You can apply for the premium card, take advantage of the superior sign-up bonus, and then downgrade before the second year’s annual fee is due.

This allows you to maximize the rewards you get from the credit hit you take to get a new credit card. And you don’t have to pay anything in annual fees.

It doesn’t get better than that!

The downside to this strategy is that BMO has a policy where you don’t get the sign-up bonus on the BMO Air Miles Mastercard if you’re an existing customer.

This means you won’t earn the 800 Air Miles a new customer would get as a sign-up bonus.

It is still worthwhile in the long run to get the World Elite Mastercard and downgrade to the no fee card after the first year.

You will earn significantly more Air Miles this way.

As rude as it may be to say, I don’t think the BMO Air Miles Mastercard is the right card for serious travel hackers.

I’m sorry!

The value in the card just isn’t there.

Air Miles, in general, isn’t the best points program in Canada. If you’re serious about travel hacking and seeing the world for free, there are other points programs you should focus your efforts on.

This is a great no annual fee credit card, and if you already have it in your wallet, hold onto it. It’ll help the credit history portion of your credit score!

But I don’t suggest you go out of your way to apply for this card.

It is a great card to downgrade to in the BMO credit card system, but it should not be the first card you go for if you’re a travel hacker.

It is a great first credit card for students though!

• American Express Air Miles Credit Card

• BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard

• American Express Air Miles Platinum

There you have it! A complete review of the BMO Air Miles Mastercard.

It is a good no annual fee credit card, but it doesn’t have many shining moments beyond that.

The sign-up bonus is great and the points earning ratio on the card is better than its competitors.

There are definitely some attractive things about it!

But from a macro view, it won’t help you advance your travel hacking career very far.

Air Miles take a long time to accumulate, and you need a lot of them to redeem for any sort of flight reward.

The effort to return ratio simply isn’t there.

I suggest focussing more on the Aeroplan program as a Canadian.

The rewards are quicker and easier to earn and the reward options are more robust.

Overall, the BMO Air Miles Mastercard is a decent credit card.

Keep it if you already have it but don’t go out of your way to get it.

APPLY FOR THE BMO AIR MILES MASTERCARD

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Shanghai Disneyland is the newest Disney park in the world. It is the only Disney park in mainland China. Planning a Shanghai Disneyland trip can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. This guide gives you all the information you need to make your Shanghai Disneyland trip magical.

The first thing you need to know when planning a Shanghai Disneyland trip is whether you need a visa to be allowed entry into China or not. Most people are required to have a visa. If you are a citizen of one of these 53 countries, you are able to enter China visa-free and stay for 144 hours. That is the equivalent of 6 days.

You have to fly into certain airports to be eligible to stay for 144 hours. If you land at an illegible airport, you will only have 72-hours visa-free.

People that are not citizens of the 53 eligible countries are required to apply for and receive a Chinese visa before they land in China. You need to check with your consulate to see what the visa requirements are. The requirements are different for each country, so make sure you do your research before applying.

I always recommend getting a visa before you arrive in China because it makes the entry process much smoother. Check out my 20 Things to Know Before You Visit China post to learn more about why I suggest having a visa before arriving in China.

You should fly into Pudong airport in Shanghai. This will give you the easiest commute to Shanghai Disneyland.

If you want the easiest and quickest commute, you should take a taxi. Taxis from Pudong to Shanghai are relatively inexpensive. The ride should cost you between $15-25USD. The ride should take approximately 35-40 minutes depending on traffic.

You can get a taxi at the airport. You need to have the address of where you’re staying written in Chinese characters to show your driver. Your driver will probably not be able to understand where you want to go if the address is written in English.

It will take you about 2 hours to get it Shanghai Disneyland if you take public transportation.

You start by taking Line 2 on the metro for 4 stops. Get off at Chuanshan Road Station and take exit 2. Next you get onto bus 50 for 7 stops and get off at Beifu Road Station at Guanghuang Road.

You will be at Shanghai Disneyland after you get off the bus. You can either walk to Shanghai Disneyland or the Shanghai Disneyland shuttle bus.

I recommend you take a taxi. It is way easier and doesn’t cost much more than taking public transportation.

If you are travelling to Shanghai Disneyland from Shanghai rather than the airport, you need to take metro line 11 to the last stop. You need to figure out how to get to line 11 from wherever you are staying. You will probably need to transfer once or twice, but once you’re on line 11, you ride it all the way to the end. After you get off the metro, you can either walk or take the shuttle bus after you get off the metro.

