Top 10 Travel Credit Cards with No Income Requirement

If you're a student or senior just starting to get into credit card rewards, you may find that the really lucrative credit cards require a really high income level to get approved. For example, the BMO World Elite MasterCard requires an individual income of $80,000 and household income of $150,000!

If you don't earn that much, it doesn't mean that you should be discouraged from taking advantage of credit card rewards. In fact, most credit card issuers really want your business, and will have credit cards tailored towards you. Here are the top 10 credit cards that have no income requirements!

Last Updated: April 15, 2022

MBNA Alaska Airlines Platinum Plus MasterCard
Best for: Collecting Alaska miles

Annual Fee: $75

Minimum Welcome Bonus: 21,000 Alaska miles after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months

Application Link(s): MBNA, Great Canadian Rebates ($50 cash back)

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT? The MBNA Alaska Airlines MasterCards help you earn points with Alaska Mileage Plan, which is partnered with American Airlines, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Fiji Airways, and Hainan Airlines just to name a few. If this is your only card, you can likely use the welcome bonus on a flight within the continental U.S. and Canada.

The best value for this card is when you combine it with an Amex to earn even more Alaska miles, and start qualifying for more exotic destinations. If you're on the West Coast, you can also take advantage of their annual companion fare voucher for $121 USD.

American Express Air Miles Platinum Card
Best for: Collecting Air Miles

Annual Fee: $120
Minimum Welcome Bonus: 2,150 Air Miles after charging $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Application Link(s): American Express, Great Canadian Rebates ($10 cash back)

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT? Air Miles are an underrated travel rewards program that can be redeemed for rewards that other programs typically don't have, in addition to flights. For example, the welcome bonus is enough for a 2-day pass to Universal Hollywood. You can also choose to redeem for cash back.

American Express Cobalt Card

Best for: Cash back, Marriott Bonvoy points, Amex Fixed Points Travel

Annual Fee: $10 per month

Minimum Welcome Bonus: 36,000 Membership Rewards (2,500 for each month you spend $500 for the first 12 months)

Application Link(s): American Express, Great Canadian Rebates ($100 cash back)

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT? The Cobalt card earns Membership Rewards Select (MR-S) points, which can be redeemed in a few ways:

• Get $1 cash back for every 100 points earned
• Convert at a rate of 5:6 to Marriott Bonvoy
• Convert at a rate of 1:1 to Aeroplan
• Redeem for American Express Fixed Points Travel, starting at 15,000 points

The lucrative part of this card is being able to earn 5x the points on food and drink, which is essentially 5% cash back on groceries, restaurants, bars and coffee shops - no other card in Canada (aside from the Scotiabank Amex Gold) offers this high of a multiplier.

American Express Platinum Card
Best for: Lounge access, multiple frequent flyer programs, Amex Fixed Points Travel

Annual Fee: $699
Minimum Welcome Bonus: 90,000 Membership Rewards points, after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months, $200 annual travel credit
Application Link(s): American Express, Great Canadian Rebates ($150 cash back)

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT? While the Platinum Amex doesn't have a minimum income requirement, note that you are hit with a high annual fee and high minimum spend requirement right out of the gate. Unless you're a student and plan to pay your tuition through Plastiq, I do not recommend this card if you aren't employed.

The Platinum Amex remains one of the most effective ways to get a lot of points very quickly. The current welcome bonus of 90,000 points converts 1:1 to Aeroplan, which is enough for most Economy round trip flights, or one-way in business class to Europe/Asia.

Example: You can fly business class from Chicago to Madrid for 34,000 Iberia Avios points one-way. You can also fly Toronto to Chicago for 7,500 Aeroplan miles one-way. As both Aeroplan and Avios convert 1:1 from American Express rewards, you only need 41,500 MR points to get this itinerary.

You also get unlimited lounge access, which means you can relax in the Amex Centurion lounge on the way to Madrid. Plus, you can use the $200 travel credit on flights, hotels or car rentals.

BMO Rewards MasterCard
Best for: Flexible travel rewards

Annual Fee: $0
Minimum Welcome Bonus: 11,000 BMO Rewards points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months if you apply before December 6, 2022
Application Link(s): BMO

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT? 11,000 BMO Rewards points is equal to ~$79 off a flight, hotel or car rental on the BMO Rewards website. Personally, I've found that flights are typically the same price as any other search engine.

Marriott Bonvoy Card by American Express
Best for: Marriott Bonvoy points

Annual Fee: $120
Minimum Welcome Bonus: 69,500 Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $1,500 in the first 3 months
Application Link(s): American Express, Great Canadian Rebates ($60 cash back)

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT? This is the best card in Canada for earning Marriott Bonvoy points, which is probably the most flexible loyalty program out there. Marriott Bonvoy points can be redeemed for free hotel nights at Marriott properties, or converted to Aeroplan, Alaska, British Airways Avios, etc. points.

RBC Avion Visa Platinum
Best for: Short haul flights, Westjet Dollars or British Airways Avios

Annual Fee: $120

Minimum Welcome Bonus: 15,000 Avion points upon approval

Application Link(s): RBC

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT? The Platinum version of the RBC Avion Visa Infinite has a pretty generous welcome bonus, though the first year's fee isn't waived. 15,000 Avion points can get you a round trip flight to an adjacent province/state (e.g. Toronto to New York City), which is worth up to $350 off the base ticket fare. For $120 and no income requirement, that's a pretty good offer!

Scotiabank American Express Gold Card
Best for: Travel credit, foreign currency transactions

Annual Fee: $120
Minimum Welcome Bonus: 26,000 Scene+ points (25,000 after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months) if you apply before July 4, 2022
Application Link(s): Scotiabank, Great Canadian Rebates ($100 cash back)

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT? Scotia Rewards points can be redeemed at a rate of 100:1 as a statement credit on travel, which means you get $260 of value in the first year. Furthermore, you get 5x the points on food delivery and entertainment, as well as 3x the points on ridesharing.

TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum

Best for: Earning Aeroplan miles

 

Annual Fee: $89 (waived the first year if you apply before May 29, 2022)
Minimum Welcome Bonus: 20,000 Aeroplan miles = 10,000 upon first purchase + 10,000 after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days
Application Link(s): TD

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT? If you want to earn Aeroplan miles and you're not the type of person to get much use out of an Amex card, then TD is the way to go. 

TD Platinum Travel Visa

Best for: Flexible travel rewards

Annual Fee: $89 (waived the first year if you apply before May 29, 2022)
Minimum Welcome Bonus: 50,000 TD Rewards =15,000 TD Rewards upon first purchase + 35,000 TD Rewards after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days
Application Link(s): TD

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT? This card is good for earning TD Rewards points, which can be redeemed in a variety of ways:

• Get $1 for every 250 points on Expedia for TD, which is the same as the regular Expedia website but may occasionally have different pricing
• Get $1 for every 200 points if you redeem for a statement credit on travel
• More on TD Rewards website

While there are many other cards that don't have a minimum income requirement, they definitely don't offer as many rewards or as big of a welcome bonus. Note that this is just my opinion on which cards are worth getting.