For Canadian business owners who travel regularly, the right credit card does far more than earn points — it unlocks airport lounges, eliminates foreign transaction fees, accelerates status on Air Canada, and provides insurance coverage that basic cards can't match. The challenge is that Canada's best travel-focused business cards sit at very different price points, with very different benefit profiles.
This guide breaks down the top four travel rewards business credit cards available to Canadian businesses in 2026: the Amex Business Platinum, the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business, and the TD Business Travel Visa. All fees and reward data are sourced from official issuer pages and verified as of April 2026.
At a Glance: Travel Business Cards Compared
| Card | Annual Fee | Key Earn Rate | Lounge Access | FX Fee | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Business Platinum | $799 | 1.25x MR on all purchases | 1,400+ lounges (unlimited) | 2.50% | Frequent international travelers, premium perks |
| Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve | $599 | 3x Aeroplan on Air Canada; 1.25x on all else | Maple Leaf Lounges (unlimited) | 2.50% | Air Canada loyalists, domestic frequent flyers |
| Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business | $199 (yr 1 waived) | 1.5x Scene+ on all purchases | 6 free visits/year (1,200+ lounges) | $0 | International spenders, occasional travelers |
| TD Business Travel Visa | $149 (yr 1 waived) | 9x TD Rewards on Expedia for TD | None included | 2.50% | Budget-focused travelers who book through Expedia |
Amex Business Platinum Card — The Premium Option at $799
The Business Platinum Card from American Express is Canada's most comprehensive travel business card, and its $799 annual fee reflects that positioning. For businesses whose owners travel internationally several times a year, the card can deliver returns that substantially exceed the fee.
Lounge Access
The defining travel benefit is unlimited access to 1,400+ airport lounges in 140 countries through the American Express Global Lounge Collection. This includes Centurion Lounges and Plaza Premium Lounges — two of the most premium networks globally. Unlike many other lounge programs, there is no per-visit charge and no cap on visits. For a business owner who travels through airports four or more times per month, this benefit alone can justify a significant portion of the annual fee.
Earn Rate and Redemptions
The Amex Business Platinum earns a flat 1.25x Membership Rewards points on every dollar spent — no category caps, no rotating bonuses to track. These points transfer at a 1:1 ratio to Air Canada Aeroplan, meaning a high-spend month translates directly into Air Canada business class redemptions. Points can also transfer to British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and several other international programs.
Travel Credits and Statement Credits
The card provides a $200 annual travel credit (for bookings through AmexTravel), a $120 annual wireless credit ($10/month at eligible Canadian wireless providers), and a $200 Dell credit ($100 every 6 months through December 31, 2026). A $300 Indeed credit rounds out the business-focused credits. These credits add up to approximately $820 in potential offsets, which dramatically reduces the effective net cost of the $799 annual fee for businesses that use them.
Hotel and Airport Benefits
Fine Hotels + Resorts access provides guaranteed noon check-in, complimentary room upgrades, daily breakfast for two, and 4 PM late check-out at 1,600+ properties globally. At Toronto Pearson specifically, cardholders get access to a Priority Security Lane, complimentary valet parking (Terminal 1), and a 15% parking discount.
Travel Insurance
Coverage includes $5,000,000 per person in emergency medical insurance (for travellers under 65 on trips up to 15 days), $1,500 per person trip cancellation, $1,000 per person flight delay (after a 4-hour delay), and up to $500,000 in common carrier accident insurance. This is among the most comprehensive travel insurance packages on any Canadian business card.
Foreign Transaction Fee
The Amex Business Platinum charges a 2.50% foreign transaction fee. For businesses with substantial international purchasing, this is a meaningful cost — $2,500 per $100,000 spent in foreign currency. If international online purchases are a major expense category, pairing this card with a no-FX-fee card for international transactions is worth considering.
Best for:
- Business owners who travel internationally at least 6–8 times per year
- Companies with high overall card spend who benefit from flat 1.25x earn rate
- Businesses that want premium lounge access without tracking visit counts
- Firms that can use the statement credits (Dell, Indeed, wireless) to offset the fee
Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve Card — The Air Canada Card at $599
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card is purpose-built for businesses whose travel centres on Air Canada. At $599 per year, it is positioned between the Amex Business Platinum and mid-tier cards, and it delivers Air Canada-specific benefits that no other card in Canada can match.
Lounge Access
Cardholders receive unlimited access to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges in North America for both the primary cardholder and one guest. For businesses based in Canadian cities well-served by Air Canada — including Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary — this is a premium benefit. Priority Pass membership is included, but visits through Priority Pass are charged at the prevailing per-visit rate (complimentary visits are not included).
