CardStack / CAv1.1
The Verdict — Canadian Premium Cards 2026

Stop carrying
five cards.
Carry two.

On a $60,000/yr spend profile, the math points to a clear winner. Tweak the assumptions below and watch every number on this page recompute.

Top of the stack
TD First Class
+$1,123
net value / yr · 1.87% effective return
See full breakdown →
TD First Class
Net+$1,123
Your assumptions
Adjust spend & point values
Total spend $60,000 / yr · saved to your browser
Annual spend by category
Groceries$12,000
Dining$8,000
Travel$10,000
Gas$4,000
Recurring$6,000
All Other$15,000
Foreign$5,000
Point values (¢ / point)
¢/pt
¢/pt
¢/pt
¢/pt
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We scrape it, an AI normalizes it, and the math runs alongside the curated cards.
3 of 3 left
01

The Ranking

Net value = rewards + credits − annual fee − FX cost

#CardRewardsCreditsFeeFXNetEff.
01TD First Class
TD Rewards @ 0.5¢
$1,287$100−$139−$125$1,1231.87%
02BMO Eclipse
BMO Rewards @ 0.67¢
$1,012$50−$120−$125$8171.36%
03TD Aeroplan VIP
Aeroplan points @ 1.8¢
$1,391$25−$599−$125$6921.15%
04Amex Platinum
Membership Rewards @ 1.5¢
$1,095$425−$799−$125$5960.99%
05BMO Ascend
BMO Rewards @ 0.67¢
$824—−$150−$125$5490.92%
02

Show the Math

rate × annual spend × point value = $ earned

TD First Class
TD Rewards @ 0.5¢/pt
+$1,287
rewards / yr
CategoryRateSpend¢/pt= Earned
Groceriescap $25,000/year · shared w/ Dining, Recurring · budget $11,538
$462 over cap @ 1×
6×$12,0000.5¢$348
Diningcap $25,000/year · shared w/ Groceries, Recurring · budget $7,692
$308 over cap @ 1×
6×$8,0000.5¢$232
Travel8×$10,0000.5¢$400
Gas2×$4,0000.5¢$40
Recurringcap $25,000/year · shared w/ Groceries, Dining · budget $5,769
$231 over cap @ 1×
4×$6,0000.5¢$117
All Other2×$15,0000.5¢$150
Subtotal (excl. foreign spend)$1,287
BMO Eclipse
BMO Rewards @ 0.67¢/pt
+$1,012
rewards / yr
CategoryRateSpend¢/pt= Earned
Groceries5×$12,0000.67¢$402
Dining5×$8,0000.67¢$268
Travel1×$10,0000.67¢$67
Gas5×$4,0000.67¢$134
Recurring1×$6,0000.67¢$40
All Other1×$15,0000.67¢$101
Subtotal (excl. foreign spend)$1,012
TD Aeroplan VIP
Aeroplan points @ 1.8¢/pt
+$1,391
rewards / yr
CategoryRateSpend¢/pt= Earned
Groceries1.5×$12,0001.8¢$324
Dining1.5×$8,0001.8¢$216
Travel1.5×$10,0001.8¢$270
Gas1.5×$4,0001.8¢$108
Recurring1.25×$6,0001.8¢$135
All Other1.25×$15,0001.8¢$338
Subtotal (excl. foreign spend)$1,391
Amex Platinum
Membership Rewards @ 1.5¢/pt
+$1,095
rewards / yr
CategoryRateSpend¢/pt= Earned
Groceries1×$12,0001.5¢$180
Dining2×$8,0001.5¢$240
Travel2×$10,0001.5¢$300
Gas1×$4,0001.5¢$60
Recurring1×$6,0001.5¢$90
All Other1×$15,0001.5¢$225
Subtotal (excl. foreign spend)$1,095
BMO Ascend
BMO Rewards @ 0.67¢/pt
+$824
rewards / yr
CategoryRateSpend¢/pt= Earned
Groceries1×$12,0000.67¢$80
Dining3×$8,0000.67¢$161
Travel5×$10,0000.67¢$335
Gas1×$4,0000.67¢$27
Recurring3×$6,0000.67¢$121
All Other1×$15,0000.67¢$101
Subtotal (excl. foreign spend)$824

See the methodology for cap and shared-pool logic.

03

Point Currencies

What we assume each point is worth — and why

Aeroplan points
1.8¢/pt
your value
HighStar Alliance business class long-haul (~2.5–4¢)
LowAeroplan eStore merchandise (~1.0¢)
Earned by

Blended assumption: economy short-haul + occasional premium-cabin redemption.

Membership Rewards
1.5¢/pt
your value
HighTransfer to Aeroplan / Marriott (~1.5–2.5¢)
LowStatement credit (~1.0¢)
Earned by

Assumes user transfers to a partner program; pure cash-back drops to ~1¢.

BMO Rewards
0.67¢/pt
your value
HighTravel via BMO Rewards portal (~1.0¢)
LowStatement credit (~0.67¢)
Earned by

Conservative cash-back assumption; portal travel can reach 1.0¢.

TD Rewards
0.5¢/pt
your value
HighExpedia for TD travel portal (0.5¢)
LowMerchandise / gift cards (~0.4¢)
Earned by

Locked at 0.5¢ for portal travel — no transfer partners available.

04

Category Winners

Best card to swipe per spend category

Groceries
BMO Eclipse
$402 on $12,000
Dining
BMO Eclipse
$268 on $8,000
Travel
TD First Class
$400 on $10,000
Gas
BMO Eclipse
$134 on $4,000
Recurring
TD Aeroplan VIP
$135 on $6,000
All Other
TD Aeroplan VIP
$338 on $15,000
Foreign
TD Aeroplan VIP
-$13 on $5,000
least bad — all charge FX
05

The Optimal Stack

Two cards. ~$259/year in fees. ~95% of the value.