I always recommend staying at a Shanghai Disneyland hotel. You can stay at either Toy Story Hotel or Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. The Toy Story Hotel is the less expensive option, and the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel is the expensive option.

Staying on property during your Shanghai Disneyland trip comes with a lot of advantages and conveniences. It will cut down on your commute time and allow you to get extra sleep, which might be the best benefit of all.

• Free transportation from the park to the hotel and back
• Exclusive hotel guest only entrance
• Can pre-book fastpasses
• Guaranteed entrance even on busy days
• Disney-level guest service
• Cute Disney in-room souvenirs to take home

You should book a hotel along metro line 11 or bus 50’s route if you are not staying on Disney property. This will make your commute to and from the park easy because you will not have to transfer lines.

There are not many hotels along metro line 11 near Shanghai Disneyland because the area is newly developed. You will have a fairly long commute if you choose to stay off property. It can take 45-60 minutes to get to Shanghai Disneyland from many hotels.

You need to give yourself extra time to get to the parks if you are taking the metro because it is a long walk from the metro exit to the park.

You will also be standing in the general entrance line, which is normally really long. If you are standing in the general entrance, you need to arrive at the park at least 1 hour early. This will give you enough time to get through security and be one of the first into the park.

You can purchase either 1 or 2 day tickets for your Shanghai Disneyland trip. You need to purchase a 2 day and a 1 day ticket if you want to spend three days in the park. It is inconvenient, but Shanghai Disneyland is still a new park and is still figuring everything out.

You can also purchase an annual pass if you are planning to visit the park multiple times during the year. There are multiple types of annual passes that cost varying amounts of money. You have to purchase an annual pass either through the official Shanghai Disneyland WeChat or at the entrance to the park.

I recommend purchasing your ticket directly through Shanghai Disneyland if you are staying at a Disney hotel. You can purchase it either when you are booking your hotel or when you arrive at the hotel. You need to purchase your tickets directly though Disney in order to use some of the benefits like the exclusive hotel guest entrance.

I still recommend buying tickets directly through Disney if you aren’t staying on property. This will ensure you are getting legitimate tickets and not counterfeit tickets.

If you choose to purchase discount tickets from someone other than Disney, do your research to ensure it is a reputable company.

Klook is one site that sells discounted Shanghai Disneyland tickets. I have never used this company, but TDRExplorer the ultimate guru on all Asian Disney parks recommends them, so they must be reputable.

You need at least 2 days at Shanghai Disneyland to experience everything. If you’re a huge Disney fan, you will want to spend 3 days in the park.

You will be able to experience nearly everything and ride your favourite attractions multiple times in 2 days. Having 3 days will allow you to take your time as you explore.

You need to download the Shanghai Disneyland app before you enter the parks.

You can make fastness reservations and check wait times directly from the app, so it is extremely useful. In order to make fastpass reservations, you need to scan the ticket of everybody in your party after everybody enters the park. When all the tickets are scanned, you are able to make fastpass reservations for everybody in your party from a single phone.

The app is a must-have item on your Shanghai Disneyland trip. It helps you maximize your time and plan your day.

You will have lots to see and do on your Shanghai Disneyland trip. The park isn’t huge, but it has a number of unique attractions and shows that you don’t want to miss.

The lines are often long- especially in the afternoon. You should get to the park right when it opens to make the most of your time. The afternoon is a great time to go to shows, meet characters, or explore Disney Town while the lines for attractions are long.

• Tron Lightcycle Power Run: You will want to ride this multiple times because it is amazing!
• Pirates of the Caribbean: This ride uses new technology and is incredible.
• Seven Dwarves Mine Train: it is the same as the Magic Kingdom version but still a great attraction for the entire family.
• Soaring Over the Horizon: This is also identical to the versions in Disney California Adventure and Epcot, but it is still a fan favourite.
• Voyage to the Crystal Grotto: This is a boat ride that takes your through a number of fairytales and through the castle.
• Once Upon a Time Adventure: This is a walk-through attraction that lets you go up the castle.
• Camp Discovery: These are obstacle courses of varying degrees of difficulty.

There are a lot of characters to meet while on your Shanghai Disneyland trip. Most of the characters you can meet can be found in other Disney parks around the world, but there are a couple that are unique.

You can meet Mickey in his Shanghai outfit. This is a unique meeting, and Mickey looks super handsome in his blue jacket and gold shoes. You should definitely make the time to meet Mickey while on your Shanghai Disneyland trip. His line gets long, so you should try to meet him in the morning.

You can meet a number of Star Wars characters at Shanghai Disneyland. They are located in the Star Wars Launch Bay near Tomorrowland. The Star Wars characters normally have a short wait, so they are perfect to meet when the park is busy.

Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, and a number of droids are all waiting for you to meet them. There are even a number of interactive things to do in the Star Wars Launch Bay.

You can meet Spider-Man and Captain America from the Marvel Universe. They are located in a pavilion near Star Wars Launch Bay, so you can see characters from 2 of the most iconic franchises of all time one after the other.

The Marvel characters tend to be busier than the Star Wars characters, so be sure to check your app to see how long the wait is.

Happy Circle is located in Adventure Isle near Soaring Over the Horizon. You are able to meet more obscure jungle/animal characters here. There is hardly ever a wait, so it is a great place to go during peak hours.

Nick and Judy from Zootopia, Rafiki from the Lion King, and King Louis from the Jungle Book are frequent characters that are greeting guests. This is a great location for Disney fans that are wanting to meet characters that are more difficult to find in the US parks.

Toy Story Land was the first Shanghai Disneyland extension. It has 3 attractions as well as a place to meet Woody and Jessie.

You can also meet the characters from Toy Story if you’re staying at the Toy Story Hotel. The characters roam around the lobby area throughout the day. Check with the concierge if you want to know when they will be out and about meeting guests.

What would a Shanghai Disneyland trip be without meeting a Disney princess or two? You can meet the princesses at the back of the castle. Different princesses meet at different times during the day, so you will have to go by the line to see who is meeting guests.

The line to meet princesses is always long. From park open to park close, there is always a line. You aren’t able to get a fastpass to meet them either.

If you want to meet the princesses, you should check the app to see how long their line is. Normally first thing in the morning and at the end of the night are when the lines are the shortest.

The princesses are not in any special outfits, so it you have already met them in other parks, it may not be the best use of your time to wait to meet them on your Shanghai Disneyland trip.

Mickey Avenue is the equivalent of Main Street in other Disney parks. It is the part of the park that you first see when you enter through the main guest entrance. If you enter through the hotel guest entrance, you will be entering the park near Tomorrowland and will not see Mickey Avenue when you walk in.

Mickey Avenue is where you will be able to meet your favourite classic Disney characters like Minnie, Donald, Chip ‘n’ Dale, and Goofy. They meet at varying times throughout the day, so check your app or guide map to see when they greet guests.

The lines on Mickey Avenue can be long or short depending on the time of day and how busy the park is. If the character you want to meet has a long time, find something else to do for 30-60 minutes then go back to meet that character. The line should be shorter by then.

The classic Disney characters normally wear their standard costumes; however, during special times of the year like Easter, Christmas, and Lunar New Year, they wear special costumes. Getting a picture with your favourite character is a special outfit is an amazing memory.

There are a number of shows and entertainment you can enjoy on your Shanghai Disneyland trip. Most of the shows are unique to Shanghai Disneyland, and you won’t be able to see them anywhere else.

• Songs of Arbori: A 15 minute dance show
• Tarzan Call of the Jungle: An acrobatic show and my personal favourite entertainment at Shanghai Disneyland
• Frozen A Sing-Along Celebration: The most popular show
• Baymax Super Exercise Expo: A exercise show for children lead by Baymax from Big Hero 6
• Eye of the Storm Captain Jack Stunt Show Spectacular: I have never seen this show but have hear you stand for most of it, so it isn’t a good option if you are looking to rest your feet.
• Fantasy Festival: A castle stage show featuring all your favourite characters
• Tai Chi with Characters: Chip ‘n’ Dale lead guests through Tai Chi

The parade in Shanghai Disneyland is called Mickey’s Storybook Express. It takes place at 12pm and 3:30pm most days, and it is 14 minutes long.

It starts by Toy Story Land, goes by Tomorrowland, around the castle by the Gardens of Imagination, and ends between Treasure Cove and Fantasyland.

You can normally get a good viewing location 5-10 minutes before the parade starts. The best place to get a last-minute viewing location is in Tomorrowland.

The parade has catchy music and a couple good floats, but it isn’t a great Disney parade. It certainly isn’t worth staking out a spot and waiting an hour to see. It is worth seeing if you are able to get a decent last-minute viewing spot though.

The Shanghai Disneyland nighttime show is called Ignite the Dream, and it is 20 minutes long. It is a castle projection show that also has fireworks. It is a pretty good show all things considered.

Unlike the parade, the nighttime show is extremely popular, and you need to get a viewing spot early. I have seen people saving a spot 2 hours before the show began.

You should try to get a spot near the Gardens of Imagination. The nighttime show projects images onto the castle, so you want to have a good view of the castle. The further back you are, the more likely it is that you will have an obstructed view of the show.