Earn Rate and Air Canada Benefits
The card earns 3x Aeroplan points per dollar on eligible purchases made directly with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations, 2x on eligible hotel and car rental purchases (in Canada and through Amex Travel), and 1.25x on all other eligible purchases. Air Canada benefits include a free first checked bag for the primary cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation, Zone 2 Priority Boarding, Priority Check-in, Priority Baggage Handling, and Priority Airport Upgrades.
Companion Pass
After spending $25,000 on the card in a calendar year, cardholders earn an Annual Worldwide Companion Pass valued from $99 up to a maximum of $599. For business owners who travel with a partner or employee at least once a year, this benefit alone can represent several hundred dollars in value.
Status Acceleration
The card earns 1,000 Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) for every $5,000 in eligible net purchases, up to 25,000 SQC annually. This makes it significantly easier for business owners to maintain or achieve Aeroplan Elite Status — a benefit that compounds across every Air Canada flight.
Travel Insurance
Coverage includes $5,000,000 per person in emergency medical, $1,500 per person trip cancellation, $1,000 per person flight delay (after 4 hours), $1,000 per person baggage delay, and $500,000 common carrier accident insurance. The package is equivalent to the Amex Business Platinum's travel coverage.
Foreign Transaction Fee
Like all Amex Canada cards, the Aeroplan Business Reserve charges a 2.50% foreign transaction fee. Given its focus on Air Canada travel, most spending for this card's core audience is Canadian-dollar denominated, so this is less of a concern than for cards used for international supplier payments.
Best for:
- Business owners who fly Air Canada frequently (domestic or transborder)
- Companies that want to accelerate Aeroplan Elite Status through card spending
- Businesses with annual card spend over $25,000 who can earn the companion pass
- Teams where multiple employees fly on the same Air Canada reservations (free checked bags)
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business Card — The No-FX-Fee Option at $199
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business Card fills a distinct niche: it is the only major Canadian business credit card that charges no foreign transaction fees whatsoever. At $199 per year (waived in the first year for accounts opened between February 2 and April 30, 2026), it is also significantly more affordable than the premium Amex options.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
While Amex, TD, BMO, and RBC all charge a 2.50% foreign transaction fee, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business charges nothing — only the exchange rate applies. For a business spending $50,000 per year on international purchases (SaaS tools billed in USD, international supplier payments, US-based advertising platforms), this translates to $1,250 in annual savings compared to a card with a standard 2.5% FX markup. That savings alone covers the $199 annual fee with $1,051 to spare.
Lounge Access
The card includes complimentary membership in the Visa Airport Companion Program (powered by DragonPass), with six complimentary lounge visits per year across 1,200+ lounges globally, including Plaza Premium Lounges. This is a meaningful benefit for occasional travelers — not unlimited like the Amex Platinum, but well-suited to businesses whose owners travel fewer than six times per year.
Earn Rate
The card earns 1.5x Scene+ points on all eligible business purchases, with no category distinctions. Scene+ points can be redeemed for travel, entertainment, groceries, gift cards, and account credits. The redemption flexibility distinguishes this from co-branded airline cards, which lock points into a single loyalty program.
Welcome Bonus
The current offer (for accounts opened February 2 – April 30, 2026) includes up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points: 30,000 points after spending $5,000 within the first three months, and 10,000 additional points after spending $60,000 within the first 12 months.
Visa Infinite Benefits
Cardholders access Visa Infinite Concierge Service, the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection, Visa SavingsEdge (automatic discounts at participating merchants), and Visa Spend Clarity for Business — a robust expense management platform that exports to QuickBooks, Sage, and Xero.
Best for:
- Businesses with significant international spending (USD, EUR, or other foreign currencies)
- Companies that pay for SaaS tools, cloud services, or advertising in US dollars
- Business owners who travel internationally occasionally but not constantly
- Firms seeking a mid-price travel card with flexible, non-airline-tied rewards
TD Business Travel Visa Card — The Budget-Friendly Option at $149
The TD Business Travel Visa Card is the most accessible of Canada's travel-focused business cards, with a $149 annual fee waived in the first year. It targets businesses that book most of their travel through online travel agencies rather than directly with airlines.
Earn Rate
The card earns 9x TD Rewards Points per dollar when booking travel through ExpediaForTD.com — by far the highest earn rate on any Canadian business card for travel bookings made through a third-party platform. It also earns 6x points on dining, electric vehicle charging, public transit, streaming, and recurring bill payments, along with 6x on foreign currency purchases and 2x on all other eligible purchases.
Travel Booking Flexibility
TD Rewards Points can be redeemed through ExpediaForTD.com with no blackout dates and no seat restrictions. Points can also be applied to Amazon.ca purchases or as a statement credit. The 9x earn rate on Expedia for TD is highly competitive for businesses that prefer the convenience of booking through a single platform rather than managing multiple airline loyalty programs.
