What you actually have to spend to get some of the best credit card welcome bonus offers
Last Updated on October 29, 2024
Back towards the beginning of November 2019 we had a blog post that looked at what sort of money you have lay down to get the best credit card offers out on the market. It was prompted by not one but two requests we received in one day for this very chart (thanks again to Anik D & DC!) Both those requests were in response to our monthly Top 5 welcome bonus offers for credit cards as those monthly posts don't take spend into account. Well, that post from November 2019 covering the actual spend proved to be so popular that I decided to make it mainstay feature here on the Rewards Canada site. The reason why is that it is easier to keep updating this page and it won't get buried pages deep on the blog. By having it here on the site it also allows for better formatting and reading than is found on the blog.
I decided to only take a handful of the best cards and offers on the market to build this chart. As time goes along I may add more cards and also pull some off - it really depends on what the offer is on the speciifc cards at that time. The chart is in order of the least amount of spend required and if cards have the same requirement they are further sorted by listing those with the higher minimum value first. To learn more about a specific card or to apply for that card simply click on the card name under the card art to be taken to that issuer's site for the card.
The list is sorted in order of least amount of spend required to highest
| Card | Welcome Bonus | Minimum spend required to actually get the full bonus** |
Timeline to get bonus | Minimum Value towards travel* |
Maximum Value towards travel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card |
35,000 Welcome Points |
$0 | Anytime | $350 | No set max - could easily get above $500 |
 BMO AIR MILES Mastercard |
Limited time: Get up to 800 AIR MILES Bonus Miles* | $1,000 | 3 months maximum | $76 | No set max - could easily get above $100 |
 Scotia Passport Visa Infinite |
25,000 bonus Scotia Rewards points when you spend $1,000 in the first three months (that’s up to $250 towards travel*) NOTE This offer is promoted as a 35,000 point offer but that requires $40,000 in spending and takes a full year - here we just look at the short term 3 month portion |
$1,000 | 3 months maximum | $250 | $250 |
 mbna Rewards World Elite Mastercard |
Receive up to 30,000 bonus points | $2,000 | 3 months maximum | $180 | $180 |
 BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard |
Get up to 2,000 AIR MILES Bonus Miles and they’ll waive the $120 annual fee for the first year | $3,000 | 3 months maximum | $190 | No set max - could easily get above $400 |
 CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card |
Get 45,000 Aventura Points and your first year free. Earn 15,000 points on your first purchase and 30,000 more when you spend $3,000 in the first four months |
$3,000 | 4 months maximum | $450 | $900 |
 Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express®* Card |
New Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Cardmembers, earn 50,000 Welcome Bonus points after you spend $1,500 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership. | $1,500 | 3 months maximum | $500 | No set max - could easily get above $1,000 |
 TD® First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card |
Earn up to $1,000 in value†, including up to 135,000 TD Rewards Points, no Annual Fee for the first year† and additional travel benefits. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by January 6, 2025. | $5,000 | 6 months minimum | $300 | $375 |
 WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard |
Get 450 welcome WestJet dollars when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. | $5,000 | 3 months maximum | $331 | $331 |
 Scotia Gold American Express Card |
Earn up to 45,000 bonus Scene+ Rewards points and pay no annual fee in the first year | $7,500 | 12 months maximum | $450 | $450 |
 American Express Cobalt Card |
In your first year as a new Cobalt Cardmember, you can earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in net purchases on your Card. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year. | $9,000 | 12 months minimum | $150 | No set max - could easily get above $500 |
 The Platinum Card® |
New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn 100,000 Welcome Bonus points after you charge $10,000 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership. | $10,000 | 3 months maximum | $1,000 | No set max - could easily get above $2,000 |
 TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card |
Earn up to $1,500 in value†, including up to 50,000 Aeroplan points†, no Annual Fee for the first year† and additional travel benefits. Account must be approved by January 6, 2025. | $12,000 | 12 months maximum | $750 | No set max - could easily get above $1,000 |
 BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Card |
Get up to 60,000 points, the first year annual fee waived for both the primary and first authorized cardholders | $24,000 | 15 months | $400 | $400 |
 BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard |
Get up to 60,000 points, the first year annual fee waived for both the primary and first authorized cardholders | $24,000 | 15 months | $400 | $400 |
* Calculated by taking the value of the full amount of miles earned from the bonus less the annual fee(s)
** Minimum spend is calculated by using the highest possible category multiplier for earning points/miles.
† Terms and Conditions apply. This offer is not available for residents of Quebec.
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