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Freedom251 › Blog › Aeroplan alternatives

Best Alternatives to an Aeroplan Credit Card for Travel Rewards in Canada

By Freedom251 Team · · 5 min read

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If you want travel rewards without relying on Aeroplan, compare American Express Membership Rewards, RBC Avion and Scotiabank Scene+. They offer different routes: Membership Rewards can transfer to participating airline and hotel programs, while the reviewed Avion and Scene+ materials describe travel redemptions through their own programs. The best fit depends on where you spend, how you prefer to book, and which travel options you can use—not simply the number of points earned per dollar.

Which travel rewards card is best if you don’t want Aeroplan?

There is no universal winner among these alternatives. Start by deciding what you want instead of Aeroplan: points transferable to travel partners, issuer-managed travel redemptions, or rewards tied to everyday spending categories.

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  • Consider American Express Membership Rewards if you value the option to move points to participating airline or hotel programs and are willing to compare their redemption terms. Amex also offers a separate Pay with Points option; it is not the same as transferring points to a partner. See American Express Canada’s Membership Rewards details.
  • Consider RBC Avion if you want an RBC-issued rewards card and issuer-described travel redemptions. The official guide located for this comparison describes flights, travel packages, hotels and cruises. Check RBC’s Avion Visa Infinite benefits guide and confirm current terms with RBC.
  • Consider Scotiabank Scene+ if its listed earning categories match your spending and you prefer the issuer’s travel redemption options to searching for partner award seats. Scotiabank’s pages describe both a no-fee Scene+ Visa and the Gold American Express Card. Review the Scene+ Visa Card.

How do the programs earn and redeem travel rewards?

Program Earning and travel options documented by the issuer What to verify
American Express Membership Rewards Eligible Canadian Membership Rewards points can be used for Amex Pay with Points travel or transferred to participating third-party airline and hotel loyalty programs. Amex states that 1,000 points can provide a $10 Air Canada Pay with Points travel credit; that is a specific issuer redemption option, not a valuation for every partner transfer. Confirm your card’s eligibility, the live partner roster, transfer ratio, account requirements and timing before transferring. The current roster and terms may change. Amex program information and Amex airline and hotel partners.
RBC Avion RBC’s Avion Visa Infinite benefits guide describes redemptions for flights, travel packages, hotels, cruises and other travel. The guide located for this comparison is several years old. It does not establish the current partner roster or which Avion products qualify for partner options; confirm present-day terms with RBC. RBC Avion benefits guide.
Scotiabank Scene+ Scotiabank documents points earned on card categories and redemptions including Scene+ Travel and Apply Points to Travel. Its Scene+ Visa page shows 20,000 points as $200 off travel through those options. Check eligible purchases, participating merchants and current card terms. The issuer’s travel examples do not establish a common value comparison with Membership Rewards or Avion. Scotiabank Scene+ Visa.

When does American Express Membership Rewards make sense?

Membership Rewards is the clearest fit of these options if you want the ability to choose among participating airline and hotel loyalty programs rather than redeem only through a single issuer travel route. Amex describes transfers to third-party programs, including partner airlines and hotels; its partner page lists options such as Avios and Marriott Bonvoy. A transfer is distinct from booking eligible travel through Pay with Points.

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That flexibility is useful only if you can make use of the relevant partners and their award availability. Check the live partner page and the terms for your specific card before moving points. The Amex figures supplied here do not establish that a transfer will yield more value than Pay with Points or another program.

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When does RBC Avion make sense?

Avion is worth considering if you prefer an RBC rewards card and want the travel redemption choices described in RBC’s benefits guide. That guide includes flights, packages, hotels and cruises, but it is an older document. Its business-class redemption figure—100 Avion points per $1 CAD—is not a reliable current general valuation without confirmation from RBC.

The official material reviewed here does not establish a current transfer-partner list or the qualifying-card rules for partner transfers. Do not assume that an Avion card offers a particular airline transfer option unless RBC confirms it for the card you are considering.

When does Scotiabank Scene+ make sense?

Scene+ may suit you if you want to earn through issuer-listed spending categories and redeem through Scotiabank’s travel options. The earning rates differ by card, so compare the categories with your actual routine rather than choosing by the largest headline rate.

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Scene+ Visa Card

Scotiabank lists 2 Scene+ points per dollar at named grocery partners and Home Hardware, and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases. Its examples show 20,000 points as $200 off travel through Scene+ Travel and Apply Points to Travel. These are issuer-stated earning and redemption terms, not a head-to-head return against other programs.

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Scotiabank Gold American Express Card

Scotiabank’s card page lists 6 Scene+ points per dollar at named grocery banners including Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo and Foodland; 5 points per dollar on eligible dining, food delivery, food subscriptions, other eligible grocery stores and entertainment; 3 points per dollar on eligible gas, transit and streaming; and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases. The page lists a $120 annual fee. Accelerated category earning is subject to an annual spend threshold, after which the standard rate applies. Check the current Scotiabank Gold American Express Card terms for eligible purchases and category limits.

The same Scotiabank page describes an offer for eligible new accounts opened from July 2 through November 1, 2026: up to 50,000 bonus points through spending requirements, with separate first-year value claims. It is a date-limited offer, subject to eligibility and offer terms; check the issuer page before applying.

How should you compare cards before applying?

  1. List your real spending. Estimate what you spend on groceries, dining, gas, transit, entertainment and streaming. Compare those amounts with each card’s eligible categories and any annual threshold.
  2. Choose a redemption route. Decide whether you are willing to search partner award availability and follow transfer rules, or would rather use issuer-described travel options. Do not treat a partner transfer and a travel credit as interchangeable.
  3. Check the specific card’s cost and eligibility. Compare annual fees, any additional-card costs, application eligibility and welcome-offer spending requirements. An offer’s end date and terms can change.
  4. Check acceptance where you spend. The information reviewed here does not quantify merchant acceptance. Consider whether the card network works at the merchants where you expect to earn most.
  5. Verify live terms before applying or transferring. Partner lists, redemption rules and promotional offers can change. For a transfer, confirm the destination program, ratio and requirements on the issuer’s current page before proceeding.
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Why points-per-dollar rates are not a fair comparison by themselves

A rate such as 5 points per dollar does not show how much travel those points will buy. Membership Rewards, Avion and Scene+ have different redemption routes, and the issuer materials cited here do not provide a common, current cents-per-point valuation or a like-for-like trip comparison. The Amex $10 Air Canada Pay with Points credit for 1,000 Membership Rewards points is one specified redemption; it does not define the value of partner transfers. Likewise, Scotiabank’s 20,000-points-for-$200 travel example applies to its stated Scene+ options.

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Compare a specific trip you might book, using the current terms for the card and redemption route you would actually use. Without that comparison, ranking the programs by points earned per dollar would be misleading.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Aeroplan alternativesAmerican Express Membership RewardsCanadaCredit CardsRBC AvionScotiabank Scene+travel rewards

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