Travel + Default$139/yr
TD First Class

8× on travel via Expedia (4¢/$). 6× on groceries & dining up to $25k/cat/yr.

Net value+$1,123
Daily Driver$120/yr
BMO Eclipse

5× on groceries, dining, gas, transit. Best swipe-rate in the lineup.

Net value+$817
Add a third only if

You fly Air Canada 3+ times a year — then TD Aeroplan VIP ($599) earns its fee back through Maple Leaf Lounge access, waived bags for 8 companions, and the 10/10 insurance package.

06

How to Actually Use Them

One card per situation. No ambiguity.

TD First Class
5 situations / 3 red flags
[ + ]
✓ Use when
  • Booking flights, hotels, and car rentals through Expedia For TD (8x TD Rewards = 4¢/$ — beats every other card on travel).
  • Direct travel purchases not on Expedia (still strong via base + travel earn).
  • Groceries and dining ONLY until the combined $25,000/year 6x cap is exhausted (then switch groceries → BMO Eclipse, dining → BMO Eclipse).
  • Recurring bills until the shared $25,000/year cap is hit (then switch recurring → TD Aeroplan VIP).
  • Any purchase where you specifically want TD's travel insurance package on a $139-fee card.
✗ Avoid when
  • Foreign-currency purchases — 2.5% FX wipes out the rewards.
  • Gas — only 2x TD Rewards (1¢/$); Eclipse pays 3.35¢/$.
  • After hitting the $25k/year combined 6x/4x cap — drops to 2x base, worse than alternatives.
BMO Eclipse
3 situations / 4 red flags
[ + ]
✓ Use when
  • Groceries, dining, and gas — 5x BMO Rewards = 3.35¢/$ is the best rate available across these portfolios for everyday spend.
  • Transit (subways, rideshare, taxis) — same 5x category.
  • As the primary daily-spend card once the TD First Class $25k cap is hit on groceries/dining.
✗ Avoid when
  • Travel bookings — only 1x; use TD First Class instead.
  • Recurring bills / subscriptions — only 1x; use TD Aeroplan VIP or TD First Class.
  • Foreign purchases — 2.5% FX exceeds the rewards earned.
  • Trips needing strong insurance — insurance is mid-tier (5/10); upgrade to TD Aeroplan VIP for medical, trip cancel, mobile device.
TD Aeroplan VIP
5 situations / 2 red flags
[ + ]
✓ Use when
  • Recurring bills and 'all other' uncategorized spend — 1.25x base × 1.8¢ Aeroplan = 2.25¢/$, the best uncapped catch-all rate.
  • Air Canada flight purchases — 2x Aeroplan + Maple Leaf Lounge access + waived first checked bags for up to 8 companions makes it dominant for Air Canada flyers.
  • ANY flight you take, even on competing airlines — top-tier $5M medical (4 days if 65+), trip cancel/interrupt, $1,500 mobile device, and best-in-class insurance score (10/10) override pure earn-rate math.
  • Hotel bookings where you want the strong travel insurance and trip protection.
  • Foreign spend — least-bad option here: 1.25x × 1.8¢ = 2.25¢ partially offsets the 2.5% FX (net loss ~0.25¢/$ vs. ~1.5¢/$ on TD/BMO cards).
✗ Avoid when
  • If you don't fly Air Canada at least 2–3x per year, the $599 fee is hard to justify — net value is only $692 in this profile vs. $1,146 for TD First Class.
  • Groceries, dining, gas, travel-via-Expedia — beaten by Eclipse or First Class.
Amex Platinum
5 situations / 4 red flags
[ + ]
✓ Use when
  • Restaurants and travel where Amex is accepted — 2x MR × 1.5¢ = 3¢/$, tied with Eclipse on dining.
  • Booking 2+ night hotel stays via Fine Hotels + Resorts (room upgrade, breakfast for 2, $100 property credit — frequently $300–$500 of real value per stay, on top of points).
  • Any time you'll use a Centurion Lounge or Global Lounge Collection lounge — lounge access is best-in-class (10/10).
  • Spending the $200 annual dining credit and $200 travel credit (treat these as guaranteed; don't let them expire).
  • Applying the $100 NEXUS rebate (every 4 years).
✗ Avoid when
  • Anywhere Amex isn't accepted — most Canadian grocery stores, gas stations, and small merchants take Visa/MC only.
  • Groceries, gas, recurring, 'all other' — base 1x rate is poor (1.5¢/$) vs. category specialists.
  • Foreign spend — 2.5% FX, no rebate.
  • If you won't realistically use $400+ of the credits and at least one premium lounge visit per year, the $799 fee makes this a net loss.
BMO Ascend
3 situations / 4 red flags
[ + ]
✓ Use when
  • Travel purchases when TD First Class isn't an option (5x BMO Rewards × 0.67¢ = 3.35¢/$).
  • Recurring bills if you don't hold TD Aeroplan VIP (3x = 2.01¢/$).
  • As a backup card for Mastercard-only acceptance situations.
✗ Avoid when
  • Almost everything else — beaten on every category by at least one other card in this set.
  • Groceries, gas, 'all other' — base 1x × 0.67¢ = 0.67¢/$, the worst rate in the lineup.
  • Foreign spend — 2.5% FX.
  • If holding TD First Class + Eclipse + Aeroplan VIP, this card is redundant — net value $549 is the lowest in the group.