Your Shanghai Disneyland trip would not be complete without trying all the great snacks and meals the park has to offer. Many of the restaurants inside the park have a heavy Asian influence, but trying new foods will make your Shanghai Disneyland trip unforgettable.

Remy’s Patisserie is the best place to get breakfast. It has lots of delicious pastries to choose from. Most of the pastries are shaped like Disney characters, so they are delicious and cute. My favourite is the Mike Wazowski bun (I think is better than the Tokyo Disneyland version).

There are lots of great quick service restaurants to choose from in Shanghai Disneyland. Mickey and Pals Market Cafe is one of the most popular locations. It offers a variety of dishes including rice bowls, noodle bowls, chicken, and ribs.

If you’re looking for a unique place to eat lunch, go to the Royal Banquet Hall. You get to eat inside the castle and meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy in their royal outfits.

The best place to grab a sweet snack is Il Paperino. This is the only place in the world you can get Donald waffles rather than Mickey waffles! This location also serves a variety of ice cream treats and sweet pastries.

Disney Town is Shanghai Disneyland’s version of Downtown Disney or Disney Springs. It is a shopping and restaurant destination that is steps away from the park. It should definitely be on your must-do list for your Shanghai Disneyland trip.

Disney Town is where you are going to find more Western options. Most of the restaurants inside the park are Asian, but there are a couple of sit down restaurants in Disney Town that have classic American food.

My personal favourite is the Cheesecake Factory, but there is also a Wolf Gang Puck Kitchen & Bar. Both of these locations are normally busy, so you should try to eat during off-peak hours to cut down on your wait time.

There is a Starbucks in Disney Town, so if you are craving Starbucks during your Shanghai Disneyland trip, that is where you can find it.

There is a bakery in Disney Town located adjacent to the World of Disney store that sells great baked goods. The green tea cake pop is amazing, so you be sure to check it out if you have a sweet tooth.

No Shanghai Disneyland trip is complete without purchasing a few Disney souvenirs to remember your trip by.

A lot of the merchandise at Shanghai Disneyland is standard and can be found at any park around the world; however, there is lots of merchandise exclusive to Shanghai Disneyland as well.

The merchandise at Shanghai Disneyland costs roughly the same as it does in every other Disney park, so I recommend only purchasing items that are exclusive to Shanghai Disneyland.

You can determine what is exclusive to Shanghai Disneyland by looking at the tag. If it exclusive to Shanghai, it should be marked on the tag and easily identifiable.

All the merchandise that is branded with the Shanghai Disneyland logo is exclusive. It is normally easy to tell what items are exclusive to Shanghai Disneyland because they tend to look more traditionally Chinese than the other merchandise.

A lot of people are concerned that there is going to be a language barrier during their Shanghai Disneyland trip. This isn’t the case at all.

Many cast members speak English, and the ones that don’t will find an English-speaking cast member to assist you when you need help.

The signs are all in English as well as Mandarin, so you will be able to identify what the restaurants, attractions, and stores are easily. At quick-service restaurants, there are pictures of the food as well as English menus the cast members can give you. There are English menus at all sit-down restaurants. You will never have a problem ordering food at a restaurants during your Shanghai Disneyland trip.

There are also English guide maps you can get. You normally have to ask a cast member for one when you enter the park, but you will be able to get a map you can read.

The shows and attractions are in Mandarin, but you will still be able to enjoy the show or attraction even if you don’t understand what is being said. You will be able to understand what is going on by the context and visual effects.

All in all not being able to communicate or understand cast members is not something you should be concerned about when planning your Shanghai Disneyland trip. It isn’t much different than going to any other international park where English is not the first language.

Shanghai Disneyland is all fun and games until someone gets hurt. While it is unlikely that you will get hurt, you should always purchase travel insurance rel=”nofollow” when you travel.

Travel insurance is essential if you fall ill in another country, but it also covers you for unexpected things like toothaches, lost baggage, and having to cancel your trip before you leave because you’re sick.

It is an inexpensive investment that you hope you never need to use but are always happy to have if you ever need it.

Shanghai Disneyland is on of the most unique Disney parks in the world. It has lots of unique attractions and experiences as well as a lot of local, Chinese theming that cannot be found in any other Disney park in the world.

A Shanghai Disneyland trip should be on every Disney lover’s bucket list. Casual Disney fans will love it too! I have been to every Disney park in the world, and Shanghai Disneyland is my favourite park. I promise you won’t regret your Shanghai Disneyland trip and will want to go back again and again after you experience it!