Welcome Bonus
The current offer (effective March 2, 2026) is up to 200,000 TD Rewards Points in the first year: 30,000 upon first purchase, 120,000 after spending $15,000 within 180 days, 30,000 after spending $25,000 within 365 days, and 20,000 at the 15-month mark.
Travel Insurance
Coverage includes up to $2 million per person in travel medical insurance (first 15 days; 4 days for travellers 65+), $1,500 per person trip cancellation, $5,000 per person trip interruption, $500 flight delay coverage (after 4 hours), and $1,000 per person for lost or delayed baggage. This is a solid insurance package for a $149 card.
Foreign Transaction Fee
The TD Business Travel Visa charges a 2.50% foreign transaction fee — the same as Amex and most other Canadian business cards. The 6x points earn on foreign currency purchases provides partial compensation, but not a full offset.
Best for:
- Small businesses that book most travel through Expedia or other OTAs
- Companies seeking solid travel insurance coverage at a lower price point
- Business owners who prefer flexible points over a single airline program
- Startups or businesses managing costs who want the first-year fee waived
Frequent vs. Occasional Travelers: Which Card Fits?
Frequent Travelers (6+ trips per year)
For business owners flying six or more times annually, unlimited lounge access has real dollar value. A single Centurion Lounge or Plaza Premium visit can cost $50–$100 per visit if purchased individually. At this travel frequency, the Amex Business Platinum's unlimited 1,400+ lounge access justifies a significant share of its $799 fee, especially when combined with the $200 travel credit and other statement credits.
Air Canada loyalists at this frequency should consider the Aeroplan Business Reserve ($599) instead — the Maple Leaf Lounge access, free checked bags, priority services, and status acceleration create a compounding value stack for frequent domestic and transborder flights.
Occasional Travelers (1–5 trips per year)
For business owners who travel infrequently but do have international purchasing — subscriptions, tools, or suppliers billed in foreign currencies — the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business ($199) is often the smarter choice. The no-FX-fee advantage can deliver greater financial return than lounge access that would go unused. The six annual lounge visits serve the occasional traveler well without paying for an unlimited program.
The TD Business Travel Visa ($149) suits businesses that travel domestically and primarily book through Expedia for TD, where the 9x earn rate compresses the time needed to accumulate meaningful points balances.
Domestic vs. International Travel
Domestic-Focused Businesses
For businesses primarily flying within Canada, the Aeroplan Business Reserve's Maple Leaf Lounge access and Air Canada benefits create the most value. Canada's major airports — Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Montreal-Trudeau, and Calgary — all have Maple Leaf Lounges, making the benefit practical for domestic itineraries.
International-Focused Businesses
For businesses with international travel or international supplier spending, two factors dominate: foreign transaction fees and lounge network breadth. The Amex Business Platinum's 1,400+ lounge network covers international airports that the Maple Leaf Lounge network does not. However, the Amex Business Platinum still charges 2.5% in FX fees — the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business remains the only Canadian business card that eliminates this cost entirely.
A strategic pairing for high-volume international businesses: the Amex Business Platinum for lounge access and CAD-denominated spending (maximizing the 1.25x MR earn rate), alongside the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business for all foreign-currency purchases (saving 2.5% per transaction).
Final Recommendation by Business Type
| Business Profile | Recommended Card | Key Reason |
|---|---|---|
| High-volume travel, international focus | Amex Business Platinum ($799) | Unlimited lounge access, $820+ in credits, best-in-class insurance |
| Frequent Air Canada flyer | Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve ($599) | Maple Leaf Lounge, 3x on Air Canada, companion pass, status SQC |
| International purchasing (SaaS, suppliers) | Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business ($199) | Only Canadian business card with no FX fees |
| Budget-conscious, books via Expedia | TD Business Travel Visa ($149) | 9x on Expedia for TD, solid insurance, first year waived |
The right travel card depends on how your business actually travels — not just how much you spend. A business that books all flights on Air Canada will derive more value from the Aeroplan Business Reserve than from the broader but more expensive Amex Platinum. A business paying international SaaS subscriptions in USD every month will recover the Scotiabank Passport's fee through FX savings alone within a few months of spending.
Review your last 12 months of business travel and international spending, then match the card benefits to your actual patterns rather than aspirational travel habits.
Data Verification: All card details, fees, and reward structures in this article were verified against official issuer websites as of April 2026. We conduct routine data checks to ensure accuracy. Card terms and offers can change at any time — always confirm current details directly with the card issuer before applying.
For more business resources and local guides across Markham and Richmond Hill, visit MarkhamBusiness.com.