MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard

Below are practical Canadian picks—cards/brands that are widely discussed, widely available, and actually used in Canada. Credit cards are very common here: Payments Canada reported 7.5 billion credit-card transactions in 2024 and 112 million credit cards in circulation, so rewards cards are mainstream if you pay in full. (payments.ca)

Best credit cards in Canada — short list

My quick recommendations

If you want one card only

• Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard if you’re a Rogers/Fido/Shaw customer and want no annual fee.
• MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard if you want strong rewards but prefer Mastercard acceptance.
• Amex Cobalt if your regular stores accept Amex and you spend a lot on groceries/restaurants.

If you want the best 2-card setup

• Amex Cobalt for groceries/restaurants/food delivery.
• Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard or MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard as the backup where Amex isn’t accepted.

If you travel

• Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ is the cleanest travel pick because it combines Visa acceptance, no FX fees, and lounge passes.
• If you fly Air Canada often, add or choose TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite.

If you hate annual fees

• Tangerine Money-Back Mastercard
• Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard
• PC World Elite Mastercard
• Triangle World Elite Mastercard

Brands Canadians actually use

For networks, Visa and Mastercard are the safest everyday acceptance choices in Canada, while Amex often has the best rewards but more acceptance gaps. For issuers/products with real customer traction, J.D. Power’s Canadian study ranked American Express, Tangerine, and PC Financial highly among issuers, and highlighted Triangle World Elite Mastercard, Tangerine World Mastercard, PC World Elite Mastercard, and Amex Cobalt in its product rankings. (jdpower.com)

Bottom line:
If I were building a Canadian wallet today, I’d start with Amex Cobalt + a Mastercard backup. For most people, that backup would be Rogers Red World Elite if they’re in the Rogers/Fido/Shaw ecosystem, or MBNA Rewards World Elite if they want stronger non-Amex category rewards.

Based on current rankings and popularity, here's a breakdown of the best credit cards in Canada by category:

🏆 Best Overall: American Express Cobalt Card

The American Express Cobalt Card consistently dominates as the best overall credit card in Canada, having claimed the top spot for nine consecutive years, earning up to 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases and crushing over 230 competing credit cards in annual rankings. Cardholders can convert their points to Air Canada, Air France, or straight cash back, giving them unparalleled flexibility. It's a favorite among younger Canadians and foodies for its monthly (not annual) fee structure and strong dining/grocery rewards.

✈️ Best Travel Card: Scotiabank Gold American Express

The Scotiabank Gold American Express is considered the best travel credit card in Canada thanks to its impressive rewards program, comprehensive insurance package, and suite of travel perks, including no foreign transaction fees. A close alternative, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+, offers no foreign transaction fees and six complimentary airport lounge passes through the Visa Airport Companion Program, with Scene+ points redeemable flexibly for travel, groceries, and more.

🇨🇦 Most Popular / Widely Held: RBC Avion Visa Infinite

If you want the card that everyday Canadians actually carry the most, this is it. Of all the credit cards participating in the Avion program, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card is the most popular with Canadian consumers. You can redeem Avion points for merchandise, charitable donations, paying down your balance, or even toward a mortgage payment if you have one with RBC.

💰 Best Cash Back: Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard

This one's huge for practical, everyday Canadians because it has no annual fee. It's the no annual fee credit card with the most cash back categories to choose from — 2% Money-Back Rewards on purchases in two categories of your choice, with a third 2% category if you deposit rewards into a Tangerine Savings Account, choosing from 13 categories like groceries and gas, changeable every 90 days.

🎬 Best for Everyday Points (No Annual Fee): MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard

The MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard is one of the best reward credit cards in Canada, offering high rewards on frequently spent categories such as groceries and restaurants, plus an annual birthday bonus and price protection — a rare perk not found with many other cards.

🔑 Honorable Mention (Growing Fast): Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard

This is popular with people who want strong grocery/dining points without an Amex — it's one of MoneySense's top picks alongside the Scotia Gold Amex and TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite.

Quick Recommendations by Lifestyle:

• Want one great all-around card? → American Express Cobalt (though note Amex isn't accepted everywhere)
• Travel a lot? → Scotiabank Gold Amex or Passport Visa Infinite+
• Want the "safe," widely-recognized bank card? → RBC Avion Visa Infinite
• No annual fee, straightforward cash back? → Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard
• Want a Visa/Mastercard for wider acceptance than Amex? → MBNA Rewards World Elite or TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite

⚠️ One practical note: American Express isn't as widely accepted in Canada compared to Visa and Mastercard